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1972 farm find
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Bala
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:19 am    Post subject: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

This ghia sat by the side of a daycare in my home town for many years, and I've known about it for at least 25+ years. I remember always staring at it in wonder as we drove by it probably hundreds of times (it was right off a main highway that goes through town). At some point (maybe a decade ago?) it traded hands and eventually ended up at a shade tree mechanics place. Some work was done, but the owner refused to pay. So the most recent owner traded 2 cows for it (seriously!) quite a few years ago. Then it sat as pictured until last Saturday.

The owner is a super cool guy and agreed to sell it after my dad found it relatively recently.

We hauled it out of a back field where it had been sitting in sand under a big pecan tree. It's incredibly original and pretty much rust free. There is some in the bottom of the spare tire well, but it looks easily fixable. Pans are good. I think it's mostly original paint except the nose. Said nose has been bumped, which is no surprise being a ghia. Still has the center dash emblem, the decklid emblem, original interior. Doesn't look like anything was hacked. Even the rest of that lower side trim was in the back seat.

I have a longer term project '66 beetle, but I thought it might be fun to get this back on the road and enjoy it for awhile. The engine turns and shouldn't be too difficult to get running (after inspecting for mouse nests and tuning it up of course).

So, what's the general thought on these? Anything else that I should specifically be looking at/for on it? Any '72 one year only things?

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The red tractor in the background was used both to get it shifted out from between a fence and the pecan tree and then towed 1/8 mile through fields and gates to freedom. There was no way we could actually drive to it.
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1976 Westy

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irvanm
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 9:52 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

nice save, better story.
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wcfvw69 Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 10:18 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

X2

Nice save. Any engine photos? I love original, all parts as delivered stock engines.
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Bala
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 10:32 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

wcfvw69 wrote:
X2

Nice save. Any engine photos? I love original, all parts as delivered stock engines.


I'll post some. It's out at my folks place right now (they still live in my home town). My dad should be towing it to Austin soon. The engine looks mostly original. Still has the oil bath air cleaner and some other factory stuff. It's covered in leaves and sticks though. The rain guard is still there, so that may have saved the engine.
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1976 Westy

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Volfandt
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 11:40 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

Although referred to as "fat chicks" 72's have some very good qualities.
the 1600DP was one of VW's most powerful factory engine, IRS, front disc brakes to name a few.

They are loaded down with electrics which can be good or bad, depending upon how you look at such things. Most brown wires are ground and having good grounds will make it work a whole lot more reliably. Suspect a bad ground 1st before you swap devices.....

The charcoal gas emission system is a series of hard and soft lines that run from the tank all the way back to the engine. If it's all there and functional it's actually a pretty good system for burning vented gas fumes. Mine runs well without it but if it had all those parts when I got it I would have retained their functionality.

My 72 has some factory wires under the seats that I'm not sure what they were for and the car runs fine with them disconnected from whatever it was they terminated to. The original door switch on the drivers side had an additional set of contacts and wires. Aftermarket door switches only come with 1 set of contacts and I wired mine up for the interior light. Don't know what the other circuit did but I suspect it may have disabled the start circuit if the door is open. A previous owner bypassed whatever it was they did. Someone may come along that knows....

Can't think of anything else off hand, good find and good luck
Dave
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KGCoupe
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 9:15 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

Volfandt wrote:
...
My 72 has some factory wires under the seats that I'm not sure what they were for and the car runs fine with them disconnected from whatever it was they terminated to. The original door switch on the drivers side had an additional set of contacts and wires. Aftermarket door switches only come with 1 set of contacts and I wired mine up for the interior light. Don't know what the other circuit did but I suspect it may have disabled the start circuit if the door is open. A previous owner bypassed whatever it was they did. Someone may come along that knows....

Can't think of anything else off hand, good find and good luck
Dave

The Key for the 1972 Karmann Ghia Wiring Diagram describes that driver's side door switch (labeled F2) as "Door contact switch, left, with contact for buzzer", so apparently there was a buzzer that would sound if the key was left in the ignition and the driver's door was opened.

If there is some indication in that wiring diagram key as to what the wires under the seats may be, I must be missing it.

The Owners Manual for the 1973 model year Ghias does show a Seat Belt Warning light on the dashboard, however the Owners Manual for the 1971 model year Ghias does not show one.
Apparently there is no Owners Manual for the 1972 model year Ghias in the Samba archives, so I don't know if that year featured a Seat Belt Warning light on the dashboard or not, but if it did then I'd guess that's what those wires under the seats were intended for.

I suppose that it's possible that the Seat Belt Warning light may have been used in Ghias inteded for other markets outside of the U.S. in the 1972 model year, and that may explain why the associated wiring may be physically present but not referenced in the U.S. spec wiring diagram.
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Bala
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:53 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

Thanks for the info!
I had a '71 super beetle in and after high school (a feeeeew years back).
So, I"m kind of familiar with the later model rats nest wiring these have.
Hopefully I'll have it at my house soon so I can add more pictures and start asking more questions!

For now here are a few others I had on my phone.

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Bala
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 9:38 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

My dad has been doing a little clean up. Would this color be "Irish Green"?

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Might have it in town this evening!
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1976 Westy

1966 Beetle
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Bala
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:13 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

It's now in my carport! Any comments on the color?
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wcfvw69 Premium Member
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 9:47 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=310446

Here's a thread on a green Ghia.


Link


IDK, looks either irish green or zambesi green. I think irish green looks closer.
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Contact me at [email protected]
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Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
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**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
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Bala
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 7:47 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

From the tech section it looks like only willow and irish green were available in '72. Looks too dark to be willow I think. Did Ghias get the little silver paint code tags installed anywhere?

*edit* I just searched and found that it should be in the spare tire well. I'll take a look and see if it's still there.
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1976 Westy

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Bala
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 8:12 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

Got in a couple hours of cleaning on Saturday. It's better, but needs more work. At least most of the mold and lichen is gone. Very Happy

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Last on the road in 1983! Shocked

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carl4x4
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:55 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

Great to see the car being saved, good luck with the restoration Smile
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Mellow Yellow 74
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 4:06 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

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What is the bracket over the tunnel mounted to the seat belt holes?
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sjbartnik
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 6:38 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

Mellow Yellow 74 wrote:
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What is the bracket over the tunnel mounted to the seat belt holes?


I believe that's a seat belt receiver. The front seat belts would clip onto that. What kind of ends are on the front seat belts?

Like this:

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Bala
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 8:27 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

Sjbartnik is correct, seat belt receiver. I plan on putting more modern seat belts in for sure. Probably the Humvee belts.
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1976 Westy

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bhartwell59
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 11:28 am    Post subject: Re: 1972 farm find Reply with quote

Bala wrote:
Probably the Humvee belts.


Just did this last week... shoot for $30+ per pair why not?
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