mutantZ Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 This makes Ghias cool. Kind of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 What's not cool about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelsonian Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 ^^^ My thoughts exactly... Looks like a whole lot of oversteering fun with that engine combo. Love the lines and overall Giorgetto Giugiaro design.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 I've always loved the look of the Ghia's! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 I've always had a fondness for the Ghia and even though it's not on my list, I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to purchase one. this one is a bit too radical for my tastes but dang! woh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutantZ Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 Guess my sarcasm didn't come across so well. That ghia is sick. I am suprised more people don't build them out for road racing more. They have some nice classic lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldlion Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I had a 73 ghia. It was a blast to drive. I love volkswagens because nearly everyone smiles and waves. My '62 kombi and my ghia got the most. Even with a fairly mild 1776cc engine and twin dellortos it felt fast enough to be plenty of fun, I can't imagine what the above is like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelsonian Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 A good friend of mine had this white ghia for a while in Hawaii. Before this he had a fun little candy orange with rims, lowered bug. Can't remember the year but the rear window was oval or baby window. That was a fun car (not fast), but always got alot of attention at Sandy beach and around Oahu. The 808 state has a big VW following... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19762802+2 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 (edited) I'm 18 and I drive this to work everyday, Handles awesome, gets decent gas mileage (when I drive it easy) in town and gets 35 on the highway. Its a pretty awesome (and super cheap) daily driver at least till I finish the Z. The sound from the Dual Kadrons is definitely better then some honda and this car only cost me $650 Edited May 10, 2011 by 19762802+2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 My first car (in 73) was a '59 oval window bug with a 36 hp motor.... I miss her... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldlion Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 RB26 ^ Not to rain on your parade but unless the oval window was grafted into a later body(which does happen) Then your oval window had to have been earlier than "59. In 58 they went to the square window. Regardless it was a nice choice for a first car. Would love to have a oval window with semiphores and a 2210cc engine dual weber idf's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 RB26 ^ Not to rain on your parade but unless the oval window was grafted into a later body(which does happen) Then your oval window had to have been earlier than "59. In 58 they went to the square window. Regardless it was a nice choice for a first car. Would love to have a oval window with semiphores and a 2210cc engine dual weber idf's. I trust you on that. Maybe I'm remembering what I wish it had.... Those were hi school days that were mostly spent in that car at Huntington Beach, Ca. , driving it around playing Black Sabbath on the 8 track, and smoke pouring out the windows.... So, you may see why I got mixed up on my back window Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arif Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 That thing is sick. It's been awhile since I've seen a Karmann Ghia on the street. Makes me want to go look on ebay for one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zgeezer Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) That thing is sick. It's been awhile since I've seen a Karmann Ghia on the street. Makes me want to go look on ebay for one! Karman Ghias have held value quite well. I traded a cherry red '55 Pontiac hard top convertible with 3 speed, tuck and roll red/black and a smoky engine for a 56 oval window VW with a burnt exhaust valve. Drove that VW from Carson City Nevada down 395 over Conway and Dead Man summits..... slow, slow, slow. Picked up a Hot Rod magazine in Bridgeport and read it twice by the time I hit Lancaster. Found a German VW/Porsche shop in Paramount: bought a two piece case Porsche engine from him... learned that I had a "Poor Shaw" and a bolt in for the 36 hp VW, beat that around Long Beach for 5 years while going to school, traded it for a mint KG (one without the swing axles). Drove the '56 from Long Beach through the Territory of Quintana Roo in the Republic of Mexico looking for out of the way Mayan ruins in the Peten. Way before the Mexican government built out Cancun and Isla de Mujeres as tourist attractions. Slid off the side of a mountain track, bent a front spindle, and walked four hours back to a small village. Two kids with crescent wrenches, hammers, pliers and a screwdriver walked back with me. Picked the front up off the ground and walked it back around, took off the spindle, left the VW in place and carried the spindle back to a "taller" for repairs. This "taller" was a VW repairman.... I know this because under a tin roof he had a hand operated forge, several home made steel plates, with threaded holes and uprights with cutouts, and hanging in the back a small rusty sign that one could still make out the blue and white VW Service sign. He laid my bent spindle down on one of those steel plates ( they were actually home made jigs) and determined that all I needed was to bend the spindle back into specs. This he did with a light ball peen hammer, that forge, and his jigs. I was back on the road in one day. Drove that VW back to Long Beach and traded it for the KG to a guy who beat the hell out of it for another two years before he rolled it and then converted it to a dune buggy. For all I know, it's still running around...... some where. In 1969, I bought my first 510 and I've had a Datsun or Mazda in the garage ever since. G Edited May 12, 2011 by zgeezer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldlion Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I will probably always have one early VW, will probably never get rid of my kombi. They really are great cars, easy to work on and will take a severe beating and still run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arif Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 For those that are still drooling over this car here is more information. According to the article, the build costs $260,000! Here is the link: http://www.engineswapdepot.com/?p=170 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19762802+2 Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) For those that are still drooling over this car here is more information. According to the article, the build costs $260,000! Here is the link: http://www.engineswapdepot.com/?p=170 Geez for that price you could swap in a Subaru STI motor have more power and have money left over.. http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=20519 Edited May 12, 2011 by 19762802+2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldlion Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Yes but then the heart would no longer be VW/porsche. The nostalgia there is a beautiful thing. One of the sexiest looking handmade italian designed volkswagens with the refinement of years of improvement over ferdinand porsche's original VW design. IF anyone is an avid reader, the book Small Wonder is an excellent read. It's all about the history of VW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 The biggest thing for me is that it's TUV approved! That is one hell of an ENGINEERING feat---you don't get plates without satisfying the TUV process...you don't just slap an engine in there and go get it registered. KW improvements in engine output must be balanced with braking improvements (I noted a certification sticker on the cage as well...) The reason for that build cost, aside from the cost of everything in Europe is the TUV process basically demands that home crafted hybrids take on the same technical demands as if it was coming from an OEM... More in line with this site is the featured car in the June 2011 Edition of DB&HVWs, an LQ9 Mangunson-Supercharged 6.0 liter V8 Mid-Engined Karmann Ghia... Featured on page 38 of this issue. Index Page June 2011 DB&HVWs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelman Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 (edited) Its too bad the article isn't available to read online, or at least some pictures of the install. I had a 58 Ghia when I was in high school with a warmed over 1700CC motor, 65 transaxle (still swing axle) and original front end. Lets just say the brakes left a lot to be desired. I loved that car, had a blast in it running the mountain roads around Coeur D'Alene Lake and St. Maries Idaho, although I almost put it under a logging truck one day (remember the sketchy brakes), scared the hell out of me. Before I bought my current Z I considered looking for another one but then saw the prices and remembered all the rusted bolts and impossible to find Ghia specific parts, changed my mind real quick. Edited May 30, 2011 by wheelman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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