66 Ghia dash molding

[das skiver]

Hi,
I've been cleaning, and taking inventory of the good and not so good on my new acquisition.
I couldn't be happier - but have a ton of questions.
I understand that the 66 year had specific dash molding - as well as 1 year only wheels.
Was the original dash molding this "cheap" plastic?

Most of the pieces are hot glued directly to the dash, (PO I'm sure)
but I think I could probably find a better looking piece of aluminum millwork vs messing with this stuff.

If this is original - I'll make them better than new... were they all painted silver? Should I really be concerned about saving and resurrecting these - or look for a set of used OG pieces? I have not seen anything in the aftermarket to replace these.
If so - how hard are they to locate?

I'll ask my questions one at a time - so I should be here a long, long time.
Thanks everyone for the knowledge, wisdom and inspiration.

[Karmann_65]

Hi
From my limited knowledge of these trims I'd suggest you look after the ones you have such as they are. Originals are next to impossible to find.

Looking at the back of my dash,it appears there are (or at least were) locating holes which suggests some kind of pin should stick out the back of the trim pieces. It's probably these pins that makes them so hard to reproduce.

The closest raw material I've found so far is from www.hart-wholesale.com/alum.htm listed as A20 - Flat Fluted Bar. It measures 37mm X 3mm and comes in 2m lengths.
If the outer edges were chamfered it may look ok but at this rate I'll probably do without.

Out of interest, what's the precise width of the molding pieces you have?

[das skiver]

Karmann 65,
Thanks.
The material I have measures 1.3"in width (3.302 centimeters)

My dash has the mount holes for the pins as well.
My glove box lid even has the 3 holes plugged with translucent plastic plugs on the inside of the door.
It would be very easy to mill these pieces out of aluminum. The total running length of stock would be approx 30".
But! - if the original was plastic - then I may have to stick with what I've got. I wonder if anyone has a pic of a "real" original set to verify?
Thanks to all who help.

[Karmann_65]

Refering back to my own questions about '66 Ghia's check out the comments here....

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=355087&start=20

sputnic60 mentions plastichrome strips and a possible source for replacement parts.

[Marlonius]

Yeah, those are original parts. From the factory, they were installed with rubber grommets the same way as the decklid trim or other exterior emblems.

When new, they were "chrome" plated plastic - the same as the bumper might be in a model car. Over time, this flaked and failed. Plus, invariably, someone tries to remove the trim without realizing the grommet situation and ends up breaking in the pins, thus the hot glue.

Mine were in poor shape, with the fake chrome having flaked off in many sections.

What I did:

1) Soaked parts overnight in bleach. This causes the rest of the chrome to come off, leaving clean plastic behind.

2) Went to Michael's craft store - bought "Gold Leaf Adhesive" in a spray can, plus a chunk of balsa wood.

3) Sprayed adhesive on dull side of Aluminum foil, as well as the dash trim. It's basically very thin contact cement.

4) Using my fingers and balsa wood (which is soft), I burnished the aluminum over the trim. It has to be worked over the details, ribs etc. Shiney side out, it looks pretty good.

Any screw ups, wrinkles or tears, strip off the foil and try again.

This is probably the cheapest/"most bang for your buck" approach that you can try. It turned out pretty well on my '66, but I didn't think to take pics at the time (a few years ago).

[John Moxon]

[Gary]

[sputnick60]

This is a full set of left hand drive dash strips viewed from the rear.

They are very rare and you should look after yours especially if you have a full set. John Copello did make reproductions from billet aluminum. I have a set of those.

For the OG plastic ones the chrome paint is applied in an electrostatic process. You could ask around in you local area for companies that do this sort of work.

My aluminum ones (made by John Copello) look good and I will get them bright anodized to get the most chrome like result.

Nicholas

VV ( Gary, I edited to remove the silly comment about stainless...)
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2014 Passat B7 130TDI wagon (cheats in tests)
"Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it."(Salvador Dali)
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[Gary]

^^ You're right about the billet. I was picturing them in my mind and kept thinking stainless. I should know better as John was making many items from billet. I edited my post to reflect that.
_________________
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943)

[eddiemoney]

my dash trim complete minus the super duper rare radio piece

which looks like this

and IF you can find and original that IS for sale expect to pay $300+
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--------------------------------------
Will

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[das skiver]

You guys are amazing...
I appreciate all of the help and experience more than you can know.

Kinda funny in a not so funny way - the PO had hot glued the smaller piece to the left of my glove box opening on. Prior to it setting up - it slid down on one side, being so crooked was driving me nuts (after only 36 hours) I had to remove it and begin the process.

Which reminds me of one of the funniest things I have ever read.
It's in the HoGhia Catalog (where I spend too much time reading)
It is referring to bumpers - but the problem is the universal.
"We have 2 dozen, virtually perfect pieces, to which 2-dozen pygmy-brained former owners have drilled huge holes in order to screw down the front license plate"

I only wish they would have stopped at just the 2 holes!
Or at least measured to try to get them either centered - or square.
People are funny - but people are also very helpful!

[tstracy39]

You can paint them with Testors model paint. If you have a good hobby shop, it's possible to get buffable metallic finishes in a little spray can. The buffable aluminum paint buffs out to a shiney finish just like real aluminum.
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Check my classifieds for kewl gauges:

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[sactojesse]

[hudsonce]

hey tstracy39:

are the "buffable metallic finishes in a little spray can" made by Testors?

[INLANDGHIA]

hey, eddiemoney ....that is one clean 66 nice!

[eddiemoney]

[west coast ghia]

ALL OG plastic (i bought 3 set just to make one orig. set) with the one year only e-flasher

[sputnick60]

[olspeed]

The only piece that was left of my dash trim was the piece between the clock and the speedo so I smoothed the dash and painted it. But if I did have a complete set of plastic I would skip the paint but still go to the hobby shop and buy some "bare metal foil" their ad states "it looks like metal because it is metal" it is used in making realistic Aircraft models and good for making chrome trim on plastic car models. You just cut it a little oversize apply it and then burnish it down with a pencil eraser.
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66- Ghia
76-Beetle

[copellos]

yep i make them . for mike and i dont know what he has in stock.
they suck to make and if your thinking of stainless your in for a migraine...
i have blank stock for a new run . bug mike for a few sets so he will order a production run.
i did make the matching radio plate and the rare radio block off one as well. idont have either adv..there a bitch to make and you cheap basterds never want to spend mula so...