Hi

Time for a bit of action in the Ghia Forum!

Today I was finally able to realise a desire that I have had since virtually day one of owning my ghia.

I have been able to Return it to Stock height, with standard wheels, beauty rings and large logo Hub caps and best of all 560x15 whitewall cross plies (as supplied).

I have gradually been building up to it with buying the tyres just before Christmas (and the Vat Increase) then getting the original rims blasted and powder coated, then last week the centre section was painted and tyres mounted.

I was going to order a set of the new beauty rings but they were out of stock so I spent a bit of time cleaning up the original battered ones that came with the car. To be honest I am plenty chuffed. Likewise a large amount of elbow grease has been spent on the hub caps (which incidentally were on my first split bus many years ago and have been fitted on plenty of cars since) anyway if you see me at peppercorn this weekend please feel free to come and say hi. Try not to say that you preferred the car as it was!

here are a couple of pics.





First time for an age that I have been able to drive onto the ramp at the garage without planks!

It's like having a new car!

If they do,don't listen.
It looks much,much better:thumbup:

Thanks Chap

I think so too, like i said, it's like having a new car!

Makes me smile.

Really changes the look of the car... with the whitewalls it looks very classic, with the other wheels it just looks like just another Ghia.

:thumbup:

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thanks Rob,

At The Ivan Hurst meeting last september, Luke from Terrys, described it as a Mutton dressed as lamb! that was probably the last straw! I already wanted to put it back to stock (and made sure that I had got the original spindles when I bought the car) but that kind of sealed the deal!

Ooo. A vast improvement. I can't say I've ever thought that 'SA Sprints' looked particularly good on any car, mind...

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Lets hope that this becomes a trend. I have not seen a fully stock type II in years.Your car looks far more desireable now.

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Wish I had that sort of influence.:( Karmann Ghia stockers seem to be ploughing a lonely furrow in this country...unbelieveable when you see the transformation of your car.:d

From the number of compliments I get from owners of slammed Ghias I really do believe many don't have the courage to buck the trend. Peer pressure is all pervasive in this hobby.

BTW What colour did you settle on for your centre hubs?

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Looked good before, looks GREAT now :thumbup:

"stock.....the new custom"

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Nice! Crossplys are the icing on the cake.

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Thanks Guys

Just back from a sunny day at peppercorn, car performed like a dream, nice to meet some of you in person.

All in all the reception to the car was 100% positive (not that it would have changed what I did or why), funny moment was when someone nearly spat their teeth upon hearing the price of cross plies!:roll: A couple of people asked if I had painted the white section on!

My only mechanical failure of the weekend was the snapping of the rubber rear seat retainer. Due in part to the blazing sun, but mostly 3 peoples camping gear and large food stash in the boot being just a bit too much for it to bare. Fortunately Paco had a genuine one in a dusty box at the back of his stall, which has already been installed on arrival home(almost Germanic efficiency!). Oh and for your information Mr Oakley, it has the same part number as the genuine one that came off!

Shame it was the last Peppercorn, but the concensus was that it had changed so much over the years, and become another festival rather than vintage show.

Guess that it's now roll on Ivan hurst meeting.

Another real high point for me today was the mini convoy on the way home, with my car being by far the youngest!

My Boys really enjoyed their weekend and I hope will take away many happy memories( as well as some decidedly squiffy photos!)

thanks

Simon.

x2 :thumbup:

Was very cool to look in the rear view mirror and see beetles everywhere and was cool to actually be part of it for once :wink:

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:beer: WOW what a transformation! looks beautiful now! (and battered beauty rings are better than new ones when they are original)

I think most people just don't realise the high cost of restoring the og wheels and putting crossplies back on do they!

I agree with John I think that ghia owners are under more 'vw scene peer pressure' than beetles & buses for some reason.
Or maybe it is simply that it is only when you reach a certain age that you no longer care less about what anyone in the 'vw magazine current trendy dictated scene' thinks about your own car :lol:

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I think the Ghia looks a $million back at stock ride height with those whitewalls.



Indeed- that mini-convoy along the M20 in the sunshine was fantasic, the likes of which have probably never been seen on UK roads before- Rob's '65 Kab, Ben Harvey's Mango '60 Bug, Simon's Ghia, Kev's '52 Kab, my '47, Nicolas's '59 Standard and Yan's Heb.

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The Ghia does indeed look fantastic but where were you in June 2008 Mr Oakley? :d

 lavenhan_cruise.jpg You have insufficient rights to see the content.

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That blue Ghia looked wicked.
Here it is at Clarke's Air Cooled Car Centre (although that's mispelt on the board)  Air Cooled Car Centre.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.

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:rofl: :rofl:

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Oh the irony of it all...mispelt.:shock:

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Excellent! what a dummy. And I hesitated between spelt and spelled which are both correct of course. So I leave you with a pic of a great car on convoy. No misspelling.
See you at the Ace Cafe on 16/08 evening where this car shall be, along with mine and some other cruisers from that day.
Vintage VW night with egg & bacon.  Convoy fast 52.JPG You have insufficient rights to see the content.

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Congrats! :beer:

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