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jpjohns
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2014
Posts: 882
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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 Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 4:34 pm Post subject: Jared's 1968 Ghia restoration |
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So I picked up a 1968 KG this weekend and yes it's a little rough but that's what resto's are about right?
I have a birth certificate on order from VW but what I know about it so far is the VIN is 148995359 and the current engine is AK020684 - ’73 1600cc. After some grinding this morning, the paint looks to be L554 Cherry Red which we may just stay with.
Just some initial pics to start with:
Pic of loads of filler for no reason.
Believe it or not, this is actually the worst part of the whole car, it's under the spare tire.
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jpjohns
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2014
Posts: 882
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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Made in Germany
Curling up body filler
Front looks worse than it really is. It's not rust it's more curled up filler.
1600 engine will get some love.
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Loren
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1701
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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| You might want to reconsider this project, unless you really like a project. The nose is only the beginning of your problems. The rockers are full of bondo (and likely lots of rust) and the rear of the car has been hit on the driver side tail light area (more bondo). Before you get too invested in this project get a propane torch, paint stripper and a scraper and get the body down to bare metal. Once this is done you will have a better idea of what really needs to be done. |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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kiwighia68
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2013
Posts: 2875
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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Eh, my friend. I don't know what to say. Loren and djkeev usually give very good advice, and I suspect that if they had seen my '68 coupé (VIN 148932673) before I bought it they would have advised me also to walk away. My car was in a bad way, but yours is much much worse, just from what I can see in your photos.
So where to now? I'm a stubborn man, and the challenge of getting my Ghia back on the road was something I just couldn't resist. Would I have bought it if I knew what lay ahead once it had been stripped and sandblasted? The short answer is no. $800 is not much to write off against experience. I paid much more for mine than that.
If you go ahead with your project, good luck and please post photos of your progress. If you decide to scrap it, let me know. I need some '68 parts (LOL).
The good news, by the way, is that the satisfaction you derive from working on a near hopeless project is far greater than when all you have to do is giving your new purchase a wash and shine and she's good to go.
_________________
Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015 |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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jpjohns
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2014
Posts: 882
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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I understand the warnings, everyone who has been there is saying don't do it. I know it's going to be one hell of a project but worst case, I know a guy in Florida who has a good body that he may be willing to sell in the future so if I have to I'll buy that one but for now I'm willing to give this one a shot.
I don't expect to have this car on the road in a year. I fully expect to work on it for the next 4-5 years, taking my time and researching/repairing. It's all good.
By the way, how can you tell the car has been hit? It's not dented, just rusted. The bumper is screwed up because the guy moved the car forward with a dozer..lol.
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-Jared
"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member) |
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kiwighia68
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2013
Posts: 2875
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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| jpjohns wrote: |
| ... By the way, how can you tell the car has been hit? It's not dented, just rusted. The bumper is screwed up because the guy moved the car forward with a dozer..lol. |
You can tell it's been in a collision when it looks like this:
_________________
Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015 |
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TheFop
Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2014
Posts: 302
Location: Auckland - New Zealand
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 11:33 pm Post subject: |
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I think we have a new contender for the "oh shit that's a big project!!!..are you crazy?" crown, but I think we may have found another comrade who's crazy enough to have a go.
But I also have to concede.....with you being in the US I would also have to ask if there a better options as there are probably more solid cars around and the new panels you are likely to need will soon add up to big $'s very quickly and patching up isn't for the faint hearted when it comes to projects this big, I can see multiple issues in your photos that may have scary answers too.
For comparison check my car (in my signature) it is/was similar to yours and will show you how bad bondo can be and how it hides a multitude of sins of PO's.
No matter what happens good luck and welcome to the club and keep us posted 
_________________
Rusty 61 RHD Karmann Ghia Coupe - Resto in progress....slowly
Stock 69 LHD Karmann Ghia Coupe - Driver
67 New Zealand Spec Beetle - Being rebuilt
63 New Zealand Spec Beetle - Going Baja!
86 T25 Westfalia - Family Fun car |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Karly
Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2002
Posts: 641
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 4:33 am Post subject: |
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I'd get the shell blasted.. then you know what you are really playing with...
Good luck with the project it'll be interesting to see the progression! Make sure you don't chuck out anything during the strip down, it can be quite surprising how many parts are no longer available or extremely expensive to replace. And photo and label everything, a project tends to sit for awhile and its so easy to forget how it all goes back together! |
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KGCoupe
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2005
Posts: 3580
Location: Putting the "ill" and "annoy" in Illinois
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 7:12 am Post subject: Re: Jared's 1968 Ghia restoration |
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| jpjohns wrote: |
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Pic of loads of filler for no reason.
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Just think about that statement for a few minutes and ask yourself why anyone would skin a car with a layer of Bondo that thick "for no reason".
There are only two logical conclusions - either whoever did it was making a HUGE profit on the Bondo used and wanted to maximize their profit, or there is something wrong with the metal that necessitated the use of that much filler.
... or maybe the "filler" is actually heroin and it was all really a very clever way of smuggling several kilos into the United States - clever, that is, until the only person who knew about it was killed when the deal went awry and then no one could ever figure out what happened to all that heroin.
Last edited by KGCoupe on Mon May 05, 2014 8:04 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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c21darrel
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Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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Basketcase
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2011
Posts: 636
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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that looks like a tall project. good luck and listen to those here that have gone thru this. \as far as "bondo for no reason", my road runner had bondo,the size of both my hands laid together could cover , not that thick, but it was just covering a couple door dings.
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'72 Karmann Ghia Coupe (the Boss's) |
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Zeen
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Joined: July 24, 2004
Posts: 1308
Location: The Sunny Part of Michigan
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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If your goal is a nice, fully restored Ghia, spending a couple thousand on a better starting point would get you there much quicker and cheaper.
Get it running, rattle can it flat black, and roll it while you look for something better.
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The consequences of your decisions should not be confused with fate. |
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jpjohns
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2014
Posts: 882
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 7:10 am Post subject: |
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| Zeen wrote: |
If your goal is a nice, fully restored Ghia, spending a couple thousand on a better starting point would get you there much quicker and cheaper.
Get it running, rattle can it flat black, and roll it while you look for something better. |
I get that, and worst case I'll look for a better body or maybe go fiberglass...who knows.
I know it will be expensive, hell I've added up about $2000 worth of sheetmetal I'll need already and I haven't even blasted the car yet.
It's really just a project for my son and I to work on over the next few years. Wife wants us to bond
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-Jared
"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member) |
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vstylist
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2010
Posts: 106
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 7:19 am Post subject: |
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| If you come to Canada all the Ghias for sale look like yours. I started off like you with one that maybe I should let where it was in the bush. I actually learned a great deal from it even though I gave up on it half way through because I found a low light. Don't get discouraged, just jump in and go for it. Get to know your local Harbor Freight store and dive in. You and your son will love it. Or you could sit and watch tv and your son could play video games and never talk to each other. I think it's a great idea no matter how far you get into it. Have fun, and you will learn a ton. |
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jpjohns
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2014
Posts: 882
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 7:26 am Post subject: |
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| vstylist wrote: |
| You and your son will love it. Or you could sit and watch tv and your son could play video games and never talk to each other. |
Exactly!
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-Jared
"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member) |
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bobnorman
Samba Newfoundlander
Joined: August 09, 2010
Posts: 1389
Location: Newfoundland
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| Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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| jpjohns wrote: |
| Zeen wrote: |
If your goal is a nice, fully restored Ghia, spending a couple thousand on a better starting point would get you there much quicker and cheaper.
Get it running, rattle can it flat black, and roll it while you look for something better. |
I get that, and worst case I'll look for a better body or maybe go fiberglass...who knows.
I know it will be expensive, hell I've added up about $2000 worth of sheetmetal I'll need already and I haven't even blasted the car yet.
It's really just a project for my son and I to work on over the next few years. Wife wants us to bond |
With enough determination you'll get there. Mine is probably a little worse than yours:
Rather than trying to patch it up (as my father had started to do), or buy all new panels, I searched until I found a fairly decent body.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=492068&highlight=
Still it was a couple grand by the time I got that here so...good luck. It's all possible, just not all easy.
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Air does not freeze. Air does not boil.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=289807 |
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rcooled
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2008
Posts: 2506
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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| vstylist wrote: |
| Don't get discouraged, just jump in and go for it. |
While having a positive 'go for it' attitude is commendable, there are other things to consider here. If this is to be a father & son 'bonding' project, you might consider starting with something more substantial to begin with. That Ghia barely qualifies as a parts car, and will take HUGE amounts of time and money to make it look decent & drive safely...and that's only if you already possess all the skills, tools & know-how to put everything right.
To get the desired results (a usable, nice-looking car, and a quality experience with your boy), these projects need to have a reasonable expectation of being successfully completed. Giving up on the whole thing part-way thru because of overwhelming problems, or eye-watering expenses, isn't going to provide a good experience for you, or for your son. A kid needs to see that there's something of value to be had as the result of all the hard work. Endless days, weeks, months or years of screwing around with dirty, rusted-out parts, with no end in sight, isn't going to give him, or you, a positive experience of working together to reach a goal. Your son will quickly lose interest if he can't visualize the end result and doesn't start to see some progress early on. As you probably already know, kids have a much shorter attention span than adults.
So, the bottom line: If you want this to be a win, win, win (for you, your son, and your wife), start with a better car, and give yourself a reasonable chance to build a nice Ghia that you'll all be proud of, instead of winding up with nothing but a pile of rusty junk to show for all your hard work & money spent.
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'63 Ragtop (current)
'65 Ghia coupe (totaled)
'67 Ghia convertible (current)
'69.5 Ghia convertible and
'62, '63, '65, '69 Bugs (all long gone) |
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