From the House of Ghia quarterly newsletter Ghia Gab, enjoy this collection of
Questions & Answers

Table of Contents

Q #1 - Help me identify my Ghia?
Q #2 - Window seal problems.
Q #3 - Type 1's, Type 2's, & Type 3's - What's the difference?
Q #4 - Why are my brakes so loud?
Q #5 - My window felts are so tight...
Q #6 - Is there any way to warm up my butt in these cold winters?
Q #7 - I bought a Ghia with a tonneau cover, now what?
Q #8 - Questions about window regulators?
Q #9 - I am looking for a good looking car cover for my Ghia...
Q #10 - Ooops! I locked my key in my glove box.
Q #11 - Can I use a pan from a different year Ghia?
Q #12 - Where can I get an interior light for my Ghia?
Q #13 - Worth of one of the last ghias built...
Q #14 - My windows are getting foggy...
Q #15 - Late model quarter window question.
Q #16 - Where can I find a fender-mount mirror?
Q #17 - I wanna save some money, can I install a convertible top myself?
Q #18 - Rewiring woes.
Q #19 - Problems installing door seals.
Q #20 - What are my chances of being able to convert my Anna to a 'vert?
Q #21 - Calendar year vs. Model year.
Q #22 - How do I know when I need new hinges?
Q #23 - Trouble installing the horn.
Q #24 - Can I use an old Bug headlight bucket instead of a new Ghia one?
Q #25 - I thought this was supposed to be chrome?
Q #26 - '68 'vert restoration question.
Q #27 - What are my outside mirrors supposed to look like?
Q #28 - Where can I find the paint number for my Ghia?
Q #29 - Value of my '57 in good shape?
Q #30 - How do I raise the rear of my Ghia?
Q #31 - My hood wont fit perfectly.
Q #32 - 'Vert parts questions.
Q #33 - Problems getting a speedo out of a dash.
Q #34 - Ooops! How do I put my headliner back up?
Q #35 - Early model headlight adjustment assembly problems.
Q #36 - Gas flap release mechanism needed.
Q #37 - My "Karmann Ghia" script wont fit my new rear deck?
Q #38 - Problems installing new arm rests.
Q #39 - Where can I find wiper parts?
Q #40 - My fingers sure get cold in the winter...
Q #41 - Questions about the interior trim.
Q #42 - I want a rear deck lid luggage rack for my Ghia.
Q #43 - How do I lift the body off the pan?
Q #44 - I'm looking for a 12 volt wiper motor for my '65 Ghia.
Q #45 - What kind of wheels will fit on my Ghia?
Q #46 - Needed: quarter window seals for a '72 coupe.
Q #47 - I hate my late-model bumpers...
Q #48 - Where do bushings go? and what are they?
Q #49 - Why don't you guys include your prices with your catalog?
Q #50 - My rear hood is really hard to get open...
Q #51 - Model year vs. production year.
Q #52 - I can't get the body off of the pan.
Q #53 - What is this button for on my turn signal?
Q #54 - I thought all rear deck locks were the same.
Q #55 - Is my car suffering from terminal rust?
Q #56 - How do I put suicide doors on my Ghia?
Q #57 - My rear torsion bar is sagging...
Q #58 - Converting my Ghia to Right Hand Drive.
Q #59 - How do I tell the difference between the windshield seal and the rear window seal?
Q #60 - I am having trouble with the rear seal in my convertible.
Q #61 - My rear window latch no longer works.
Q #62 - Questions about tail lites.
Q #63 - Headlite ring problems.
Q #64 - "Your headlight seals don't fit... Why do you sell this sh...?
Q #65 - I am having trouble installing the chrome molding in my new windshield seal.
Q #66 - Question stiffeners and rockers.
Q #67 - I am having trouble installing my new 'vert top...
Q #68 - What is the German word for "quartz?"
Q #69 - What year engine can I put in my '71?
Q #70 - I do not know what question goes here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Q #71 - (Ed note... the best question here!) What are your personal opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of each year?
Q #72 - What exactly is "Cal-Look"?
Q #73 - What is all this I hear about cabriolets?
Q #74 - How is it you can charge less for your 'vert stiffeners while claiming that they are of a higher quality than those sold by your competition?
Q #75 - Where could I find a battery helmet?
Q #76 - What can you tell me about wiper arms and blades?
Q #77 - My sun visors are always sagging?
Q #78 - Aren't the owner's manuals considered a bible for Ghia's of the same year?
Q #79 - How many badges should my Ghia have?
Q #80 - I am looking for a padded dash for my Ghia?
Q #81 - My Ghia is starting to feel like a gas chamber, but I don't think it's carbon monoxide.
Q #82 - Options for my Ghia.
Q #83 - Why is it so expensive to fit Ghia's bumpers?
Q #84 - My gas gauge is no longer working...
Q #85 - My Ghia has a strange gear-shift lock...
Q #86 - Rear window installation questions.
Q #87 - Help! There's water in my license light lens.
Q #88 - Why are those holes on the side of my Ghia there?
Q #89 - Why can't I use that Bug pan to replace my rusted one?
Q #90 - My horn ring looks different.
Q #91 - A Type 3 Ghia?
Q #92 - Bumper length problems.

Take me back to
the main page...

Q #1 (Identifying): I found a 1964 Karmann Ghia Convertible in great shape. I just love the car, but because I know little about automobiles, I took it to a friend who is an old car expert. He owns several museum quality Mustangs. (Mr. Mustang) says, since the car's ID number is 5,xxx,xxx and the engine number is 8,xxx,xxx (we didn't print actual numbers - editor); the engine can not be the original one coming with the car. Because of that, he says, "The car isn't worth spit". The owner is asking _____. Is that too much for a Karmann Ghia without the original engine?
Joyce R. El Paso TX

A #1 - First off, I don't want to get into a spitting contest with your expert. He's right in saying many collectable cars aren't worth as much without the original engine. But, he's wrong in the conclusion he's drawn.

What value can be attached to the phrase, "isn't worth as much", or the more pithy, "isn't worth spit"? Sometimes it's tens of thousands of dollars, or as much as 70% of the value of the vehicle riding on an original engine. Such whopping value differences are probably accounted for by special or racing engines. Mopar hemi head 426 cu. in. engines, or single cam Ford big blocks can fetch as much as the combined value of several houses. However, your expert understandably drew the wrong conclusion from the Ghia's chassis/engine numbers.

I can state categorically, without doubt, and emphatically that MAYBE the Ghia in question has the original engine. Still, NO ONE will be able to say for sure from chassis number info, unless they look up data in dusty ledger books resting in some vault at Wolfsburg. Where did the error in logic occur?

VW numbered its chassis and engines consecutively. So, the first VW produced had chassis #1 and engine #1. But, because the life span of the engine was less than of the chassis, VW produced more engines than vehicles. Every time a stationary power plant was sold, a vee-dub powered airplane flew, or a dealer replaced a tired Beetle motor; the chassis number/engine number difference got further out of synch. By model year 1964, the difference amounted to millions of units. Starting with the '65 models, chassis and engine numbers were divorced from a continuously, consecutive numbering system. But, while it became easier to "read" chassis numbers; engine numbers became even more isolated from a specific, easily readable "birthday".

The Beetle/Ghia air-cooled engine was amazingly easy to remove from the car. It was also cheap to purchase a new engine. In addition, the engines produced over a five decade span were so similar to each other, they could be swapped from vehicle to vehicle with almost no "pain". And finally, as mentioned earlier, the engine wore out long before the rest of the car was ready for the scrap heap. All these factors combined to make air-cooled VWs the hands down, engine transplant champion of the entire automotive era! Your expert saw a chassis number of 5 million something and assumed that an engine with an I.D. number of 8 million something was produced years later. "No way", goes his assumed logic, "could the car, and the engine, have been born on the same day." As we have seen, his assumption was wrong.

Looking for Mr Right or Mizz Perfect? Having high expectations is important. But, if your standards are too inflexible, you'll never make a match. Rejecting a potential spouse because of flaws like eating crackers in bed, or failing to floss after every meal might demonstrate high standards on your part. But, such a rigid code is as unrealistic as expecting a surviving Beetle or Ghia to have its original engine, or it "isn't worth spit". So, even if Mr Mustang's assumption had been correct, his "not worth spit" conclusion was too rigid for the VW world.

Summary! Karmann Ghias, going for the title of museum stock, ARE more valuable if they still use the assembly line engine. Still, determining an original engine from a replacement engine is often so difficult, VW restorers seem to have an unstated agreement among themselves. If the engine is of the same type as originally on the car (i.e., 36 hp engines in 36 hp cars, 40 horse in 40 horse, etc.); the engine IS original.

Q #2 - (Door window seal): I have a '70 Ghia convertible. A few months ago, the door window sealed just fine. But, recently, the top frame seems to have moved up on the left side or, perhaps, the door window seal has shrunk with age. Now, when I roll the door window up, all the way to the top of its travel, the glass is about 1/2 inch shy of reaching the shrunken seal. If I replace my door window seals on the top mechanism, will I cure my problem, or is my top frame bent?
George R. Peach Tree, GA

A #2 - Your car has a common problem, a problem that effects both coupes and convertibles. The top frame and seals are NOT bent! Your door glass is just not rising to the occasion. (That happens to a lot of us as we grow older. We just don't rise to the occasion any more.) In the case of your door glass, the teeth on the window regulator are worn down. (See the illustrations) What's happening is that over the hundreds and thousands of times your door glass is cranked up and down, the teeth on the window regulator gear wear slightly but EVENLY. However, as the glass gets within that last smidgen of the top of its travel, the human tendency is to crank extra hard. You want to seat the glass into the seal, don't you! Besides, if you tighten the crank just an extra bit, you'll hopefully eliminate that noisy air leak. Presto! The few gear teeth responsible for the last inch or so of gaptravel, get an extra heavy work-out. The teeth are ground down. (See simplified diagram.) The only solution is to replace the entire regulator. New regulators are an endangered species and may be extinct. Used ones aren't likely to be much better than your damaged one. House of Ghia has begun to re-manufacture, on an exchange basis, window regulators for '64 and up Ghias. Re-manufactured regulators are totally dismantled by a machine shop; worn parts are replaced and a new hardened gear installed. (Soon, we hope to be able to re-manufacture earlier regulators.) Redone regulators rise to amazing heights.

Q #3 - Help me!... All the VW magazines and even the adds talk about Type 1, Type 2; there's even a type 3. What's all this talk about Type 1's mean?
W.R., Phoenix, AZ

A #3 - Good question! First, there was the Beetle. The ubiquitous Volkswagen. And there was no need for the term, Type 1. Any VW part was a Beetle part. Then VW developed what we call the Bus, in all its many variations. Now, the factory began calling the Bus chassis and vehicle a Type 2, or second variety of vehicle. Presto, the VW Beetle became the Type 1. The relationship became entrenched when the parts code and chassis numbers for the two decidedly different vehicles adopted the 1 and 2 number system. A Type 1 part number looks like, for example, 111 274 735. Of course, 211 000 000 is a Bus item. Why? Well, the first number is a 2. Note the Beetle part starts with a 1.
The third major vehicle VW developed was a sedan that we call the Square-back, Notch-back, Fast-back. (The official designation for the car has been forgotten by most people.) That's a real mouthful to say! So, even VW came to call the vehicle a Type 3.
In the late 60's, a fourth distinct vehicle was developed. Right from the beginning, VW called it a Type 4, even the official name, 411, 412, paid direct homage to it's Type 4 background.
Any vehicle that used the basic Type 1 chassis, shared such a strong family relationship with all other Type 1's (especially mechanically) that they too fell under the umbrella - Type 1. Such a varied vehicles as the Karmann Ghia and the "Thing" are also Type 1 vehicles. On the Type 2 chassis, crew-cabs, micro-busses, and pick-ups sprouted. Beside the various kinds of "back" vehicles, the Type 3 chassis sported a Ghia designed, Karmann built vehicle, a Type 3 Ghia.
This simple and simplistic system was aborted with the birth of the water-cooled generation of VWs.
The biggest flaw in the use of the Type 1, etc, naming system is that many parts suppliers have adopted it to swiftly allow the customer to identify parts applications. Many of the parts they so self-assuredly identify as "Fits all Type 1's", don't. A Ghia owner that falls into the trap of assuming because it's a Type 1 part, it fits, "my Ghia", will quickly improve the Brazilian balance of payments problem.

Q #4 - (Brake pads): My '74 Ghia's brakes squeak horribly. The previous owner took the car back twice to _____ (a muffler shop nobody beats) and had them replace things. I've got copies of the bills. Since I've owned the car, I've had it into my "German" mechanic for the same squeak. The car stops great, it's just terribly loud. Everyone tells me all Ghia brakes squawk. Is that true? Is there anything I can do to stop the noise?
Phone conversation Mrs Engles. Some balmy spot in Florida

A #4 - Diagnosing squawks and squeaks long distance is a tricky business. Ghia disc brakes are no more prone to noise than any other brake, so if your mechanic eliminated the usual reasons for noisy brakes, I suspect you've fallen prey to clean lungs. You see, the early '70's was BASSS (Before Asbestos Scared Society Spitless). Brake pads, then, were made "softer" and more efficient by using asbestos. Since then, brake manufacturers have dropped using asbestos. But, that tends to make the pads much harder. Harder pads, you guessed it, squeak more! Brake manufacturers swear the new materials aren't noisy, but that's not what my ear tells me.

To compound the problem, easily a half dozen, or more, manufacturers make disc brake pads, each relies on a different composition of materials for the pads. Plus, each manufacturer also produced an asbestos style lining for cars of your era. These may still be available on some dusty parts shelf.

In addition, brake parts for VW's are made south of the border and east of the dateline. Some of these nations have a higher legal tolerance for asbestos than is found in the U.S. Often, these parts get imported to the States by mistake or mere greed. As you can see, numerous potential choices! What's a consumer to do?

Your best bet is to go straight to VW for your pads. They are likely to have formulated the best non-asbestos brake pad for your car. (What does a muffler firm know about the science of disc brake pad formulation for a Ghia? Besides, if you're guaranteeing brake jobs for life, which would you use: a soft, quiet material with a 30,000 mile lifetime; or a hard, squeaky compound lasting milleniums?) You could have your personal mechanic install them.

Of course, if that doesn't work, trial and error might eventually find a squeak-free disc brake pad, but you could be in a neck and neck race with bankruptcy.

Q #5 - (Felts/felt clips): . . . and I installed new felts (in my '71). Now, I can barely roll-up the window, because the glass doesn't easily pass thru the felts. I'm afraid I'll break something.
Joe R Livermore CA
...You sold me two pair of felts (also a '71 - Editor) You promised they were the right thing, but now my body shop has installed them, and there's no way the glass will go up and down. The felts are too big. Why'd you sell me the wrong felts? You promised and I . . .
Phone conversation from Illmanners, AZ (or some such place)

(Editor's note: This problem can occur on ANY Karmann Ghia. It's just that '71 models with TWO felt per slot are particularly prone to the "tight felt" problem.)

A #5 - Rest assured, the felt that House of Ghia sells fit. In fact, it's the same stuff you'd currently get from VW, because we get it from the same manufacturer. The "tight felt" syndrome is almost universally caused by a warping or bending of the inner door slot metal. To see what's happening, look closely at the accompanying diagrams. Diagram #A simplifies a cross-section of the top of the door. A cross-sectional view would happen if you sat in the driver's cockpit, and, with a hack-saw, cut down across the middle of the door. Take your time and locate: (1) window scraper seal; (2) chrome window scraper molding on top of the door metal; (3) window scraper molding clips; (4) felts; (5) edge of the cut thru door metal; and (6) door glass. Now, glance at the even more simplified Diagram B. Only the door metal and door glass are shown.

The toothed clips holding the felt to the inner door slot opening are removed by prying. If the clips "hang-up", or resist coming free from the hole in the inner slot metal, the metal itself can be distorted. (Prying out the guide plugs can also warp the slot metal.) On Diagram B, the dotted line represents the original location of the inner slot metal. Notice how the metal is bent toward the center of the slot.

Sure, Diagram B is an exaggeration. However, suppose you were successful in mounting the felts to the drawing. Oops, no space left for the door glass.

First, we'll tell you how to minimize the possibility of warped metal and then show you how to repair the problem.

Everyone uses a screwdriver to pry the felt out. Who cares what the old felt looks like, you're replacing it anyway. Oops! The ball-like tail of the felt clip refuses to come out of its door slot hole. Keep prying, twisting. If leverage doesn't work, use a bigger hammer. Wrong! It's just such prying that distorts the door slot metal. Locate the exact position of the clip with the screwdriver. Get the tool's tip between the clip and the door metal; and then ROTATE the screwdriver. The clip should easily pop free. The same care should be exercised when removing the guide plugs (anti-rattle plugs). 1971 models have two felts per door slot, and so, regularly fall prey to the tight slot syndrome. But, earlier Ghias, with one felt per slot can misbehave. In addition, the guide plugs can also press too strongly against the glass.

The solution? Take a wooden wedge, like a smooth sided shingle, and place it between the glass and the offending guide plug or section of felt. By forcing the wedge down in the door slot and applying a little sideways leverage, even a jutting guide plug / felt can be tamed.

Q #6 -(Heater ducts/etc): I have 2 Karmanns; a 72 rag-top and a 70 coupe. The rag-top is strictly a summer car. I would hate to get rid of my coupe, but I need year round transportation. My problem is that I can't keep the windows from icing up in the winter. I tried a unit called "backseat heat", but it's useless, and it drags down the battery. I love driving my Karmanns. Is there any other option beside putting it in the classified in some Florida newspaper? I've been told there is some type of gas heater but haven't been able to locate one.
Mark W. Cincinnati, OH

A #6 - In a just universe, purgatory is going to be full of VW executives driving a Bug or Ghia with rotted heat exchangers and rusted out heat ducts. Only then will they know the nippy weather misery they inflicted on millions of us unsuspecting buyers.

Before you advertise the car in the Orlando Sentinel, I'd closely inspect the heat exchangers on the engine. If they are rotten, or the duct work to the defroster vents is blocked or swiss-cheesed, that could partly explain your problem. However, no air-cooled VW will ever quickly defrost your windows.

VW offered, as an accessory a gasoline heater, the German Eberspacher heater. Dealers in North America offered a Stewart Warner, "South Wind" gas heater. As accessories, they were expensive, often costing one-fourth, or more, of a Bug's base price. Effective? You bet! You could bake cookies in your Ghia within minutes of starting one up. But, their expense limited acceptance.

Looking for one used? 1) Make sure the voltage of the unit is the same as the voltage of your car (i.e., 6V or 12V). 2) Make sure the unit comes from a Ghia AND you have every last piece; tube, fuel line, connector, etc, needed. You'll not find any missing piece just by calling wrecking yards. 3) Don't try to mix Eberspacher and South Wind parts -- they won't even come close. 4) Know where the particular heater you're buying mounts in the car, and be prepared to cut holes in your precious Ghia's firewall and other sheet metal. 5) Be sure the unit works before you buy it, commonly needed tune-up parts like ignitors and switches are becoming uncommonly rare. 6) Be sure you can psychologically handle gas heater ownership. Having a barely controlled, and not at all contained, gasoline fire inches away from their face, freaks some folks. Others fear that if the heater only slightly malfunctions, they will be overcome by fumes. (A fear about as likely as being hit by an asteroid -- of course, doses of logic don't make the fear any less real.) 7) For a working installed heater, be prepared to pay today about what the heaters cost yesterday.

Q #7: I found a junk '70's Ghia convertible with what looks like the remains of the mounting parts for a tonneau cover. Should I consider these parts as rare? What can you tell me about stock tonneau covers?
Randy W. New Palestine, IN

A #7 - Yes, a tonneau ("Tonn-toe", with apologies to the French) cover was offered for Karmann Ghia convertibles. The cover first shows up for dealer installation during the 1960 model year. It could be ordered from VW dealer's using the part number 141-017-851 (plus, the V number for the color of the top material). The same craftsmen at Karmann, who originally constructed the top, sewed these up. But, the original tonneau was not the sleek, taunt, practical, unflappable, devices many of us remember from British sports cars of the era. First, no zipper went down the middle of the canvas to allow the car to be driven with the passenger seat still under cover. In fact, the tonneau was so loosely structured and attached, there is no doubt it was used, in its full glory, only when the car was parked. Secondly, the tonneau required the top boot to be installed first, making the tonneau an add-on to the boot. Naturally, this became a clunky, ill-fitting combination. It's as if you want to turn a short sleeve into long sleeved shirt by attaching an arm's length of material to the short sleeve's hem, using a series of snaps. Not elegant!

Let me quote from the installation directions:

"Mark 12 holes on the (front or forward) edge of the top boot
for fitting the lower parts of the snap fasteners."

Finally, snaps must be installed on the top of the dash pad. Why, most Ghia buffs would rather paint a mustache on that other masterpiece, the Mona Lisa.

The tonneau was not a popular accessory, and didn't seem to survive much beyond its 1960 model year introduction. Certainly few, if any, cars from '63-up had a dealer installed tonneau cover.

Down thru the years, aftermarket suppliers, including one current firm, offered a tonneau. I'm not sure how closely aftermarket tonneaus followed the "factory" concept, but, I hope they used better designs.

Today, a pristine, new old stock tonneau would have lots of "gee whiz", and "oh my gosh" impact among spectators at a VW concours. But, the reaction from the owners would be more earthy and pungent, as they try to deal with all those snaps and all that canvas.

Q #8 - (Regulator): I'm restoring a '69 Ghia. I intend to be buried in the car when my time has come (just kidding). So, since I'm going to keep it forever, it should be brought into primo shape. Three years ago, I bought a brand new window regulator from you. Recently, in working on the door, I took this new, recently installed, regulator out. The large diameter split rivet holding the immensely powerful regulator spring is broken. Strangely, the regulator seems to still work. I'll admit I was about to say some unkind things about your firm. But, I started digging thru my collection of used parts. The first five window regulators I found all had this notched rivet broken. Is this a common problem? Dare I use my regulator? (Remember, the goal is to have my Ghia last forever.)
Robert A. Stamford, CN

A #8 - Your question is mighty interesting. Usually, I wouldn't answer questions in Ghia Gab where fewer than 10% of the readers would understand the question, let alone be able to follow the answer. But, over the years, several people have asked about the same thing. First, let's clarify exactly what we're talking about for the benefit of readers with inquiring minds.

On the window regulator is a large (coffee cup diameter) spring, shaped like a clock or window shade spring. Imagine a steel strap 24 inches in length, the width of a fingernail file and double its thickness. Now, loosely coil this strap around itself. You'd have created a powerful clockwork spring. How should this spring be attached so it can do work?

The center of the spring fits in a notched metal dowel or rivet. The notched rivet is soft cast metal and about the diameter of a finger. One end is swaged to the rest of the flat metal of the regulator.

Some things just can't be explained. How can my petite wife shout so loudly? How can this stout rivet become so badly deformed? Mysteries! But, deform the rivet does. House of Ghia may have dismantled 200 Ghia doors over the years. All, but a handful of window regulators, had broken or warped rivets.

Amazingly, the destruction of this rivet doesn't appear to quickly stop the regulator from functioning. Somehow, the powerful spring is caught by other tabs and ledges on the regulator frame. As long as the spring isn't allowed to completely unwind, it still works, AND the power of the spring holds everything in place. Years can go by and no one notices anything wrong. But, the tabs and ledges holding the runaway spring aren't shrewdly designed into the regulator. They are there by accident. So, eventually the spring unseats itself, the window no longer rises, and, occasionally, the spring makes a missile of itself.

I'm no engineer, and the mechanical types among our readers may disagree; but, I think the failure of this rivet leads to increased gear-tooth wear. A fully wound spring helps "lift" the glass. A partly unwound spring means the spring doesn't help as much to push the glass up. So, getting the glass to rise takes more muscle, and cranking effort; which causes more gear-tooth wear. (Incidentally, in addition to replacing the entire gear, this rivet is replaced in our remanufactured regulators. The rivet is machined from high grade steel, rather than using a cast, pot-metal piece like the original.)

Still, inspite of the doomsday scenerio I've depicted, your best bet is to keep the new regulator with the broken rivet. Collector cars are much more pampered than the usual street iron. So, even if you drove your Ghia as many miles per year as you do your generic, everyday grocery getter; you're likely to put half as much wear on parts such as regulators. If it took twenty to twenty-five years for the regulator to die in ordinary service, think how long a pampered version would last. We're talking mid-21st century. The regulator will still be working long after both of us are buried. So, instead of again buying a new / remanufactured regulator, why not save that money and spend it on something useful. . . like flowers for my grave?

Q #9: Are there good-looking, good fitting car covers for a Ghia?
Robert S. Honolulu, HI

A #9: Good-looking? Well, if a Playboy (or Playgirl) centerfold looks good draped in all the canvas from a circus tent, then, there are lots of "universal" car covers that fit. If you're looking for a tailor-made cover fitting a Ghia's special sensuous lines we know of none! In selecting a cover, ask the supplier how the antenna is handled, and what provisions, if any, have been made for the mirror(s). Then, be honest with yourself! Do you expect too much from a car cover?

If you're looking for a dust cover / scratch protector for a car in dry storage, you're likely to be 100 percent satisfied with most any car cover. If you want a portable garage for a car stored outside in a monsoon climate, your satisfaction level with any fabric cover will approach zilch. Most of us have a long list of expectations concerning a car cover. The longer the list, the less any car cover will meet our wants.

Q #10 - My glove box key was locked in the glove box of my '69 convert. Now, I can't get in the glove box or hood. How can I get in the glove box without hurting the car?
Maria A. Laurel, MD

A #10 - to get into the luggage compartment if, say, the front hood cable snaps. But, at that point, Maria A. has only one of her two problems solved. So, let's start at the beginning.

Raise the front of the car at least two feet off the ground. Now, find a stout 3 foot long, small diameter stick, pipe, screwdriver, etc.. By unseating the horn boot, you'll have an access hole in the bottom of the nose. Simply take the rod and probe the bottom of the deck lid lock until you can trip the lock. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Nope!

It can be frustrating and vocabulary building in the extreme. But, it's better than prying against the precious sheet metal of the car. One tip to help you. Locate the front hood cable and note the direction it comes from as it goes into the lock. Mentally picture what happens when the cable is pulled to activate the lock. Well, that's the direction you want your probe rod to move against the cable/lock connection piece. (In other words, you'll want to push the cable/lock connection in the direction the cable is coming from.)

Once the front hood is up, the back of the glove box liner is visable. It is held in place by a metal strap. The metal strap is pulled tightly around the glove box by a metric bolt. Find an 8mm socket for a 1/4 inch drive ratchet and a 12 inch long extention (or 2 six inch ones). Keep backing off that long screw, it will seem to take forever. Once the screw is removed the glove box is loose and can be moved enough to get the junk out of there. You will NOT have to remove or even loosen the front hood cable housing that comes out of the side of the glove box.

An additional way to get at the front hood lever again requires you to go under the car. Did you leave your spare tire in place? This suggestion won't work as easily if you did. Remember the half moon shaped, palm sized access plates that lay on the panel under the gas tank? These plates allow access to the steering box. Since Ghias could also be right hand drive, there was a matching panel on the right or passenger side. From underneath, find the ends of the sheetmetal screws holding the right hand access plate in place. Now, using pliers, turn the screws backwards until they fall into the spare tire well! Use this access hole to manipulate the front hood lock with that long, stout rod.

Thanks to Ron McC, Portland OR, and others who independently rediscovered this information and passed it on for other Ghia folk.

Q #11: I have a '70 Ghia with a bad pan. A local Ghia buff has a good '64 pan. Can I put the '64 under my '70?
anonymous

A #11 - Yes! But do not! Basically the '64 Ghia pan will bolt to the '70 body, BUT you'll be stuck with the '64 king pin front axle and drum brakes. At the rear, your IRS transaxle won't fit (without much modification), so you'll have to get a swing axle transaxle. In addition, your seats won't fit the '64 pan's seat track runners.

(For the 100th time! A Beetle pan/frame will NOT fit a Ghia. Nope! Nyet! No way, Jose!)

Based on the year of the Ghia pan, here's the interchangeability problems you'll encounter:

56-65 pan:	Fits 56-65 bodies. No sweat! Complete interchange of front and rear axles and seats. Not recommended for later bodies.
66-68 pan:	Fits 56-68 bodies. No sweat! Front axle assembly must be "ball joint". Rear axle must be swing axle. (67-68 rear axle assemblies are widest units available, so tires / wheels often rub.) Any low back seat works. Not recommended for later bodies.
69-74 pan:	Fits 69-74. No sweat! Only tiny modification needed to fit earlier bodies. Must use 69-74 Ghia "high backed" seats. If you have the mechanicals from a late Ghia or Bug, this is the pan to put under any year Ghia.

Q #12: Where can I get an interior lite unit for my 1967 Ghia?
Glen B Moore OK (And dozens and dozens of '65-'67 Ghia owners.)

A #12 - Rotten news! Sixty-five thru sixty-seven Ghia interior lite units are a constant problem. 1) New ones haven't been available for years, so the chance of finding a N.O.S. lens on some dealer's shelf is slim and none. 2) The lens is used on only three years of Ghias, coupe and convertible (and Beetle convertibles of the same vintage only). 3) The plastic lens is fragile. It breaks easily when removed to get at the bulb. 4) The switch is poorly designed and often fails.

So, the number of intact, working lenses is far smaller than the number of cars to which they could be fitted. More than 1/2 of the Ghias of this era, I estimate, do not have any lens to fill the hole in the mirror housing. Even worse, 1/2 of the cars visibly having something filling the hole, have a non-working interior lite unit. The lense is just stuck in place -- it does not function! No matter how hard they wish to Santa, some '65 thru '67 Ghia owners are going to be disappointed. You can probably finish the equation. A low supply and a high demand . . .

Q #13 - My 1974 Ghia has a chassis number of 144 2726 XXX. The sticker on the door frame indicates a birthday in May of 1974. The previous owner says it was one of the last Ghias. The engine serial # is AH xxx xxx. What can you tell me about the car?
Frank K - (For privacy reasons we never publish complete chassis numbers)

A #13 - Unfortunately, I don't know the last chassis number produced. But, I'd have to agree, that number and the door post date indicate a very late car. To read the chassis number we find it is: 14 (a Karmann Ghia); 4 (a '74 model); 2 (a place marker in case production went over 1 million cars in a model year); 726 xxx (the number of Type 1 chassis produced to that point in the '74 model year. The sequential portion of the number includes, standard Bugs; Super Beetles; Things; and, of course, Karmann Ghias). I believe an AH engine block is original for the car, but have no way of putting the engine number and the chassis number together in the same car. Incidentally, AH engines were special California-only smog engines.

As to value? The old truism mouthed by a generation of Old Car Gurus states "The first and last cars of any collectable car model, have the most value." I would agree! However, you may have to wait another decade, or so, before any real premium would be paid by Ghia buffs for this car. For now, the increase in value over a similiar condition, say, '68-'73 Ghia would be only dozens of dollars instead of hundreds of dollars.

Q #14: Along the edges of the windshield glass in my '66 Ghia, I'm getting a white, milky surface scum. I've used windshield cleaner (solvents) and even lightly cleaned it with steel wool. No luck. Can you tell me what will remove that coating?
M.S. , Lompoc CA

A #14 - Look again. Closely. I'll bet the discoloration isn't on the surface; it's in the CENTER of the glass. I know, I know! It doesn't seem possible, but let's look at how the glass is made.

For decades, automotive glass was no more than high grade window, or plate, glass. Great visual characteristics, but when shattered, produced terrifically sharp shards. Henry Ford was prototyping the first Model A's, when a friend was needlessly slaughtered in a minor accident by a plate glass windshield. Ford, often arbitrary, capricious, and dictatorial, and always mindful of a penny; instantly switched the Model A to the then new, more expensive, safety glass. A decision that cost him millions in extra costs. Within a decade, competition had forced all of Detroit to shift to this lifesaving feature. After the fact, many state legislatures wrote laws requiring just what Detroit was already doing. Europe, however, continued to cling to some variation of one piece plate glass. As the demand for Bugs and Ghias increased in the '50's, VW had to develop a distinct export model for the U.S. One obvious difference . . . lens, all red for the U.S. market, amber and red for most of the rest of the world. One subtle difference . . . the use of safety glass on U.S. models to conform to state laws.

The type of safety glass pioneered on the Model A was relatively simple. Sandwich a paper thin, crystal clear, sticky piece of plastic between two slim pieces of glass. Even if one's head smashed the windshield, breaking the glass; the dagger-shaped shards would stay stuck to the plastic inner liner. Life threatening cuts would be held to a minimum. American-market Ghia windshields used increasingly sophisticated variations of this basic technology.

Problems! Over time, age, moisture, oxygen and sunlight began to attack the plastic sandwiched between the glass. Of course, since only the edge of the plastic was exposed, it often took years or decades, for the plastic to degrade enough to effect vision.

On Ghias, the milky, cloudy effect indicating destruction of the plastic liner is most noticeable on the lower corners. The reason your door, quarter, and rear windows don't cloud up is because they aren't this type of safety glass. What can you do to get rid of the problem? Nothing can be done short of replacing the windshield with recently manufactured glass.

One final tip: I once found a nice used piece of glass. Why not use it to replace a badly scratched windshield in my own car, I thought. The edges were coated with sticky, icky, sealant/weatherstrip stuff. No problem. I used a rag dipped in cleaning solvent to remove the sealant and installed the sparkling clean glass. Within a week, the edges were badly fogged. Within a month, 25% of the area of the glass looked as if you'd spilled a thin coating of milk on a hot griddle. So, chemicals can also destroy the plastic. Beware!

Q #15: I am currently deployed in the Persian Gulf. While I'm here, I'm trying to order parts for my currently undriveable 1974 Ghia. I don't know my chassis number, I think it rusted away, but if memory serves me correctly, I read that my car was made in March of 1974. My B-pillar is a welded-in post, covered with a chrome trim piece, not the "normal" screwed-in chrome B-pillar. I need a pop-out driver's side quarter window that fits. Regular Ghia quarter windows are about 1/2 inch too long. Nobody I've talked to has been able to tell me anything about my mutant VW. Any information you could give me.
Tim B. Somewhere in the Persian Gulf

A #15 - Your Ghia's not a mutant! No alien, or "Freddie Kruger" clone, has been working your Ghia over! The quarter window post on '72-'74 Ghia coupes is welded in place and, then, is covered with a "chrome" decorative cover (actually it's made of aluminum). '60-'71 coupes have a removeable, truly chrome post. The only quarter window glass that fits is found on '72 thru '74 coupes. Unlike earlier coupes which used 3 plastic "hinge blocks" to hold the glass to the post, your era Ghia uses 2 specially shaped, metal "hinge clips". Treat the clips gently. They are rarer than the quarter window.

If you must, earlier quarter window glass can be made to "fill the hole"; make no mistake, this is a desperation move at best. It requires gluing the edge of the window to your old seal with silicone (bathtub type) glue. Of course, your window will never "pop-out" again. Still, a good-looking weather tight seal can be formed with patience.

The terrible news is that the correct, original German, late Q-window seals ARE not available. As you've found, earlier, '60-'71, seals just don't work. BUT, late coupe door seals CAN be made to work (i.e., the left door seal becomes the RH Q-window seal, with slight modifications. And, visa-versa). But, I've got even better news! A new reproduction seal is available -- and, it's less than 1/2 the price of OEM door seals. (The door seals are also repro'ed.) The seals look fine and work very well. These seals are a winner for all '72 thru '74 Ghia coupe owners.

Q #16: I badly want an original fender mount mirror for my '61 Convertible I pour over everyone's catalog and a few list the mirrors NEW for a very attractive price. They even use the original part numbers. Then, I notice your catalog doesn't list the mirrors. Since you seem to carry just about every Ghia part that has any quality what-so-ever; I'm immediately suspicious. What can you tell me about early Ghia fender mount mirrors?
Ted R. Vero Beach, FL
Jerry H. Gooseberry Hill, Western Australia

A #16 - Wow! That's immensely flattering. You question the quality of a part in a competitors' catalog because House of Ghia doesn't carry that part. We're honored!

About the mirrors. Currently, two repro's are available for Ghias (1956-65). One is actually a reproduction of a Porsche Speedster mirror. (So-called, AERO Mirror.) It is not authentic for Ghias. It looks somewhat like the assemblyline Ghia mirror, but if a mirror can have gender, the assemblyline Ghia mirror is feminine -- a ballerina; the Porsche mirror is definitely masculine -- a Sumo wrestler. (See the illustrations of the mirror necks or shafts.) Overall length of the mirrors is about the same, and the "foot" makes about the same size footprint (Ouch! Bad pun). But, the mounting studs are much wider spaced on the Porsche mirror so you'll have to re-drill the holes in your fender/cowl. The shape of the mirror heads is also different. The Porsche mirror head is flowingly oval in shape and is much thicker. A one-quarter inch wide white plastic beading holds the glass mirror to the chrome housing.

The stock Ghia mirror, I call it the "swan-necked" mirror, uses a head that is slightly smaller over-all, thinner, and has more of a pear-shape, rather than a horse-collar-shape. The crumped edge of the housing holds the mirror lens in place. Repro "swan-necked" mirrors are of fine quality, and are virtually assemblyline in looks. The difference between the swan-necked original and the repro is so small, so minor, no one in the real world should care except show car judges, looking for a tenth of a point deduction. I'm going to reveal the flaw, but I feel rotten. It's as if I pointed out a gorgeous woman, praised her beauty; and then, told the whole world where to look to spot a scar-line from her face lift. I'm a cad!

Turn to the back side of an original mirror. Assemblyline Ghia mirrors have the swan-necked arm attached to the CENTER of the back of the mirror head. Repros have the arm definitely OFF-SET to one side (like the extremely similar Beetle convertible mirror head).

The bottom line? 1) Either style of currently available mirror gives a distinct era, or period, appearance. 2) The common, quality, repro Porsche "Aero" mirror is the mirror you will be sold if you let low price and minimal, but snappy, descriptions cloud your thinking. 3) Just as the cow and buffalo share family similarities, but distinct visual differences, so do the repro's of the "swan-necked" repro and the quality Porsche "make-do". 4) We carry both mirrors, but strongly urge use of the quality, repro Ghia mirror.

Q #17: I want to personally install the top on my '71 Ghia convertible. Any tips?
Ron S Pittsburg OH

What problems, if any, will I encounter installing the outer top cover on my Ghia? It looks like a piece of cake!
Del Sarasota FL

...and do you suggest I install the top? For what I'd save by installing the top myself, I could buy the very best canvas top.
Phone conversation

A #17 - Everyone likes to save money, and quality top work is very expensive. But, there are some things even talented, highly coordinated people shouldn't do without training and professional help. In that category I'd put: 1) Operating a forklift for the first time to help a local farmer move 2000 pallets of fresh eggs. 2) Do-it-yourself gall bladder surgery. 3) Defusing an atomic bomb; especially, if you can't correctly spell nuclear power (or is it Nukular. Perhaps it's new clear. No, I'll bet it's Nueclear). 4) Installing your own cabriolet top.

Suppose all the components were neatly laid out on your work bench! How long would it take a skilled mechanic to assemble a VW air-cooled engine? Previewing the T.V. movie of the week could take longer. Suppose we're talking factory assemblyline! Now, how long? Talking micro-minutes certainly! A contest to rebuild a VW engine would be measured with a stop watch; not a sun dial or an hour glass.

Yet, VW bragged in print advertisements, it took two skilled craftsmen four hours to install your "top", originally. Eight hours? In a mass produced world? Incredible! But, that's part of the charm of a custom, semi-hand-built car.

Those Karmann cabriolet craftsmen did it daily! They knew every trick and short-cut imaginable. And, it still took eight hours to install the top! Why, Detroit sent Mustang and Camaro converts down the same assemblyline as their more homely "brothers". The assemblyline didn't even hic-up! Detroit top installation had to be idiot-proof, because that's the way management viewed their front-line workers idiots. Therefore, a competent, thoughtful do-it-yourselfer should be able to install a top on production American cars. But, a VW sports not merely a convertible top, it wears a cabriolet top. Convertible and cabriolet, as terms share the same relationship to the word, top, as does apple crate and Louis the 16th roll top hutch to the term, desk. No comparision!

Now, unfortunately, a certain percentage of readers, will look on this dire warning as some type of challenge. These folk are determined to prove me wrong! They can install ANYTHING.

Perhaps so! But, if things don't go right, WHY! For goodness sake, WHY do all do-it-yourselfers automatically assume the top was manufactured wrong! Your typewriter prints "nred", when you were trying to spell "nerd". Do you blame the typewriter? Members of the firing squad all miss ventilating the Generalisimo. Does the Rebel leadership accuse the bullet manufacturers of being enemies of the people? Cutting an eight foot 2X4 in half? One piece ends up 42 inches long and one 54 inches! Do you blame the lumber mill? The forest service? The saw manufacturer, or the folks who make your retractable tape?

The learning curve is steep! Think of it like renting a tool or machine. Few would want to own a complex piece of machinery, even if it does make your do-it-yourself task easy. That's why equipment rental places are sprouting up all over. Think of hiring a competent top shop as renting experience. You could acquire the knowledge and info necessary to install a VW top; but why do so when you can "rent" knowledge and experience more cheaply in the form of an experienced craftsman.

Q #18: I'm rewiring my right hand drive KG. I did not see a 1960 wire loom listed in your parts catalog. Is there another year that would do? Or is there a problem particular to that model? Please suggest any solutions you may have.
Riki , New Zealand

A #18: All terminal or wire ends from '56 thru '60 Karmann Ghias used, what I call, bared wire / set screw ends (later cars used "snap-on" terminals or wire ends). However, in 1960, several major instrument / lite changes were made. For one, a 3 bulb taillite instead of the '56-'59 Ghias two bulb taillite was introduced. That adds additional wires to the harness. The other problem is that your car is RHD (Right Hand Drive). Since all '56-'65 Ghias have the wire harness going thru a tube inserted in the RH rocker (regardless of whether they are RH or LH drive cars), the length of the wires, especially going to the instruments, is of a different length, depending on if the car is RHD or LHD.

Since there are no Right Hand Drive harnesses currently being repro'ed, my suggestions are:

1) To try to save your harness, even if you must splice in wires to a chopped, or cut up, harness. (The wires seldom fail or lose their insulation, and a good brushing of the exposed ends with a wire brush often removes any corrosion at the bared end -- making them "as good as new".)

2) Use a '61-'65 harness. You'll find the instrument wires are much too long for a RHD car. But, since you will need to cut off the snap-on connectors and bare the last 1/4 inch (5mm); that shouldn't be a problem. Left hand drive harnesses are made to go thru the right hand rocker tube. But, after 30 years, rust may have closed down the diameter of the wire harness metal tube making it difficult (if not impossible) to pull the new harness thru the tube. Unfortunately, pulling a new harness thru a rusted wire harness tube can be vocabulary building at the very least. More likely, it will resemble trying to get the present you into a pair of your 7th grade gym shorts. A cheeky thing to attempt, but ultimately futile.

3) Use a '66 harness. Instead of laying it along the LH rocker (as all Ghias did), lay it along the RH rocker. This solution would require drilling holes / using grommets and mounting the 8 fuse, fuse box of '61-'67 Ghias / Beetles. It would also require cutting off the snap-on terminals as with the previous suggestion. This would be the best way to go ONLY if you can't pull an earlier harness thru the "tube". (It would also require looking at a '66 or later parts car, so you could see how the factory routed the later harness.)

Q #19 - (Install door seals): I bought your door seal kit, KD-SDHP, months ago. Now that I want to install the seals, they look like a handful of black snakes. What goes where?
Pete M Boxton MA

A #19 - Out of the mess of snakes, find the two seals that are slightly over 5 feet long. They are the main door seals. Look at the blunt end. It will look like the cross-sectional diagram of a door seal. (See illustration)

<----Main Door Seal

Hinge Pillar Seal ------>>>>>^

At the other end, a uniformly shaped door seal tapers down to a "scrawny neck" and, the neck has a natural curve. To find the left hand seal (and the seals are side specific); make sure the tongue or sweep of the seal is pointed at you. If the curve of the scrawny neck seems to fit our diagram of the top back of the left hand door, you've got the correct seal. Of course, the opposite seal fits the RH door. Now, look at the top back edge of your door. See that hole about 1/2 the size of a pencil?.

Door Glass------>

Window Scraper Seal ------->
Scraper Chrome------>
Hole for Sponge Ball on Door Seal------->

Door Shell------->

Left Hand, Upper
Rear of Door

Squeeze the sponge ball of the long light grey seal into the hole. Presto, the end of the seal is captured and can't be "wiped" or rubbed off the car. The natural curve of the seal will instantly put the seal into the "corner" of the door where the outer skin meets the rest of the door shell. That junction is approximately a 90 degree angle. Think of the seal as a piece of wooden "quarter round" molding you're laying along the door/wall joint in your house. That's exactly the way this seal will fit up into the door's corner.

Cross-Section of Main Door Seal

...Sweep

The main door seal will run the full length of the bottom of the door, BUT will end at the front door seam. Two large "V"-shaped notches are designed into the seal. Inspite of what logic and common sense suggests, the notches are intended to line-up with the drain slots at the bottom of the door. With a "chunk" gone from the rubber, there's little danger the seal could do its sealing job so well, the drain slot could get plugged. I know! I know! There are THREE drain slots and only two notches. We'll just have to trust those German engineers.

Current Seal

with hard to wipe
off sponge ball

Early Style Seal

with feathered tip is
easy to "wipe off"

Cross-Sectional View of Curving Neck of Door Seal

The other seal does not fit on the door. It fits on the pillar or post (hinge pillar) in front of the door. It is stationary and does not move when the door moves. Look closely at the seal. Imagine the rubber is super soft and warm. Visualize someone running their finger down the center of the seal. When the rubber cools down, there'd be a groove in the center of the seal. Have the grooved part face you. The "L" shape should be at the bottom of the seal. If the stubby bottom piece points to your left, it is the left hand hinge pillar seal (driver's side). Lay the seal on the portion of the door pillar closest to the inside of the car. The seal should cover up a few of the large heads for the hinge screws
I'd use 3M Trim Cement - black or yellow - or any other rubber cement style of automotive glue to hold the seal to the door metal.Q #19: I bought your door seal kit, KD-SDHP, months ago. Now that I want to install the seals, they look like a handful of black snakes. What goes where?
Pete M ,Boxton MA

A #19 - Out of the mess of snakes, find the two seals that are slightly over 5 feet long. They are the main door seals. Look at the blunt end. It will look like the cross-sectional diagram of a door seal illustrated below. At the other end, a uniformly shaped door seal tapers down to a "scrawny neck" and, the neck has a natural curve. To find the left hand seal (and the seals are side specific); make sure the tongue or sweep of the seal is pointed at you. If the curve of the scrawny neck seems to fit our diagram of the top back of the left hand door, you've got the correct seal. Of course, the opposite seal fits the RH door. Now, look at the top back edge of your door. See that hole about 1/2 the size of a pencil?. Squeeze the sponge ball of the long light grey seal into the hole. Presto, the end of the seal is captured and can't be "wiped" or rubbed off the car. The natural curve of the seal will instantly put the seal into the "corner" of the door where the outer skin meets the rest of the door shell. That junction is approximately a 90 degree angle. Think of the seal as a piece of wooden "quarter round" molding you're laying along the door/wall joint in your house. That's exactly the way this seal will fit up into the door's corner.

The main door seal will run the full length of the bottom of the door, BUT will end at the front door seam. Two large "V"-shaped notches are designed into the seal. Inspite of what logic and common sense suggests, the notches are intended to line-up with the drain slots at the bottom of the door. With a "chunk" gone from the rubber, there's little danger the seal could do its sealing job so well, the drain slot could get plugged. I know! I know! There are THREE drain slots and only two notches. We'll just have to trust those German engineers.

The other seal does not fit on the door. It fits on the pillar or post (hinge pillar) in front of the door. It is stationary and does not move when the door moves. Look closely at the seal. Imagine the rubber is super soft and warm. Visualize someone running their finger down the center of the seal. When the rubber cools down, there'd be a groove in the center of the seal. Have the grooved part face you. The "L" shape should be at the bottom of the seal. If the stubby bottom piece points to your left, it is the left hand hinge pillar seal (driver's side). Lay the seal on the portion of the door pillar closest to the inside of the car. The seal should cover up a few of the large heads for the hinge screws.

I'd use 3M Trim Cement - black or yellow - or any other rubber cement style of automotive glue to hold the seal to the door metal.

Q #20: I have a '69 Ghia coupe that I want to put a rag top in. Can it be done, and if so, where in California would be the best place to try?
JW, Las Vegas, NV

A #20: Making a convertible out of a coupe is such a common fantasy it must rank with the "I am Rambo", and the "I own a Harem of 100 sex-starved... " well, you get the idea. All that's needed to make your fantasy come true (and it was also my fantasy until my recent senility) is money. About 200 green pieces of paper with Franklin's picture on it are needed to convert a coupe into a Karmann style cabriolet. The finished car will be worth, maybe, one hundred Franklin's. (Good old Ben's picture is on the $100 bill.)

A coupe, whose metal top is removeable, can conceivably be made for 80 to 100 green Franklins. A simple roadster (cut the coupe top off and throw it away) can be constructed with elegance for, perhaps, 50 Ben Franklins.

Let's investigate making a Karmann style cabriolet! First, because there is no coupe metal top to add strength, the factory had to stiffen the body by running extra metal support thru the rockers and up the windshield frame. So would you.

Then, the sheet metal from the back of the doors to the firewall is vastly different on a convertible. So different are the bracketry, braces, panels and mounting points that the only reasonable alternative is to use the inner rear seat area from a dead convert and graft it to your coupe.

If you're not yet ready to give up the idea, price just the used metal top frame for a Ghia convert. Now, price it with a working glass rear window!

Making your coupe into a roadster, or a removable hardtop, is definitely more achievable. But, both options still require a great deal of thought. Detroit cars, with massive girder-like frames, gain rigidity thru the frame itself. The body is essentially a bolt-on after thought. On a Ghia, basically, the body IS the frame. Lopping off a coupe top creates instant strength problems. These MUST be dealt with or severe problems occur: 1) like doors that won't open / close, or 2) your car breaks into two major chunks.

Remember Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby story! That's how you'll feel financially, if you try to make a coupe into a convert! You think you'll throw just one fist full of dollars at the problem. Br'er Rabbit thought he'd throw just one punch at the Tar Baby. Soon, both you and Br'er Rabbit will be stuck fast, with no way to get out! Make no mistake! Buy a quality convertible outright! It'll cost far less than changing the gender of a coupe.

Q #21: I've got a neat Ghia. It's was born November 7, 1969. I know because VW sent me a letter telling me the car's birthday. But I'm confused! The car has a wrap-around parklite lens and according to your information, 1969 cars should have a "bullet-shaped" parklite lens. Your information must be incorrect, because I'm sure the parklite assemblies have never been changed. What 's happening?
Joe K. Plano, TX

A #21 - Your confusion is understandable. The problem is you are thinking of calendar years and the auto industry talks MODEL years. Since the Depressionof the '30's, Detroit has always started selling "next" year's cars in August or September of "this" year. VW adopted the Detroit practice in the mid-1950's. Wolfsburg chose August 1st to start selling NEXT year's models. So, any Ghia built between August 1 of 1969, and July 31, 1970 would be considered a 1970 model Ghia. All years listed in our catalog / price lists are MODEL years.

Joe, you're not alone in not understanding the deliberate confusion of Detroit's illogical model year vs calendar year problem. Nearly every House of Ghia customer has stumbled over this problem at some point. Even authors of books on Ghias make this mistake. Just because a factory archive proto-type photo says, taken August of 1959, that doesn't mean the picture was of a '59 model Ghia. The picture is of a 1960 model Ghia. So, my advice, think model year.

Q #22: I'm restoring a '68 Ghia. . . did the right thing and labeled each hinge as I took them off. But, I made a mistake. I labeled each hinge, up/down, left/right; but I forgot to label how worn they were. Now, I'm looking through labeled hinges from more than four Ghias and there's no way of telling how good they are. Can you help me?
Rodney A. Miami, FL

A #22 - Everyone wants butter smooth hinges. But, finding sound hinges is tricky when they're off the car. Opening and closing used hinges is very likely to give you a false reading. It's only human nature to think the smoothest, easiest opening hinge is best. Wrong! Tilt! System Error!

House of Ghia sells rebuilt, repro'ed and OEM Ghia hinges. Customers are constantly wondering why it's so hard to pry "good" hinge halves apart by hand. Indeed, some people don't have the hand strength to open new hinges. Their conclusion? The hinge is "bad". Actually, the hinge is in great shape and, if one bolted a meter long (39.37 inches) strap to the hinge, it would open butter smooth. The door itself acts like a long lever, insuring smooth operation. To mentally test this paradox, ask yourself, "Are good hinges, by definition, loose? Or, are bad hinges, tight?" Of course, everyone wants tight hinges. And, the test for tightness is how much resistance off the car hinges have to being pryed open. If a child could open it, a hinge is definitely approaching senility.

Q #23: I've restored several Bugs. All the Bugs had a single horn. Each horn had two wires going to a single pair of rubber boots. The boots, looking like a black bullet, mounted over a nipple on the back of the horn. My very original Ghia has two horns and four wire terminal nipples; but, I couldn't locate any evidence of horn boots. Shouldn't the car have them, and, where can I get them?
Carl W, Visalia CA

A #23 - Beetle (and Type 3) horns were mounted so they were very exposed to the weather and elements. Moisture and, therefore, corrosion was a distinct possibility for the exposed horn wire ends. VW devised a very effective, thumb-sized little rubber boot to keep things pure and clean. The noise making surface of the dual Ghia horn is just as exposed as the Beetle horn. But, the remainder of Ghia horns are wrapped and shaped by a complex rubber horn boot. This boot looks like . . . well, a small baby's stout rubber diaper. When properly protected by the Ghia's horn boot, the horn's wire ends are dry and snug in the nose of the car. No moisture/corrosion should get in, so there was no need for horn wire boots on a Ghia. However, the horns do have a nipple for the boot, and some Ghia buffs add the wire boot as a neat finishing touch. The boots almost seem to shout, "I care".

Q #24 - (Hdlite buckets): New Ghia headlite buckets are expensive, so I cut a bucket out of a trashed Beetle fender. My friend, who has done body work before, and I are trying to install this Beetle headlite bucket in the tip of a '68 Ghia fender. The bucket doesn't seem to want to fit. Is there something we don't know about it that would help us install the Beetle bucket?
P.S.: The Ghia headlite adjusting stuff fits the Beetle bucket perfectly. The adjusting assembly even has a Ghia part number according to my bodyman. (David is talking about the "bucket" with tabs for holding the headlite adjusting assembly.)
David F. New Castle, PA

A #24 - Some things are perfectly obvious. A square peg won't go into a round hole. Other of life's mysteries are subtle in the extreme. It took me years to figure out why a much cheaper and vastly more available Beetle headlite bucket ('68 and up) won't fit a Ghia fender.

Look at the diagram of a Ghia "nose" on a Bug. The Ghia headlite is perfectly vertical, while the Bug headlite slopes with the fender. Most of us assume the completely vertical face of the edge of a Ghia bucket creates a true half circle shape. Which it does. And the entire bucket is a 3-dimensional version of a half moon. Which it is. Therefore, creating a Beetle bucket simply requires tipping a Ghia "half moon" bucket at a slight angle. Nope! The leading edge of a Beetle bucket can be thought of as an elipse. Still can't "see" why the two buckets are shaped differently? The following example is too gruesome for pre-puberty readers. Please exercise discretion in order to avoid nausea.
Imagine you are declared an enemy of the people by the leaders of the French Revolution. It's the guillotine for you. Let your imagination soar as the blade comes thundering straight down. Can't you almost "see" what the bloody stump of your neck looks like. Great! Your minds-eye is currently working overtime. Imagine the blade crashes downward at a 45 degree angle instead of straight down. The devastation is just as great, but the stub of a neck on your torso now looks like the slashed tip of a red magic marker, rather than the flat dullness of a well-used crayon.
The Ghia bucket is a simple geometric circle, the shape of the front edge is the equivalent of a carrot caught in a veg-o-matic or your neck severed by a vertical blade. David, the Beetle bucket is angled; and therefore, the leading edge creates an eliplical shape. An elipse is what gives the end of your neck that magic marker or lipstick tip shape. An ellipse won't neatly fit a circle - it becomes a square peg in a round hole type of puzzle.
For those readers who think, "What a cad!" because I use, and seemingly enjoy in presenting, the most gruesome example imaginable; please read the following. It is part of the Webster's Dictionary definition of the word, ellipse.

O.K., who taught you the meaning of the exotic word ellipse, fastest? Mister Webster? Or, Mister Guillotine?
The lesson is: "True understanding of complex concepts occurs only after a high degree of personal involvement."
Your second assumption also needs explaining. The Ghia part number on VW headlite adjusting assemblies merely means the assembly was first developed and put into service on Ghias (1964 1/2). Unfortunately, Asian and South American repro parts suppliers copied the Ghia part number; but stole the assembly's design from an adjusting assembly meant only for a Beetle. One crucial tab, needed for Ghia assemblies, but not needed for Bugs, was left off most current replacements. Try as hard as you will, only two of the three mounting tabs in the Ghias headlite bucket line-up with screw holes in most of the current repro adjusting assemblies. EVEN VW parts counters will sell you the wrong adjusting assembly and claim it fits a Ghia. So, be careful! Headlite assemblies whose part number seems to say, "I'm a Ghia goodie!" may not fit. House of Ghia manufactures a special tab that we install on the best of the repro headlite assemblies. That way, you can be sure the assemblies fit the bucket.

Q #54 - (Rear deck lock): I bought a used rear lock from (a competitor) for my '64 Ghia. It doesn't fit! It just won't bolt up, no matter what I do. Well, that (polite translation: "dweeb") at __________ keeps insisting I got a Ghia rear lock and it will fit. (Robert expresses a lot of anger in the remainder of his letter).
Robert A. Rome, GA

A #54 - All Ghia rear deck lid locks look nearly identical and certainly function in the same way; but there ARE differences.

Typical Rear Lock

Note: No mounting holes.

To rear

To front

It's hard for most of us to visualize which is front and back on a rear lock that's been removed from the car. So, with the lock in your hand, make sure the "thimble" or nipple, thru which the rear deck lid cable comes, is away from your body on the front, left of the lock. That's the way you'd see the lock if you looked into the engine compartment. Note the flaps, or tabs, or webbing with slotted mounting holes. Two tabs to the "front", left and right; and two tabs to the rear.

'56-'59 Rear Lock

Note: Mounting slots front and front
Dot represents mounting slot

On early Ghias, thru (I believe) 1959, these slots for the mounting bolts were at the forward edge of the front tabs. Oops! A problem. The right, forward bolt easily accepts a socket. But, the head for the left forward bolt is directly under the metal tube that acts as a rear deck lid cable housing. This rigid tube (1956-66) is welded in place. It can't be easily moved. All other rear lock mounting bolts can be accessed in milli-seconds by power tools. The left forward bolt is the odd ball. It can be installed, but only by a wrench. Not a good idea, even by Karmann's loose and easy definition of an assemblyline.

'60 - '67 Rear Lock

Note: Mounting slots front and rear

The factory's solution? Move the mounting slot to the rear of the forward tab. That way, the bolt head will at least be socket distance away from the interferring metal tube. But ever after, VW parts departments would need to carry two different locks. AND, since the mounting nut is caged on the back side of the rear lock apron, two distinct lock aprons. In 1968, a further change. The right forward mounting slot was moved rearward, so that both forward mounting bolts were again parallel. (From '60 thru '67, the front bolt holes were staggered.) Now, there are three separate rear locks, all differing only in the location of the attachment holes. However, with the scarcity of good used rear locks, you'd better think about re-drilling holes and making what you've got work, rather than hoping the "good parts fairy" will bless you with the museum correct item. "A bird in the hand."

'68-'74 Rear Lock

Note: Mounting slots rear and rear.

Folks, if you noticed, I just told Robert he'd won the argument, won the battle with the "dweeb"; but he'd lost the war. It's going to be that way on lots of increasingly rare Ghia parts. If every restorer insists on museum authentic parts at every possible spot on the car; most restorers will come up empty-handed. Compromise is the name of the game. And, your own wallet is your main adversary.

Q #26: I have a question. I will be completely restoring a '68 Ghia convertible, and would like to know if it is possible to use a new '69 1/2-up top outer cover and glass rear window on the '68 convertible frame and bows. Any information will be appreciated.
D. Lugg, Wind Gap, PA

A #26 - This is one of those, "at first blush" ideas that seem so possible, so simple! Well, it's nearly impossible! And, buying the parts separately would cost more than many folks pay for their entire Ghia. If you had a '58 thru '67 1/2 convert, you know, with a wooden rear of body tack strip, you couldn't even think this swap. Things are so different, it would be like swapping an air-cooled VW 1600 engine into a Pinto. Middle model Ghia convertibles, '67 1/2-'69 1/2, share the later converts rear of body cable. But, that's about ALL. No provision for the glass rear window hinges, drain tubes, rear window opening "definition" cable. In addition, the rear window wooden tack strip (bow) needs to be changed.

If a later convertible "tub" was available, from which you could steal all the brackets, angles, caged nut assemblies, and trace down and drill the route for the rear window drain tubes, perhaps you could do the swap.

But, you'd need to find a glass rear window ($350 and up used; up to $1000 from VW), the rear catch (virtually impossible to find in good shape used; $100 plus new) and, the glass rear window hinges (lefts somewhat available used; rights have nearly gone the way of the Dodo bird). Plus, there would be a host of strange-shaped nuts and seals that you'd have to get. The only easy part would be putting on the glass rear window's outer vinyl / canvas top cover. It would fit perfectly. If I haven't yet discouraged you, I've failed as a writer.

A #27 - Well, fellas, all '68-'74 Ghia mirrors looked the same. Obviously, one of you is not using a museum stock mirror.

Since you both favor authenticity so strongly, I don't want anyone to slash his wrists, tear at flesh, or swallow barrel-sized quantities of pills, if I reveal the fake. Promise! O.K. John! Tag. You're it! The 11 o'clock position of your mirror is the major clue. Ghia door mirrors are designed to be horizontal. But, when a Bug mirror is adapted to a Ghia, the mirror wanders off at a wild angle.

About one out of every three customer's Ghias, driving into the House of Ghia parking lot, are using an adapted Beetle mirror. In the past, true Ghia replacement mirrors were hard to get and expensive. So, people went to lots of trouble to adapt the dirt common, inexpensive Bug mirror. Trouble is a mild word. Pain is more like it. You see, Bugs (Type 1's), Ghias, and Type 3's (square and notch-backs) all used a very similar mirror head. But, for maximum visability, each of these three cars needed the mirror head mounted to the door at a different angle.

Look at Diagram #1. Pictured is a very simple mirror head. The short horizontal line stands for the very large threaded stud allowing the mirror assembly to be bolted to the door. Imagine bolting the diagram mirror to your bedroom wall. The mirror would stick out from the wall at a 45 degree angle.

Now, inspect a Beetle door. It is almost as completely vertical as your bedroom wall. Visualize our diagram mirror bolted to the vertical line in Diagram #2. You've just created a Beetle door mirror. To make it even more useful to Beetle owners, if you stuck the mirror out from the door a few inches, looking back wouldn't be filled with a view of your own rear fenders.

Look closely at any Ghia. The door isn't merely a slab-sided creature like a bank vault door. A Ghia has curves, slopes, angles. Where the mirror attaches, the door slants at an angle somewhat like the line in Diagram #3. Have your minds-eye attach the mirror in Diagram #1 with the line in Diagram #3. Why, the mirror head shoots off toward John's 11 o-clock! Now, look at Diagram #4. Attach the less than vertical mirror, using your imagination, to Diagram #3. You've just visualized a Ghia mirror. Type 3 doors also had a different slant from their cousins, the Ghia and the Bug.

To insure the wrong mirror wouldn't end up on the wrong car, the factory changed the diameter of the huge threaded stud that attaches the mirror to the door. That's right! Three different thread sizes. So, adapting a Bug mirror to a Ghia takes effort. And, no matter how elegant the threaded adapter, one comes up with, the entire Bug mirror fastened to a Ghia door is going to look like a hippopotamus in a tutu. . .weird. For your final test over door mirrors, just to see if you've correctly mastered the concept, minds-eye attach the Ghia mirror head to a "straight-walled" Beetle door. Yep! The Ghia mirror wanders off at an angle, looking like 7 o'clock on our imaginary time piece.

The bottom line: The only mirror that looks right and fits right on a Ghia IS a Ghia mirror.

Q# 28: I have had a 74 model Ghia convertible since it was new, and virtually all of it is original and in good order. The paint still looks great from a distance, but up close it shows little nicks and a few nickel-sized dings in the body from wear over 15 years. In considering touch-up or repainting, I was surprised when told by a shop specializing in Volkswagen Paint & Body that a plate with the paint number on it was supposed to be in the spare tire compartment. The plate is missing. I still have all the original handbooks and paperwork and the only thing referring to paint was handwritten in by the dealer as "Ralleye Yellow". In checking with a Auto Paint Specialist, he referred to a "book" which showed as original paint a "Ralleye Gold" which he said he could tell by the mix would be a yellow.

Any advice on finding the paint number? Or on a complete repaint vs a touch-up? How important is keeping the original paint?
George B. Macinina, GA

A #28: Generations of Ghia owners have wished that VW had screwed a paint number plate onto their car. Most just don't have that info. Look under the aluminum I.D. plate riveted to the inner fender panel near the spare tire. Perhaps, stamped in the painted metal is a code that looks like this! L99A. That's a VW paint code. Always the code is prefixed by an L, with two or three numbers and a letter (generally) as a suffix. (Then, again, the numbers could be just the Karmann factory body identification numbers.)

Starting sometime during the mid-sixies, Karmann attached a stick-on label just below the I.D. plate. The label, about the size of large postage stamp, had the paint code. Unfortunately, the stick-um substance used lost its grip with age. Just maybe the label is at the bottom of your spare tire well.

Many automotive paint companies (i.e., DuPont, etc.) have sophisticated paint mixing systems. Give them the official paint code or even the paint name and they can mix that color. Almost all paint companies can mix to a sample, just be sure the sample part you mix from hasn't faded from sunlight or abuse.

On your papers from the dealer may be the sales department paint order code. After the paint name, there might be something like this: (26). That's the sales code for the paint color and a good VW parts man can look in the parts microfische and work off of either number (the paint or the sales code). Be careful using remembered paint names. VW, for competitive reasons, was often manipulating paint names and formulas. For example, Rally Yellow was indeed a '74 Bug paint name, but I can't find any confirmation it was ever used on Ghias -- however, 5 other yellow/beige paint names were used on that year Ghia. The salesman may well have remembered the name Rally yellow, but it probably wasn't ever used on a Ghia. (Another well-loved, well-remembered paint name is British Racing Green. VW never used a paint with that name. However, over half a dozen different dark green paint formulations could match the shade we all fondly refer to as British Racing Green.)

The restoration world is about evenly split between the repaint faction, and the leave it stock, but lightly flawed group. In your case, I see absolutely no need to rush into a repaint job! Those who recognize truly straight cars will be able to see beyond the bruises; and those who are impressed by new, outrageous paint jobs won't think a stock yellow paint is handsome in any case.

Q #29: I just bought a '57 Ghia with the original 36 HP engine (running); excellent original interior (needs headliner and driver seat redone) and near straight body with no rust in pan, battery tray, etc. I was wondering if you could tell me how many of these were made in '57 and how hard they are to find?
Greg L. Portland, OR

A #29 - Sounds like you've got a neat car! Look on the inside back cover of any House of Ghia catalog. There you will find production data. Depending on how you structure your question, the chart can answer many interesting questions. But, because of calendar year/model year differences between the two charts; the one question they can NOT answer is how many 1957 model year Ghias were produced. The chart listing total production by calendar year, says 15,369 Ghias were produced in 1957. Remember, after August 1st, any car produced was considered a 1958 model. (In fact, all of the 105 cabriolets produced in 1957 were considered '58 models.) Depending on your car's chassis number, it could have been produced in calendar year 1956 and still be considered a 1957 model Ghia. Confused? The bottom line is that no more than 15,000 1957 model year Ghias were produced.

Valuing your car is much tougher! Excellent examples of '57 coupes go for seven thousand dollars and up. Maybe way up. It's almost to the point where the seller can name his price IF, he/she finds a buyer who wants that particular model. Buyers willing to put up with a 36 horsepower engine, non-synchro first gear, a 6-volt electrical system and the hassle of owning a car with hard to find parts, and more than a few peculiarities, are hard to find. If your basically sound car is in need of a "total restoration", it's probably worth 1/3 or less of its museum quality value.

Q #30: The back end of my Ghia's body sags or droops. The back end is lower than the front.What would be the best way to return the rear of my car to its original height?
Warren L. Palo Alto, CA

A #30: Your rear torsion bars are "tired". By going thru those circular caps on the lower flank of your car, the inspection cover, a skilled mechanic can reposition your torsion bars. The process is not hard! It requires very little equipment - a good suspension protractor would be helpful (yes, it's just a sophisticated version of your elementary school protractor) but, the task can be maddening in the extreme. The torsion bar itself is about an inch in diameter at the ends. The end of your round rod torsion bar has as many as 40 splines. The bar, in effect, is pulled from its housing and reinserted just one spline off from the way you first saw it. That could be all that's needed to firm up your "arse end". But, achieving a one spline movement of the torsion bar is often a trial and error task. Trial and error means time consuming. So, even many qualified shops shy away from rear torsion bar adjustment. Or, they will quote the job very high to cover the worst case situation.

Another way to lift up the rear end on a swing axle car is to use coil over-shocks. Of course, these aren't nearly as common as they once were for VW's. Besides, the best and safest way to go is to recalibrate your torsion bars as described earlier. The official Service Manual, (Bentley blue version) contains a lengthy, "How-to-do-it" section on torsion bar/spring plate adjustment.

Q #31: My front hood doesn't want to fit right in the hood opening. At first, I thought the hood was warped, but I took it off my car and installed it on a buddy's parts car and it fits perfectly. Does that mean my front end is warped or the fenders droop? The car has had a nose job. (David means a transplanted front clip was welded on.)
Dave L. Everett, WA

A #31: Obviously, at first, you thought the hood was warped. However, not everyone would have a second car available to test shape and fit. By clever thinking, you narrowed the problem down quickly, but then, you assumed the worst. Before you slash your wrists, or push your Ghia off a cliff, let's test to see if your Ghia suffers from the most common of ill-fitting hood problems.

Ill-fitting front hoods can have numerous causes, but the prime suspect is the hood hinges. Almost always the root cause of badly fitting hoods is damaged hinges. Look closely at a hinge. It's nothing more than a thin strap of metal. If it becomes twisted or warped, it will still bolt up. But, the hood won't fit right, and no amount of tweeking or adjustment will make it so. The real problem is that unless a good hinge is in hand, as a comparison or check, many people can't tell if the hinge is bent. Remove the hinges from the car. From the side, a hinge looks like a broad stroked letter "J". Hold the hinge by the bottom and out at arm's length. Now, turn the hinge so you're looking at the narrow edge of the hinge. Does the hinge stand to attention? If the hinge is straight, all one should see is the narrow back edge of the hinge. It would look as if you drew a line in the air with a fat tipped pencil. If you see more than the narrow edge of the hinge, you're looking at a warped, bent piece of metal. Your chances of correctly straightening "el bendo" hinge are zilch. Find a good, used hinge.

Q #32 (Snap-catch hinge) - I need the chrome hook found on the inside of my top frame.
Tom R. Olympia, WA

...In the channel of the main top frame on my '67 convertible is a chrome plate that has a hinged snout,looking like a short trunk on an elephant. The whole thing isn't 3 inches long, but I think I'm missing something. Does something fit into that snout?
Ronald Y. Sunland, CA

...I was talking with another Ghia person the other day. She said to be sure and latch my top frame down,when it is folded back, or I'll ruin my new top boot. What's she talking about?
Lorrie, Manhatten, KS

What all three of these Ghia convertible owners are talking about is what VW calls the top frame snap catch found on '58-'71 convertible top frames.

A #32 - As incredible as it seems, my experience has been, most convertible owners don't even realize their top frame has such a thing as a "snap catch"; let alone know how it works, what its purpose is, and why it often fails. So, stick with me! The examples used may seem far-fetched, but the destination is understanding.

Imagine you're lying on your back doing the ole leg lift exercise. Legs lifted? Knees locked? Your legs represent a convertible top frame in the "up" position. Now, draw your knees toward your chest. Yep, a top frame in the "down", or folded position. Your knees and hips act just like the main hinges in a top frame.

Suppose you were in the knees-on-your-chest position, laying in the bed of a pick-up traveling rapidly down a cobblestone road. No matter how hard you try, your leg from the knee down is going to bob and flap with the jolts something fierce. Remember, the leg lift exercise requires your palms to be at your side; so, no fair controlling these spastic jerks with your hands.

Wouldn't it be great if mother nature had provided for just these moments by equipping each of us with a flexible hook on our hip, and a catch, or eyelet, on our ankle. In that way, the hook could engage the eyelet, and your lower leg wouldn't flail wildly.

The "snap catch" on each side of your top acts just like our imaginary hip/ankle latch and eyelet.

Why VW chromed the snap-catches, I'll never know. But, they did. It makes identification easy. The snap-catch is the only chrome gadget, the size of your thumb, along either side of the top frame rails. The snap-catch hook threads into a cone or snout-shaped piece. The snout is suspended between the metal tabs. A spring helps control the movement of the snout/hook. Incidentally, the chrome base plate with tabs is designed for one specific side of the frame. So, while they look identical, each snap-catch is left or right specific on closer inspection.

Far more than 50% of deserving top frames do NOT have the special snap-catch hooks (although the rest of the catch is still bolted to the frame). Why such a high loss rate? Remember, laying in the pick-up bed, knees drawn up to resemble a folded top frame. Constant road bumps cause your legs (remember, they represent the top frame) to bounce vigorously. The snap-catch stops the bouncing, flouncing around. But, the jolts are still there. What actually absorbs the jolts are the threads on the hook, and especially the cast threads in the center of the chrome snout into which the hook is threaded. Missing the hook? Just possibly you could get another. But, where are the threads in the chrome snout? Gone! Wiped out by a jillion jolts.

So, even if you could get a new hook, how would it attach? To test things, run a standard 8mm bolt up the snout. Enough threads left to hold the test bolt? Your catch will accept the hook. But, where is the lost snap-catch hook? Look on the pan just under the hinge covers. Not an easy spot to search.

My advice for non-working, non-existent snap catches? Do what a generation of Ghia buffs have done: use a rubber bungee cord to secure things, then cover the whole thing with the top boot. And, why not!

The snap-catch is like underwear, it's never seen. Go ahead. Secretly, wear your briefs printed with, "I Luv Broccoli" logos; no one will know. Similarly, use a rubber strap to hold your collapsed top rigid. No one will know you used an inelegant rubber band instead of a classy chrome catch to tame a flouncing, flailing top frame.

Q #33: . . . removing the speedometer from my '71 Ghia's dash, I loosened the mounting brackets and removed all the wires; but, I can only push it out toward the cockpit an inch or so. I've tried everything. The speedo is still just a tantalizing fraction of an inch from pulling straight out of its hole. It continues to hang up on the steering column. The hangup is such a tiny, tantalizing amount, I suspect I'm doing something wrong. I'm not going to have to remove the steering wheel and turn signal switch am I?
A. Knoll, Dothan, AL

A #33: First, stop flailing away at your ego and lacerating your self-respect. You've done nothing wrong, and it isn't a flaw in your Ghia that's causing such frustration. Those German engineers did this to us. On '67 thru '74 Ghias, the only way to get the speedo out of the dash is to drop the steering column.

Now, dropping the steering column doesn't mean removing the steering column. The fastest way to drop a safety mandated Ghia column is to use a metric-sized Allen wrench and remove the two Allen head screws holding the column to a special bracket. That special bracket is designed to shear away in an accident, so the driver isn't impaled on the end of the steering column. That way the sturdy collapsible metal mesh, that is your column's connection to the steering box, can do its job and collapse -- leaving you merely wounded instead of mortally wounded.

Having the column drop just a couple of inches is enough to allow the speedo's removal. Some people feel they must dismantle the end of the steering column to get at the speedo. The pain! The pain! Taking this route is so laborous. The Olympics for sadists and masochists is thinking of adding Ghia steering column dismantling as a demonstration sport.

Q #34: "I'm replacing my '66 coupe's headliner. So, I removed the old vinyl liner and the metal bows that hold it to the roof. Well, that's my problem! With the metal rods or bows removed, I can't tell which bow goes where. Can you tell me?
Telephone conversation with Al, somewhere in Florida

A #34: Boy, that's human nature for you. Seventy plus Ghias I've parted out and I never took the time to figure out which metal headliner bow went where. I especially checked out a coupe headliner to get this info. So, Al, this bows for you!

Line up the four bows by placing one end of each bow against a flat surface. If you can control the bend or curvature of the bows so they are all flexed about the same amount, one bows stands taller than all the rest. That's the rear most bow. The next longest bow is about a half inch longer than its remaining two cousins. This bow fits the second from the rear position. The final two bows, the shortest pieces, are nearly identical in length (if not absolutely identical in length). They go in the third and fourth bow positions from the rear.

Or, to put it another way, from the nose of the car, the narrowest bow is in front and the bows tend to lengthen slightly as they advance to the rear.

Q #35: I need instructions on how to install the 1964 and up headlight assembly in a 1963 Ghia. I would like to buy a 1963 assembly, but I have not been able to find one. I will certainly appreciate any help you can provide me.
Ayres, Athens, TX

A #35: Pre-'64 headlite parts are becoming as scarce as lips on chickens. To convert your '60 thru '63 Ghia to the later ('64 1/2-up) headlite assemblies is simple for most body shops. BUT it is not a bolt-in repair. First, locate a late Ghia headlite bucket - the thing that looks like 1/2 a melon rind - and spot weld it into the tip of the fender. Most likely, that will mean removing the old headlite bucket by drilling out, or cutting, the spot welds. Find a late headlite adjusting assembly. Now, it's merely a matter of adding a 12V (or 6V) bulb; bolting the headlite adjusting assembly to the tabs already correctly located in the "bucket"; adjusting the bulb, much easier to do with the late assembly; and screwing on the late headlite chrome ring. Note that since this operation requires welding and heat, it must be done BEFORE you repaint your car. Generally, House of Ghia has all of the necessary parts, new. Incidentally, the late buckets fit perfectly in the tip of the fender rust repair panel. AND, a new bucket restores the crucial lip for the headlite ring seal.

Q #36 - (Gas flap release): The gas flap release mechanism is totally missing in my car (a '72 coupe) and I would like to reinstall this feature. Please advise me about the parts I would have to order.
Knok H., Hong Kong

A #36 - Often I feel like a doctor making a trans-oceanic diagnosis of a sick patient. "The pain will go away, as soon as you stop sitting on a hot stove", or "I'm sorry to inform you, but your Ghia is dying of terminal rust and has only a year to live without breaking in half." That sort of thing! So, it pleases me very much, if, as a doctor/detective, I am able to help someone thousands of miles and nearly a dozen time zones away.

Typical '68-'74 Gas Flap System

To advise you on your gas flap mechanism, it will be helpful to know why parts of it were removed in the first place! One common reason for a fuel flap failure is because someone pried on, or forced, the gas flap and broke the very necessary cast-in catch (or tab) on the inside front edge of the flap. (See diagram.) If the catch is broken, the entire flap must be replaced.
Prying on the flap may also break the triangular tab, or flipper manipulated by the gas flap cable. If the flipper is broken, nothing can engage the lid catch. A broken flipper means the entire gas flap cable must be replaced. Used gas flaps are available.

Cross-section of Gas Flap

Shows the catch or tab
that is commonly broken----->

If the jerk who pried at your gas flap was particularly heavy handed, both the flap catch and the entire cable, with its broken "flipper", will need replacing. Used gas flap cables are very hard to find. So, order either, or both, of the two major gas flap components as needed.

Q #37: My '66 Ghia badly needed a new rear deck lid. At a local wrecking yard, I found one in great shape, except the holes for mounting the Karmann Ghia deck lid script were filled in. I popped-out the bondo, cleaned up and painted my new deck lid. When I tried to re-install the chrome script from my '66, it didn't fit! Now I have a newly painted deck lid and no home for the beautiful script. What goes on?
Dwight A., Richmond, BC

A #37: All Ghias carried the Karmann Ghia deck script, but there were two distinct variations. From the beginning, Type I Ghias sported a very large chrome script nearly 12 inches long. But, with the coming of the Type III Ghia in '61, a new, more petite, script was developed. Only a fraction over 9 inches long, it was a perfectly and proportionately shrunken version of the early chrome piece. The designers felt it fit the lines of the Type III Ghia better than the gargantuan Type I version. Slowly, it dawned on the factory! Hey, it didn't make sense to have two rear deck lid scripts in production. After all, one is only a miniature of the other. So, the large one was dropped; and the Type III Ghia version was used on all Ghia production thru 1974. The script's part number, 343-000-000, pays homage to its Type III ancestry. It is one of the few parts first developed for the Type III Ghia that saw service on the Type I's. (Although lots of Type I Ghia parts were pressed into service on Type 3 Ghias.)

The large script was dropped in favor of the smaller script on August 1, 1962, for all '63, and later, Type I Ghia models. Your wrecking yard treasure is undoubtedly an early ('62 and back) decklid. It would bolt up perfectly. The sad news is your late script can not be made to "bolt-up" to a early deck lid without re-drilling holes. One or the other's got to go! As of the fall of '92, an excellent-looking, beautifully chromed repro of an early deck script is available. If fits well, but has one minor vexing flaw. The tail of the "G" in the lovely flowing script doesn't quite follow the contour of the deck lid. It fits off the deck lid just a tad. Now, if you're the type who constantly fusses with picture frames, camp fires and pan fried bacon; don't do what temptation tells you to do. The script is cast pot metal. If you flex it in an attempt to bend it -- CRACK CITY! It'll break, everytime.

Human nature is strange! Say a person is confronted with a large red button labeled, "DOOMSDAY DEVICE: Pushing this button will cause the destruction of all mankind." What percent of all homo sapiens, so confronted, will push the button? Sure, fully 90%. I've just issued a type of doomsday command. Trust me! Fussing with the repro's chrome tail is guaranteed to bust things.

Q #38: On the door of my '61 Ghia, I want to put arm rests. I bought a pair of new Ghia arm rests from ....'s catalog. But, they do not have the metal strap that drops over the mounting bolts on the back of the arm rest and allows the door panel/arm rest combination to slip over the "U"-shaped brace on the window lift channel.(Editor: This plate spreads the shock of pulling at the heavy door with the arm rests. With it in place, the arm rests will not pull thru the cardboard of the door panel.) Do you have this bracket?
Doug, Somewhere in Pennsylvania - Telephone Conversation

A #38: Doug, would you get mad at me if I told you that wonderful, wealthy bride you just married doesn't have a cent? Besides, HE badly needs a shave. You wouldn't get upset? Good! Because your so-called early Ghia arm rest bases are a very good repro of a Beetle arm rest. They do NOT fit on a Ghia without surgery. How do I know? Because NO truly new, '56-'66 Ghia arm rests exist. (1/93)

True early Ghia arm rests are longer and more "flowing" than those found on Beetles. The quick test is to measure center to center on the embedded arm rest mounting stud. Early Beetle arm rests measure approximately 5 1/2 inches (140mm). True early Ghia arm rests measure 7 1/2 inches (180mm). (5 1/2 inches reaches from the tip of your fingers to mid-palm. Seven and 1/2 inches reaches to your watch band.) Remember, it's not just the location of the studs that differ, the entire Beetle arm rest is smaller. So, true Ghia metal arm rest straps or brackets won't work.

What to do? Well, you'll need to fabricate something similiar to the Ghia bracket, but, fitting the dimension of the Bug arm rest. Generally, you should have no problem installing Bug arm rests on new, repro Ghia door panels.

Got, however, a precious, beautiful set of original door panels? Since the holes are already drilled in the face of the panel for the Ghia arm rest, you cannot use Bug repro arm rests on assemblyline Ghia door panels.

Q #39: I'm looking for '63 wiper parts! ... Help! I need '56 wiper arms! ...Where can I find wiper stuff for my '64 Ghia... my '57 Ghia wipers just fell off as I . . .
(Lots of questions on '56-'66 wiper arms)

A #39: Locating wipers is a pain for any early Ghia owner. Let's define what should be on your early car. Coming out of the cowl of the car is the wiper shaft. The outwardly visible part looks like a small diameter pen. A set screw in the base of the wiper arm holds the arm to the shaft. After countless years and constant tightening, the set screw has probably almost cut the wiper shaft in half. If your wiper shaft is badly notched, don't even think what you're thinking. The cheap penny pinching side of your brain says, "Save a few bucks and tighten the wiper arm set screw down extra snug. After all the shafts have lasted this long."

Q #40: My Ghia is agony to drive in the winter.
Angie W, GA

The wind blows thru the instruments . . .
J.J., Spanaway, WA

. . .and my fingers become very cold. How can I stop the wind from whipping thru the dash?
Doug, Montana

A #40: Frozen fingers? A correctly sealed Karmann Ghia would give a Bug a good run for the title of a car that floats. Floating Ghias don't bleed air. That's right! Not a whisper of air, let alone a typhoon, should be blowing thru your luggage compartment. So, there is a cure for frosty fingers. But, first you must understand where all that wind comes from and why it's so c-o-o-o-o-l-d. The brutal cold is amplified by a wind chill factor. Forty degree air traveling at 60 mph thru a dash opening can turn fingers into ice cubes in a hurry because of wind chill. Where does the wind come from?

If there was a hole the size of a small football replacing your nose emblem, no one would doubt for an instant where hurricane force winds came from to lash the back of the instruments. Well, there is just such a hole. It's the horn opening and it's only a few feet away from the nose emblem. It plays the South Pole to your emblem's North Pole. Nearby are the bumper arm slots (on Ghias thru '71). Cleverly designed seals fill all three of these openings.

The only other major way air can find its way into the luggage compartment is around the front hood seal. Tired original hood seals are, of course, suspect. But, some repro seals, even when new, don't seal as they should.

Look at the cross-sectional diagrams of the two hood seals. Now, mentally hinge a straight-edge, or ruler (a piece of paper will do) at the base of the letter "A". Swing your straight-edge parallel with the rest of the seal. The "cresting wave" portion of the flexible seal must be compressed to fit under our imaginary hood. Try the same test on letter B. Why, the seal, by poor design, is already compressed! A straight-edge representing the front hood can run parallel to the hood seal WITHOUT touching it. (Another flaw, basically just looks, finds some repro hood seals too narrow to fill the entire seal channel. The original filled the channel almost to the point of "overflowing".) Obviously, a front hood seal with gaps designed in it can leak typhoon force winds. Be assured. House of Ghia's repro front hood seal fits and works to perfection.

Another area of concern is the metal dash face itself. All of the major instruments and the radio had seals between the instrument face and the dash metal/woodgrained mask. Strange, but folks will install a mega hundred dollar stereo in the dash, and not take the time to install a low buck seal. Silicone "bathtub" caulk works fine. Just remember to seal the face of the radio as it comes thru the face plate, and the rectangular face plate as it touches the metal dash. Both seals originally were heavy, thick sponge. Great for cutting down wind flow.

1956-71 speedo and clocks used a large diameter but very slender seal between the instruments and the back of the dash. No air flow here! (House of Ghia carries these inexpensive seals.) Also, a damaged glovebox liner can bleed significant amounts of air.

Finally, a major source of unwanted air on '67, and later, Ghias is the removal of the plastic, thermo-formed dash mask. Visualize a 1956 thru 1966 Ghia's beautiful painted dash. Two model years later, starting with '68 Ghias, Karmann swiss-cheesed that lovely dash. Suppose your first line of defense against hurricane winds; the hood, horn boot and bumper arm slot seals, failed! With a factory sieved dash, like found on '68-'74's, the only thing keeping gusts of wind from the cockpit would be the formed plastic dash mask. Rip out the plastic mask, then patch and bondo all those dash holes to achieve a smoothly painted dash? It's possible. But, just bolting up the knee and dash pads won't keep gale force winds from slithering thru. There is no quick and dirty repair of a badly cracked dash mask. The major side effect of every "let's get cheap" dash mask repair is that air bleeds thru multiple holes in the dash. No good-looking, airless repair beats, for time and treasure, a complete dash mask replacement.

The bottom line: Step one. Seal all openings in the nose that allow air into the luggage compartment: 1) Horn opening; 2) Bumper arm slots; 3) Front hood channel; 4) Plates for steering box adjustment; 5) Speedometer cable grommet. (Air vent openings are seldom a problem unless the duct work is rust rotten on the luggage compartment side of the duct work.) Step two. Seal all openings in the dash: 1) Around instruments and radio; 2) At air vent levers (left under side of dash thru '71, center of dash, '72-up); 3) Insure glovebox is tight against back of dash and is not broken or "holed"; 4) Check to see that some previous owner didn't dispose of the ashtray in such a way as to make the dash vulnerable to holes; 5) Don't just throw away the old, cracked, dash mask without expecting lots of air flow.

Q #41 - ('56-66 trim pieces): I have a '58 coupe. In the two year task of restoring my car, I lost both of the trim pieces that attach to the metal on the INSIDE of the rear quarter panels just under the quarter window glass and just above the cloth inner quarter panel. I sent away to ____ (a competitor) and they sent used molding trim that was too short. . . They insist their trim fits Ghia coupes, and I just as loudly say, no way! (The rest of Bill's long letter boils down to, "what goes on here?")

A #41 - A "chrome-like" molding is found on the inner side of the metal door just above the upholstered door panel on all '56 thru '66 Ghias. The molding is actually made of polished aluminum and runs virtually the entire length of the top of the door. The molding acts like a rub or bump strip, preventing scratching of the paint on top of the inner door. (Actually, the trim was intended to be just a "pretty face". Decorative moldings on the top of the inner door was a common styling concept in the early '50's, and was virtually a styling cliche by '58.) To promote visual balance, the molding theme was carried over to the quarter panel just behind the door.

For economy reasons, the molding was a duplicate of the shape used on the 12 piece exterior moldings, EXCEPT the interior trim was not only hatchet-shaped in cross-section, it was sharply pointed on both ends. (Only the exterior moldings facing a wheel opening have a sharply pointed end, and even then, just one end is pointed.) Surprisingly, the metal clips used to hold the exterior trim to the body are also used on these interior pieces.

(Life is never simple and you already know more about Karmann Ghia interior trim than you really want to know! But, there is a complication!) In mid-'64, when VW went to plastic clips to hold the new exterior trim on Ghias, a new cross-section of molding was introduced. It was softly rounded instead of hatchet shaped in cross-section; AND the lips that held the clips were shaped differently. The result? Earlier exterior trim designed for metal clips wouldn't interchange with the newer plastic clipped trim. But, the interior trim stayed the same. So, era Ghias would have plastic clipped, "softly rounded" exterior moldings, and metal clipped, hatchet-shaped interior molding.

Now, to the short and long of it. In the early '60's (about 1961, I think), VW reinforced the upper forward corner of the inner quarter panel. Then, they securely mounted a large diameter metal nut to act as a seat belt mounting point. Since it was nearly a half a decade later before VW routinely installed seat belts; the belt mounting point was covered up by an absolutely huge-headed, phillips slotted, plastic plug. The seat belt mounting point took up some space needed for the quarter panel molding. Solution? Shorten the quarter panel molding by about 2 inches. So, what you received, Bill, was interior trim from a '60's coupe set up by the factory to run seat belts.

Q #42 - (Deck Lid Luggage Rack): I want a rear deck lid chrome luggage rack for my Ghia. Do you have one?
Super common phone question

A: #42 - In my youth, raging hormones once caused an instant flash of genius. High octane testosterone led to an idea so probable, so seemingly achievable, it took years for its flaws to become apparent. I lusted for my first glimpse of a three-breasted Playboy centerfold. After all, more is better! It's part of the American way. Bummer of an idea!

I'm afraid a rear deck lid mounted luggage rack is another of those, "At first glimmer. . ." ideas. Mounted on a Mustang rear lid? Attractive and practical. Mounted on a Ghia rear lid! Almost instantly destructive.

Install a rack AND luggage on the engine lid cover of a Ghia! Not if Volkswagenwerks had to warranty the engine. Those louvers, covered up by the stuff strapped to the rack, are the ONLY source of air to the engine (in a correctly sealed Ghia). Air for combustion. And, more importantly, air for cooling. Think of luggage strapped to a Ghia's rear deck rack as putting a cork up each of your nostrils and then, running a marathon. Both you and your engine would run out of air.

Volkswagen, never approved ANY Ghia deck lid mounted luggage rack. (Silly VW! They assumed the purpose of a luggage rack was to carry luggage. They had never heard of the, "It looks bitchin!" crowd.)Some national VW franchises, (like VW of America) may have made such a thing available, but be assured, VW would have considered a rear deck lid rack an illegitimate accessory. The Mother Firm did approve a roof mounted luggage rack. It used wooden slats and mounted to the rain gutter. Practical? You bet! Handsome? If you think the sensible mounting of one's briefcase on one's hat compliments nearly any wardrobe, you'll love a roof mounted luggage rack.

Luggage racks do show up on rear lids. One popular German made universal rack was sometimes adapted to Ghias by private individuals. It only required drilling a few holes. That particular model is very rare today. In The States, Ghia owners of the era adapted racks made for other marquees and sold by firms like M.G. Mitten. A very high number of these universal racks achieved simplicity and good looks because they were bolted to the deck lid.

Modernize the Mona Lisa by drawing in an earring? Of course not! So, how many restorers could stomach drilling four 1/2 inch holes in the deck lid to mount something VW considered a bastard item; an item to be discouraged at every opportunity.

As time goes by, mounting after-market luggage racks to a Ghia is going to become, I predict, unfashionable; about as popular and politically correct, I suspect, as showing up at a feminist convention wearing a cast iron chastity belt welded in place by one's mate.

Q #43: I want to do a body off the frame restoration of my '62 Ghia convertible. I managed to find all the bolts holding the body to the pan, but now, I'm wondering what is the best way to lift the body off the pan? Will I warp anything?
Anonymous

A #43: Pizza power is how we do hefty, but delicate, moving at House of Ghia. It's amazing how much work can be accomplished by bribing friends and neighbors with pizza. Six people can lift and move a Ghia body in a pinch. (And, on occasion, I've removed a gutted body with 3 strong backs with weak minds.) But, eight is a better number! I suggest leaving the doors in place and latched. However, if you can truly unbolt all body mounting bolts, your rockers are strong enough to support both halves of the body without the doors in place. If one or more of the body mounting bolts "spin" (i.e., the captive, "caged" nut inside the rocker breaks loose); all bets on the integrity of the body are off! The reason? The rust "worm" is attacking your rockers. Rockers weakened! Your Ghia body, if moved, could break into two major chunks! If your rockers are solid, any common sense handling of the body off the pan will be possible. If the rockers are rust-rotten, it's possible that no movement of the body can occur.

Q #44: What wiper motor will fit a 1965 Ghia that has been changed to 12 volts?
(A variation on this question is asked daily of the folks at House of Ghia.)

A #44: The "drop in" motor for all early Ghias ('56-'66), wishing to convert to 12 volts, is a 1967 Ghia motor ('68 Ghia motors thru Ch #148-760-153 also work). These motors are a visual clone of your motor. Trouble is, "everyone" knows changing an early Ghia to 12 volts requires this motor/assembly. So, a high demand, coupled with a low supply, makes these motors almost unobtainable at any price. If you do find one, order a '67 Ghia two-speed wiper switch. Otherwise, your '65 switch will give you just one of the motor's two speeds.

Your 6 volt motor can survive in a 12 volt environment, IF you splice into the motor's power supply wire:

1) a Volt-a-drop or
2) a resistor 12V to 6V, or
3) a diode

All of these work by "scrubbing-off" excess voltage and creating heat. A Volt-a-drop could cook an omelette, so watch where you're placing it. Franklin, with kite and key, understood electricity. To me, it's "black magic"! (Where does electricity go when you turn off the switch?) Perhaps, readers know specific sizes / model number / part numbers on resistors or diodes for dropping 12 volts to the 6 volts needed for a pre-'67 wiper motor.

A #45 - Fred, you can try to put '69 trim rings on your buddy's wheels all day long. The only result will be frustration. '67 wheels were 4 inches wide and all '68 1/2-up Ghia wheels were 4 1/2 inches wide. That seemingly tiny change makes a world of difference when installing trim rings. Because all VW 4 bolt hole (lug) wheels were painted silver and look so amazingly similar, most people assume they are the same. NOT SO! A few years ago, when almost every Ghia still used the assembly line wheels they were born with, confusion over wheel size never happened. Today, with many Ghias being junk yard resurrections, wheel size error is common. One chap in Georgia had "stock VW" wheels on his rig with 3 different widths and/or off-sets. Was he angry! He'd superbly painted and detailed these wheels, and even then didn't suspect there was a problem.

Fortunately, here is an easy way to insure you have the same sized wheels. Look between the lug nut holes (this metal is called the lug nut webbing). Stamped in the metal of most wheels is a letter number code. Here's how to break the code. By far the most common wheel is the '68-'72 Beetle wheel (used on '67-'68 1/2 Ghias). It is 4 inches wide -- inside rim to inside rim. Stamped on the webbing is the code 4Jx15 (meaning a 4 inch wide, 15 inch diameter wheel).

Code on Webbing	Cars It Fits	Special Info
4JX15 or ET-40 4Jx15	68-72 Beetle & Super Beetle or 67-68 1/2 Karmann Ghia	Dirt common
ET-46 4 1/2Jx15	68 1/2 -up Karmann Ghias All 4 lug Type 3's and Type 4's	Correct for Ghia DO NOT use on Beetles - may rub against lower ball joint.

The following wheels exist. Developed to handle the rapidly changing Super Beetle suspension, they followed VW's passion for making running changes based on chassis number rather than at logical model year breaks. In sets of 5 (spare should be same size), they'd probably fit Ghias (and some late '74 models may have come with ET-41 wheels). But why try?

ET-34 4 1/2Jx15	72 or so Super Beetle	If used on Ghias would put wheel/tire even closer to wheel arch
ET-41 4 1/2Jx15	74 or so Super Beetle	Also fits Ghias. DOES NOT FIT earlier Super Beetles
Sport Wheel ET-26 4 1/2Jx15	"Sun Bug" and other promotional models	Fits Ghia. Make sure all wheels are truly stamped 4 1/2 wide (see below)
Sport Wheel ET-34 5 1/2Jx15	Again, special promo packs, i.e. wheels & stripe kit	One style of sport wheel is used on 914 Porsches. This wheel might cause problems on '67-'68 Ghias

Q #46: We're looking for quarter window seals for a customer's '72 coupe.
____ Body Shop, Orlando, FL

A #46: This is one of those bad news, good news, bad news stories. First, bad news #1. This seal has not been available as a new, German part for years. The number of people ahead of you who've been looking for this part, NOS, sitting all dusty on some parts shelf, would suggest your chances of winning the lottery are greater than finding new seals. The good news? '72 thru '74 coupe door seals can be made to fit. The left door seal becomes the right Q-window seal, and visa versa. Now, all that's needed is to trim about 1/2 inch of seal off of the bottom of the straight quarter post section of the seal. Then, a sponge rubber flap needs to be trimmed vertically off the quarter post section with a razor knife. This allows the glass to hinge smoothly along the seal's front edge. Finally, the "ends" of the seal must be glued together. O.K.! What's bad news number two, you're asking? Original door seals fetch nearly $300 a pair. (VW quarter window seals would command, at least, that amount if they were available.) As of 1/90, no repro seals were available.

Important note: Since this tip was written, a fine reproduction door AND quarter window seal for '72 thru '74 coupes was developed. This good-looking, great fitting WCM repro is a relative bargain. It should eliminate all but the fussiest restorer from being forced to use this tip.

Q #47: I've got a '72 coupe with those ugly square-shaped bumpers! I hate them! Can I put a set of the much more graceful '71, or earlier, chrome bumpers on my car? I know the earlier bumpers are expensive, but it might be worth it to me.
Chris, Los Gatos, CA

A #47: Chris, in the auto world anything is possible with large applications of cubic money. But, what you suggest doesn't even come close to being a bolt-up. Your bumper arms ('72-'74) are "outboard" about 6 inches a side from the earlier bumper arms ('56-'71). In addition, your arms are much deeper. Without fabricating very special mounts, there is no way the earlier bumpers will fit the late body. In addition, look at the dipple on the rear flank of the car. It was placed there so the slightly narrower, late bumper would fit. If you could get an earlier bumper in place, that hand-sized dipple would stick out like a sore thumb! My suggestion is to forget stock, early bumpers for your late car.

Q #48: You list a top frame bushing for my '71 Ghia convertible, but I can't seem to find where the bushing goes. (Help!)

A #48: Imagine listening to a Rap musician describing the reproduction system of the extinct Giant Sloth. Lots of chances for a misunderstanding. Not only are most of us ignorant about sloth ovaries, we don't know the special interpretation placed by enlightened ones, like rap musicians, on seemingly ordinary words. (For example, there are over 20 places where metal top frame pieces hinge. Ask a non-expert to locate the "main hinge" and you've created instant chaos.) So, patiently peer at your top frame as we rap about bushings in the bowels of your top. The information below applies to all Ghia convertibles except '58 models.

Look behind the door. Locate where the top frame is bolted to the car. This large "foot", about palm-sized, has three top frame members attached to it. One frame piece pivots around the long bolt going thru two metal tabs attached to the foot. Ignore these pieces. Two of the frame members attached to the foot are stout strap metal pieces. One of the strap metal pieces is very long and eventually supports the wooden rear window bow. It is bolted to a single tab on the frame foot. The other metal strap piece is only 12-15 inches long before it bolts to another top frame piece. Back at the base of this second, or shorter strap (the lower guide bar), is a very large diameter hole -- a quarter would fit into the hole. Since the guide bar is also bolted to a tab off the top of the foot, the hole could be disguised by what looks like the edge of two soft, huge washers. Actually, what looks like the edge of washers are the "ears" to a plastic bushing (our KC-BSH). The center of the bushing rides over a ball-shaped portion of the bolt that goes thru the base of the guide bar. (Your hip bone uses a similiar, but not identical, ball and socket arrangement.) One can not easily "see" the bushing. Only when the bolt is removed, allowing the bottom of the guide bar (that strap metal piece) to fall free, is the bushing and its location apparent.

If the plastic bushing fails, the top frame will still go up and down; but will act and sound as if the frame had a bad case of arthritis. Ignore a crumbling bushing long enough and the effort to fold the top will warp and twist major top frame pieces. In addition, the bolt with a ball built in can suffer damage.

Incidentally, House of Ghia reproduces both the lower guide bar bolts, and its companion piece, the hinge bushing.

Q #49: Your catalog (Catalog G) is outstanding! It's the most informative, most honest catalog I've ever seen. None better for the size of your market. But, I hate to go flipping thru a price list to find the cost of the parts I want. The (other guy's) catalog has prices built-in; but when I sent in a recent order, over half of the prices were changed upwards. Now, there's a shock! . . . I think I've just answered my own question, but, can't you somehow print the prices next to the part?

A #49: We'd love to print a catalog with prices next to our parts. Every one of our customers would thank us. But, you're right! You've answered your own question. Do we irritate customers by having a separate price list they must flip thru? You bet we do! Would we anger them even more by constantly surprising them with higher invoice totals than they expected? We think so!

Besides, compare prices closely. For the privilege of having prices printed in the catalog, you, the consumer, are often charged 20, 30, even 50% more for the same part! No wonder the "prices in catalog" retailers don't worry about sudden 10% price increases from their suppliers. Hefty built-in price increases take care of the unexpected.

Most general merchandise mail-order firms only need worry about domestic inflation; the increase in prices because of an in-country move in the buying power of the dollar. In the late 80's and early 90's, inflationary price increases have been less than 5% a year. Easy to handle with a once a year adjustment. But, inflation in the late '70's was sometimes running in excess of 20% a year. Prices printed beside expensive catalog info were quickly outdated.

Add to inflation, volatile exchange rates and the "price in catalog" folks would have been publishing 6 catalogs a year in the late 80's. Why? Because for a few years there, the dollar's value was streaking downward, in relationship to the German mark, like a lunatic bungee cord jumper using a one strand bungee. Dramatic, and seemingly daily, price increases on German parts were common. Of course, if you don't sell many German parts, then currency rate fluctuations don't ruin the beauty of your catalog with its built-in prices.

Surprisingly, for the last 18 months, or so (6/90-6/92), the dollar has been very stable. No yo-yo like moves against the DeutscheMark. Nor has domestic inflation driven prices up. So, those competitors, who bundle prices with their catalogs have ended up looking like genius marketeers. As this is written, (mid '92), economic storm clouds are visable. The dollar is in "free fall" against the Mark. And, original German parts are going "obsolete" at a frantic rate.

I think this "storm" may "rain on their parade!" If their catalog faces nothing but "sunny skies", it's because the firm doesn't carry many German parts.

LESSONS:

1) German parts (to most folks that translates "quality parts") will dramatically move up in price. Taiwan, Brazilian, and USA-made parts prices will stay about the same.

2) Catalog printed prices on German parts will be meaningless. Get a firm price quote on German parts, if you suspect the catalog/price list was printed before September 1st of '92.

3) Prices, on a lot of parts, don't change? Well, that tells you something about their quality and country of origin, now doesn't it?

Q # 50 - (Rear deck cable): Recently bought a '71 Ghia coupe. Love it (but,) rear hood won't easily unlatch. I looked closely at the entire system, with its cable and protective tubing, and couldn't figure out why things wouldn't work. Then, it dawned on me! As I slowly pulled the cable, I would see it move inside the (clear) housing. When the taut cable reached the insides of the plastic tube, the cable began flexing the tube! No wonder the cable couldn't trip the lock. In effect, the soft tubing was making the cable's journey longer because the tubing was flexing and compressing. Did the factory set things up like this, or has my Ghia been diddled with?
Floyd M., Newark, NJ

A #50 - Several Volkswagen parts specialists, who should know better, sell a length of clear poly-vinyl tubing (fish-tank tubing) as a rear deck lid cable housing. If only 18 inches or two feet of the tubing is grafted to the original, it sort of works.

But, these vendors send 8 feet of tubing without directions, and many customers replace all of their original nylon housing with eight feet of clear soft poly-vinyl tubing. Now, flex and compression become real enemies of a smoothly working rear lock. With fish tank tubing, the deck lid never pops up like it once did. Worse! The lid threatens to not come up at all.

Ghia buffs with rear deck lid opening problems, often use the following logic. I just replaced the housing, right? So, the problem just has to be the lock! A perfectly good rear deck lid lock is thrown away and a replacement is found. But, it doesn't seem to work any better than the original! By now, frustration is very great. Everyone and everything gets blamed; while the real culprit, whimpy plastic tubing, is ignored.

Other problems: The color of the original tubing varied. Often the color of a factory rear deck lid cable housing was "natural" nylon, a dirty ivory. Perhaps it looked milky white. It could even have had a hairy textured surface. And, 1967 Ghias had a black nylon cable housing. But, always the factory used the hardest, commonly available, nylon tubing for the housing. No sidewall flex. No compression. (An eight foot nylon poly-vinyl tube, even if its length could be compressed only one percent, would shrink in length by nearly an inch. A correctly operating rear lock doesn't need even an inch of travel to trip the rear lock.)

Another problem with just buying a coil of tubing. It doesn't fit. Look closely at the rear lock. On the left front side of the lock (as you look toward the nose of the car) is a stout, horizontal cup about the size and length of the first joint of any finger. The cup bottom has a hole in it so the deck lid cable can pass thru. But the hole is too small for the housing to go thru. So, the housing is stopped by the metal cup. Egad! The inside diameter of the cup is much greater than the outside diameter of the tubing. No sweat! The factory designed a half inch long sleeve to slip over the end of the nylon tubing and fit tightly into the metal cup. Vendors selling vinyl tubing don't provide this sleeve. Nor do they provide a way to join the new tubing with your old tubing.

As a replacement for the cable housing, VW parts-counters would provide a length of hard nylon tubing, a 6 inch long metal adapter to capture the end of the tubing and bolt it to the base of the rear seat frame, and the special sleeve to adapt the tubing to the metal lock The cost? About $70. House of Ghia provides exactly the same pieces, except our metal adapter is made of brass instead of mild steel. (Brass won't rust.) The cost is less than $20. If customers just need to repair the cracked and shattered last 2 feet of the original cable housing, House of Ghia has a repair kit. Two feet of correct hard nylon tubing, a special lock sleeve, a way of connecting your old and our new tubing together, and instructions. All for under $5.00. Let's stamp out fish tank tubing.

Q #51: My Ghia coupe has characteristics of '65 and '66 Ghias. The chassis number is 146, ---,---. I have papers indicating it was sold in 1965, so I suppose it is a 1965 Ghia. What can you tell me about my car.
(Phone converstation) R. Aull, NY

A #51: Curse those Auto Barons! It's confusing enough to buy a car, but to have the automobile companies purposely lie about a car's birthday makes it double jeopardy. What we have here is model year and calendar year confusion. Your 1966 model year Karmann Ghia came down the assemblyline in 1965. Remember, Detroit for 60 years (ever since the Depression forced the auto firms to boost sales by making their 1933 offerings available months earlier in mid-1932) has been selling its new offerings months before the new year starts. When the new cars go on sale is in the lap of Detroit's sales people, the marketeers. Volkswagen was never happy with the concept of model years, and to their credit, vigorously fought this stupidity. But, eventually they too were forced to give in.

VW has always used August 1st as the start of its model year. So, in the late '50's, a car on the assemblyline on July 31st, was say, a '58 model car. An absolutely identical car produced on August 1st, was a '59 model. Later, VW lost its virtue! By the '66 model year (first produced on August 1,1965); Wolfsburg began playing Detroit's "game". Instead of making its famous running changes whenever needed, regardless of the calendar, VW began saving up changes and introducing them on August 1st (the start of the new model year). That's why House of Ghia, and virtually all parts suppliers, must know your Ghia's model year. The instant clue to your model year is the chassis number. The 14 at the beginning of your chassis number sequence says it is a Type 1 (number 1), Karmann Ghia (number 4) of a 1966 model year (number 6). (This neat and quick way to determine model year only works from model year 1965-up.)

Q #52a - (Rear of body bolt): Boy, am I frustrated! I've been trying to take the body off the pan on my '69 Ghia. I found all the bolts along the edge of the body (13mm), the four large (17mm) bolts at the frame horn, the two bolts (13mm) just in front of the gas tank opening toward the nose, the bolts under the rear seat. I was even smart enough to remove the wires going from the battery to the starter. BUT, the body does not want to lift off the frame. Have I missed a bolt?
Sam R., Plano, TX

Q #52b: I understand I can put an early Ghia body on a late Ghia pan(or frame) easily. Almost no sweat, no pain. What does almost mean?
Telephone call (Common question, uncommonly phrased)

A #52 - Both of these vastly different questions are, without knowing it, referring to what I'll call the rear-most body mount bolt. The location of the bolt can best be found by supporting the rear of the car and removing a rear wheel. (See the diagram.) Often dirt has been packed into the area and it must be cleaned out to spot the 17mm bolt head.

So, by far, the most forgotten bolt is this, the rear most body mount bolt. It is also the bolt whose bracket must be slightly modified to put an early body on a late pan.

The mounting pads on the rear suspension of the late chassis are about 1 1/4 inch higher than on an early chassis. So, the mount will have to be shortened by about an inch and a quarter.

Look at the diagram of the mounting bracket. It is a relatively easy operation to cut out 1 1/4 inches of the triangular shaped bracket or channel. Of course, it requires a power saw of some type and welding. The surgery does not need to be of molecular tolerances because a slightly compressible rubber spacer can be inserted between each metal pad or "foot". In fact, the gap width between the back of the door and the quarter panel can be modified by placing spacers between the brace and the cast-in pad on the rear suspension.

Now, some of you are asking what's an early body? What's a late pan? Any body, coupe or convertible from 1956 thru 67 will fit a 1969 and later pan. All that's needed is the surgery described earlier. Of course, a '69 or later body will fit perfectly on a '69 thru '74 pan. Just as surgically, the heart from a 90 year old man could be transplanted into the chest of a teenager with a bad "pump", a reverse swap is possible, a late ('69-up) body can be installed on an early pan ('56-'67). But, why George, why?

Those with keen eyesight have noted I avoided talking about '68 model Ghias altogether. That's because, depending on plumbing, a '68 Ghia could be an early body or a late body. Sixty-eight autostick cars already had the IRS suspension that didn't show up on all Ghia models until '69.

Q #53 - (Headlite quick flash): I have just acquired a 1964 Ghia coupe and wondered (my) turn signal lever is the correct part number, silver beige in color; but incorporates what I think is the headlite dimmer switch. (But, it's) not used, as there is a floor button for that function. Can you account for this arrangement? If (the turn signal switch/lever) was retro-fitted from a '66 or '67; wouldn't it be black?
Alan B., Dearborn, MI

A #53 - Ever see those commercials set on the German Autobahn where a black Mercedes is moving effortlessly at 250+ kilometers per hour. The owner calmly explains to an astonished passenger, "We are 150 of your miles from Berlin. We'll be there in about an hour." When this Grosser Mercedes (large "Merc" ) comes up behind another slower moving car in the fast lane say a Ferrari with a head cold the headlites blink. "Move over, slug" the lights say. That's what you found Alan, the "quick flash" headlite switch.

1959 Karamann Ghia Turn Signal Switch

Moving in direction
1 and 2, operates
L&R turn signals

Movement #3
illustrates the
"quick flash"
feature

"Quick flash" was a characteristic of all Euro market Beetles/Ghias and was located as a small, tactile, bump on '61 thru '67 turn signal stalks. By the early '60's, VW discovered American drivers would laugh themselves sick if told their whimpy Ghia/Beetle had a switch signaling other drivers, "Move over, I'm coming thru!" So, American market '61 thru '65 Ghias used exactly the same turn signal stalk as Volksies hurtling down the Autobahn, but without the "quick flash" feature. It saved VW a few cents per car, but dealers had to stock two switches. Parts departments must have howled piteously because, when the part was redesigned for the '66 models, two separate, but related, switches were a thing of the past.

Turn Signal Stalk As It Looks To Driver

USA market without
quick flash

Euro market with
quick flash

Look closely at the parts books. You'll see TWO silver-beige turn signal switches for the era. So, Alan, your Ghia undoubtedly came over from Germany as a gray, or black, market car. Or perhaps, it was purchased by a serviceman and brought "home" courtesy of Uncle Sam. The black '66-'67 turn signal switch doesn't easily retro fit; but it does have the "quick flash" feature. (See diagram) Even today, most European and Japanese car's have a quick flash mode on the turn signal stalk. The floor mounted headlite dimmer is supposed to work when the headlites are on. The "quickflash" will work even when the lite switch is turned off.

Typical '60 - '67 Turn Switch Assembly
showing quick flash "bump" about to be installed
into the end of the turn signal stalk

Since, until recently, only European autos share this "quick flash" feature, American drivers of those "furrin" cars in the early '50's made good use of it. After all, at that time, it was lonely being one of the few European autos sharing the road with those two ton, chrome bedazzled, Detroit behemoths. So, lonely pilots of Euro iron mutually signaled their delight at seeing another foreign car owner. "Quick flash" helped them share a road-found comradeship extinct in these more ill-tempered times. "Don't salute them! Shoot them!" seems to be today's motto. A "quick flash" device on current urban freeways is the muzzle blast of an assault rifle.

Q #54: I bought a used rear lock from (a competitor) for my '64 Ghia. It doesn't fit! It just won't bolt up, no matter what I do. Well, that (polite translation: "dweeb") at __________ keeps insisting I got a Ghia rear lock and it will fit. . . (Robert expresses a lot of anger in the remainder of his letter).
Robert A, Rome GA

A #54: All Ghia rear deck lid locks look nearly identical and certainly function in the same way; but there ARE differences.

It's hard for most of us to visualize which is front and back on a rear lock that's been removed from the car. So, with the lock in your hand, make sure the "thimble" or nipple, thru which the rear deck lid cable comes, is away from your body on the front, left of the lock. That's the way you'd see the lock if you looked into the engine compartment. Note the flaps, or tabs, or webbing with slotted mounting holes. Two tabs to the "front", left and right; and two tabs to the rear. On early Ghias, thru (I believe) 1959, these slots for the mounting bolts were at the forward edge of the front tabs. Oops! A problem. The right, forward bolt easily accepts a socket. But, the head for the left forward bolt is directly under the metal tube that acts as a rear deck lid cable housing. This rigid tube (1956-66) is welded in place. It can't be easily moved. All other rear lock mounting bolts can be accessed in milli-seconds by power tools. The left forward bolt is the odd ball. It can be installed, but only by a wrench. Not a good idea, even by Karmann's loose and easy definition of an assemblyline.

The factory's solution? Move the mounting slot to the rear of the forward tab. That way, the bolt head will at least be socket distance away from the interferring metal tube. But ever after, VW parts departments would need to carry two different locks. AND, since the mounting nut is caged on the back side of the rear lock apron, two distinct lock aprons. In 1968, a further change. The right forward mounting slot was moved rearward, so that both forward mounting bolts were again parallel. (From '60 thru '67, the front bolt holes were staggered.) Now, there are three separate rear locks, all differing only in the location of the attachment holes. However, with the scarcity of good used rear locks, you'd better think about re-drilling holes and making what you've got work, rather than hoping the "good parts fairy" will bless you with the museum correct item. "A bird in the hand. . ."

Folks, if you noticed, I just told Robert he'd won the argument, won the battle with the "dweeb"; but he'd lost the war. It's going to be that way on lots of increasingly rare Ghia parts. If every restorer insists on authentic museum parts at every possible spot on the car; most restorers will come up empty-handed. Compromise is the name of the game. And, your own wallet is your main adversary.

Q #55: Want to create a convertible? Think of the inner and outer rocker pieces, you just used to create a coupe rocker box as slices of bread. Find the top item in the "splinter" diagram. It looks like an exceptionally long slice of swiss cheese. Create a cheese sandwich. Without the rigidity a metal roof adds, convertibles are prone to flexing. The Karmann factory placed this holed metal plate between the inner and outer rockers of 'verts. Instant additional rigidity with only a slight weight increase.

Now that you can navigate around in the rockers, we can finally answer questions like: "Is my car suffering from terminal rust?"

Q: The most common question House of Ghia receives is: "Where's the heat?"

A: Are you absolutely sure the heat exchangers on the engine aren't rotted? The flexible duct work connecting everything to the body intact? If those are in good shape, the likely culprit is rust holes in the inner rocker. Go back to the cross-sectional diagram of the rockers. It looks as if the rocker is two hollow chambers. But, only the inner rocker "straw" is leak proof. The dead air chamber, created by the outer rocker cover, has several "exits". Suppose your outer rocker has a few visable rust holes. Why can't the interior wall of the heat duct (the inner rocker) also be rusty? Maybe, someone's already once replaced the outer rocker cover. If nothing was done to stop rust on that central interior wall, heated air is going to bleed out long before it gets to your toes and windshield.

Q: Can I take my convertible's body off the pan without the body breaking into two huge chunks?

A: Perhaps! Are the rockers consumed internally by rust? The best way to test for rotten rockers is by trying to unbolt the body from the pan. Remember, the caged nuts in the inner rocker. The nuts are kept from turning by straps of metal the thickness of all other body sheet metal. The inside walls of the inner rocker (the "straw") are invisible. But, since the strap metal caging the body mounting nuts inhabits the same environment as the rest of the rocker, they, too, are subject to rust. Removing a body mount bolt? It seems to "spin" without backing out? The strap metal "cage" has rusted apart. Think about it! How are you going to get into a small, closed chamber with a wrench to get at that nut? Without major surgery, you won't! What's this? Two, three or more bolts on each side of the car are spinning? Not only will you have major problems removing all the body mount bolts, your Ghia body has rockers that are so internally consumed by rust that it won't survive, in one piece, separation from the pan! But, if you can unbolt all pan bolts, it's virtually certain the rockers are strong enough to keep things in one unit.

Q: The rockers on my convertible's body are terribly rusted. Things are so bad, the stiffener, the factory installed, is gone in places. What can I do? Can you get me the original stiffener?

A: Genuine convertible stiffening plates are dinosaurs. Still, since the rocker is a closed environment, who's going to see, or care, what you use to strengthen the rocker. Use your brother-in-law's jaw bone -- please! Or, paper the inside of the rocker with beer cans. Who cares! Often the cheapest, stoutest, easily available, metal is rebar for strengthening concrete, or expanded diamond-shaped mesh as used on overhead walkways and stairs. Introduce the stuff by peeling back the outer rocker and welding the stiffening metal to intact, non-rusted, inner wall sheet metal. Note, this quick and dirty method has done nothing to solve the heat leaking out problem. For that, you need to first rebuild the center wall, and then, add the strengthening metal.

Q: How can I tell if my car has terminal rust?

A: Virtually any problem, not requiring a personality transplant, or a collect phone call to the hereafter, can be solved by large applications of money. So, are you willing to spend $30,000 to "cherry-out" a Ghia that will be worth $10,000 when finished? There is no more time consuming task (read: labor charge) requiring greater skill (read: expensive labor charge) on any Ghia restoration project than extensive replacement of rocker sheet metal. If rust damage merely involves the outer rocker, the job is do-able. If the center wall of the inner rocker "straw" is heavily involved, become friendly with your banker. And, if the cockpit wall of the inner rocker looks like a sieve, hire an organist. You're headed to a funeral.

Q #56 - (Custom Touches-Suicide Doors): I've been a fan of Ghias for the last two years and I like your Ghia Gab. Unfortunately, I won't be able to drive a Ghia for another year until I get my license. But, that gives me all the more time to plan and think about the kinda car I really want. . . Tell me about suicide doors. Can they be fitted to a Ghia? Do you have the hinges and parts I'd need?
Ron H, Alameda CA

A #56: Ron, thinking ahead and planning for your first Ghia, why I think that's great. We, here at House of Ghia, would love to have pictures of your machine -- both before and after shots.

Suicide doors are possible on a Ghia. I'd look to putting them on a coupe rather than a convertible because of the greater strength on a coupe's front of rear quarter panel area -- the very spot where the new hinges will be located. Suicide doors are well beyond the abilities of first time panel beaters. Hiring out the work would be fantastically expensive. No production parts are made for this installation.

With all that said, Ron; I have another obligation. Do you know the background behind that seemingly magnificent expression, suicide doors?

In the late '20's and early '30's, completely enclosed car bodies were very new. Some body designers saw the windshield/firewall area as the strongest cross member in a closed car body - perfect for mounting the door latches (striker plate). Let's suppose you drive a car with doors hinged at the back edge (so-called suicide doors) into a Mack truck. Let the speed be rather moderate - say 40 mph. Visualize the bumper collapse, the grille give way, the radiator crush and rent on its mounts; all this in the first milli-second. Next, the front hood begins to deform and pop loose from its catch. The front fenders buckle at the top of the wheel arch. (Believe me, this graphic description of an accident is important - stick with me.)

By now, the impact seems to be moving rearward like a giant wave thru steel. The center and rear edge of the fenders begin to wildly flutter. Finally, the crushing blow of the accident reaches the back edge of the fender.

Think about it. All that crash energy wants desperately to move onto the doors. But, there's a gap separating the entire front from the back half of the car. It's the door opening. Nearly the only path for impact energy to use as it flows along the side of the car is thru the door latch. It's as if a twenty lane wide freeway was suddenly necked down into a one lane foot bridge. The pressure on anything bridging the gap will be tremendous. Not occasionally or even often, but always does a suicide door pop open. Will the unlatched door swing inward? Hardly! It swings out!

Now, imagine you are the driver of this wreck! The fenders have gone from 30 to zero mph in an instant. But, you, dear driver, are still traveling forward at 30 mph. You are nothing more than a human pop-tart, being launched by the laws of physics right out the impact opened door. You go straight into the teeth of a huge Mack truck!

Why should it matter on which side of the door you're thrown out in an accident? Think of the door as a tennis racket. If you come flying out of a car that has doors hinged in front, (conventional cars) you'll be batted like a Mach I tennis serve. Guaranteed to not feel good, but survivable. Now, visualize yourself being thrown between the tennis racket (the door) and the on-coming Mack truck grille. That's right, a door so hinged becomes a gigantic flyswatter. Truly a suicide door. No wonder the popularity of "suicide doors" dropped dramatically in the early '30's.

Some custom car gurus swear modern technology has solved the latching problem. Bank vault stout! Still, as you can see, keeping a suicide door latched in a crash is fighting physics. Why fight? Ron, House of Ghia suggests you find a less lethal way to practice self-expression and individuality.

Q #57 (Sagging Rear Torsion Bars) - We have another question about our '73 coupe. When we bought it some 7 years ago, it was in outstanding condition, except that the rear suspension was sagging somewhat, especially on the driver side. This was diagnosed as tired torsion bars, so we finally had them replaced about two years ago.

Since then, the car is slightly higher at the back on the passenger side. The shop that did the work and others around here, are reluctant to try to level it perfectly until they are certain of the correct stock ride height.

Currently, on level ground, unladen, the car measures exactly 23 1/4" from ground to apex of wheel well on the driver's side; 24" on the passenger side. Because the rear passenger side appears to be a little high, the front driver side appears correspondingly slightly low. To our knowledge, the car has never been involved in a serious accident. We would appreciate your advice on the correct ride height for the rear of this car, if you are able to provide it.

A #57 - What has happened to your car is similar to an athlete who puts on a jock strap with the right cup two sizes smaller than the left one. That athlete is going to be walking with a pronounced list. It's the same with your car. Someone has installed the right hand torsion bar "just one notch off" from the left hand bar. That simple little difference is all that's needed to make a whopping difference in your side to side ride height. To understand your problem, and why it happens, and even more importantly, why everyone is so reluctant to do anything about it, you'll have to understand something about torsion bar suspension.

Imagine a 1 inch diameter, 2 foot long rubber rod. Grasp the rod and twist. The power of your hand, twisting on one end, was transferred to the rubber. When you let go of that end, the rubber rod will snap back to its original position with about as much force as your twisting motion it gave to and the rod originally. Now, image the rod was made of steel. It would take a lot more power to twist a steel rod, but it can be done. This twisting or torsion motion can be made to do work. When a wheel hits a bump (and the car is using simple shock absorbers), the upward motion of the wheel is directly acting on the shock, and it dampens, or absorbs the blow. Now, imagine the wheel as being connected, like your arm and wrist, to our 1 inch steel torsion bar. The energy of the shock of a road bump goes into making the steel torsion rod, or bar, twist. For energy to twist, or torque, the torsion bar, the ends must be held securely.

After a while, the metal torsion bars fatigue and tire. Tired bars aren't able to hold things up correctly, and your (in this case) rear end droops. Theoretically, all that's needed to get things back into the right place is to put the bars under even more tension (as if you were constantly going over a bump).

Remember in our examples, your hand held each end of the bar steady. In real life, that duty is taken over by a series of splines on each end of the torsion bar. Say our round torsion bar had 60 splines on one end and 60 on the other. Each spline is numbered clockwise around the end of the rod. If both splines were in a zero, and zero top dead center, there wouldn't be any twist on the rod. But, let's say, one end is at zero spline, and the other end is at spline 10. The rod is being twisted. Now, after twenty years, the rod has gotten tired, fatigued. If the torque, or torsion, is holding something up, like the back end of your car, your rear will definitely be sagging. To renew your sagging rear end, simply remove the torsion bar from its housing and reinstall it to zero spline and, say, spline 15. Now, the amount of twist on the bar is just about what it was originally. So, your rear end is back to normal.

Ever play the party game where you're to pick-up a Cheerio on the end of the toothpick held in your teeth. Not easy to do. Now, let's give you a two foot long tooth pick and turn out the lights. Think you could do it? Well, that's what you're asking the mechanics to do. They must "fish" around blindly with this two foot torsion bar and move the splines a "few notches" off of the way they were. What happened to your Ghia was that one torsion bar was installed at, say, spline 22, the other one at spline 24. Spline 24 gives more twist to the torsion bar, so that side is jacked up higher in relationship to the other side.

Now, a quick look at a VW service manual would make pulling and re-installing the torsion bars a piece of cake. In the real world, it's often more a matter of trial and error. Trial and error, at today's shop rates, can flatten ones wallet in a hurry.

One more thing. The measurements you made are exactly the kind of measurements we non-engineers would take. But, the engineers and rocket scientists among us would say you must meaure the height of your rear end in degrees of deviation from the horizontal axis of the car. (Things like tire size, depth of tread pattern, tire pressure, fuel load, even the weight of undercoating, or dirt on the pan, and suspension can effect ride height by several inches.) No two Ghias, especially after 25 years, are going to measure the same in the dimension you measured.

Great! To measure the horizontal, you need a suspension protractor, or rely on our old friend trial and error. To summarize: Replacing the rear torsion bars is a relatively simple task, that may have to be repeated numerous times until things are "just right".

Q #58 (Sex Change) - I am considering shipping my 1968 Karmann Ghia convertible to my homeland of Australia. In order to register and drive this car, I am required to convert it to right hand drive. Do you have any information regarding this procedure? Is it very difficult to do? I know that I can get a front axle and appropriate dashboard changeover in Australia, however I'm not sure if that is what I'll need to do; maybe it is much simpler than that.
David H., Vancouver, BC

A #58 - What you propose sounds simple. Kind of like a sex change operation. A little surgery, a quick cut with a knife, and presto, George has become Georgetta. Not so fast! George may now be a soprano in the church choir, but his/her choir robe would more easily fit a Green Bay Packer linebacker rather than a ballet dancer.

It will be the same changing a Ghia from left hand to right hand drive. Without attention to details, you may end up with a strange vehicle that satisfies the letter of the Australian law; but looks about as probable as that Mother Nature misfit, the Duck-billed Platypus.

There are three major areas you must think about in a left-hand to right-hand drive conversion.

1) Suspension/steering box

2) Dash/instruments/steering column

3) Pedal cluster changes

In more detail:

Area #1: If used parts are available, the front suspension/steering box swap is easy. But, new right-hand only parts will be very hard to find. Just an estimate, but I believe only one out of every fifteen Ghias was RHD. A part, say a new steering box for a left-hand drive Ghia, is tough to locate. Then, it follows that a steering box for a RHD Ghia is 15 times harder to find.

Area #2: Metal dashes in Ghias are part of the welded unibody. To convert to a RHD instrument pod requires laboriously cutting out the old LHD dash, cutting out the transplant RHD dash, and welding the transplant in place. The cuts are not just in the area of the instruments. The cut must include things like the steering column mount, the ash tray, and the glove box. The fresh air control levers and assembly should be changed to a RHD version. All of this is not a task for the faint of heart. No RHD wood-grained masks are available, nor are RHD padded dashes. LHD instruments, of course, work right-handed, but the speedo cable must be longer because it still feeds off of the LH spindle.

On '66 and later Ghias, the wire harness lays along the left inner rocker. Oops! Many of the electrical wires aren't long enough to go from their extreme far left entrance into the instrument panel to gauges now placed at the extreme far right of the dash. The wires must be "adapted". There are a lot of them, and no RHD wire harnesses exist. Glove box liners for RHD cars will not fit on the left end of the dash. No new liners are available for "righties".

Area #3: The pedal assembly is the most vexing. You must start with a complete RH drive pedal assembly. (You don't want make-do or cobbled together parts operating your brakes, do you?) Now, experience comes into play. You must cut and drill your tunnel so that there is a RHD access hole to the tunnel. The frame-head also must be drilled for master cylinder actuating rods. The size and location of these holes is critical.

Additional Inconsistencies: The thoughtfully placed vanity mirror on the back of the passenger sunvisor on LHD cars, if not changed, shows up as the driver's side visor in a conversion. Not a fatal flaw, but none the less, disconcerting. Potentially, more troubling are the mirrors. Outside mirrors that could let LHD convertible owners see in the "blind" spot, can't easily, if at all, be adjusted to work RHD.

You see, while the mirrors occupy the same relative spot on '66 and up doors; the arms that hold the mirror head away from the car are not symmetrical. For LH drivers, there is a definite RH mirror with a slightly longer neck than the LH mirror. After a conversion, the old RH mirror becomes the driver's main mirror, and the old LH mirror tries to look into the "blind spot".

On a converted car, availability and cost urge living with the mirrors one has. Safety and convenience say, replace both outside mirrors immediately.

Hopefully, this answer has been a weary, wearing, relentlessly negative response. Good! Now, you know what must be done. On the brighter side, the task is doable; and, Aussies, down-under, are quite daffy about any VW. The car may well command a price in Australia that would take the sting out of birthing a new RHD Karmann Ghia.

Q #59: I messed up big time! I received your German windshield seals, and, like an idiot, immediately removed the tags, because I could easily remember which was the windshield and which the rear window seal. Well, it's 3 months later, and I want to install the glass in my Ghia, and the seals look identical. Help!

A #59: The seals ARE nearly identical. The difference is best detected on the glass. Installed on the glass, the seal should act like a moderately tight rubber band. If the seal takes heroic efforts to put it around the glass, OR, if it seems sloppy loose around the glass, that seal fits the other window.

A #60: Actually, the factory used decent plastic with good longevity characteristics. The culprit is a series of tiny, almost imperceptibly worn spots, no one of which is crucial; but added together, they cause grief. To see why it happens, turn on your imagination. Suppose you're training a humanoid robot to eat with a fork. For success, a complex series of activities must be programmed with precision. After much trial and error, you successfully diddle the software and achieve "fork in mouth". For the next several eons, your program should work. But, wait! After a thousand years, each of the many joints between the shoulder and finger tips exhibit wear. Then, there's the slightly bent forearm, warped in combat with droids from the Evil Empire. The result?

Because all this minor wear is multiplied by the length of its arm, the robot, El Stupido, now puts the fork thru its lower lip. Note that your computer program still functions perfectly. It's the accumulation of minor sloppiness at dozens of wear points that adds up to a major error.

It's the same with your convertible's rear seat clip. For the rear snap rod to be captured by the rear seat clip, the rod must line-up precisely in the center of the clip's throat. If it doesn't, a lot of the (sometimes angry) energy used to slam the rod home in the clip is used to loosen various clip/hinge mounting points. Occasionally, the blows, or leverage, are too much even for OEM plastic. Something breaks. Rotten plastic? Not really! Suppose you fell 200 feet onto a concrete pad. Your pride and several bones are broken. Are you going to blame brittle bones for the fracture?

Next time you install seat clips, look at the rear seat hinges? Are they warped, twisted, bent? Has movement of the hinge warped the sheet metal plate to which the hinge is attached? What about the screws that hold the hinge to the wooden frame of the seat back? Look at the screws holding the snap pins. Are they taunt? Badly bent anythings will need to be replaced or repaired.

Now, focus on the seat clip. Note that with the moveable "U-nut", large installation holes, and an angled mounting ramp, lots of adjustment of the clip is possible. Your final tightening of the seat clip screws should be at just that point, where the seat back snap pin lines up with the throat of the seat clip.

One final problem! New clips, like new shoes, are tight. Used clips are like comfortable, well-broken-in slippers. A few strokes of a small file along the throat of the clip will "old slipper" the clip in a hurry. Just don't get carried away and remove too much material.

Q #61: I did the unthinkable. I lent my precious "baby" (a '70 Ghia convert.) to a so-called friend. Ever since, the rear window catch doesn't work. He claims he didn't do anything: but, I know it was working fine just before he borrowed the car (What goes on here?)
George A., San Diego, CA

After putting on a new outer top cover and restoring completely my '71 convertible, the rear window catch failed. So, I bought a new, expensive rear window catch, and less than 1 year later, it too was broken (What goes on here?)
Phone call from John in Florida

A #61: Think of a Ghia convertible's glass rear window catch, or latch, as a high tech, super-expensive, chrome-plated, unnecessarily complex clothespin. Only then will its vulnerability become apparent. There are two major ways this, "Oh my gosh", expensive part gets broken. George has shown us the first method. Trying to collapse the top WITHOUT unlatching the rear window first is guaranteed to put "break the connection" strain on the catch. George's so-called friend, swept up in the excitement of the moment, and with visions of top-down motoring clouding his thinking; undoubtedly lowered the top with the rear window still latched. Most owners know better. But, the "first-timer" at top lowering may think the resistance they feel is natural. So, more effort, an extra shove, a bigger hammer is seen as necessary. "SNAP!"

It's easy to see how torsional pressures can break the "clothespin" connection, when the top is lowered without releasing the rear window. It is much harder to see what's happening to John in Florida's top. Stick with me, the destination is understanding.

Imagine getting a face transplant. From the skull outward, the skin on your face is going to be replaced. Your new face is already sewn to the throatline and, at this moment, the surgeon is behind you, lifting the skin into place on the skull. It's a t-i-g-h-t fit and oops! The doctor has just pulled the skin too tauntly. Suddenly, you have eye slits on your forehead, two noses, a hugely oval-shaped mouth and incredibly high cheeks. The skin of your face is so tightly stretched, it resembles a sling- shot drawn to maximum power. Worse, the doctor is trying to attach the skin of your scalp to the flesh on the back of your neck with the medical equivalent of a clothespin. It doesn't work! The connection breaks!

Here's where logical thinking comes in! A dumb doctor would wonder, "Just where is this patient going to get eye glasses with extra tall lenses." Dumb Doc would assume the connection broke because the attaching clip was faulty. Logic would tell the thoughtful doctor,"If the patient looked fine before the scalp transplant, the skin must be drawn too taunt!" The same thing happens with your Ghia's convertible top cover. If it is attached too tightly, an enormous strain is put on the entire top mechanism. At the back of a glass rear-windowed car, an ill-fitting top cover can badly warp the shape of the window opening, just as your mouth was twisted in our imaginary face transplant.

The strain! The strain! No wonder John's top catch broke. But, unlike a face transplant, a too tight top cover will not look distorted. It will just put incredible pressure on any connecting point. (P.S.: The "J" shaped top hooks and latching levers holding the header to the windshield frame also can take a terrible beating from a too tight top.) What's happening? The taunt, outer cover is acting like a giant rubber band trying to pull the rear window catch away from its connection on the glass.

The chrome catch is a marvel of German ingenuity! But, it is unnecessarily complex, dainty, and elegantly engineered - almost a piece of jewelry. Amazingly, tiny ball-bearings and miniature coiled springs are incorporated into the design. In fact, many of the pieces in the catch would be almost TOO SMALL for a wrist watch. Virtually every component is chromed. No wonder the catch is so expensive and so delicate. The first clue many owners have that their catch has self-destructed is the sudden appearance of tiny ball-bearings on the car's floor. These ball-bearings are smaller than the roller at the tip of a ball-point disposable pen. The second clue to a dying catch is, upon close inspection, tiny, itty-bitty, coiled springs starting to peek out of the joints. Please don't misunderstand. That catch is stout. It is designed to be "an over-center" latch. And, it automatically compensates for wear. It will last longer than your car. But, if loads exceed the very generous design limits, you've just created an expensive chrome lump!

What's the solution to a taunt top? Suppose you objected to being called "Ole two nose"! What would the doctor have to do to make your face transplant fit right? Yep! Unsew the seams, and re-attach it! Fat chance your top shop will go to that much trouble when (grunt!) they can manage to latch (grunt, oof!) your top with just a little extra (oof!) effort! Besides, they will truthfully tell you, the fabric will stretch some over time. Some, yes! Enough? Not before something else breaks. That something else for John was the rear window catch.

A #62 - Alan, your Ghia has been diddled with! Now, before you get deeply upset and divorce one, or the other, of the taillite bulbholders, ask yourself a few questions. Do my lites work? Do they look the same from the outside? Should I care if they are visably different, but, function absolutely identically? The answers should be: yes, yes and no, unless. Unless means,unless you're assembling a 1000 point show car. Of course, if you have a museum quality Ghia, with all of the cardboard liners in place, no one would see the back of your taillite bulbholders in any case.

Back side of
typical '60-'69
taillite bulbholder
'60 shown)

Here's what happened. Look at the cross-sectional diagram of the various styles of '60-'69 taillite bulb sockets. The diagram looks at the backside of a bulbholder. Just one of the three bulb locations is illustrated. At some time in the past, one of your bulbholders was traded for a used '61 thru '66 style bulbholder. The back side of bulbholders on 6V cars were much different-looking than their 12 volt brothers. But, they function and fit exactly the same.

Lots of people assume that the six in 6 volts is half the number of twelve in 12 volts. So, wires and parts in a 6 volt system are half as capable as 12 volt stuff. WRONG! Six volt wires/bulbholders can actually carry more electrical current than 12 volt designed parts. You can easily swap "earlier" bulbholders into late Ghias without losing one iota of usefulness.

Many "early" cars carry "late" bulbholders because nearly all parts counter replacement, for the last decades were of the "late" design.

'60 set screw
wire terminal

'61-'66, 6 volt style
Single metal contact strip
riveted to bakelite board.

'67-'69, 12 volt style bulbholder
Plastic block holds two
contact metal strips.

A few other taillite bulbholder facts:

• 1960 bulbholders used a screw/bared wire connection on the back (instead of spade connectors).
• 1969 bulbholders had a built-in spade connector for a ground wire. And, of course, had an extra ground wire in the harness.
• Thru 1968, the only electrical ground for the taillites were the two large mounting studs on the back of the bulbholder. Where the studs went thru the mounting brace in the inner fender was the point at which bare metal (a ground) touched the chassis. Apply a good paint job, and most of us "shade-tree mechanics" would spend hours trouble-shooting non-working taillites. The solution is simple! Scrape the paint from around the studs passage thru the newly coated brace.
• 1958 thru 1967 bulbholders used a mild steel wing nut to hold the bulbholder to the brace. 1968-69 Ghias used an ordinary metric hex-headed bolt. Both could rust, cutting off an effective ground.

Listen up! It's quiz time. What's the most common cause for 1958 thru 1969 Ghia taillite problems? Sure, grounding problems! When the bulbholder is neatly tucked into the taillite seal, it is totally isolated from metal to metal contact EXCEPT at the mounting studs. For electricity to flow, there must be some metal to metal contact. The solution? Wire brush rust from mounting stud threads, wing nuts, and the wing nut contact point with the mounting brace. Consider using brass mounting wing nuts for an improved ground.

Q #63 - (Headlite Ring): I bought a headlite ring for my '65 Ghia from...
A.C. Munoz
And it doesn't look like my original!
Rudy W., Greenport, SC
Damned thing is made in Brazil!
George H., Santa Cruz, CA
Nice enough chrome part, but it isn't right. To my eye, it stands out as if you'd put Mr Spock's ear on Captain Kirk!
Jim C., Houston, TX

A #63 - I couldn't have said it better, Jim! You, George, Rudy, A.C. and lots of others have spotlighted a problem in the Ghia biz. There is another headlite ring out there, other than the ring with original styling. It is of suprisingly good quality, does sort of work, comes from Brazil; AND, it is much cheaper. But, it doesn't quite LOOK like the original. Plus, in many ways, it is far less forgiving than the assemblyline piece.

So, watch out! Or, at least be knowledgeable. Many parts suppliers don't take the time or effort to advertise their parts, correctly. If the part ad merely says: Ghia Headlite Ring, 63-74 be careful. The price seems too good to be true. You've stumbled on the Brazilian make-do. New, a part styled after the original would sell for at least 2 times as much as the south of the equator item. (Genuine German new rings may not be available at any price.)

How can you know for sure what you've got? Look closely at the following cross-sectional diagrams. A cross-section? Imagine you took a hacksaw to one loop of the ring. A cross-sectional view looks at the newly exposed edge of metal. Instantly, the rings look like night and day, oil and water. The rings are nearly the reverse of each other. Even the least mechanical minded reader would have to say, "Unless the mold maker was a career drunk, the repro ring wasn't even patterned after the Ghia headlite ring!" And, you'd be right! The Brazilian ring was made for some other Brazilian VW, a vehicle that isn't sold anywhere else. But, it works! And, for many Ghia owners it works very well!

Cross section of headlite ring

Seals

OEM - (Outer edge "rolled")

Bulb

Brazil - (Outer edge "sharp")

Bulb

Who are the candidates for the Brazilian ring?

• All Cal-Look, or modified Ghias, where orginality is not the prime concern.
• Ghias with lots of bondo at the tip of the fender.
• Ghias who can't easily fit the headlite ring seal around the tip of the headlite bucket.

And, surprise, surprise!

• Ghias with absolutely pristine, virgin, as it came down the assembly line fender "tips" having a wide lip for the headlite seal.

Why will the Brazilian ring work best with these cars?

Again, look at the diagrams. Imagine you were going to cut out a huge 7 inch diameter chocolate chip cookie from zillion calorie cookie dough. Which headlite ring would make the best cookie cutter? Right! The Brazilian ring. Its outer(or rear- most facing) edge is "knife-edged", at least in comparison to the rolled outer edge of the original ring.

Look at the "X" drawing below. It is a cross-section of a headlite ring seal.

5/16th inch
or 8mm

1/4th inch
or 6mm

correct seal/ring contact

The sloping face is the part of the seal that is to come into contact with the back edge of the chrome ring. In a precise, perfectly geometrical world, where dimensions can be kept to human hair tolerances, the Brazilian, "cookie cutter" ring would mate perfectly with the seal. In the real world, a round opening, like a previously worked on fender, can be off of circular by an 1/8 inch, a 1/4 inch, even 1/2 inch. In which case, some part of the edge of the truly circular metal ring, and the face of a rubber seal forced into a less than round fender, will not meet. The rolled edge of the original style ring is visually much more forgiving about not meeting the seal.

OEM

Brazil

Headlite opening been damaged? Fender tip for bucket, oval shaped? Less than truly circular? Only OEM style rings rear edge is forgiving enough to make seal contact.

So, if your fender tips deserve a grade of "B" or better, the headlite ring for you is definitely the "forgiving" OEM ring. Scads of Ghias have had tip of the headlite damage AND it was never correctly repaired. These Ghia fenders rate a "C" or worse; and can't properly fit the headlite seal. They don't need a "forgiving" headlite ring; they need a ring that by its crisp edge doesn't draw attention to itself. That's almost by definition, the Brazilian ring. Besides, a poorly repaired fender isn't going to look any better with the more costly OEM style ring. Might as well save some money. (Ironically, a perfect "A-plus" fender tip can use the Brazilian ring precisely because of the fender's perfection.)

Want to draw stares? Play frisbee with a two-headed dog; or drive a Ghia with one Brazilian and one OEM headlite ring. Unless they are used in pairs, these distinctly different rings become the visual equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard. Think pairs!

One further problem! Many suppliers send the Brazilian ring without a headlite screw. Look closely again at the diagrams. The Brazilian ring is deeper, fatter. In other words, it extends further forward from the fender. Even if you still had it, the original headlite ring screw wouldn't fit, it's not long enough. Temptation says, "Use a long, skinny American-sized self-tapping screw." Don't give into temptation! It will quickly mess up the threads in your headlite bucket. House of Ghia has the correct sized screws (K9-X430).

Q #64: Blunt comment: "Your headlite ring seals don't fit". Ultra blunt comment: "The stuff you make is sh__. I worked for hours and never could get one headlite seal to fit. Why did you make the seal too damned big?" Delicate comment: "Could I have gotten my order from a bad batch of headlite seals? The seals seem way too big in diameter."
(Distilled extract of poison pen phone calls)

A #64: Folks, what we have here is messenger abuse. You don't want to listen to the terrible, painful, and, often expensive, message, so you blame the messenger. The message is "Your fender tips have once kissed an immoveable object hard". The messenger is a repro headlite ring seal that's exactly the same dimensions (give or take electron microscope tolerances) as an assembly line seal. Given a headlite seal that doesn't fit, the conclusion is always the ego saving "The seal is built wrong". Watch what happens if you assume the seal is dead on to the original! Why, logically that means the ill-filling parts are your fender and headlite tip.

Look closely at the drawing of a headlite seal cross section. The measurements are from an original seal. That's right! The tip of your fender should, in cross section, have a metal shelf, or ledge, approximately 1/4 inch deep and 3/16 inches wide (6mm by 4mm) basically surrounding the entire opening to accomodate the seal. The "shelf" is part of the headlite bucket and is tough to impossible for a body shop to rebuilt correctly, if the fender has been in a "kissing contest".

In the buying and selling of Ghias, I'm often called on to be a judge of Ghia "flesh". Invariably, the first area I check on is the headlite seal area. Just an estimate, but fully 80% of all Ghias have, at least, one fender tip with a badly rebuilt headlite ring shelf. If a body shop fudges in this highly visable area, one can easily dismiss the quality of any other more hidden work. However, if the seal ledge is intact, chances are much better that important, but unseen, collision damage has been repaired correctly.

Why such a dismal repair record? Most body shops don't realize the ledge is there. They bring back the tip of the fender so it is perfectly flush. Bad idea. Those shops who realize the edge is there assume it is part of the fender. No way are they going to buy a complete new fender whose cost could put their firm into bankruptcy. So, they fudge! The real solution is easy, but not inexpensive. Almost every collision damaged fender tip needs a new headlite bucket. There is no other way.

In the last gasp department, there is one other explanation for why your new headlite seals won't fit. I predict this rather rare occurance will become a popular excuse in the tradition of all those myths concerning contracting a venereal disease. That's right! Paint buildup on the fender tip ledges will become the "I got it from the toilet seat!" ego saver for the Ghia world.

Paint buildup happens only if the car has had several repaints. No one takes the time to sand paint from the nooks and crannies, even if they spend hours sanding the main panels. After a while, this buildup literally forces the headlite seal out of its intended perch. Still, 99% of all seal fitting problems can be solved by installing a new headlite bucket.

Q #65: I installed your original windshield seal on my '69 coupe; but, try as I might, I can't get the chrome molding into the seal. (Actually, I found the chrome is soft aluminum.) Could you have sent me a defective windshield seal?
Todd, Grass Valley, CA

A #65: Todd, the aluminum molding must be installed in the rubber seal FIRST. Then, the seal (with molding in place) is installed around the windshield. Finally, the whole unit is installed into the opening. This is OPPOSITE the procedure for most American seals / moldings; so, even professional glass installers often get it wrong.

Q #66: I know the Beetle convertibles used a stiffening plate that attached to the pan. Because I want to put my Ghia convertible on a Ghia coupe pan, I'm going to need those bolt-on stiffeners for a Ghia convertible. Do you have them?
D, Appleton, WI

A #66: Don, think of me as Santa Claus, handing you two hundred dollars! Beetle convertible external stiffeners cost at least that much, But, I'm about to save you big bucks. The stiffener for Glhia convertible bodies run inside the rockers. If you've got a true convertible body, it is already equipped with stiffeners in the rockers. That means there is no special Ghia convertible pan or frame. All Ghia pans are the same (year for year). So, a coupe pan will bolt on to your convertible body and NOT need separate stiffeners.

Q #67: I'm working on a '70 Ghia convertible. I bought it as a "basket-case" with most of the parts coming in cardboard boxes. So, some of my questions may seem dumb; but, I just don't know where the parts go! the top frame was unbolted from the car and wired closed with a kind of small diameter cable covered with plastic. It was just dumped into the rear seat area. The wire seemed broken. I thought the original cables were stout, but this cable was in three pieces. I understand how this cable holds the rear of the fabric top to the body of the car. But, where do I find the cable, and how do I know I'm getting a stout enough cable, that it won't break again! I have visions of spending thousands redoing my top and, then, having this cable snap. All my money would lay crumbled on the rear seat like a dirty sleepingbag, and the whole thing would be granny-knotted together with this rotten cable (Sample of the wire was sent in the mail.)
Rex, Mill Valley, CA

A #67: Rex, the sample you sent was, indeed, the rear of body cable. After your bad experience, it's going to seem highly unlikely, but I'll bet your cable didn't break.

Remember Tom Dooley, famed in song and ballad? He was hanged. Later, at the autopsy, if you hadn't seen the hanging, you could assume the hangman's rope was too slender and broke. Actually, Tom Dooley was cut down from the gallows. It's the same with your rear cable. It was probably cut. How can I be so sure? Well, like a hangman's rope, the convertible cable's stoutness is "overkill". (Bad pun! I just awarded myself the "In Bad Taste" award for today.) Most convertible top cables cannot be faulted for stoutness. The flaws in cheap cables revolve around flexibility, metal stretch and set over time, resistence to fraying, corrosion, and swedging (how the ends are attached). Most metal, under tension, stretches. The amount may be small, a fraction of 1%. However, a rear of top cable is nearly 100 inches long. Even a one percent increase in cable length, adds an amazing amount of slop. You guessed it! Generally, the higher the quality of wire cable, or rope, the less stretch. So, the secret to assuring quality cable comes, as always, from having a little knowledge of the product. Ignorance, in a free market, is costly.

Let's look at flexibility. See the first cross-sectional view of a cable. Nineteen filaments are laid side-by-side to make up one piece. Sturdy? You bet! Flexible? Not really. The second cable is made up of seven bundles of seven strands. A little less strength, a lot more flexibility. The third cable is made of seven bundles of tiny, 19 filament wire. This is ultra flexible stuff, and can be virtually as strong as the second cable.

Once a convertible top cable is in place, corrosion RUST, is the major way to diminish the strength of an undisturbed cable. Unplated, raw steel filaments are NOT protected for a lifetime by a plastic coating. One chip or scratch anywhere in the plastic coating, can introduce deadly rust. And, if the filaments are super thin, because they were chosen for their flexibility, lethal rust can be fast-acting indeed. Galvanized, or better yet, stainless steel filament is the logical choice for a convertible top cable.

Look again at the diagrams. Because of the shape of the bundles, each cable would act like a tiny piece of sandpaper if continually drawn, or worked, across a piece of fabric, like a convertible top's outer cover. To make wire less able to fray, it can be covered in plastic. Of course, the plastic coating cuts down drastically on flexibility. Some plastic-coated cables have the flexibility of a fire hose at full pressure.

Finally, to make cable do work, it has to be attached to something. The process is called swedging and is the key to a long-lasting union. So, the very best cable would consist of ultra-flexible, stainless cable, coated with a thin nylon sheath, and uniformly swedged by machine to maximum holding power, but not so harshly as to "bruise" or deform the filaments.

Quality cable is not expensive in the lengths needed for a convertible top. However, truly cheap cables can be made so inexpensively, in comparison, a quality cable seems like price gouging. Worse! Capitalists, without conscience, will provide cheapo cables and price them just under a quality cable to snare those who shop by price alone. How can one be protected from the rip-off artists? As always, find a vendor you can trust; inform yourself about the product; and don't be swayed by minor differences in price. One instance of superior service by a vendor, whose product is a few pennies more expensive, can wipe out a jillion minor price differences. And, remember, if the price seems almost too good to be true; it undoubtedly IS too good to be true.

Q #68: Your rebuilt parts flyer says that some '73-'74 Ghia clocks were quartz; and to tell if they were, they used the German word for quartz on the face. You didn't list the German word for quartz clock. How can I tell? Is VDO the initials standing for quartz?

A #68: The word prominently displayed just under the 12 is Quart-zeit. VDO is the initials of the very famous German instrument making firm. VDO still makes some of the world's finest auto instruments.

Q #69: I just bought a '71 Ghia. The engine is tired, but I'm having a tough time finding a Ghia engine in a wrecking yard. No one seems to have a '71 Ghia with a good engine. Is there another engine I can swap, without having to do lots of butchering of my car? I'm sure that having my engine rebuilt would cost a fortune. Fenders for my Ghia did.
Andy R., Cupertino, CA

A #69: Andy, thanks for asking your question! It's just what an "old dog", me, needs to remind him that what's obvious to "old timers" is brand-new, fresh, "gee-whizz" info to people new to Ghias. I've got the best news possible! Any 1967, or newer, VW beetle engine will bolt up to your car in a matter of minutes. And, rebuilding your engine at any competent shop, will cost less than rebuilding some lawn mower engine. You can even buy an engine mail order. Mechanically, your engine, transmission, front and rear suspension, steering, and most brake parts are the same as a VW Beetle of the same age. Any parts place handling Beetle mechanical stuff can fix you up; and, often at bargain prices.

Q #70: This question coming soon...

Q #71: I'm looking for a Ghia to restore. I know it's often a matter of taste what year car to restore; but, what are the good points and bad points, as far as restoration goes, of the various years? And, what would be the best year to look for to fix-up?
Roger R., Orono, ME -- and lots of others

A #71: Wow! You ask a number of important, interesting questions. "Taste is a matter of personal opinion!" said the old lady, as she kissed the cow. Well, I'm about to introduce you to my personal herd of heifers concerning Ghias.

This response is broken down into three steps: Step 1) Information common to all body styles; Step 2) Information common to cabriolets (convertibles); Step 3) Information common to coupes.

Specific Information: (Common to all body styles)

Advantages: Karmann Ghias had lots of hand labor lavished on them. No car-a-minute assembly line for the folks at Karmann. And, the labor! It was applied by craftsmen. People with talent! So, where there is provision for adjustment, say, door glass movement, there's lots of adjustment. No bigger hammer needed here. Materials used (especially in the first decade) were superb. Take carpet! German square-weave carpet was expensive then, and is ruinously expensive today. But still, no better carpet. Lots of small parts take on the beauty, complexity and cost of jewelry. There's not one body part that will scream, "Cheap car, sleazy car. I'm merely a Beetle with a higher price tag."

Disadvantages: If a part didn't fit, say, a fender, the talented folk at Karmann would tweek it in place and COVER THEIR TRACKS with lead. The body appears perfect, not because of precision mating of highly accurate, precisely fitting parts; but because the skilled craftsmen at Karmann made the parts fit. "No two Falcons or Vegas are built the same"; is an accurate statement only in a philosophical sense. For Karmann Ghias, the statement is PHYSICALLY true, as you will quickly find when you try to transplant major used sheet metal components.

'56-'59 All Models

Advantages: Desirable! First of the breed. Many adore the classic droop snout front end and "tiny" taillites. Can be made to accept any engine and up to '66 transaxles easily. Most rubber seals for the body are available as at least semi-quality parts. Decent-looking interiors (but by no stretch of the imagination, stock upholstery) are readily available. Primo examples bring "big bucks".

Disadvantages: Scarce! Hard to find complete, good condition, running examples. Restoration costs are very high. Any missing parts will be difficult to find, but electrical / lens parts are especially rare (read expensive). True assembly line interior fabrics, vinyl, and mats are non-existent. On cars you want to restore, the interiors need to be "perfect" -- highly unlikely; or you MUST compromise and use a make-do / look-good fabric alternative. Only twenty-two thousand droop snout, '56-'59 Ghias were sold in the U.S. Over 50,000, '55-'57 T-Birds were sold and they're considered scarce. No wonder early Ghia parts are hard to find. Stock machines use a non-synchro low gear. You would not want to make a cross-continental trip in a 36 hp stocker. Heating / defrost system is barely worthy of the name on any Ghia, but rust can make this era Ghia a gas chamber. Mechanical parts are increasingly scarce; and 36 hp engine stuff is hard to get. Few body parts interchange from other year Ghias (or other model VW's). Nearly impossible to restore to better than a 80 or 85 point car. The label "rare" has fallen on all cars of this era, when, in fact, only cars that approach the "first" label command hefty premiums: i.e., the first coupe made; the first convertible assembled.

'60-'66 All Models

Advantages: Cars needing restoration are easy to find. Restoration costs can be moderate. Easy to make into 85 to 90 point restored stocker! Quality body seals, mechanical parts, and (from '61-up) electrical parts are relatively available. Body parts from other year Ghias can often be readily adapted. Mechanically identical to same year Bug. Later mechanical components, i.e., engine, transaxle, etc., can often be easily / cheaply grafted to these years.

Disadvantages: Nearly impossible to bring back the classic "farmer's field", "needs-total-restoration" Ghia to more than a 90 point stocker. Gaining the last 10 points needed for a 100 point show restoration isn't just a matter of having deep pockets -- the parts may not exist. Headlite and parklite items are scarce. Stock interior and exterior mirrors are a pain to find. Nearly a dozen shades of vinyl arm-rests were used on these years, so finding correct colors and patterns of interior upholstery is virtually impossible -- your chance of winning the lottery is better. All parts that wear -- door hinges, striker plates, wiper shafts, etc. -- probably need replacement.

'67 All Models

Advantages: Large numbers of people think this the best year ever, because of its first's: 12 volts; disc brakes; an engine powerful enough you'd want to take it on a transcontinental trip. Make fine restro-rods.

Disadvantages: Extremely high number of critical one-year-only parts. Living with a semi-stocker can be a pain. Restoring a dilapidated car to museum quality could be impossible. Locating electrical items, relays, locks, mirrors, dash and some door parts could take the patience of a Saint and the financing of a Midas. Physically will not accept much wider wheels / tires than stock.

'68-'69 All Models

Advantages: Easiest Ghia (along with '70-'71 models) to rebuild or restore. Has a "stock" 12V electrical system, disc brakes, a powerful engine (1500 cc), and '69, and later, has IRS (Independent Rear Suspension). Interiors were of only three basic fabric colors, making renewing the interior much easier. Most cars of this era, or newer, are basically intact. Basket cases, project cars or semi-complete Ghias are much less likely in this age group. These cars still have the "classic" look, i.e., no bulldozer bladed bumpers or thigh-sized taillite lens.

Disadvantages: Round side reflectors hard to come by. Auto-stick cars are so disliked by most restorers, it can badly damage the value of a car with automatic. (Also holds true of auto-stick Ghias thru 1974.) Safety and pollution equipment begin showing up. Some states are much more diligent about requiring working pollution equipment. However, virtually all pollution devices requiring only occasional repair or maintenance are non-existent in the VW parts system or elsewhere in a form or appearance that would be assembly line original the very part some state pollution laws say MUST be operational. That's right! The old "Catch 22" dilemma: It's not available at any price, but you must have it at all costs.

'70-'71 All Models

Advantages: Shares most advantages of '68-'69. Larger taillites and parklites, some feel, are a safety factor.

Disadvantages: Park and taillite assemblies are often expensive to replace. Parklite bulbholders are very prone to corrosion damage. All bumpers for any Ghia are hard to find, expensive. '70-'71 rear bumpers are unique to those two years and so, are doubly rare. Rear reflector parts (that thing below the tailite) are so hard to find, House of Ghia's advice is: Remove the reflectors and fill in all mounting holes.

'72-'74 All Models

Advantages: Controls are Americanized. No longer does the driver need to be an octopus to operate everything. Coupes having seals in good shape are the tightest, most weather-resistent Ghias. Huge taillites, some feel, are a safety factor.

Disadvantages: Some seals (coupe door and quarter window seals, and all era window scraper seals) are very expensive and may not be available at any price. Late engine compartments are infested with a host of wires and hoses. Even VW doesn't remember how some of these hoses connected. Shares electrical / light problems with '70-'71 cars. Surprisingly, it is more expensive, more difficult to restore (or even get road-worth) this era Ghia than, say, '68-'69 models. Lots of buffs are completely turned off by the square-bladed bumpers and bigger taillites.

Specific Information: (Common to cabriolets)

Advantages: All years cabrio. All Ghia cabriolets share a world class, stunningly engineered, amazingly complex, Karmann designed, cabriolet top. Thirty-five years later, folding tops even in today's 100,000 dollar plus price range don't come any better. The advantage of a cabriolet top over a mere Detroit style convertible top is they are quieter, vastly more wind and weatherproof, and warmer. Why? Because cabriolet tops are padded and lined.

Disadvantages: All years cabriolet. The downside of cabriolet ownership? Cost! Seldom can any Ghia 'vert owner replace a "top" for under $2,000. (You don't believe it? Add up the cost of an outer cover, all the bows, cables, headliner, top padding, and replacable bushings. Then, price having the parts professionally installed! Big Bucks! ) Ah ha! You're thinking of a "do-it-yourself top installation to save major money! Don't! That's the flaw with a world class, state-of-the-art cabriolet top. You can't install the top even if you want bragging rights to the statement, "I restored the car completely All by myself." The cheap side of your personality is still in command and you ask, "Why can't I save a lotta bucks and eliminate the padding and headliner. I'll have a top just like those on American convertibles!" Nope! You'll end up with a noisy, cold, drafty convertible with major re-sale problems. Ghia convertibles / cabriolets are very prone to rust. Their very construction makes them, when the top is down or missing, a bathtub. Rocker rust can destroy any Ghia's structural strength in a hurry. But, without the strength added by a coupe's metal roof, convertibles can positively quake, moan and vibrate "Big Time"!

'58-'59 Cabriolet Only

Advantages: Truly rare. Only two years of 'vert shared the "droop nose" styling. Some very nice early convertibles fetch disgustingly large amounts of money: nearly 10 times what the cars cost new and often 4 times what a similar condition coupe brings.

Disadvantages: Some top parts show up on only these two years of Ghias, making these parts the rarest of the rare. Stock tops were canvas, adding to the expense.

'60-'67 1/2 Cabriolet Only

Advantages: Top and top frame parts are adaptable from any '58-'69 1/2, making most items at least available. Sturdy vinyl tops show up first on this era 'vert. So, for practicality, as well as authenticity; a less expensive vinyl top becomes a true option.

Disadvantages: The junction between top fabric and body metal was covered by a large, chromed, "U"-shaped joint cover or molding. By now, the true assemblyline piece has disappeared, replaced by a cloth "hide-um" strip. ("Hide-um" is the only major American convertible top idea, proving to be superior to the way Karmann did it.) These moldings are hard to find. An incredible number of 'verts have a bad or missing crank handle. At some point in the past, the crank handle was lost, or was removed because it had the "floppies". A mental midget thought the solution to opening a handleless top was to clamp pliers or vice grips on the fragile serrations of the top crankshaft. Someone just made a $400 boo-boo!

'67 1/2 - '69 1/2 Cabriolet Only

Advantages: These 'verts are the first Ghias with a cable holding the top cover to the rear of the body. A great idea!

Disadvantages: The top crank mechanism found in the center of the header on these, and all earlier 'verts, continues to cause expensive grief. If this crank has stripped gears, rusted hooks or rounded handle shaft serrations, replacement could be pricey.

'69 1/2 to end of '69 Cabriolet Only

Advantages: This convert, produced for only 1/2 a year, sports a glass rear window AND classic early styling. Ever after, Ghia convertibles used bigger, more awkward-looking tail and park lites.

Disadvantages: See '70-'74 disadvantages.

'70-'74 Cabriolet Only

Advantages: Glass rear window.

Disadvantages: Glass rear window. Without maintenance, and a correctly installed top cover, a glass rear window introduces a massive hole for water to enter the car. All parts associated with the window itself such as the glass are breathtakingly expensive; and some absolutely critical parts may not be available at any price. The wooden header is hung from a complex thin metal plate -- the junction cover. The plate easily rusts. Replacements are expensive, and any short-cuts one takes in this critical area, become doubly expensive in the long run.

Specific Information: (Common to coupes)

Advantages: All years of coupe. Styling-wise, Karmann Ghia coupes used a very clean, "postless hard top look". A decade before other design capitals caught-up: Ghias became the first major "hardtop coupe" without a front vent window.

Disadvantages: All years of coupe. Because of the roof's shape, Ghia coupe headliners aren't much bigger than a baby's diaper. Worse, reinstalling a headliner, once damaged, is a major task that merely begins when all of the glass is removed from the car. I'm not trying to alarm anyone, but the roof of a Ghia coupe, when the car turns upside down, will collapse faster than a souffle. (This is true of most cars designed before the mid-'80's.)

'56-'59 Coupes Only

Advantages: Year specific coupes. Visually, the most pleasing "profile" with a very slim post between door and quarter window.

Disadvantages: Year specific coupes. Quarter window does not open or pop-out. Quarter window post and seal work well when all components are new; but if say, the hinges get sloppy; closing the door can badly damage seal and post. Glass and post are expensive, hard to find.

'60-'65 Coupes Only

Advantages: Quarter window glass now opens, or "pops out", at the back edge. Sealing problems associated with door hinge wear have generally been solved.

Disadvantages: The wider chrome "divider post" adds stoutness to the window sealing problem at the expense of a visually clean look. The "knee action lock" or clasp allowing the rear of the window to be held rigidly in the "pop-out" position is a clever design. But, in order to share components throughout the VW empire, 90% of the locks parts are borrowed. Of course, the 10% of the lock uniquely Ghia is of a flawed design. It easily fails if abused. Also, the plastic "hinge" blocks at the leading edge of the quarter window glass tend to crumble with age. Crumbling hinge blocks mean a loose piece of glass. More than a dozen customers have said, "I was just driving down the road when the front of the quarter window fell out of the post and pivoted along the flank of the car. I'd have still been all right, and been able to save the glass; but now, it was hanging from that chrome lock thing, and the foot of the lock broke. Next thing I knew, the glass was shattering into a million pieces on the pavement."

'66-'71 Coupes Only

Advantages: Designed for heated rear window.

Disadvantages: May actually have a heated rear window. These first generation heated rear windows used a type of tape dusted with copper granules. The purpose was to have these grains, shoulder to shoulder, act like a copper wire and conduct electricity. However, even the most micro-scopic scratch can cause a Grand Canyon-sized breach to the flow of electricity. Once a determined customer, armed with test equipment, metered every used heated rear window in the shop. Twenty-five duds. Then, he tested every car in the yard. Another 25 flawed heating elements. Not one working heated rear window. If you think Ed McMahon has ten million dollars just waiting for you, then try to find a working heated rear window. The rest of us know better! We'll spend our effort on some achievable goal like catching the Loch Ness Monster.

'72-'74 Coupes Only

Advantages: The tightest, most weatherproof Ghia coupes ever made. Installation of door seals is a snap.

Disadvantages: To achieve simple assemblyline installation, the seals became much more complex. Yep! That translates as more expensive.

Side Note: Many states give antique, or old car, status to vehicles that are twenty-five, or more, years old. Often, old car status means nothing more than the right to carry a special license plate. But, in a few states, licensing and / or title fees, mandatory insurance and especially requirements for meeting pollution laws are cut back or entirely eliminated for these "elderly" vehicles.

Knowing your state's laws may make an earlier car that has passed the "antique" threshhold more desirable than a later car still enduring regulation.

Q #72 - I am confused by the term "Cal-Look". Several cars in the magazines (Hot VW's) claim to have the "Look". They all vary in so many ways that I can't tell. Just what is involved in obtaining the "Cal-Look"?
William T., Huntsville, AL

A #72 - I sure can understand your confusion. Like so many words in our fast-living, fad-loving nation, "Cal-Look", as a meaningful word, has been adopted by one special interest group of another. They've loved it to death. Once, "Classic car" had a very special meaning to car buffs. Now, if you are selling a ten year old Rambler Station wagon, it's advertised as a "Classic car". A meaningful word made meaningless mush by misuse. I am afraid the term "Cal-Look" is headed that way.
I'd prefer to think of a "Cal-Look" car as one emphasizing the purity of the overall style of design. The "Cal-Look" is the OPPOSITE of the chrome-laden, gadget-ridden, "tack-on" look so beloved by Detroit and other automotive design capitals. Trash the chrome! Remove the moldings! Jettison the emblems and identification scripts! Eliminate the false bumps and scoops! There! The beauty of the car's design finally shows through. That's "Cal-Look". Utter simplicity! The "look" started in California, and like a reverse gold rush, moved east.
Necessity was the mother of the "Cal-Look". The very items that are removed - moldings, emblems, etc, - are the items that are hard or impossible to find and are so expensive if you're restoring the car.
No car, to my mind responds better, and with such little modifications, to the true "Cal-Look" than the Type 1 Ghia. After all, the Ghia's design is about a pure and endured longer that just about any mass-produced car EVER. A simple de-chroming does wonders. That means removing the side molding and chrome trim in the windshield seal. Trimless or "Cal-Look" seals are designed to do this task painlessly. Maybe you'd want to remove a few badges or emblems. Just fill in the mounting holes. Perhaps, the door handles need to be "blacked-out" so they wont grab the eye and so take away from the design.
Only two major modifications remain. A stock Ghia has a horizontal "attitude". Lowered front ends seem to add a sense of movement to even a car at rest. There are several ways to accomplish this; but, only one method lowers the car without stiffening the ride - dropped spindles. The wheels are the final center of the eye's focus. Stock wheels are hubcaps don't have much visual oomph! Nearly any aftermarket wheel/tire combination improves this blah area.
The simplicity theme is carried over into the interior. Fake wood-grained dash mask cracked? Remove and live with a painted dash! Door panels torn and trashy? Construct your own! Remember, simplicity!
But, alas, today "Cal-look" means, well, whatever you want it to mean. Cars with painted graphics that make them look like a Technicolor zebra are NOT "Cal-Lookers". An interior so gaudy that it'd make a bordello madam puke is NOT " Cal-Look". An undercarriage that brings a glint of gleeful greed to the eye of a chrome shop owner, that isn't my idea of Cal-Look. But, then, I don't have strong views one way or another on what constitutes a "Cal-Look" Ghia.

Q #73: I own a 1970 Karmann Ghia with a folding top. Lots of people call it a cabriolet, or other names I don't understand. Isn't my car a convertible? If it isn't, what do I call it? And, what's a cabriolet?
Jean

A #73: Jean, if a President can call a Hydrogen bomb tipped, intercontinental missile, "Peacemaker". You can call your car a Ferrari, or even Ralph. What we have here is language abuse!

Abuse of the language isn't new! For decades, Detroit sold convertibles. Americans adopted that name to mean any folding top car. Technically, the Karmann factory installed a cabriolet top on your Ghia (and all VW converts.)! What's the difference? Detroit convertible tops were merely an outer cover (top cover) laid over the folding top. From the inside, the top frame was exposed for all to see! Since there was nothing to "pad-out" the top, the fabric hung from frame cross-member to cross-member. The visual effect was like looking at a skinny horse. The "ribs" showed.

The cabriolet top is padded and lined. Not only won't you see the metal top frame, padding fills out the spaces between cross-members. In addition, you'll hear little, if any, rain striking the roof. And, you'll feel none of the arctic winter blasts sweeping thru the weave of a simple canvas top.

So, the European name for your car is cabriolet. VW, off and on, used that name in the States for the Bug cabriolet. (And, has always referred to the cars as cabriolets in Europe.) But, by the early sixties, VW of America began calling all fold-down top cars, convertibles.

Some people shorten convertible to convert. And, similarly shorten, cabriolet to cabrio. Soft top and rag top are also terms that are hurled around. By any name, the top Karmann installed on your car is still a state-of-the-art folding top. Even nearly two decades later, none better!

Q #74: You present me with a dilemma. You say House of Ghia's stainless steel convertible stiffeners are both higher quality by far than galvanized steel stiffeners AND cheaper to make. Isn't stainless steel 4 times as expensive as mild steel? So, how can a stainless steel stiffener be cheaper than a zinc-plated one? I was beginning to trust the product claims you make, you seem so honest; but this doesn't add up.
Andy, A., thru-the-door customer

A #74: Great question! And, the answer has a good deal to do with human nature. We, humans, assume a lot. We assume the major cost of a box of Cheerios is the cost of grain that went into those tasty "O's". As any savvy farmer will quickly and loudly tell you, "No way!" The price paid to farmers for the grain to fill a box of Cheerios is only a penny or two. The price paid by the consumer is several hundred times greater.

The cost of the components and materials making up an item can have little relationship to the cost of the finished product. Take a Big Mac. We assume the price of the hamburger, bun, and special sauce are what determines a burger's retail price. But, if cost of the raw materials is the major determiner of restaurant prices, why isn't a pre-packaged MacDonald's salad sold for pennies? And, why don't Big Mac costs vary daily with the cost of beef?

Let's take a simpler example first. The license lite decorative trim clips House of Ghia makes are of stainless steel. But, the clips are so tiny, weigh so little, several hundred could be stamped out of one pound of material. Say, the difference in materials cost between a stainless and a mild steel clip is one cent. Nearly four hundred thousand Karmann Ghias were made. Each car uses 4 clips. So, over the 19 year life span of the Ghia, VW saved itself, by not buying stainless clips, 1 cent times 1,200,000 clips or 1,200,000 pennies. That's $12,000 dollars. A tidy enough sum. But, let's say you manufacture only 2,000 clips. That's only 2,000 pennies or $20 dollars saved by not using stainless.

But wait! If the clips are stamped from ordinary steel, they will need to be zinc-plated (galvanized) to prevent rust. It just so happens, we can plate 2 ounces, 2 lbs, or 200 lbs of clips for the same amount twenty dollars. It would seem the mild steel / stainless steel clips conflict would, end up as "wash", balance out! In that case, the call might go to mild steel, especially if there was any hope quantities would ultimately reach above 10,000 clips. Whoa! Reign in those galloping assumptions What about shipping costs: shipping from the stamper to the plater, shipping from the plater to House of Ghia's parts shelves?

Andy is right! Some stainless steel, especially the stuff polishing mirror bright, costs at least 4 times as much as ordinary steel. And, with the convertible stiffener, raw material amounts are significant 3.2 lbs each to be exact. But, for our purposes, appearance isn't a prime factor. So, a common grade of stainless, with all the other characteristics the metal is famous for, can be used. Now, stainless is only twice as expensive as mild steel.

As with many products, raw material makes up only a small part of a convertible stiffener's price. Paying for the dies, molds, stamps and tool depreciation must be included. Add the labor involved in the actual cutting, stamping, bending, packaging, and shelving of the parts.

Let's coat the convertible stiffener. Oh! No! A simple process, a process requiring not much more than dipping a fine mesh basket of clips into a vat of molten zinc; has become a labor intensive task. Now, a 3 lb plus slab of metal, must be individually suspended on a hook and lowered into the molten zinc. Costs soar! In addition, shipping costs add up dramatically. Shipping 300 plus pounds of stiffeners from stamper, to plater, to us can cost bunches of bucks.

Kerchunk! One blow of the stamping machine; and, using stainless, we have a saleable part. Plated parts go thru more "hands". That's why, in small to moderate quantities, a stainless steel clip / stiffener is cheaper to produce.

The lesson for all manufacturers of small runs of any item? Secondary operations are expensive. If a secondary operation (like coating or plating) can be avoided, by using a more expensive raw material (like stainless or brass), the savings can be significant. And, look at the BONUS! Essentially, as a freebie, the consumer gets a higher quality product.

That's one of the joys of the new economics. As society moves away from mass production to micro or "boutique" manufacturing, quality of products can increase dramatically, at no increase in price.

Q #75: I have a '61 Ghia with only 52,000 miles. I need the metal thing that sets on top of the battery. Do you have any?
William B. (Phone call)

A #75: The metal battery helmet was sized for VW only batteries. Six volt Ghias all carried a "helmet". But, almost from the beginning, this special sized battery required of VW's, caused grief. The last American auto to use 6 volt stuff did so in 1956. VW didn't give up on 6 volt electricals until 1966. Imagine the dilemma of the local service station or parts house. Just as demand for 6 volt batteries was dropping like a stone, this upstart German firm was not only requiring use of a rapidly outdated technology; they demanded your business stock an oddball-sized battery. What to do? The Beetle didn't know the difference between a puny-sized VW 6 volt battery, and the 6 volts put out by a husky-sized American battery, so most shops installed a battery sized more for a John Deere tractor than a petite Ghia. When the metal battery helmet wouldn't work, it was discarded. When the battery hold-down strap no longer fit a chubby American battery, it, too, was thrown away.

Watch out! Lots of restorers know just enough about their cars to be dangerous to their pocketbook. These avid restorers see a picture of an original car, complete with battery helmet; and then, embark on a quest for originality. Spending much time and treasure, they locate the missing part, only to discover the helmet can't be fitted to their present battery. And, a VW-sized battery can't be easily located.

Even 12V Ghias from '67-up, have a sizing problem. All Volkswagens used a VW-sized battery. To get any factory battery hold-down set up to work, requires, you guessed it, the correctly sized battery. Nothing else will work! So, generations of Ghia owners have loosely placed a huge, American-sized battery in the area. What they have engineered is a "loose cannon" in the literal sense of the word. An unrestrained battery can dance and glide around the engine compartment with devastating results. HOLD DOWN THAT BATTERY! Even if you do it crudely, using stout "bungie cords".

Q #76: About 6 months ago, I phoned concerning wiper parts for my '68 Ghia. You didn't have any new wiper arms, but told me what to look for, and especially, what to avoid. I'm afraid I acted like a bit of a jerk. Since you didn't tell me what I wanted to hear I wanted to hear new, authentic wiper arms were available cheaply I totally dismissed the good advice you gave and went to another supplier. They sold me wiper arms and swore up and down they were Ghia wiper arms. Actually, what they said is the arms would fit Ghias, and I assumed that meant they were genuine Ghia arms. Right from the start, the arms couldn't be adjusted to do anything but sprawl across the glass, affecting my vision. The longer I looked at this mess, the more irritated I became. Now, I'm willing to listen. What advice do you have for me on wiper arms or blades?
George, Oakland, CA

A #76: George, you've run into the "Iron Law of Wiper Arms". The law of wiper arms states: The angle of the dangle creates irritants that can be multiplied by the sum of the angles.

Translation, Pah-leese:

The angle of any crook or bend in the wiper arm is going to determine where on the windshield a self-parking wiper arm ends up. The more angle, the higher the arm rides on the glass and the more irritation the driver feels as his/her field of view is blocked.

What? Some of you readers still don't understand? We're going to sit you behind the wheel of an imaginary Ghia and watch the irritation and anger build. Ghia wiper motors, in good shape, have a "park" feature. When you turn off the wipers, they don't just stop instantly; they coast to a rest at the base of the windshield seal. So parked, the wiper arm and blade are as hidden from view as possible. In fact, you'll hardly notice them.

But, suppose, out of necessity, you've scavanged a pair of similar looking Beetle arms. First off, you notice the Bug wiper arms are a bit shorter! "Shucks, that itty-bitty difference won't amount to a hill of beans". A mountain of grief is more like it. Then, you notice the angle of the bends on the arm are a tiny bit different. "They ain't bent much different, how could it matter?" Well, let me show you how.

Notice Diagram A. That crude, bent line represents a wiper arm. In Diagram B, we've added an imaginary wiper blade. Let's attach the arm to a Ghia's right side wiper shaft. That's Diagram C. Oh! No! Our wiper arm and blade are about as inconspicuous as a belly dancer's navel.

O.K. This time, we're going to construct a perfectly straight wiper arm. See Diagram D. Without angles, there couldn't be problems. Right? Let's see. This time we'll attach the straight wiper arm/blade to the driver's side wiper shaft. Sure enough, the wiper is tucked neatly at the base of the window seal. Nearly hidden (Diagram E). But, watch what happens if we attach our straight arm to the right hand wiper shaft. Darn! Only looking at the world thru prison bars would be more depressing (Diagram F).

To overcome this view blocker, we'll have to bend the right hand arm in the opposite direction (Diagram G). That's the same conclusion the factory reached. So, '68 thru '74 Ghias used two wiper arms; a longer, straight arm and a shorter, bent arm.

Beetles, for reasons of economy, tended to use one universal arm on both sides of the car. This arm was kinked to match the special contours of the Beetle windshield. When a Bug wiper arm shows up on a Ghia, it announces itself with as much subtlety as a hickie on the neck of a self-proclaimed teenage virgin.

Still, since true Ghia arms are rare, the entire Ghia hobby may have to put up with irritating Bug arms for the forseeable future. Sorry, George! Maybe six months ago, I'd have been able to give you better news. Today, the news is "Original, assemblyline, Ghia wiper arms aren't available." Worse, visually authentic wiper blades, in a true Ghia length, aren't available. Now, lots of blades ARE available. They just are not museum stock in length, color, and manufacturer.

Recommendations:

1) If you truly own museum quality SWF Ghia wiper blades and arms of the correct color, size and arm connections, TAKE THEM OFF YOUR GHIA IMMEDIATELY! Put them in the glove box. Take them out and quickly install them only for shows. In the meantime, run on a daily basis, the irritating Bug arms and 11 or 12 inch blades you can buy at your local auto parts store. They won't LOOK stock; but come the 21st century, you'll applaud your foresight. Yours may be the only Ghia you know with correct arms and blades.

2) If you're obsessive to a fault, and periodically replace the air in your tires before it becomes stale; place your hoarded wiper blades in the refrigerator, or better yet, freeze them.

3) If you don't have a spare set of museum authentic arms, the second best choice for ANY year Ghia is a pair of RIGHT hand, hook-style, Ghia arms that fit your shaft.

Follow this logic: '67 Ghias used 2, identical, hook-style arms that clamped by set screw to the wiper shaft. In '68 and '69, one of the '67 arms was turned into the RH arm. The LH arm was made longer and straighter. (See earlier explanation of left and right arms.) So, two RH '68-'69 arms would be the factory equivalent of '67 wiper arms. Since '56 thru '66 wiper shafts are essentially identical to '67-'69 shafts, two '67 arms, or a pair of '68-'69 right-hand arms, can easily work on these early cars. 1970 thru '74 arms are exact copies of '68-'69 L&R arms, EXCEPT the end of the wiper shaft is threaded, and, the wiper arm base is designed to mate to the shaft using a nut. From 1970 thru 1972, the arm was painted silver, and the arm's base was designed to use a large cap nut. From '73 thru '74, Ghia wiper arms are black with a stouter-looking base. The arm is held on by an ordinary metric nut that is cleverly hidden. So, a pair of RH bolt-on arms will fit, and work perfectly, on '70-'74. But, if you don't match the color, and the shape of the base, the arms will look different.

Arms/Hook	Base	Year	Fit This Era
L or R	Set screw	'67 1/2 thru '67	'56-'69
RH (two)	Set screw	'68-'69	'56-'69
RH (two)	Bolt on / Cap nut	'70-'72 Silver	'70-'74
RH (two)	Bolt on / Simple nut	'73-'74 Black	'70-'74

Please note: For illustration purposes, the diagrams may be opposite the actual sweep of your arms / blades.

Q #77: The sunvisor on my '68 coupe won't stay up! ...My visors have the floppies. ('71 coupe). ...I can't get my visors to stay in place. ...and I pulled the chromed "dog-legged" visor shaft out of my visors with torn vinyl, and inserted them in a pair of used visors I found at a swap meet. Now, they won't stay flat against the headliner. They fall down and obstruct my vision. What can I do?

Small sample of 1965 and up visor questions.

A #77: To understand why VW visors get the "floppies", it helps to understand how they were intended to work. Imagine grabbing a broom handle. Hold the bristle end out at whatever angle you want. Friction, and a moderate grip, will keep the broom from rotating flopping. Yet, only mild pressure with your free hand will allow the broom to turn or pivot.

A sunvisor works much the same way. Look at the cross-sectional, simplified diagram of a chrome visor shaft end. This part of the shaft is hidden INSIDE the visor. A long strap of metal is wrapped around the shaft. It surrounds the shaft like your fingers held the broom. But, what gives the light metal strap the gripping power you supplied with tendon and muscle? Why, the Phillips-head screw you see on the outside edge of the visor does. By drawing together the two ends of the metal strap, the self-tapping screw applies tension to the visor shaft, preventing the "floppies". Eventually, after several decades, the tension grip on the shaft is loosened by wear. The factory thought of this. The theory? By tightening the screw, the metal strap will cinch even harder around the visor shaft, preventing the "floppies". Unfortunately, the screw is a type of sheet metal or self-tapping screw. Tighten things up too hard, or too often, and the self-cut threads in the thin strap metal will strip. Then, the "floppies" are inevitable. Of course, the real life strap and screw are a bit more complex than our simplified description, but the reasons and results are the same.

Sadly, the more a restorer fusses with his/her visors, the more likely those crucial threads in the tightening strap are to fail. Sometimes, a slightly larger diameter "sheet metal" screw can temporarily bring a visor back from the dead. But, don't expect the "cure" to be permanent. Besides, where will you find that incredibly short self-tapping screw? Use too long a screw, and it looks like you harpooned your own visor. The screw penetrates the entire width of the visor, visably poking out the other side.

Beetle visors have a different overall shape, but the tightening mechanism is the same. Going to reproduce Beetle/Ghia visors? You'd be foolish to slavishly copy a flawed design. So, most repro visors use a different tightening scheme. No repro visor uses a Phillips tightening screw which then becomes virtually the only way to tell the repro from an original.

One further note. Ghia convertible visors are the same as coupe visors - the only difference is the shaft base on 69 1/2-74 'verts. However, convertible owners who feel they'll easily remove their old padded / vinyl visor and replace it with a better-looking used coupe visor are whistling destruction. Their only accomplishment will be to destroy a hard to find coupe visor set. Why? That frail self-tapping screw. It must be backed off to get the transplant coupe visor off its shaft. Then, it must be retightened around the shaft on the convertible sun visor base. Every such action uses up more of the screw threads "life span". Soon, the thread trail is so over-sized, the screw fails to hold. "Floppies" again!

For years, convertible owners were desperate for padded visors. House of Ghia refused to sell used coupe visors as a solution for this terrific demand, because we knew the coupe visor would fail if transplanted. Well, where there's demand, and a public that insists on not hearing bad news; there's someone willing to supply the "good news".

Every coupe visor transplant I'm aware of failed. Most failed within hours. If heart transplants left behind such a high instant mortality rate, most heart surgeons would be in jail. With the coming of a very nice repro, it doesn't make sense to keep trying to put coupe visors on a 'vert.

The bottom line:

1) Today's repro visors are not a 100 percent, visual clone of assembly line visors. Hooray, hooray!

2) The actual padded visor from '65-up is the same for a coupe or a 'vert. Even the dog-legged shaft is the same. It is the BASE on '69 1/2 and up convertibles that differs so much.

3) All '65-'74 assemblyline visors came with a small vanity mirror on the passenger visor. No repro visor comes with a mirror, and none is likely to carry one ever. Amazing stories and rationalizations surface to explain away the missing mirror; AND justify someone's prideful boast, "It's just as it came down the assemblyline". Don't believe the "It was an option", stories. Disregard the "It's the way all Euro-market Ghias were made", tall tales. And, especially don't fall into the "Racing cars could be ordered without weight robbing extras" delusion. If you believe any Ghia was sold by the factory as a light-weight race car; I've got this easily drained swamp land I'd like to sell.

Q # 78 - (Owner's Manual): This letter is regarding my recent purchase of a full set of your seat covers. I immediately had them installed by an upholstery shop, and, while they certainly have a satisfactory appearance, there's a couple of things I'm concerned about. While flipping through my '71 Ghia owner's manual, I noticed that all the illustrations show a basketweave pattern for the front seats. Additionally, in your catalog, you mention that all of your seat covers come in the basketweave style. The covers I received are of the heat-sealed channel type; was this style also available as standard equipment with '71 Ghias?
George M., Moscow, ID

A # 78 - What I'm about to do is similar to killing Santa Claus or snatching Goldilocks bald. I'm about to take a long held, and cherished, belief and trample it. George, it's a heck of a world! If you can't trust your car's owner's manual, who can you trust? The '71 owner's manual you looked at led you to some false assumptions. Worse! If you happen to be a rabid restorer, this owner's manual any owner's manual outright lies.
LIE! That's a potent charge; but any owner's manual is to be trusted on questions or authenticity about as much as a politician's promise. Restorers of Detroit iron long ago learned this lesson. On Beetles, a wealth of information, then and now, exist. Photos taken at every conceivable angle abound for every year of Bug. In fact, more has been written about Beetles than about any other 20 automotive brands combined. AND, virtually all of the information is geared to answering the age-old lament of restorers, "What parts are right for my car." But, on Ghias? An informational drought. So, when a precious source of photos show up, photos that seem to say, "I'm the only year specific info on Ghias you'll ever run across!" the desire to accept this info as "gospel" is enormous.

Owner's Manual - This book can lie!

Why do owner's manuals lie on questions of originality? Because the owner's manual is published before that model year car is even stamped out of metal. Remember, even the first, say, '71 model year Ghia had that great owner's manual resting in the glove box. (Actually, it may have come by mail 3 weeks later.) Where do they get those neat illustrations and photos before the cars are even made? Why, they are often pictures of the previous model year vehicle the only car easily available for photographs. Sometimes proto-types were pressed into service as camera cars. However, if a feature didn't go into production, photos of proto-types would continue to trumpet an item that never made it to the assemblyline. The initial '56 proto-type Ghia sported a fender badge on the LEFT side. Four decades later, there is still confusion over the location of the badges. The cover of the '68 Ghia manual showed a circular flank reflector on the FRONT fender (much like Type II's of the era carried a red, round, rear reflector and an amber, round, front reflector) The feature never made it into production. Pictures of dashes, instruments and knobs, are often styling studio mock-ups, mock-ups that are nothing more than highly detailed clay.
And, while restorers view the owner's manual as a bible, as a statement of truth; the factory viewed the glove box book as a training manual. The factory had never heard of restorers with their passion for authenticity. So, photographs were liberally doctored to emphasize the point the factory was illustrating.
A black and white photo can be a visual jig-saw puzzle of shadows, greys, lite and dark. Out of that chaos, the factory wanted to emphasize say, one specific knob. So, using the magic of the dark room, and a retouch brush, the factory brought order. They achieved their instructional purpose by creating what the restoration crowd, twenty years later, would call a lie.

Photo used in 1971
Owner's Manual to
Illustrate Location of
Engine Number

Photo is a fine training or
educational tool to show
location of the engine
number.

But, the engine number
shown, is not correct
for a 1971 Ghia

Additional inadvertent lies occur. Volkswagens changed so little over the years, the same photo was used year after year to illustrate the same point. Occasionally, VW kept the same picture long after it was a visual lie. Example: The photo used in the '71 owner's manual to illustrate the dip stick clearly shows an early 1600cc engine block with a motor number starting with a "B". Absolutely authentic for the first '70 model year cars. But, as purists will loudly tell you, '71 model cars used a dual port motor with engine numbers beginning with a two letter designation like AE. Oops!
To this point, I've merely taken a topic and hopelessly bored the average reader with detail. I'm about to be as obnoxious as a vampire arriving at the site of a road kill with his own straw. So, be forewarned. To those of you who don't want to know absolutely everything about '71 Ghia owner's manuals: "Abandon this reading why ye may!"
On a quick look thru a '71 owner's manual, the following glitches were noted. I do not intend these discrepancies to be an exhaustive list of this owner's manual's flaws; the purpose is to show that the owner's manual cannot be trusted for restoration or authenticity purposes.

Page 7 Two of the three photos of chassis numbers are of true '71 chassis. The dash pad photo is of a '70 chassis number. The engine number location shot again shows a '70 engine block number.

Page 9 The photo is of a '70 door with a lock rod. The doctored photo was only partially successful in removing the lock knob at the back of the door.

Page 11 Clearly the door is a '70 model with lock rod. ('71 and later doors didn't use a push/pull lock rod.)

Page 14 Note the correct use of a 1/10 of a mile indicator in the speedo. The dashes and instruments on page12, 19, 20, do not have this feature.

Page 18 The control lever for front footwell heating had migrated to floor level on '71 models. (Only '69 and '70 models used a lever/cable on the kick panel.)

Page 43 The engine depicted is a 1500cc, "H" engine. Correct only for '67-'69. All photos of rubber floor mats are "lies". Mats were last used on '70 models.

And, finally, George, the illustration you saw in the owner's manual as "basket weave" vinyl upholstery, was really a patterned cloth.
Postage stamp sized photographs can definately distort what your eye sees. To many, the highly patterned cloth fabric of the Euro Ghia seats, when photographically reduced to maybe 5% of the original size; made the fabric look like a diagram in the House of Ghia catalog called "basketweave" vinyl upholstery. George has a '71 Ghia which does NOT use a patterned "basketweave" vinyl seat. Yet, George could plainly see a basketweave-like pattern in the owner's manual pictures of the seats. The result was total confusion.
George's eye had been tricked by the illusion of scale into thinking the owner's manual photos were of a small, rather tight knit, basketweave pattern. The actual pattern is of a large, rather "loud", textured, cloth seat insert.
Individual Americans were never Wolfsburg's customers. VW, the Mother firm, never sold a car to the States. VW always sold vehicles exclusively to its franchisee, VW of A. (Volkswagen of America). Americans could never buy any vehicle or equipment Wolfsburg made, they could only purchase what VW of A had earlier agreed to buy from the factory. VW of A was the most tight-fisted customer imaginable. If it cost a few pennies more, VW of A wouldn't buy it. VW of America, starting about 1960, never bought, from the Mother firm, any seats covered in something other than all vinyl.

But, Karmann made available cloth seats. Most European-market Ghias carried them. So, what you saw was a wild "houndstooth" or checkerboard patterned, cloth insert seat.

The Camera Reduces Reality
The lesson? Don't rely on owner's manual information as the final word on authenticity.

A #79 - Karmann placed one genuine "porcelain" or cloisonne badge to identify the manufacturer on the lower right front fender flank. Note that the badge cunningly combines the logo of both Karmann and Ghia. Enameled badges of this type were common in the 20's (look at any Model A), but the custom almost died out in the 50's and 60's, only to enjoy a recent comeback. Bug convertibles, also manufactured by Karmann, wear an almost identical badge. But, since Ghia had nothing to do with Bug convertibles, the Ghia logo is missing. A stylized "sunburst" replaces it.

Q #80: I have a '66 Ghia and want a padded dash, like original, for my car. What you have is nice enough looking, but, it's made of hard fiberglass. Doesn't anyone repro a padded dash for my car?
David, Mt Airy NC

A #80: Our minds trick us, David! What you want, and what was original on pre-68 Ghias, was a dash pad. Your brain translated the request into "a padded dash". A padded dash wasn't found on '59-'67 Ghias. Still, don't see the distinction? Try this. Suppose the coach sent you, the water boy, (today, the politically correct term is water person), out for a jock strap. Your gray matter transposes the request, and so you returned with a strapped jock an utterly penniless athelete. Not the same thing, is it? To complicate matters, '68 and up, Ghias used a padded dash that functioned as both a dash pad and a padded dash. Confused? Let's start at the beginning.

Right from the start, Ghias used a lovely, painted, metal dash; much like Porsches of the era. The dash was painted body color. One problem with a dash design using a wide, flat top was the sun's rays can strike the highly polished "shelf" of the dash and bounce, or reflect, onto the windshield.

American Ghia customers howled piteously! After all, they were paying Buick prices for a car with a very irritating reflection problem, Finally, during the mid '59 model year, the factory made available an anti-reflective device on the dash top a dash pad. The complainers the U.S. market got the dash pad. Euro market Ghias continued to show up, without a dash pad, well into the mid '60's.

The dash pad was nothing more than a formed cardboard dash top, covered with a textured sheet of black vinyl. There is some evidence the factory was willing to color coordinate the dash pad with body color just like they did for the floor mats, shift and e-boot, and wheel disc, or rim. However, saner minds prevailed, and colored dash pads were aborted. Black was the only color used.

Simple vinyl would, from heat and age, exactly conform to any imperfections on the top of the cardboard. A B-B, caught between the vinyl and cardboard, would look like a huge pimple, a pea would look like a volcano. The mounting studs used to hold the cardboard contraption to the metal dash, had "heads" that were not as smoothly blended into the cardboard as a baby's bottom. The screw head would show as a bump, or lump, under the vinyl. So, the factory used vinyl with a paper-thin layer of sponge attached to the vinyl's backside. No more lumps. But, generations of restorers pawing thru the remnants of their dash pad, ASSUME that very thin layer of sponge padding was the remains of an elaborate padded dash. Not so! It was merely a paper-thin sponge layer meant to hide imperfections.

The dash pads would seem to be indestructable. After all, unless the vinyl, itself, was cut, what could happen to one? Plenty! That thin layer of sponge could, and did, disintegrate from heat or age. Remember, the bottom side of the sponge was glued to the cardboard stiffener. As soon as the sponge "dissolved", there was no physical connection between the vinyl and the cardboard. Then, the "jillion" holes cast into the cardboard to act as outlets for radio speaker noises acted as a perfect trap for moisture. Moisture destroys cardboard just put a cardboard box in the rain. Many a restorer, looking at the crumpled mess on top of their dash, noted the vinyl fabric was completely intact. So, if only they could get an intact cardboard stiffener, the vinyl could be reused. Presto. A renewed dash pad. But, dash pad cardboard was universally shot.

To repeat: Karmann Ghia dash pads, in the pre-68 era, were never intended to be soft safety devices. If cardboard was the backing, it was only because "cardboard" (paper mache') was cheaper than steel or bricks. Only as VW began to comply with increasingly strict US mandated safety regulations, did a true padded dash adorn a Ghia.

Q #81-(Exhaust Systems): I can't drive my '71 Ghia more than a few miles without my eyes stinging. The car also smells as if it is burning, but I've checked closely and no oil or gasoline is dripping, or is on fire. My wife thinks it is carbon monoxide, but I keep reminding her, you can't smell carbon monoxide.
Brad, (area code 401)

A #81: Brad, stop! Do not pass Go! Head straight for your mechanic. The symptoms you describe are classics. Your exhaust system is poisoning you. Chances are your engine's exhaust / heating system is rust riddled. The part that has probably failed is called the heat exchanger. Your car is, at best, a nasty environment in which to breathe. At worst, it is a gas chamber. Fix it immediately. And, for a permanent cure, don't go penny bonkers on me and buy a handful of muffler tape from Sleaze Auto Parts, so you can do a cheapo repair. Replace the parts, don't just patch them.

Now, about that carbon monoxide! Brad, you get an A in trivia memory. Carbon monoxide IS odorless. But, you get a D+ in both logic and science. Just because what you are smelling is nasty, and noxious, doesn't mean carbon monoxide isn't present. Carbon monoxide is odorless, remember. It is a by-product of incomplete combustion. Those hydrocarbons stinging your eyes are likely unburned, or partially burned, fuel. Carbon monoxide is created by many of the same chemical reactions that make your eyes smart.

Volkswagen exhaust systems (on mid-'60's and later cars) are no more prone to unhealthy exhaust leaks than any other car. And, because the cockpit is perched before the engine / muffler system, a simple muffler leak isn't as likely, as in a front engined car, to turn deadly. But, one part, the heat exchanger, can "wear" or rust out. Heat exchangers are stout. But, after 3 or 4 muffler replacements, even a sturdy heat exchanger can be rust-rotten. When that happens, an air-cooled VW's heating system actually begins to pump nasty exhaust into the cockpit. Your car is actively trying to poison you. Don't mess around. Replace those heat exchangers.

Post Script: Now that we've told you what must be done, it would be nice to say, it is an easy and cheap to do task. Not necessarily so. Quality heat exchangers are hard to find. A light-weight unit gets that way because lots of the internal components are mere sheet metal. Heavy-duty components are heavy cast metal. Remember, rust is what caused you to replace the heat exchanger in the first place. Which will rust thru fastest thin walled sheet metal tubes, or thick wall cast pipe. Bet on the cast pipe!

Q #82 - I wrote to VW in Germany and they sent me information about the "birthday" of my car, and the kind of options on the car when it was born. But, the info is a series of codes or #'s. Can you tell me what is meant by option 976?
Bill C.

A #82 - Good news Bill! A look at the front of any official VW parts manual will always feature a list of the optional extras. In VW speak, "M code options", because the options numbers are always prefaced by the letter M. For example: M9 is an automatic transmission; M138 is seal beam headlites for export markets, (that's VW speak for the United States); M261 is an additional outer RH rear view mirror; etc.
I looked up the code in a paper Karmann Ghia parts book, dated Oct. 71. Now, an Oct.71 parts book would list parts and options for all Ghias up thru the beginning of the 72 model yearremember, 72 model Ghias were being produced from August 1, 1971 but, I could find no mention of an option M976. It didn't look good. Option numbers are carried forward for decades. No such option number for pre-72 Ghias showed up. One last chance! I looked up that "M" number in an August 72 Bug parts book. This has got to be one of the last paper parts list books VW ever produced; because from the 73 model year forward, VW solely use microfiche. Wouldn't you know! M976 is wheel disc in sport version from Ch # 113 -200-000 and up. (In other words, from Beetle model year 73 and up.) So, your car came from the factory with sport wheels. Remarkable! This is the first proof I've ever had that Karmann Ghias could also have carried optional or sport wheels. (The sport wheel in question looks like it has a cast-in cross in the center of the steel wheel.)
Sport Wheels were a factory option on Beetles, as well as a dealer installed option on all cars in the line. (Sporty wheels were very popular among VW dealers trying to make an extra buck on each sale. Note the popularity of the Riveria Mags, sold by the regional distributor for the Northwest United States, Riveria Motors.) One VW vehicle these wheels came on was the 914 and 916, mid-engine car sold by VW to Porsche. Porsche loyalists despised putting a Porsche badge on well, a VW, but because of the racing nature of some of these VW/Porsche's; 5 1/2 inch wide, and the more common 4 1/2 inch wide sport wheels were/are available.

Q #83-(Bumper Dilemma): "and the #!!x*+ dealer," the voice on the phone is obviously upset, "wants over $1,000 bucks for a Ghia front bumper!" The voice is from New Jersey. Perhaps that explains the distraught tone! No! His voice just hit high C. " so, I took my bumper to a chrome shop. The guy did a super job on my new American car when it was involved in a bumper bash. But, the son of a #!x*, wants nearly $500 to rechrome my Ghia bumper. What goes on?"
Distraught in New Jersey

A #83: What's happening? "Angry in New Jersey" has stumbled on two separate, but related, outrages. For nearly a decade and a half, an ENTIRE Karmann Ghia was priced in America below $2,500. Even as late as 1972, the price of a Ghia was within easy spitting distance of that figure. Now, JUST the bumper assemblies, over the parts counter, cost that much. And, "Bug" bumper blades go for under $20. If there is any justice in the universe, some VW of A executive will spend his eternity in Hades justifying to Satan that pricing decision.

Which leads us to the second rip-off! The New Jersey rechromer didn't make his estimate on time and materials. Oh, to be sure, old time craftsmen did it this way. But, now, they turn to a flat-rate parts manual, look up the cost of a new bumper, and charge the customer HALF of new cost!

Is there any way out of this "Catch-22" situation? Maybe! Ask your old car buddies where they have their chrome work done. Shops that do classic cars generally work on a time and materials plus basis. Even then, the $100 chrome job went the way of slide rules, 6 oz cokes and modesty in movies.

What do you do if you have bent, missing, or unchromable bumpers? Did you realize that the bumpers break down into numerous parts? Even long time Ghia owners have sworn to me that their bumper face was one piece. It's three! That means, with enough dogged searching, a "totally bashed", used bumper may have a salvageable piece or two that you can use on your car. Seven wrecked bumpers to make one good one; that's my record.

One old-time solution was to adapt the bumpers from Volvos of the era. You know, the Volvos that looked like a '46 Ford. The bumpers resemble Ghia "bangers" but, it requires metal fabrication on the brackets or braces.

Do your bumpers have to be chrome? The "Cal look", or individually customized look, has freed many a Ghia owner from the tyranny of authenticity. If your bumpers aren't tweeked, bashed or broken, just need a new surface finish, why not consider some of the new "powder" technologies. Any phone book in mid-sized, or larger cities, should give you a host of metal coating options besides chrome.

However, beware! Many pilots of Detroit iron parallel park by sound. The tinkle of bumpers kissing is their clue that they've parked correctly. That kiss could be a $1,000 smack, if you've gone bumperless. So, get some sort of protection up front. The sensuously sculptured Ghia front end is enormously vulnerable.

POSTSCRIPT: Distraught phoned during the mid-eighties. He would be even angrier now! Almost no bumper parts are currently available from VW. But, what few bumper pieces were still available during the Bush administration, became so expensive (because of a "weak" dollar), an entire front bumper, across the parts counter cost $2,500. The rear bumper costs a few hundred more. The parts are not available, but the prices live on. They live on in flat-rate, or estimating, parts manuals.

Just how does your body shop give you such a fast estimate when your everyday Honda or Chevy, is involved in a fender bender? They quickly look up the costs in a Mitchell, or Chilton's, "flat-rate" parts book. Then, they add up the cost listed for the parts that must be replaced. That becomes your parts costs. Then, they add the flat-rate for removing / replacing, say, a fender. Image the "book" says 1.5, meaning 1.5 hours, is allotted for the "average" mechanic to complete the task. It might take "ole four thumbs" twice as long to replace the fender. The mechanic nicknamed "Swifty" might actually take only an hour to do the deed. What dollars do each shop get for the fender replacement? Why, they get a flat-rate of 1.5 hours times the shop's charge for labor. Let's say both shops charge $50 an hour. Both shops will receive $75 in labor for a fender change. Most of you can instantly see both good and bad points to the flat-rate system. But, shops like it because it allows for fast estimating. Many body shops write 3 estimates for each actual repair job. No wonder they value fast estimating.

But, other businesses in the collision parts industry have hijacked the body shop estimating tool for their own purposes. Suppose you're Junkyard Joe, and you're tired of giving, off the top of your head, quotes on used Honda fenders. So, you buy into a flat-rate estimating program. Now, in a flash, you can look up in a book (or call up on a computer) the new cost of that Honda fender. Quick as a wink, you can give the inquiring customer a cost on the same fender. Typically, one half of the new price. Consistent! Fast! And, if Junkyard Joe has a tummyache one day, he can stay home, secure in the knowledge that his hired help won't blunder disasterously and give away his inventory.

The problem? While the parts are long gone, that outrageous price for a Karmann Ghia bumper piece is still in the flat-rate system.

George Greed, chrome shop owner, once estimated bumper rechroming by using a time / materials plus profit basis. Now, he takes the fast, easy way out and looks up, in an estimating book, the cost of the part, and you guessed it charges one half of new for rechroming the used part. As long as outrageously priced Ghia bumpers are remembered by flat-rate estimating firms, shops, like Greed Chrome, Inc., will use these outrageous figures, from parts estimating programs, in order to establish chrome prices. The solution, then as now, is to find a chrome shop, like antique / classic rechromers, still using a cost plus pricing basis.

Q #84: My fuel gauge does not work. The gauge is the German version (1974 model coupe) and the connection at the right side does not register when tested with a test light. The sending unit's wire element, inside unit was burnt (I took it out of the gas tank and took sending unit apart). I installed a new sending unit hoping that that would fix my problem but the gauge still doesn't check out. The other connections on the gauge do test properly though.

A #84: I thought I'd heard from every last '74 Ghia owner in the world about their non-working fuel gauge. But, Mike, your '74 was unknown to me. Bet you can see what's coming. Your problem falls into the category of a design flaw. Even worse! I'm going to sound like a doctor who says, "The pain in your big toe will go away if I pull one of your badly decayed bicuspids." There doesn't seem to be any connection between the problem and the solution.

Let's go back to the beginning. Sometime in the middle of the 1973 model year, VW updated the Ghia clock. All previous Ghia clocks were electro / mechanical devices and were based on a technology several hundred years old. The electro portion of the clock was merely that electricity wound the mechanical spring. The spring, as it unwinds, delivers a uniform amount of energy to power the clock.

One quiet evening, I was sitting in my garage admiring my '66 coupe, when the car gave out with a loud click. For the next five minutes, or so, I methodically tried to track down the source of the click. Just as I was about to give up, it happened again. It was the clock drawing a momentary jolt of juice from the battery and winding the spring. The noise would be drowned out by the everyday hustle and bustle of life. But, in the quiet of the the night, the clock click sounds like thunder. All Ghia electro / mechanical clocks fed this way, with a resulting clicking noise.

One problem with a spring-wound clock. Accuracy. Losing or gaining 5 minutes a day is not unusual. Losing only 5 minutes a week is extraordinary for an automotive clock. Quartz clocks are today's high tech answer to the old "Swiss clock". The advantage in quartz is two-fold. Accuracy and cost. No wonder they swiftly dominated the market.

However, quartz clocks need to be fed differently. No longer was an occasional burst of electricity sufficient. These newfangled babies need a constant, if tiny, jolt of electricity.

Now, Mike, I know what you're thinking. "I asked for help with my gas gauge, and this weirdo is giving me a lecture on the history of timepieces." Stick with me.

Your gas gauge is housed in the same large instrument that houses the clock. When making the change over to quartz clocks, the factory was forced to install what they call a "vibrator" (or an exciter). A different vibrator is used in '67 and up Beetle speedometers that also carry a gas gauge. Something about the wiring or electrical flow makes this vibrator necessary in quartz-clocked cars. Earlier Ghias use essentially the same system, EXCEPT that they use a spring-wound clock, and so, don't require a vibrator.

If this vibrator goes bad, you guessed it, your gas gauge suffers. I KNOW! I KNOW! The vibrator was installed because of the clock, but when it goes bad, your gas gauge acts up. It doesn't compute! Illogical things like this just don't happen in a logical world. Nevertheless, a bum vibrator is what's probably causing you grief. Here's some good news. After not being available for 2 decades, a quality, solid state reproduction is being hand-crafted. Not only is this a far better vibrator, but it's cost is less than half what VW wants for a similar item. By the time this explanation gets to you, House of Ghia should have the $29.95 gismos in stock.

The existence of this device is a direct result of all those phone calls from '74 Ghia owners. I figure if a fella can't correctly spell electronik, he'd better enlist, on his behalf, someone who can. So, the very talented John Thomas, he of tachometer and clock fame, devised these neat solutions to a complex problem. No, they are not an exact, visual duplicate, of your original. But, if a show judge is draped over your car's fender, in such a way he can be eye-ball to eyeball with this non-stock vibrator, he has put a very vulnerable part of his anatomy on view of any photographer bent on extortion and blackmail.

(Now remember! The vibrator may allow your fuel gauge to read accurately, but your clock still might not work. When the vibrator failed, your clock was fried and the fuel gauge began doing a violent fox trot or a lethargic soft shoe. We can repair the clock, but the turn around time approaches two months at best, and one or more lifetimes at worst. Until we get a sufficient number of rebuildable 1974 clock/fuel gauge units we won't be able to send these items out on an exchange basis. Sending your instrument to us to be rebuilt, could take months and months. Solution? Look at the fabuously accurate quartz timepiece on your wrist.)

Q #85-(Gearshift Lock): My Karmann Ghia is a 1964 coupe, 143. I paid for it here and took delivery in Munich.

I was particularly interested in your piece regarding owner manuals not representing the models they were part of. In my case, the manual shows the ignition switch on the dashboard; however, my car has the ignition switch as a gearshift locking device at the base of the shift.

In the parts department of my VW dealer, the ignition switch for my car doesn't show on the micro-fiche. I have talked with a very few VW mechanics who have seen that kind of an ignition switch. The switch has worn out; however, my brother has been able to repair it. But now, it is "kaputt".

I searched for a replacement in Europe in auto graveyards, but found only two Karmann Ghias, neither of which had the switch I needed.

Please tell me the history of the type of switch I have. My Karmann Ghia is an export model, so I am curious to learn why it was not used on every Karmann Ghia that year. Was it used on subsequent models?
George T., Newport Beach, CA

A #85: Think "Sperrwolf". That's the German advertising name given to the gearshift lock acting as an anti-theft device. A gearshift lock was a common accessory in Europe on both Bugs and Ghias. In fact, it is one of the few parts we think of as a VW accessory, actually listed in official VW parts books. Your dealer didn't look in the right area of the microfische. The accessory / tool section of the parts book, under main group O (zero) is where it would be found. The official VW part # for the ignition switch gear shift lock is 113-016-051C. Note: The fourth number, the number for the main group, is zero. For those familiar with VW part numbers, seeing a zero there is a bit unusual.

If you still have the original papers or order form, M59 is the order code for a gearshift lock. Two styles of lock were available. One style was merely a gear shift lock. But, the 1962 thru 1966 models used a lock that also contained the ignition switch.

A forklift! Forget or lose your key, and that's the only way you will be able to move a Ghia with a locked "Sperrwolf". So, they were very effective. But, spare parts for them are almost non-existent. Spares for any keys, locks and tumblers are tough to find; but, wouldn't you know, the key and lock for a "Sperrwolf" are unique, and thus, truly scarce. Electrical or switch components are dinosaurs.

The earlier shift lock could be retro-fitted to cars in a dealer's showroom; but, the device with a built-in ignition switch was most likely installed on the assemblyline. This must have caused some grief, because with Ghias, we are talking about TWO separate assemblylines. The pan, engine, and suspension came to the Karmann plant already assembled. That included the gear shift. Karmann added the body. If there wasn't a "Sperrwolf", a hole for the dash-mounted ignition switch would need to be cut not at Wolfsburg, at the Karmann factory in Osnabruck. All American market cars got the hole, because (as we have seen) VW of A was the buyer of all "official" American export cars and was a penny-pincher extraordinaire. Shiftlocks cost a few pennies more than a separate ignition switch!

Besides, automotive "do-gooders", like Ralph Nader, were beginning to tame some of Detroit's wilder excesses. One game Detroit stylists began to play in the late '50's was "Buttons, buttons, where are the shift butttons". Stylists and engineers tried to outdo each other in coming up with "gee-whiz" and imaginative locations for the shift buttons (not lever) controlling the automatic transmission. The Edsel's sole claim to automotive innovation is that it was first to have steering wheel mounted shift buttons. Many Chrysler Corp cars and other marques used a vertical dash mounted lever to the left of the wheel. But, guess where the radio controls were? An inattentive Mopar driver, borrowing a friend's Edsel could think he was calling up the latest Elvis hit when in fact he had just shifted into reverse. KRASH! Soon it began to dawn on the public that "hide and seek" controls were dangerousespecially for the poor soul who occasionally has to jump from one make and model to another. By the early '60's, Washington began demanding standardized controlsespecially shift patterns and locations.

A floor mounted ignition switch was unconventional. VW's already forced drivers to accept a host of wierd, unusual controls. VW of A didn't want to encourage the wrath of the regulators, so it chose the economical, unglamorous, uncontroversial solutiona dash mounted ignition switch.

Strange about that hole in the dash! With identical dash mounted ignition switches, some early '60's Ghia used a rubber grommet around the ignition switch hole; some didn't. For a long while, this difference didn't make sense to me. Why would some switches fit tightly thru the dash hole, and other Ghias need a grommet at the hole. But, if you understand the accessory gearshift lock, and the need to drill the dash if a car DIDN'T run the ignition switch lock; then the grommet makes sense. And, sure enough, the rubber grommet, lining the hole in the dash was used only on'64-'66 Ghias with a drilled metal dash.

The idea of a shift lock seems so sound, it is hard to believe the lock idea was essentially abandoned after '66. Recently, a repro parts supplier has reproduced the version with just the lock. It also fits the orphan '67, and later, cars.

So, George, your car may have been ordered from a Munich dealer, but I'll bet he took a Euro-market Ghia sitting in his showroom, and converted it to American specs right on the spot. The "surgery" may have been no more severe than changing the color of your taillite lenses (all red for the American market). Your owner's manual shows a dash mounted switch because you have the ENGLISH language version of the manual.

In another Ghia Gab, I'll explain how to truly tell if you have a Euro-market car or an American-market Ghia.

Q #86 (Glass Rear Window): Would you send me pictures and diaghrams, so I can install a later Ghia glass rear window in my '66 cabriolet?
Jason R., Australia

A #86: This is one of those questions that never die! Readers with good memories may remember we have answered this question at least twice before.

If you asked historians to list the 7 inventions that made the modern world possible. One of those pivotal developments would be the invention of the Keystone Arch. The Karmann Ghia glass rear window opening is created by the clever adaption of the Keystone Arch principle. So, Jason, the problem you face in installing a glass rear window into your Ghia convertible, designed for a plastic window, is not merely a change in materials, it requires engineering changes. Those Karmann designers made a lot of important modifications to the rear area of convertibles intended to run a glass window. In my opinion, they are not changes that can be made to an earlier 'vert without having a donor car nearby from which to rob the necessary panels, channels, braces, tubes and brackets.

Take a canvas wall as big as a garage door. A lightweight window, say a meter square, can easily be made of clear plastic. But, if the garage owner insisted on a glass window, the engineering problems would increase dramatically. Still, if the canvas was strong enough, the window could "hang" from the canvas. Now, let's put the canvas garage door at a 45 degree angle. (Your Ghia rear window is at an angle.) Gravity is now an enemy. Not only does the heavy glass tug at the canvas from every direction (instead of just straight down); the window no longer hangs on the same plane as the majority of canvas. No matter how tauntly the canvas is drawn, the heavier glass will create a depression. Worse, if you ever remove the glass (a folding rear window, remember!) the new opening in the canvas will be about as baggy as a pair of long-johns with the rear flap dropped.

Don't want a sagging window? What's needed is a stout arch! In canvas? Sure, if the arch is stout wire, and the tauntness and tension of the canvas is channeled into making the wire, arch-shaped. An arch gives the necessary strength to support the opening WITH or WITHOUT the glass in place. Other problems! To mount the glass rear window hinges, the rear opening must be dramatically changed. Look at the curving area where the wooden tack strip holding the convertible top to the body, looks like a wooden trim strip lining the top edge of a bathtub. Certainly, the smooth walls of the back of your convertible body should remind you of a bathtub. (In fact, the rear area of open cars, starting in pre-Model T days, so resembled that mundane bathroom device; to this day that portion of a 'vert is called a "tub".) Karmann couldn't attach a folding glass window to the edge of a bathtub. So, every piece of sheet metal visable from the outside of the car stayed the same, but the inner structural metal was moved back by 6 or 8 inches.

Think of the outer sheet metal around the back of your convertible's rear compartment as a toilet seat instead of a bathtub. The nearest porcelin is not at the very edge of the seat opening, as it is at the edge of a bathtub, it is recessed several inches away. So, too is the vertical sheetmetal making up the convertible "tub" ON GLASS REAR WINDOWED GHIAS.

To install a curving wall inside a Ghia "tub" is the home builder's equivalent of "redecorating" by moving a brick wall outward two feet. Worse! Brick walls have known, measurable dimensions. Every millimeter of a curving rear "tub" is unique. To find yourself 6000 miles from the nearest Ghia from which you can take measurements, makes the task practically impossible. This is not something the average panel-beater should attempt. It also means an early Ghia convertible top, one that is held to the body by a wooden tack strip ('58-'66) can not be installed in a glass windowed car ('60-'74).

Q #87 - How do I keep water out of my license light lens? I've broken two lens trying to seal them to the metal thing. Is there a solution?
Phone conversation; J.B., NY, NY. Response inspired by Sandra, Albuquerque, NM

A #87 - Karmann placed a rubber seal between the lens and the metal housing of what I call the license light "pod". Several repaints later, the seals are probably gone. Located a pair, they are cheap and excellent insurance that the license light bulbs and base won't corrode from moisture causing an almost impossible to find short in your entire electrical circuit. Then, look closely at your license light houseing... the "pod". The housings are cast in metal on all but the earliest cars. Somehow, a majority of the castings end up concave. No problem, until a restorer installs the absolutely flat bottomed lens in place. Then, even with the seal or gasket correctly installed, there is a disturbing gap. The tendency is to tighten up the lens mounting screws, "just on more turn" in order to draw up the lens. Crack City! The "ears" or mounting tabs on the lens break.
The solution is to use a very fine bead of silicone rubber sealant on the seal face that will contact the metal housing. Then when you normally tighten the screws the silicone glue will act as a sealant, giving you a gapless seal.

Q #88 - I've just noticed the circular holes in my car just in front of the rear wheels. Right now there's a kind of plug in the hole. One friend who has lots of Bugs says some body man cut the hold to pound out a dent in a panel he couldn't otherwise get to. Another friend says, "nonsense! That's where the factory removed the body from the mold." What going on here? I want a smooth "Cal-Look" body. Should I fill in the holes?
J.J. Portland, OR

A #88 - I hope you didn't learn about the birds and the bees from equally well-informed friends! Oh, well, celibacy is curable. That plug is called a camber adjusting port cover. Your Ghai uses torsion bar suspension fron and REAR. Basically, a torsion bar suspersion works by twisting a series of metal rods or bars. After a while, the torsion bars "fatigue" and don't have a much spring to them. The suspension sags. Most people don't mind a saggin front suspension; but if the rear sags your car looks like a camel with its arse dragging. Worse, the suspension is thown out of whack, the tires seem to be nodding to each other, and tire wear is increased. The suspension can be readjusted to compensate for "fatigue." But, only if there is access to the rear suspension. Don't "bondo" it in! Porsches, and Type 3's have a simular port for the same reason. Bugs don't because you can get to the torsion bars just below the running boards.

Q #89 - I've got this '65 Ghia with rotten floorboards and I want to restore the car, but... Can I take the pan from under my buddy's '63 Bug and bolt my body to it? He'll give me the Beetle if I haul it away?
K.R. Fresno, CA; R.B. Farifax, WV; N.N. Fife, WA; and several others asked identical questions, only the year of the transplant and recipient differed.

A #89 - No! I'll repeat that. NO! Somehow, after decades of effort by the VW magazines, the rumor persists. The Beetle and the Ghia are both considered Type 1's and unboltable mechanicle parts are identical (usually); but the pans or frames are differend. The difference is in th width. Ghias are about 5 inches wider and shaped differently. Incidentally, in spite of the Ghia's broader beam, it is a less flex prone pan. It makes a sturdier platform for the suspension to work from. Don't think that you can cut it out from a Bug, patch panels for the rusted out floor of your Ghia. That won't work either. The floors are altogether different, not the least of the differences are the seat track runners. Generally much wider on the Ghia.

Q #90 - My '66 Ghia has chrome horn blower levers that run along the spokes of the steering wheel. My buddy has a '65 Ghia with a kinda half-moon shaped horn ring. I've seen Bugs with this ype of ring, but which style is correct? Or, did they change to my more unique horn ring in '66?
Gene, Coral Springs, FL

A #90 - Your buddy has the correct horn ring. Because the rings are easily bent or broken by even the slightest heavy handed push on the ring, replacement of the horn ring is very common. Type 3 VWs (squarebacks, fastbacks, etc.) provided the cheapest, easiest to find, remedy for broken horn rings. That's what I suspect you have, a Type 3, two spoke "ring."

Q #91 - Karl, my friend, and I were kicking tires and talking about our favorite topic - Ghias, when this car drove by. It looked just like a mildly customized Corvair. So, I said, "Gee, look at the Corvair". Karl said, no, that it's a Karmann Ghia. Some European or South American Ghia, he says. I thought he was kidding, snipe hunts and all that. But Karl stubbornly stuck to his outrageous story. We chased after that car but couldn't find it again. Well, to make a long story short, we bet ___ bucks on the identity of the car. I know they made a European Ghia, so if you'd send us a picture of those other Ghias, I'll make him eat it without sugar and cream on it. P.S., Karl says only a Karmann Ghia expert would know about them European cars. You are an expert aren't you?
Ted, Beaverton, OR

A #91 - Sorry, I don't have a picture, but I can describe the Karmann Ghia build on a Type 3 pan. It looks like, at a quick glance, are you ready for this Ted, a customized Corvair! Honest! Incidentally, over 400,000 Type 3 Ghias or more correctly the Ghia 1500 were built. So, the car isn't rare in the sense that GT-40's or Dusebergs are rare. (Forty-three thousand in close to the number of a single seat '55 - '57 T-Birds built.) But, none were officially imported to the U.S. A few migrated from Canada; or were imported by individuals. So, in the states they approach lips on chickens for unusualness. Karl, if you value Ted's friendship, don't say. "I told you so."

Q # 92 - After 2 years searching thru swap meets, I finally found all the pieces for my bumpers. But, as I was test assembling the various pieces I discovered I didn't know how to adjust the rear corners. One rear bumper corner sticks forward about an inch more than the other corner. In fact, when test fitted to the car, this piece stuck into the wheel opening. How do I adjust the bumper so the tip of the corner doesn't stick into empty air?
Curt B., Plymouth MN.
...and the rear bumper tips have had the pointed end ground off...
Phone conversation. Angie W., St. Louis. (concerning a '68 Ghia)
Da(rnd)est thing! The ends of my rear bumper, (a 71) stick out into the wheel opening. Is this correct?
Note on write-in-order. Dan A., Atlanta, GA.

A #92 - Like Dan says, "It was the darndest thing!" I had been going with this girl, off and on for two years. Only then did it dawn on me. "Why, one (censored, slang for one part of female anatomy)is lower than the other!" I had always ASSUMED Mother Nature kept things on the level, so to speak.
Similarly, I had been a Ghia freak for over 10 years before I discovered that all Ghia rear bumpers were not alike. I had ASSUMED VW wouldn't minutely change an expensive part, like the rear bumper corner, and cause its own parts departments lots of grief. Was I naive! Let's go back to the beginning. In the mid-fifties, wheel openings were a stylist's playground. The changes in shape and size were truly memorable. In the name of "beauty", some cars wheel openings were so constricted, changing a flat tire was an ordeal. Virgil Exner, Chrysler's stylist, was in rebellion against the styling excess then practiced by Detroit. Function and form had taught his 'eye', "Elegance is created by simplicity!" (Detroit still hasn't fully learned this lesson!) Exner drawings, sent to the Ghia works in Italy, incorporated wheel openings using the most simple of designs: A half circle. Sure enough, when Ghia finished the Karmann Ghia proto-type and showed it to the Karmann firm's management, part of the proposal's elegance was the half circle wheel openings.
The production car took some liberties with the half circle concept, but Exner's intent is clearly evident.By the time of the first major revamping of the Ghia sheet metal (for the 1960 model year), stylists world- wide worshiped a new godspeed. The way to give a car the sensation of speed, of movement, even if the vehicle was at rest, was to subtly trim the back edge of the cars designed in "circles". The eye is tricked into "seeing" movement.So, the front wheel opening was "trimmed". Note, from 60-66, the Ghia wheel arch design is no longer "balanced".The front arch is more tapered than the rear
The next series of body changes came with the 67 model year. Most buffs consider the 60-66 body styling, truly classic. But, one aspect of the car's look grated on VW stylists of the 60's. The front wheel opening was nicely swept back, giving the illusion of movement. The rear wheel arch, however, harked back to Exner and the elegance school of styling. It was stubbornly a half circle in shape, even if incorporating some minor shaping done at the time when 3 taillite bulbs were added. The length of the rear bumper corner prevented stylists from opening the wheel arch. As is was, the tip of the bumper came within a sneeze of the opening.So, for 67, when engineers changed the rear suspension, stylists were given the OK to "add visual movement" even if it meant revising the bumpers.
Still can't believe that the rear bumper corners vary. (No other part of the rear bumper was changed.) Look closely at the two drawings of a rear bumper corner.

Quick field test: If two fingers fit between the bracket and the tip of the chrome, it is an early corner. If no fingers fit between the tip and the end, it's a late corner.The practical result? All late corners (and the present repros) fit all years. But, an early corner on a late car car will stick the bumper visably into the wheel opening. Late and early corners do not visually mix and match. So, be careful when assembling a bumper from a pile of used parts.By now, any reader should be able to answer the Ghia Gab questions. All of the questioners are trying to fit an early bumper corner (or entire bumper) on a late car (67 and up).
Dan, in particular, has a problem. For the 70 model year, VW fitted the car with a new taillite. A taillite with a built-in back-up lite. Wait a minute! If the car is fitted with wrap-around overrider tubes; when backing up, the lite from the new taillite lens will be blocked by corner tubes! To solve this problem, Karmann ended the rear tubes on the back of 70-71 Ghia bumpers instead of swinging them gracefully around the fender and having the tube end up on the flank of the car near the wheel opening.

Still not sure?

Measure to find out if your bumper corner is 66 or earlier.

Left Hand, rear, bumper tip

1956-66 A='s 12.5 inches 332 mm

1967-69 A='s 11.5 inches 292 mm

Cross section of rear bumper
tip at the point where corner
override tube touches the blade

58-69 B='s 28 mm

58-69 C='s 12 mm (diameter)

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