Qwik Tips
Welcome to the House of Ghia's, Ghia Gab's collection of
Qwik Tips
Got a question about a tip, or you'd like to submit one... ask
Mike Gregory
and we might add it to our list.
Table of Contents
Take me back to
the main page...
And now to the tips...
QWIK TIP 1: (Oil)
Everyone calls the Ghia's 4 cylinder engine . . . air-cooled. Actually,
it could just as easily be called, oil-cooled. Being the only fluid in a
Volkswagen engine, the oil has both a lubricating and cooling (or, at least,
heat soaking up) purpose. Detroit's gargantuan V-8 engines largely rely
on water to soak up excess heat. Besides, a big V-8 with 5 or 6 quart capacity oil pans, carry more "spare" oil than a Vee Dub's puny 2 3/4 quart (5.3 pint) system.
So, a low on oil VW engine, even if it is lubricating properly, can quickly suffer major heat damage. That's why checking your car's oil level regularly, and faithfully, is so important. Many "experts" expect you to ritualize the oil checking process, and do it before each morning's "start-up". That's too much to expect of all, but, the most rabid, car buff. Checking the oil at each gas fill up is, a do-able, reasonable, compromise. Just make sure it becomes a habit . . . your
engine will thank you.
QWIK TIP 2: (Know Your Model Year)
Knowing your Ghia's model year will help you quickly, and efficiently,
buy 90% of the parts needed for a rebuild. But, VW had a passion for introducing running changes throughout a model year. Knowing one's chassis number is the only way of assuring the right part, if the part has undergone mid-model year changes. Do you know your chassis number? Why not write it down on a self-sticking tag like a computer mailing label. Then, you can stick it on the back of a piece of I.D. you always carry in your purse or wallet. That way, when parts counter persons ask, "What's your chassis number?", you can quickly tell them; even if the Ghia is back home in the garage twenty miles away.
QWIK TIP 3: (Hub Cap Removal)
So, you gotta take the stock hub caps off. How? Well, everyone uses a
screw driver. WRONG! That's how all those dents got into the edge of your
beautiful wheel trim rings. The soft aluminum can't take any prying.
There is a simple solution. Look into the original tool kit that came
with the car. I know! You're thinking, "He's flipped! Gone bananas!
He's babbling again!" Not one in a hundred Ghias still have the original tool kit -- let alone the special hub cap removal tool. It's shaped so weird, that its purpose is incomprehensible to the novice. What you are looking for is a wire tool that looks like someone has taken a coat hanger and made a miniature cultivation rake, with two prongs, for a tiny window box garden. Now, look closely at the edge of your hub caps. There are two holes in the edge of the cap. Even long time VW freaks have told me, those holes are to drain water. Nope! Your hub cap removal tool prongs go into the holes. If you're Sampson, and have strong fingers, just grab the wire loop and pull. Better yet, put your screw driver, or jack-handle, thru the loop and pull. No fuss and your trim rings will stay unmangled for the life of your Ghia.
QWIK TIP 4: (Oil on lens screw)
A drop of oil on the tip of lens screws, keeps them from seizing. You
won't cobble up the screw head, when removing them months later. Try this
tip on any screw, where barbaric removal techniques would be highly visible,
or where it is impossible to find a replacement for a specialized screw
(i.e., dash switch escutcheon "screws", door hinge screws, special
screws / bolts on convertible top, etc.) Just don't put oil on electrical
connections. Also, remember, a little dab will do ya!
QWIK TIP 5: (Liquid Soap)
Liquid soap in squeeze bottles makes a fine lubricant for installing
windshield seals. Won't stain and can't effect paint, or fabric, like other
rubber lubricants. Plus, it offers easy, if messy, clean-up. Old Timers
even swear liquid soap "softens" rubber. Don't use soaps with
lots of additives. 99 and 44/100% pure. That's what you're looking for.
QWIK TIP 6: (Repaint)
Repainting your car? If you leave the glass and rubber in place, you'll
run the risk of paint overlapping the rubber, or building up, ever so slightly, on the junction of rubber to metal. Even the most careful masking will build up a nob, or bump, of paint at that point. Then, when you install your beautiful new rubber, you'll have a paint ridge as obvious as stretch marks on a bikini-clad centerfold. But, if you remove the glass, you can't drive it to the paint shop. Solution! Take a razor knife, or "Exacto blade", and cut the old rubber back a half to three-quarters of an inch all around the window. Then, paint away, safe in the knowledge that you can later remove the glass, and your new rubber will easily cover any edge marks.
QWIK TIP 7: (KQ-WGKA / KQ-WGKB)
Quick tip for wiper transmission to cowl seal. Ghias, thru '74, use a
seal shaped like a tire with a groove cut in the "tread" to seal
the wiper transmission shaft, as it passes through the cowl. By now, the
exposed side of that seal has been worn, sun bleached, painted, and has
turned positively ugly.
Solution: Take off the nut retaining the wiper shaft to the cowl, BUT
LEAVE THE COWL SEAL IN PLACE. Now, find a "broken" Bug master
cylinder repair kit, or even disassemble a junk VW master cylinder. The
main seals, in the master cylinder, have a hole in the center, the same
diameter as the threaded portion of the wiper shaft. Put it on, and tighten
the retaining nut and washer. The master cylinder seal will deform, just
the right amount, as the nut tightens up, to cover the original seal, and
actually conform to the thumb-sized upward protruding dimple Karmann manufactured in the cowl, where the wiper shaft comes out. Result! Instant "Cal-Look" for your wipers.
Caution: Do one side at a time, and remember, brake fluid ruins paint;
so clean any used master cylinder seals thoroughly.
QWIK TIP 8: (Rear deck script)
It is ironic that those who want to keep their Ghia in good shape, are
the ones most likely to destroy the chrome Karmann Ghia script on the rear
deck lid. One hamfisted swipe, with a soapy wash mitt, or a too enthusiastic
jab with a polish cloth, could give you alphabet soup. When washing, or
polishing, NEVER use a mitt, sponge, or rag near this script. The die-cast
script is frail beyond belief. Extreme care around it is mandatory. A soft
bristled toothbrush is an idea. In any case, treat it like your eyeball;
wash around it, gently.
Did you realize the Karmann Ghia script, on the rear deck lid, came in
two sizes? The KG script, on earlier Ghias, up thru '62, were almost a foot
long. But, with the addition of the Type III (or European) Karmann Ghia
to the line-up, a more petite script was developed, and used, to the end
of production. Note: The larger script is not available. The smaller script
(our K9-KG) won't fit script holes in early deck lids.
QWIK TIP 9: (Badge removal)
Ever notice cars, where the beautiful Karmann Ghia crest on the lower
right fender, seems to have cracked porcelain? That's the result of crude,
or enthusiastic, removal techniques. Someone has inserted a screwdriver
behind the badge, and twisted it, in order to pop the mounting studs from
the female plastic inserts that hold the badge to the fender. The metal
backing of the badge bends, but, the porcelain portion of the cloisonne
badge has no give. Instant desecration of a most unique Ghia feature.
Take your time in removing the badge. The screwdriver technique is as
good as any, but never twist. Back and forth from one stud to another gently
prying. Baby the process! Allow yourself 5 minutes, not 5 seconds, to remove the badge. Going to repaint the car? YOU remove the badge first. Not one body shop in a thousand will have the patience to remove the emblem correctly!
And, point out the female plastic mounting inserts, still left in the
fender, to your body man. One, ill-considered pass with a body grinder,
and you won't have any way to reinstall the emblem. In fact, never assume
anything when dealing with body shops. More than one friend has had a "helpful" body shop putty up the depression constructed, in the fender, to house the badge because, they "assumed", it was a "dent".
QWIK TIP 10: (Remove Emblem Badge)
Quick tip for fender mounted emblem badge removal. Put away those screw
drivers. Pick up an inside door handle clip remover. You know, the kind
used on American cars with a notch for the winder shaft and two broad blade-like fingers. Works like a charm, much broader base to "pry" from,
so, no cracked porcelain. If you don't have one, they're only a couple of
bucks from a discount auto store.
Tip outlined by Larry of Unlimited Vee Dub, Vancouver WA
QWIK TIP 11: (Lic Plate Clamps)
Detailing the front license plate clamps:
On '58 thru '71 Ghias, the front license plate is held by clamps that
hang the plate from the front overrider tube. The clamps easily, and obviously, come apart. Disassemble. Using a small disposable artist's brush, or even a Q-tip, paint the metal band with the touch-up paint that you shrewdly asked your painter to mix-up. When dry, the rubber surround will cover up numerous sins and, even the fact you brush painted. But, that dab of color on the bumper looks trick, costs next to nothing, and shows you care.
QWIK TIP 12: (Plastic Hoses)
Quick tip for installing plastic hoses. Later convertibles use a plastic
hose to drain the rear window trough. The tubing is about the diameter of
a thumb, with walls as thick as those on a garden hose. The connection is
intended to be a slip fit. Samson, Hercules, Mighty Mouse, all would have
trouble muscling the "fat" hose up over the same sized nipple.
Solution! Stick the tip of the plastic hose in a container of warm water
for a moment before installing. The heat makes the plastic much more pliable.
This tip works on a host of other plastic tubing connections, such as on
the complex windshield washer system. Some true rubber hoses don't respond
well to hot tub therapy, but composition, or artificial, rubber does. Just
don't use this technique on that web of pollution control tubing infecting
late cars. You'll run the risk of adding moisture to your fuel system.
Tip suggested by Holger Berthelsen, El Sobrante CA
QWIK TIP 13: (66 Quik Trim Repair)
66 GHIA ONLY ! "In one of your tips and hints, you
suggest that the owner of a '66 Ghia should take the worn-out trim on his
dash to a plastic re-chroming place to be restored. You also indicated the
price would be high. Well, for anyone who isn't a super-perfectionist, I
have another solution. Put some aluminum muffler tape over the rim. Of course, it isn't as easy as it sounds, but with patience, you can get it so the tape follows the contours of the trim without bubbles or folds."
(Thanks to Dwane Downing for this tip.)
QWIK TIP 14: (Bras)
Caution -- nose bras (or vinyl insect/stone guards) were never intended
to be a permanent addition to your Ghia. A "bra" that isn't periodically removed, cleaned, and dried, can cause damage. Let me count the ways.
1) A wet inner lining can hold moisture next to the paint. Then, a warm
summer day, black vinyl to absorb heat, and temperatures near boiling can
be created. This super-heated water is damaging to some types of paint.
2) Dust and dirt collects near the edge of the bra; just like it does
when you're wearing a face mask in a dusty area. Now, if the air flow moves
or "works" that area of the bra, the dirt acts like sandpaper,
and the slight movement of the vinyl bra acts like a vibrating grinder.
A beautiful scar is created.
3) On flat panels, a bra can rest evenly across the sheet metal. On a
sensuously curved body, the bra rests only on a few high points. If air
flow creates "drumming", this flapping can damage paint -- particularly at the high point.
What to do? Simply remove your bra occasionally. Then, ask yourself,
"Am I putting this back on to protect my car's paint from the yearly
invasion of Kamikaze insects, or because I'll be traveling a gravel road?
Or, am I putting this on to stroke my ego? Being "with it", "cool", in style, modern, and conforming can do wonders for your ego, but, stroking your ego, can be costly to your paint job! Put your bra on your maintenance schedule.
QWIK TIP 15: (Dash Buffer)
Tamara Dieterich has a great tip for those looking for a steering column
to dash buffer; you know, it fits in the steering column to dash clamp.
Well, Ghias thru '66, may want to consider using a sink disposal drain seal.
Tamara used a seal from a Model CD863070 Stanley disposal. Isn't human ingenuity great!
QWIK TIP 16: (Saving dash pads)
The sun is an enemy of your dash pad. Harsh sunlight, and ultra-violet
rays, dry out and cook exposed vinyl. There are lots of commercial "dash savers"; but, they are expensive, and are generally applied as a spray. Spray application is just fine, EXCEPT the spray covers everything. Silicones and other "secret ingredients" then create a hard to remove scum on your windshield. Suppose later, you repaint your car. Paint imperfections can show up many feet away from where you thought you were spraying. Sure, pre-paint prep is supposed to take care of such problems, but . . .
Why not use the stuff dash pad manufacturers use on their own cars. Vasoline. Just rubbing in a little dab will do ya. Much cheaper than commercial sprays. The only drawback is that it must be wiped on, then wiped off.
QWIK TIP 17: (Carpet / Glue)
Looking for a way to install your new carpet kit? Buy a quart of waterproof, indoor / outdoor carpet cement from a local discount store. It'll be much cheaper than 3 or 4 cans of aerosol carpet cement. (Besides, the human tendency is to use the spray cans inside the car. Do you really believe the sprayed glue / goop will only land precisely where it's wanted?) An applicator can be made from an old, cheap, pocket comb. Bust out every other tooth. Spread the glue on the carpet back. If the glue looks like a plowed, furrowed farmer's field, you've done it just right. Now, don't overdo it! Believe me. Someday, for some reason, you'll want to lift up the carpet. Every inch of carpet doesn't need to be gooped in order to hold it in place.
QWIK TIP 18: (Mirrors / Water)
Want to clean your car's interior? Don't use one of those window washer
spray bottles on your '67-'74 Ghia interior light / mirror assembly. Why?
Because your car's interior mirror could quickly get, what I call, "mouse-nibbles". View your glass mirror as a piece of cheese. "Mouse-nibbles" are the little chunks of darkness found around the edge of the mirror. Obviously, something "nibbled" the silvering off the back of the mirror. Moisture is the culprit. Water gets behind the mirror and attacks the silvering. Of course, a thin layer of silvering is all it takes to make a piece of glass a mirror. Unless you spit on your mirror for luck, the most likely source of moisture comes from cleaning it. Clean your mirror with the proverbial damp cloth. For clean vision's sake, don't spray cleaner directly on the glass; it will run down the glass, seep behind the mirror frame and "attack" the silvering. (Earlier Ghia mirrors also have problems with self-destructing silvering, but moisture isn't as likely to be the cause.)
QWIK TIP 19: (Int Lite Lens)
Got a 1965 thru 67 Ghia with a missing, impossible to find, interior
lite lens? S. Gaeta suggests cutting a plug of plexiglass (or metal or wood)
to just fit the shape of the lens opening. Then, with a small scrap of vinyl, fabric, or ?; cover the plug. A tiny tuff of cotton would even pad your lens opening insert. Once installed, it could so well blend into the other interior fabrics, it would look factory. Or, it could be so contrasting, it could add a neat center of visual interest. Either way, the cyclops-like opening would be covered.
QWIK TIP 20: (Fuses)
Lurch, an acquaintance, commits an act of thoughtless barbarism. To impress some of his buddies, and to prove your Ghia's 2 jillion watt stereo draws blood, he cranks the decibles to intolerable. Lurch has just blown your eardrums, your speakers, your friendship, and a fuse. Do you carry spare fuses? No! Your mega-thousand dollar Ghia has been immobilized for lack of a part costing pennies. For well under a dollar, stock Ghias could carry an assortment of 8 and 16 amp ceramic-style fuses. Do it! It's cheap insurance against being stranded.
QWIK TIP 21: (Chassis #)
Have you memorized your chassis number? No! How, then, will you respond
when the parts person says, "There were two different widgets used
in your model year. To know which one to sell you, we'll need your chassis
number."
Why not take one of those stick on dot labels, record your chassis number
and then, stick it to the back of your driver's license, insurance information card, or other always carried, quick to locate wallet info. I can guarantee you'll need your chassis number, at some point in rebuilding your Ghia, and unless you carry the number with you, you won't have it handy.
QWIK TIP 22: (Lug Nuts)
Need to temporarily cinch down a VW lug nut . . . but you don't have
a lug wrench? A 3/4 inch socket from an American tool set works as a temporary lug nut tightener. Just don't expect a 3/8 inch drive socket, or ratchet, to survive taking OFF a well cinched down lug nut.
QWIK TIP 23 ('66 Dash Trim)
Restoring the "chrome", plastic, dash trim of your '66 Ghia.
Dennis Chungsuggests trying bare metal foil for detailing models. It comes
in 6x12 inch cards for about $4.00 each, and is available at well-stocked
hobby stores. To apply it, simply remove it from the wax backing, apply
the foil to the part, burnish the foil into the nooks and crannies, and
trim off any excess. The result is a very realistic chrome-look. The foil
is so thin, that even wrinkles, on curved surfaces, can be burnished down
for a smooth finish. It is available in "chrome", black, gold,
and matte finish.
QWIK TIP 24 (Pedal pads):
Thomas, in San Diego, has a sad story leading to an expensive lesson.
Remember those rubber pedal pads that wore out and dropped off your clutch
and brake pedal? "Yeah, those. I've been meaning to get new ones. Maybe
I'll get some next month."
Replace them! NOW! Don't rely on just the metal pedal. A tad of moisture
on your shoe, a metal pedal (even if it's grooved); and you're headed toward
a slippery future. Thomas stabbed at the brake and TWICE in the same heartbeat.
Still, his shoe slipped off the metal pedal. Ultimately, it wasn't the car's
brakes that stopped his Ghia. So, he's spending a thousand and two dollars
for pedal pads. Two dollars for OEM quality pads, that won't wear-out in
3 months like the cheapo repros, and about four figures to fix up his crumpled sheet metal.
QWIK TIP 25: (E. Brake Boot)
Does your new emergency brake boot sprout holes? The threaded adjusting
end of your emergency brake cable is poking a hole whenever anyone, or anything, rests on the boot. Try jamming a toothpaste tube cap (or something similar) onto the sharp cable end. It will remove easily, stay in place firmly and, in effect, spread the cable end out over a larger area. No more holes in your emergency brake boot.
QWIK TIP 26: (Gas Odor)
A recent Ghia Gab article highlighted gasoline odor problems. The article
spotlights, but didn't detail, a prime odor source: '61-'65 tank-mounted
mechanical fuel gauge units. A rubber gasket, about the size of a silver
dollar, can fail after 30 years. A few creative Ghia buffs have developed
solutions for replacing this seal. However, the only reasonable solution,
for a torn gasket, is to replace the entire tank sending unit. Fortunately,
new units are cheap and common. So, if you have a '61-'65 Ghia / Bug with
fuel odor problems; the prime suspect is a tank sending unit with a ruptured
bladder.
QWIK TIP 27: (Fixing Clocks)
Internally, Ghia clocks are no more difficult to work on than any other
electro-mechanical clock of the era. The toughest problem is to break into
the clock in the first place. The seamless, chrome band, used to hold the
glass to the main portion of the clock body, takes experience to remove,
without messing up the band something fierce. Suppose you messed up the
band from lack of experience. Where would you get another new one? Yep!
Even, the best known resident of Hades, won't be able to get the band. O.K.,
let's say you have a spare clock. On the second try, you cobble up this
band less than on your first attempt. But, it still looks, well, bungled.
So, you find a third, and maybe a fourth, clock to practice on. Finally,
on the fifth try, you've learned how to do it. Congratulations, you've only
ruined four clocks in order to fix one! Suppose you, a brain surgeon, had
a patient survival rate of 1 in 5; why, your nick-name would be Dr Death!
Lots of restoration tasks involve this type of initially high learning curve. Unless you're going into the clock repair business, send your clock out to be fixed by someone who has already made all the "dumb" mistakes.
QWIK TIP 28: (Mounting Rear Seat Speakers)
To mount rear seat speakers on 1969 1/2-74 convertibles, John L has a
good tip! The plastic hinge covers, House of Ghia makes, are much sturdier
than originals, and would hold an average-sized speaker without too much
trouble. John wanted to use 6x9 speakers with magnets just shy of polar
pulling power. Weight threatened to be a problem. Solution!
Locate the stout, grooved, metal supports visible when the hinge covers
are removed. You can't miss these pieces of metal, they look like miniature
versions of highway guard rails. Then, find a piece of sheet aluminum, 1/8
or so inches thick; tall and wide enough to accomodate the speaker and fit
between the "guard rails". John was able to find a spot where
the aluminum plate was hidden behind the plastic hinge covers, yet, 2 screws
would support one end of the plate, and the nut for the seat belt screw
held the other end. The plastic hinge covers, thus, don't have to support
any of the speaker, although a hole must cut thru them.
QWIK TIP 29: ('66 Dash Chrome)
'66 GHIA ONLY! What are you going to do about chroming the dash
trim running across the center of your dash? The "chrome" trim
looks terrible after 20 years, peeling off to reveal a dirty, yellow plastic. The coating is similar to the shiny covering on all those mylar balloons. Classic Mustangs have this "chrome" coating on parts like arm rest bases and dash clusters. Mustang folk have special firms recover these parts. But, the plastic rechromers refuse to handle Ghia dash trim because they don't know the exact composition of the German plastic. What to do? Several Ghia buffs report success in placing the thin, plastic, chrome tape used in automotive stripe or striping kits on the plastic trim. Use pin stripe tape that's wider than the plastic. Take your time. And, presto a great-looking, long-lasting solution to a very vexing problem.
QWIK TIP 30: (Nose Badges)
Is the front nose on your Ghia dented? Bondo city? Trick question! I
should have said, "Those few of you, with a pristine nose on your Ghia,
need read no further." Because, this tip is for the vast majority of
you, who realize your nose and its central rib, will have to be rebuilt
using the artistry of today's modern plastics. Why not consider using the
porcelain Wolfsburg crest, or badge, from a Beetle front hood. A little
creative "mud" work, a couple of new holes, and you have a stylish, colorful, badge to replace the circular, drab, aluminum, stock Ghia badge. Reminds some folks of a Porsche nose and badge. Quality Beetle front cloisonne' (or porcelain) badges are available, inexpensively, from lots of repro Bug parts suppliers. It can't hurt to be creative on a Ghia that will never pass the "museum stock" test anyway!
Thanks to John A. Orlando, FL
QWIK TIP 31: (Front Hood Release)
Need a front hood release cable for your '67, and earlier, Ghia? Find
an owner of a '68, or newer, Ghia whose rear deck lid release cable has
been eaten in two by battery acid. That's about every second Ghia owner
for those years, and sweet talk the owner out of the cable. The rear cable
is more than long enough, even when you trim the "bad tip". But,
the cable knob will be black. The reverse swap, of course, isn't possible.
QWIK TIP 32: (Dash Pad)
The dash pad on your '56-'67 Ghia is trash. Good looking, true fitting
replacements are non-existent. You've been tempted to remove the pad, fill
in the small holes, and paint the top of the dash. After all, most European
market Ghias, until the mid-'60's, came just that way. But, the hole, where
the radio / speaker grille went, is ugly in the extreme. S. Gaeta suggests
cutting a cover from plexiglass (or plywood, or ?) and then, upholstering
your cover, or plug. Mr Gaeta used some extra vinyl fabric, like used on
his headliner. A little cotton padding, and a few hidden screws, to hold
it to the dash top and . . . Presto! Of course, if you insist on using the
original dash mounted speaker, the cover can be "sieved" and then,
breatheable fabric installed on top. Either way, you can proceed with a
painted dash top, knowing a huge pit won't be in the center of your gleaming
dash top.
QWIK TIP 33 (Cold Air)
"Tell all those people who complain, in letters to Hot VW's, about
cold air coming thru their dash and instruments; the cure is simple! It's
not enough to replace the hood seal, you must replace the horn boot seal,
also. Without the horn seal, you have a 3 inch hole in the nose of your
car. No wonder a typhoon of air hits your instruments. I installed your
(House of Ghia's) horn seal and, virtually, ended cold fingers." (Editor's note: Working front bumper arm slot seals are also important!)
Phone conversation: (Sorry, I forgot the gentleman's name)
QWIK TIP 34: (A Word of Advice on Batteries)
I think this is worth sharing. My 1968 convertible's engine compartment
was recently vaporized. It occurred after a sharp right turn; the car suddenly "died" electrically, as well as mechanically. This was followed first by smoke, then, by flames from the rear engine lid grill. The cable release I bought from you worked quite well, until the fire melted it and I was unable to open the lid. The Brookline fire department, using crowbars on my beautiful baby, did finally open it and put out the fire. While I'm not certain as to the cause, I think that, with my hard right turn, the battery, which was not firmly anchored to the rusty floor, shifted; one of the cables popped off of the terminal; and sparks ignited gas in a nearby fuel line. The moral of all this is that, Ghia battery floors rust, and batteries, not properly secured, can cause problems. Perhaps you could pass this along.
David A. Chestnut Hill, MA
David may have mortally scarred his '68 'vert, but his warning could
save lots of other Ghias. One out of every five Ghias, I see, have a battery
that could play "loose cannon" in a tight turn. I know! Just like
David, all of you have convinced yourselves, "I'll take care of a battery holddown the right way, when I install a new engine compartment floor. Until then, the battery will be O.K. Just sitting there." David wouldn't agree.
A quick and dirty, temporary tie-down can be made by using a couple of
small eyebolts, a few large diameter washers, a drill, and one or more heavy-duty truck tarp-style rubber bunge cords. A few buffs will be reluctant to drill holes in their engine compartment floor. For heaven's sake why? Acid may have eaten a hole, the size of a bowling ball, in the floor of the battery compartment, and these purists are reluctant to drill a quarter-inch hole to keep the damage from spreading. The rubber bungee cord allows easy access to the battery, accommodates virtually any size battery, and won't create sparks, if the electrical posts touch the cord. Still, as David has shown us the hard way, something MUST be done about a battery holddown.
QUIK TIP 35: (Beetle Bumper Arms Won't Fit!)
Please tell your readers that Beetle bumpers arms won't work on their
Ghia. (Norm is talking about 56 thru 71 bumpers.) At least not without hours, and hours, of modification work. I'm embarrassed to admit, I looked at the price of your Ghia front bumper arms and thought you were pulling a fast one. Beetle bumper arms looked almost exactly identical. So, I bought arms for about one-third of what you wanted (about $6.00 each). They were Brazilian, or Mexican, arms and looked crude. For one thing, the arm's metal straps didn't line-up with each other. But, I was so pleased with my money-saving purchase, I didn't care about the lack of quality -- they're only bumper arms after all. They didn't fit! I bent, heated, pounded on, and re-drilled the arms, and they still didn't work. I had about 6 hours of labor in the front arms before I gave up. Then, I did the second stupidity. I went to the local VW dealer. He wanted nearly $70.00 each for the arms. Finally, I acted with sanity. I ordered your bumper arms. They arrived two days later, and were even better than you described them. They looked great, fit perfectly, and installed in minutes. I should have gone that route in the first place. . .
Norm Tucson, AZ
Golly Norm! Now, you've embarrassed us. Loved your letter, so it's silly
of me to make a little correction! But, something about the price quote
by the dealer's parts man didn't seem right. So, I looked up prices in an
out-of-date VW price list. Norm, I think what happened is the parts counter
person quoted you prices on a '72 thru '74 bumper arm. An easy mistake to
make. When VW last offered the arms for your year (1971) they were under
$35.00 each. (Incidentally, Norm went on to report he gave the cheap rear
Beetle arms to a friend with a Bug. The friend couldn't use them on his
car, without lots of tweeking and bending. Inexpensive is generally cheap
for a reason!)
QWIK TIP 36: (Removing door)
Have you removed your door from the car? O.K., quickly now! How will
you lift the heavy door in place and screw in the hinge bolts at the same
time? Unless you're one of those fabled 8-armed "paper hangers",
it's tough to mount the door by yourself. Even with two people, the task
is difficult. Solution! Cut the head off of two 8mm bolts. Screw the resulting
stud finger-tight into one of the upper hinge nuts. Mount the door and let
the studs take most of the door's weight. Once most of the remaining bolts
have been "started", the door hanging studs can be removed.
QWIK TIP 37: (Drain slots)
Your doors have drain slots in the bottom. If these slots are doing their
job, your doors will stay free from rust-outs for centuries. But, if dirt
and debris clog the slots - ROT! Even the door seal can slip and block the
drain. Why not include cleaning the drain slots in your "Give-it-a-bath" routine. The wooden stick from a frozen dessert makes a nifty clean-out tool. While you're at it, clean out the drain slots in the bottom edge of the rear deck lid. Just be sure and do the task on a regular basis. No other two minute maintenence task will mean more to the ultimate survival of your Ghia.
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