Guide to Karmann Ghia Hoods/Bonnets

RockStock · Last edited by RockStock on Wed Mar 10, 2021 3:20 am; edited 23 times in total

A Visual Guide to Karmann Ghia Hoods
Let’s try to identify Ghia hoods through the years

*No more embarrassment of fitting the wrong hood to your show car 🙂
*Successfully negotiate that Classifieds minefield 💣 💵

>Please help by posting up original hoods only, stating the year
>Just the underside needed...but if you also have a good picture of the top, great
>Preferably in original paint...
>Ideally off the car, and face on (like the one for 1964)...but no worries if not
>We’ll aim to get at least one good picture for each year
>I’ll update this first few posts as we go along
>I’ll replace pictures with better pictures as we go along

As we know, they probably didn’t change a great deal...the main updates being the new latch in 1965, and the shape/addition of the ribs.

Main Categories
1. 1955-1960 Smooth Hood (smooth lower panel)
2. 1961-1964 Early 3-Rib Hood (kinked top rib, 3 ribs on lower panel)
3. 1965-1974 Late 3-Rib Hood (straight top rib, 3 ribs on lower panel)

All tbc

Sound Insulation
It looks like Karmann dropped the centre-area Sound Insulation for the late model hoods (1965-1974).
Keep the sound insulation on your early car; it’s a cool early detail.

Assembly Number
Very early bonnets - 1955 into 1956 - were stamped with an Assembly Number on the leading edge.
This number was also stamped on the doors and the decklid.
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-StockRocks-

RockStock · Last edited by RockStock on Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:27 am; edited 17 times in total

1955-1959 (Lowlights)
“Smooth Hoods”

1955

1956
(May 56)

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

6-prong kinked top rib
No lower ribs
No drain holes

1957

6-prong kinked top rib
No lower ribs

1958

6-prong kinked top rib
No lower ribs
2 drain holes on rear edge

1959
(April 59)

6-prong kinked top rib
No lower ribs
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-StockRocks-

RockStock · Last edited by RockStock on Fri Mar 12, 2021 12:52 am; edited 12 times in total

1960-1964
Smooth Hood into Early 3-Rib Hood

1960
(Oct 59)

6-prong kinked top rib
No lower ribs
Still a Smooth Hood

1961
1962
1963
1964

6-prong kinked top rib
3 lower ribs
2 drain holes (1 per lower corner)
Now an Early 3-Rib Hood
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-StockRocks-

RockStock · Last edited by RockStock on Wed Mar 10, 2021 3:04 am; edited 7 times in total

1965-1969
Late 3-Rib Hood

1965
1966
1967

Late spread single-piece latch
6-prong flat top rib
3 lower ribs
2 drain holes (1 per lower corner)

1968

1969

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-StockRocks-

RockStock · Last edited by RockStock on Wed Mar 10, 2021 3:05 am; edited 6 times in total

1970-1974 (Fat Chicks)
Late 3-Rib Hood

1970

1971

1972
1973
1974
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-StockRocks-

RockStock · Last edited by RockStock on Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:18 pm; edited 1 time in total

Unidentified year late-model hood for comparison

Late spread single-piece latch
6-prong flat top rib
3 lower ribs
2 drain holes (1 per lower corner - further round)

More late model

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-StockRocks-

RockStock · Last edited by RockStock on Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:34 pm; edited 1 time in total

Latches

Early two-piece (lever to the right)

Late spread one-piece (lever to the left)

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-StockRocks-

bnam

What’s the difference between 65-69 and the 70-74? They look the same to me.
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1971 1302LS Convertible (RHD) owned since '74
Click to view image
1965 Karmann Ghia Coupe - under restoration
1966 Fiat 1500 Cabrio (with 1600 Twin cam)
1952 Citroen TA 11BL

consvws

Original strato blue hood (bonnet) on my Oct. 59 ghia

RockStock

Thank you Conrad - perfect picture
I’ve added that to 1960...and have called those early hoods “Smooth Hoods”

RockStock · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:25 am Post subject: Sound Insulation

Sound Insulation
Looks like Karmann dropped the centre-area Sound Insulation for the late model hoods (1965-1974)
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-StockRocks-

Era Vulgaris

RockStock

RockStock

Anyone got a 61 to post up?
Anyone got a 62 to post up?
Anyone got a 65 to post up?
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-StockRocks-

RockStock

My spare hood
Early Smooth Hood, probably 56-60
Thought to be Seagull Gray, maybe Pearl White

Two drain holes on rear edge, each approx 305mm out from the centre

Paint detail. Hoods painted whilst attached to the hinges, but off the car.
The adjustment is on the hood. Karmann got the fit right on the car, then removed for paint.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=741305

Kinked top rib detail

2-piece catch area detail

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-StockRocks-

Era Vulgaris

John Ghia · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2004 Posts: 282

1960

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BUS BOYZ

RockStock

Thank you John; added.

I’ve also added pictures for 1956, from my own May 56 Coupe.
No rear drain holes, which we currently have confirmed as there by 1958.
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-StockRocks-

pbaptist

What year would this one be?

It looks strange

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Dutch Karmann-Ghia and coachbuild lover.
1* Karmann Ghia Coupe (1966 Teak)
2* Karmann Ghia Convertible (1958, 1971)
4* Rometsch Lawrence (nr 534, 555, 558 and 561)

Karmann-Ghia Lowlight page and registry
Karmann-Ghia Collectibles database

RockStock

Patrick, I think that hood has been in a direct head on smack resulting in those four crease areas absorbing some of the impact.
If this is the case, it is interesting how it has creased symmetrically.

The 1960 bonnet John posted above shows signs of creasing at the same places at the rear.

I think I can see the two drain holes on the rear edge, hinting it would be a later lowlight/early 60s hood.
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-StockRocks-


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