Karmann Ghias: Cool or Not?

A truly beautiful design. I made my sister promise to call me first when she decided to sell hers and she forgot. It would do 85 while a Beetle with identical drivetrain would only do 72.

A guy I work with has one. It was apparently his college car and has held onto it slowly doing restoration work. The biggest problem was a huge dent on the nose - looked like a Studabaker. He got that fixed recently and added some period correct whitewalls and some dog dish hubcaps. He also has a minty looking Corvair. I never cared for either but in a parking lot full of DD appliances, they really stand out.

I have one and dread the day I actually need to start adding metal back to it. I have done the floors but avoided the bodywork so far. Wife loves it and doesn't want it to go away, so I drive it for the decent gas mileage and enjoy the top down. The only vehicle I have ever operated and been concerned with the real possibility of it breaking in half. Stupid easy mechanical bits to work on but a horribly German electrical system.

Certainly cool in the popular opinion. I have gotten gas exactly once without someone coming up to me and telling me a story about the Karmann Ghia they used to ride around in. The last guy asked to take a picture to send to his friend, because they used to have a terrible drive to school in one during the NY winter.

Very cool, but not good for anything performance-wise and not a particularly good car overall. Like a cooler VW Beetle

Cool? There should be no question. The lines are awesome. In a performance sense? Not really, 'cause that slippery Ghia body is also heavier. That said, they seem like such a perfect candidate for a chasis swap I can hardly stand it. There's a guy in the UK named Rorty who sells plans to build an Audi-based mid-engined chasis and suspension for one. Personally I'd rather use different donors, and keep it rear-engined, but it would be hugely awesome to do a proper restomod on one.

btw - if you can't find a non-rusty one, just take a vacation in California and drive one back. They're everywhere here.

Actually, if I had the money and lived in the rust belt, I'd be tempted to commandeer a transporter. There's so much interesting steel sitting forlornly in people's driveways here it's not funny.

My dad bought a new K-G when I was about 10, so I have always had a soft spot for them.

The holy grail for me has always been the Type 34 Karmann Ghia.

Or perhaps the TC

I'll just leave this here...

I had a 66 in college. Early 70's. I broke (destroyed) the driver's side rear side window (flip out only). Could not find a replacement. Made one of scrap plexiglass. Worked for years,gave the car to my brother, he drove for years and then gave it back to me. After I drove it for a while I sold it to a guy who wanted to restore it. 6 months later he asks me where I got the window made, he needs a new one. I have never had the desire to restore a KG. stuff is too rare.

Kool.. That is all.

Cool

Cut it OUT ! !

NOT COOL. Leave them alone . . . go buy another Miata.

Has anyone ever made a fiberglass reproduction body for these things? Probably not enough of a following

mtn wrote: Has anyone ever made a fiberglass reproduction body for these things? Probably not enough of a following

This on top of the aforementioned custom chassis = mucho win.

Cool, Very cool. Friend had one in high school it was actually more practical than my car... I drove a Type 181 VW Thing. We had a certain bond amongst all those BMWs and New Hondas in the school parking lot.

mtn wrote: Has anyone ever made a fiberglass reproduction body for these things? Probably not enough of a following

I am pretty sure there was a fiberglass nose for them at some point made for dragsters. You know, because you want to keep the weight off the nose

aircooled wrote:

mtn wrote: Has anyone ever made a fiberglass reproduction body for these things? Probably not enough of a following

I am pretty sure there was a fiberglass nose for them at some point made for dragsters. You know, because you want to keep the weight off the nose

I mentioned earlier in this thread that I had a one piece fibreglass slope nosed front. It was gorgeous.

The entire Karmann Ghia cabrio body is available in the UK made from GRP.

I have a full fiberglass tilt nose out back right now, it's very well made, strong and light. You could easily make fiberglass door skins if you want, I've made up several fiberglass rear deck lids in the past. A fiberglass roof panel would almost make itself.

There's a bit of a problem in taking too much weight off of these cars though. The flatness of the floors really does mimic a full belly pan, coupled with the sleek roof line and bull-nose, you end up with a wing profile. Lift can easily be created.

Also, the mid and later year cars came with disk front and drum rear. Too little weight up front, very little weight transfer from the rear mounted engine and trans, and better braking in the front than the rear will cause the disks to lock up first and send you sliding through the intersection. Especially bad in the Spring when the sand is still on the roads after a hard New England Winter.

Honestly, I slid through and into SO often that I disconnected the front brakes and ran only rears for the last two years that I owned the car. Stopped just fine and was much more controllable as I always had steering and rolling fronts.