I feel like Im betraying you

[5Toes]

My neighbor might just give me, or atleast sell for very cheap, a late model Karmann Ghia. Haha the body is straight, but definitly needs paint. Im not sure a bout rust yet, but the motor is good. Interior is relatively clean.

The car has been sitting since the late 90's and I think it was her husband's project he never finished. Her husband died 8 or so years ago, and I know she will never get any use out of it.

Anyways if it's free Ill take it, I can get into E30's later. Haha no elctrical gremlins on this Ghia.

Im thinking a rat look, because good paint ain't cheap.



Also if you do rust body panels like that, with vinegar or whatever how do you seal it? Rattle can clear coat? Lacquer?

[der affe]

k ghias are not cheap to play with.
all the body stuff and seals etc are specific to Karmann Ghia ( a coach builder) therefor there are more rare and expensive.

the engine, drive train, and suspension are VW. the rest is not.

they are neat cars though.

look at the nose, it sticks out past the bumper and 99% of them have been punched there.

the battery aits in the engine compartment and that section is usually rusted.

because of the fender skirts, you are limited on your wheel choices with out doing body work.

VW does not mean reliable as a daily driver. be prepaired to work on it a lot. it is the nature of owning a car that old, much less some one else's project.

electrical gremlins are still there, just a less complicated wiring system to find them in.

since you are young you will be more likely to put up with the quirks though.

no A/C kind of sucks.

i owned a 63 for a little while that i bought off of my friend. take a really serious look at the car and what it will take to get it running reliably before you go condeming your E30.

[der affe]

how "late model" is it?
you know it will take a lot of work to make it look even remotely like that 56-57 Ghia in your picture right?

also the late models are not nearly as desirable than the early ones.

remember that it will have to go through emissions. getting an air cooled car through emissions testing is getting harder to do as standards get tighter. another thing to think about.

[5Toes]

no emisions in washington, that i know of. And besides i dont care if its early model or not.

I have read they are expensive toys, but it may be free

[der affe]

free is a good start, but finishing up the project car will add up quickly.

i started out in air cooled VWs, worked at a shop for 8 years, built a few and helped build tons of them.

get in good with the local VW guys, that will help a lot. if you don't parts are 2X as expensive.

it really isn't just a car, it's a lifestyle!

start looking on thesamba.com and callook.com for prices, ideas, etc.

i was into them when they were cheap. not so much any more.

just wanted to give you a heads up before you jump in with both feet (well 1 foot...jk)

get a really good inventory of what she has to go with the car and decide how much you want to sink into it first.

[5Toes]

Haha my buddy is a vw nut. Haha he owns an alfa now too and love to help me. He has owned 4 bugs, a notchback, a bus and a SAMBA. I hate him for once owning a samba. Haha not really but you know.

[der affe]

to give you an idea how cheap and plentiful the were when i was into them. we would pick up a $200 RUNNING combi or panel, chop the roof off of it and make a summer cruzer out of it. with out a roof we could load out qtr pipes in and out of them way easier!
if it crapped out we would just cut it up and part it if the body parts were good and get another one.

noone really wanted buses back then.

i have added rag top sections to squarebacks (you use a bus section), fastbacks, all kinds of bugs, grafted oval window sections into later early cars, spliced in semiphores , built drag cars, restored them, i have run the gammet of the VW stuff.

if you run into issues, feel free to ask.

[kid325e]

Bremerton kids...

[5Toes]

Haha you;re too funny KID325e.

Seriously though it's free. thats a great price.

[kid325e]

No doubt. Just make sure Free doesn't turn into your neighbor giving you yard art and tons of trouble from your parents for storing said yard art on said yard.

Good Luck! If you're looking for cheap, reliable, try a mk1!

[Danny]

Listen to Hammerhead, yard art is no bueno.

[5Toes]

If it's rusted into oblivion and too much work, sure Ill move on. It's just fun to dream. Hahaha

[ck_taft325is]

Do it.

[farix]

Is the car pictured the car in question?

[der affe]

MKII over MKI for cheap and reliable.
most rabbits are beat to crap now.

MKII are nicer, ride and handle better out of the box, shit tons of used aftermarket parts, make more power stock, engine swaps are easier into them.
still cheap to pick up.

swap a tall block 2.0 into a GLI/GTI, hortech/autotech cam swap, TT cat back, euro down pipe. you are good to go. urathane suspension bushings, neuspeed strut tie bars/sways, bilstein struts and coil over kits, nice 16" wheels, and a set of recaros, you have a nice sorted out daily that is quick and reliable.