1973 convertible ghia restoration

[m j moore]

Hello I am new to the Samba and I wanted to take a moment and thank the group for all of the help and support to a complete stranger. I have not posted prior to this but I search and read every night for 3 or 4 weeks now. I am up to my elbows in this project and I’m not sure where I’d be without the samba. I’m not sure how I will go about documenting this. I do not really know what I’m doing so I’m winging it for now. I have the body off, I have new pans and the chasis is out getting blasted. In the meantime I am gathering repair panels, but the more I look the more I find. I’m waiting for ups tomorrow and more parts. Thanks again for all of the help
Jeff

[John Moxon]

Welcome to The Samba Ghia Forum.

I'm sure you know the forum thrives on pictures so a good start would be pictures of your starting point. One very reassuring point about the forum is you're never out of your depth. You think you don't know what you're doing but you've disassembled the car...that's a very good start.
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John.
Judson Supercharger Information on The Samba
My 1958 Shorrock Supercharged Karmann Ghia
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[KGCoupe]

[Evil_Fiz]

welcome, and to add to johns words, you know more than you think. Ask away when in doubt. We all learn by sharing what we know and odn't know.

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Emil
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“…It's not just about what's interesting. It's also about what's helpful, and it's helpful even if it helps just one other guy working on a Ghia.”
kiwighia68

See my build on TheSamba at:
The K_R_A_K_E_N_N : a 70 Ghia Convertible reinterpreted

[m j moore]

Ok sorry for the delay. I was gathering pictures. Before I start sharing I think a little background may be in order. Winter 2015 I had been looking for a ghia convertible for a while and a friend finally found one in Pittsburgh. After several days of debating we finally made arrangements to go and look at it....from South Jersey. I know nothing about this KG except that I like them.
Five hours later in the snow. This car is in bad shape and to top it off it has no engine. The engine was almost a deal breaker for me but I was not having any luck fining one so... I'm feeling invested by now and I'm bringing a Karmann Ghia home.

[m j moore]

I almost forgot my today question. I ordered and received new fresh air grill housings but they are considerably larger than what is already on the car. Is this common? Or is my car an oddball? Thanks Jeff

[NOVA Airhead]

Wow you have your work cut out for you on that one - pretty typical rust on a NE convertible.

Where did you order the part from? I don't think it changed after the lowlights - 1960 to 1974 should be the same part.
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Ghia Owner Emeritus

[m j moore]

M & T I spoke to them and they said the part is correct so it's the car. I spoke to another parts guy and he was stumped as well. I do not think the nose has been replaced but I will have to look further. Are you saying the early ghias had smaller nose housings?

[KGCoupe]

From 1960 through 1974, the fresh air grills on the nose of the Karmann Ghia looked like ths ...

For Karmann Ghias manufactured prior to 1960, they were smaller and looked like this ...

Smaller, yes - but also a completely different shape.

[NOVA Airhead]

If possible post a photo of the fitting (or lack of fitting) of the grill. The openings appear to be original in your picture as the screens are still there in the nostrils.
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Ghia Owner Emeritus

[m j moore]

Hello again it has been a very long time but progress is continuing. I have not worked on the front of the car since my last post and I am going on the assumption that the fresh air intake is correct and I just don’t know how they go together yet.
On another note...I struggled a bit with the rocker assembly and I am not certain they are 100% correct but I think they will look correct and do what they are supposed to. It seems to me that correctly assembled there are three layers of steel basically exposed along the bottom edge.
Has anyone else welded these layers together????

[m j moore]

I have some front end parts off of my old axle beam. Standard spindles, the beam itself although it is rough and the tie rods. I’m not looking for anything for them I just don’t want to scrap this stuff without asking if anyone can use them.

[m j moore]

I forgot old steering box without the clamp and pitman arm

[m j moore]

Hello all. Still plugging away. I am attaching a few pictures. Finally got both rocker panels together and in. I am mostly happy. I think they are close enough to work but I won't know for sure until it is too late. The originals were mostly gone along with the connection points on each end, so I am flying a little blind. I decided to use the doors to locate them so I feel like they ought to be pretty close.
I also could not resist a picture of my chassis rotisserie. Made it over the weekend and I am very happy with it.

[m j moore]

don't forget I have a few old front end parts. they are not worth anything but may be helpful to someone

[flobar00]

Jeff,

I hoped to see more recent photos and progress on the twin to our Ghia. I just got the chassis back from blaster and discovered that shock towers were rusted beyond repair so I need to replace the front beam. I tried your advice with the .020 and it really worked well. I would like your advice on lap vs butt weld on the sheet metal. I normally crimp a flange on the lap and then punch some plugs in the new piece. What process does a professional welder such as yourself recommend?

Thanks,

Ron

[Braukuche]

[m j moore]

Hello all, it has been a very long time. Still plugging away. For kicks I bolted the pan back onto the body to see what I’m dealing with. I also hung the doors to check gaps. They are not the original doors. Gaps are not terrible and I think I know what I have to do to line things up. My real question is am I wasting time doing this work before the car is back on its wheels??

Thanks

Jeff

[Braukuche]

[m j moore]

Thank you that is good information and what I was thinking also.
Kitty hair???