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AmandaCB
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2024
Posts: 20
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx
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 Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2024 3:57 pm Post subject: Re: 1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find project |
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Slow but steady progress. Just wish my husband didn't have to work so much OT but somebody's gotta make the diesel.
Took out the steering column, sanded it down and gave it a fresh spray.
Dropped the front end and husband is tackling the "take apart and put back together". I've sanded as much of the pedal assembly as I can until we figure out how to get the damned pin out of the clutch pedal. Hopefully then I can put it in the sandblaster cabinet, spray and get it back together.
Tires were a minimum of 24 years old (still had paper on them from Sears) and tried as we might we couldn't get the crusty ass rubber off ourselves. Had to take to a tire shop, so husband will blast the wheels at work hopefully tonight before I repaint them.
Ordered a new key (from someone on here in fact) and bought this 3D printed keychain (my son tried to find the print file but couldn't). The silver part spins and you had a choice of colors for a fairly decent price. Looks chewed up but it's just how it photographed. After I purchased I got a message from the seller saying he'd received a cease and desist from VW so mine was the last one he could advertise lol
I loved my ZL1s but the superchargers were rather wasted on the traffic and lack of open roads here. I traded in my 2018 on a 2022 Countryman S so I've already gotten accustomed to a slower cruising speed lol Here's hoping we can get more things accomplished soon!
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Amanda
1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find
2022 Countryman S
Previous toys:
2015 ZL1 - ran 165mph standing mile @ Texas Mile
2018 ZL1 - ran 175mph standing mile @ Texas Mile |
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AmandaCB
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2024
Posts: 20
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:04 am Post subject: Re: 1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find project |
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Husband decided we would remove and rebuild the front end. Here's before and afters painted all pretty.
We reinstalled it yesterday but I haven't taken pictures of that yet.
While he did that I took apart the pedal assembly, cleaned, sandblasted, painted and put it back together. I hate cross shaft pins!!!! It's not perfect but it's done.
I didn't post my wheels here. Husband sandblasted them at work (our home cabinet isn't large enough), then I primed, wet sanded, painted with VHT silver paint (thanks Rome) and a crap ton of clear. We swapped the wonky edged one with the spare and haven't tackled that repair just yet. Got tires Friday to replace the 20 year old ones lol
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Amanda
1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find
2022 Countryman S
Previous toys:
2015 ZL1 - ran 165mph standing mile @ Texas Mile
2018 ZL1 - ran 175mph standing mile @ Texas Mile |
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Marcdeb
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2019
Posts: 3058
Location: Vermont
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AmandaCB
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2024
Posts: 20
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx
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| Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2024 12:05 pm Post subject: Re: 1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find project |
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Well it wasn't how we figured we'd progress when starting this project but if you're gonna do it, do it right.
Latest update, removed the engine.
Then I removed all the body bolts and my husband made a body dolly. Took myself, my husband, and my son but we got the body off and the pan out.
There ended up being a floor pan repair towards the back of the driver's side that was really hard to do with the body on, so hopefully this will make this faster and smoother. Plus we can do the rear end rebuild without the confines of the body. Truly going to be a new car once we're done lol
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Amanda
1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find
2022 Countryman S
Previous toys:
2015 ZL1 - ran 165mph standing mile @ Texas Mile
2018 ZL1 - ran 175mph standing mile @ Texas Mile |
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Marcdeb
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2019
Posts: 3058
Location: Vermont
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| Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2024 12:10 pm Post subject: Re: 1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find project |
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You don't fool around! That's a lot of progress in such a short time. But I think you're doing the right thing. You'll get a much better result in the end.
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Marc
68 Karmann Ghia Cabrio Autostick
71 Karmann Ghia Cabrio
Previously Owned:
2011 VW EOS Hard Top Conv
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T Conv
2003 Saab 9-3 SE Conv
2001 Saab 9-3 Conv
1998 BMW 3 Series Conv
1997 Saab 900 Conv
1997 Mazda Miata
68 Ghia Vert Survivor with 22,350 miles: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768107&highlight=
71 Ghia Vert Restoration: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=726710&postorder=asc |
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jamesbee
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2024
Posts: 4
Location: OR
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| Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2024 2:29 pm Post subject: Re: 1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find project |
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| Nice project, you're moving quick! I'll be following along, I have a 74 I'm starting on. |
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AmandaCB
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2024
Posts: 20
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx
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| Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2024 10:43 am Post subject: Re: 1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find project |
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I feel like it's going incredibly slow! I try to do as much as I can that doesn't require my husband's help but sometimes it's just not a one person job. I've been helping him restore and build cars for 20 years. Everything from Tri 5's to Z06 and ZR1. This is just the first one that's been MY car, so I'm incredibly impatient lol
Power washed the pan and rear end today in preparation to move it into the garage. Easier for him to weld in there, and at the same time we'll start the rear end rebuild. I plan to remove the rest of the trim and interior from the body in the next few days, too. Thanks for following along - I'm learning as I go!
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Amanda
1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find
2022 Countryman S
Previous toys:
2015 ZL1 - ran 165mph standing mile @ Texas Mile
2018 ZL1 - ran 175mph standing mile @ Texas Mile |
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jeffrey8164 
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2018
Posts: 3850
Location: Georgia
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| Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2024 5:09 pm Post subject: Re: 1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find project |
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| AmandaCB wrote: |
I feel like it's going incredibly slow! I try to do as much as I can that doesn't require my husband's help but sometimes it's just not a one person job. I've been helping him restore and build cars for 20 years. Everything from Tri 5's to Z06 and ZR1. This is just the first one that's been MY car, so I'm incredibly impatient lol
Power washed the pan and rear end today in preparation to move it into the garage. Easier for him to weld in there, and at the same time we'll start the rear end rebuild. I plan to remove the rest of the trim and interior from the body in the next few days, too. Thanks for following along - I'm learning as I go! |
Nice to see a kindred spirit.
When I got my Ghia I was just going to clean it up and get it running. It was in similar condition to yours with just a little rust on the pan behind the drivers seat.
One thing lead to another and the next thing I know I pulled the body off the pan too.
It’s definitely worth the effort. You’ll know that car inside and out.
Then you can be like me and wonder how in the world does this or that stop working because you’ve touched it and verified it.
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Volkswagen!
Turning owners into mechanics since 1938.
“Let he that is without oil throw the first rod”
(Compression 8.7:1) |
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AmandaCB
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2024
Posts: 20
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx
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| Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: 1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find project |
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Husband was finally able to get enough time off to cut out the sections of floor pan in preparation for repair.
And now the Ghia is finally in the garage for the first time since we brought it home! Okay, half of it anyway! Alongside my husband’s 1967 Camaro. Tomorrow….welding 🔥🤞🏼
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Amanda
1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find
2022 Countryman S
Previous toys:
2015 ZL1 - ran 165mph standing mile @ Texas Mile
2018 ZL1 - ran 175mph standing mile @ Texas Mile |
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WestyMeg
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2014
Posts: 42
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2024 11:36 am Post subject: Re: 1973 Ghia coupe one owner barn find project |
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Beautiful work! I'm also of the mind; if you're going to do it, do it right. 
My 68 coupe is my first air cooled engine car, and also the oldest car I've owned. Mine is in nice shape, mostly restored already, but I'm excited to dig in and start tinkering. It of course needs all the usual maintenance work, and I just discovered on the ride home from winter storage that I need new front wheel bearings. I could do just the driver's side since the other seems fine, but why do just one side? Do it once, do it right!
Can't wait to see your progress! Good luck!
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Why is the rum gone?!
1968 Karmann Ghia-some fancy white
1985 Westfalia-some crap brown
1971 Opel GT-hubby's first car
1974 914-mostly rust colored
2007 Cayman S-Sapphire Blue (so pretty!) |
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