Page 106 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

The Knowledge
dWhile rust is a problematic situation on any older car, the problem is substantially more difficult to diagnose and repair on the Karmann Ghia due to its seamless bodywork with leaded seams. Rather than simply bolting on, say, a new fender, replacing any of the sheet metal requires a lot of time– and money–consuming welding and cutting. Frank Freccia of Freccia Brothers, a century- old repair shop in Greenwich, CT, specializing in VWs, strongly cautions against buying any Ghia sight unseen. “In the past, people would never think of buying a car without someone to inspect it, but now people buy cars off the internet and bring home some nasty surprises.” Surprises that, in Freccia’s experience, have included using spray foam to patch up badly rusted areas.
dWhile the lower parts of the car, like the rocker panels, are most susceptible to rot, Karmann Ghias had no fender liners, so salt spray goes up into the cowl as well as the fronts of the fenders around the headlights.
dCabriolets, despite their open air charm, are a challenge in any car with structural weakness due to rust. Freccia warns that cars with additional rubber sealing in the header area is likely there because the top couldn’t be properly aligned. The wooden bows in the intricate Karmann padded to are prone to rot.
dBecause old VWs tend to be family friends rather than basic transportation, they are often left to molder in garages with concomitant consequences to brake lines, fuel lines, carburetors and fuel tanks. For the fuel tank, Freccia recommends acid cleaning followed by an epoxy lining to prevent rust from getting into the fuel system as well as replacing any perishable parts.
dIdeal cars to buy are late 1960s to 1971, as the later cars had larger taillights that were less appealing.
Karmann Ghias are known for their simple, functional interior. Early models didn’t even have a gas gauge.
As you would expect from any rear-engined car, shifting is rather balky given the long linkage travel. Drivers of modern manuals, with their much tighter mechanism, may want to brace themselves for this (or perhaps it’s just part of the charm). Though a rare option (and rarer still today as many were converted to manuals), VW’s semi-automatic, introduced in 1967 and billed on the rear of the car as the “Automatic Stickshift” used a three-speed torque converter with a vacuum-operated clutch actuated by a micro- switch under the gearknob. It’s a bit of a stretch to label it as an automatic – drivers still had to move the gear knob between three forward speeds and reverse – but there’s no clutch and the torque converter provides a “creep” function. While it takes a bit of getting used to (the microswitch on the stick is very sensitive), it does provide an alternative for those who prefer a simpler shifting experience. An additional upside is that the system brought with it a truly independent rear suspension, replacing the original swing-axle design with proper universal joints at both ends of the driveshafts.
Engine-wise, the Karmann Ghia basically followed the evolution of the Beetle, with displacement steadily increasing from the original 1.2-liter (with 36-horsepower) to the final 1.6-liter engine with a whopping 60 horsepower. Don’t expect neck-snapping performance – driving a Karmann Ghia is more about the overall driving experience than startling acceleration. The tried and tested VW steering and suspension setup provides for predictable handling and a reasonably good ride, enhanced by the Karmann Ghia’s lower center of gravity. The later disc brake system is nice to have, although the all-drum system works fine if adjusted properly.
Karmann Ghias were often ordered with distinctive color combinations. So enduring was the design that it changed little in its 20-year life.
104Wayne CariniAffordable Classics