Aarons 1964 Karmann Ghia Rat

Today I started to get things together to build an engine. I have a 1962 40hp that had been stored since the late 1960’s in a guys chicken coop. It was going to go in the Ghia the first time I owned it but when I drained the oil I found pieces of bearing and sat it aside. I tore it down about the time I sold the ghia. I only paid $50 for the engine. I am also using parts from the 356 engine I bought a few months ago. I have an old school norris cam with an original empi bolt on gear from 1975 that I got for $10 at a swap meet this summer. After buying bearings, rings, and a gasket kit I will only have about $175 in the engine. I'm not sure how long it will be in the car but it will get it moving (slowly) when it gets here.

I also forgot to say that I got my drivers license on Friday.

ratghia wrote: I also forgot to say that I got my drivers license on Friday.

congratulations!

and another pimp hits the streets.......

ratghia wrote: I also forgot to say that I got my drivers license on Friday.

Rock on! You'll soon discover that it's much safer on the course/track than it is on the street. There's some freaks out there. Remember Tim's column in the magazine where he mentioned Tommy having to put up with that stuff for the first time? It's true.

Don't let it scare ya, though. You're an enthusiast. You've already got better skills, just remember to watch out for the idiots..

And don't forget to have somebody take pics during the rebuild this time! I still remember how clean that distributor was when you did it..

I know what you mean. I have learned to assume that if they might possibly be able to pull out in front of you they will. Last weekend I was driving at 20mph in a 25mph zone during hard snow with about 3 inches already on the ground. It was bad enough that even with snow tires had very limited traction. Some guy in a van then proceeded to pull into the lane beside me (opposite direction) flip me off and drive away at the same speed I was already going.

Today I decided to rebuild my extra Mallory dual point. This one is from 1970. It was working just covered in grease and needed rebuilt. I remembered to take pictures of it disassembled this time. This was the first rebuild I have ever done on a distributor that wasn't cast-iron. I think it turned out alright.

Which one is nos?

In reply to ratghia:

I really can't tell! I was going to say the NOS unit was the one on the left...until I realized I've actually bought NOS stuff with a lil' rust on it..

The one on the right is nos. It was made in 1972 and has a few visual changes since the earlier 1970 distributor on the left. The reason for the rusting on the distributor cap clamps is they appear to have either been bare with a thin clear coating or with a thin silver coating from the factory. They are rusty on both distributors.

aaron,

happy to see you got your car back. i was very sad and confused when you sold it, much like when i sold my cadillac.

sucks the blower is gone, that was a cool bit of history, but...

go with the turbo!

ratghia wrote: The one on the right is nos. It was made in 1972 and has a few visual changes since the earlier 1970 distributor on the left. The reason for the rusting on the distributor cap clamps is they appear to have either been bare with a thin clear coating or with a thin silver coating from the factory. They are rusty on both distributors.

Your rebuild looks very clean. I think I could take a few lessons from you..(where's the "thumbs up" icon?)

I think I got a solid plan for the Ghia together today. I am going to bring the car back the 2nd of January from Indian. The 3rd I am going to do the 6v to 12v conversion. The car has a good 1600 with no exhaust on it. I am going to put my spare dual quiet pack and header in the car. My goal is to get it running and driving within a few days of getting it home.

I am then going to roll the car with the 1600 as it sits for now. I am also going to try to decide what type of engine I want to build for it. I have been leaning towards a 1914 aiming at around 120hp. I like vintage speed but I have already done that and I don’t want to repeat something I have already done (I just want to use the same car). I also wouldn’t want to run a Judson because there is a guy who wanted to get tuning tips from me over the summer with the hope of installing one over the winter. If I can build a 1914 for whatever is left in the budget I’ll bring the car to the challenge and compete. If not I will come and hangout. I will probably also put disc brakes up front since I’m tripling the horsepower.

After this summer and hopefully driving the car constantly I would like to fix all the rust that is in the rockers and rear quarters of the car during winter. I want to color match the repairs so the car still looks how it does now just not rusty. I would also like to at sometime put a salt and pepper carpet kit and install the cover on the rear seat (I already own it just never got around to it).

I also realized I never posted about the instructor for the driving test. First he went to get into the Rabbit (he had to have been 6’8“) and the seat didn’t adjust back far enough for him. He slid the seat back past the last adjustment on the rail, then yelled at me because the seat wasn’t attached to the floor. When we finally got going we went to do the parallel parking. You get to pull back and forward 3 times each now. I pulled the car in right up against the curb on my first reverse without even needing to pull forward. He then asked if I was done and I replied yes. He looked at me and said “you didn’t put the car into park” and I thought to myself “it’s a five speed there isn’t a park”. I just told him I had the e-brake set and that there was no park besides that. He told me he would let that slide.

ratghia wrote: I will probably also put disc brakes up front since I’m tripling the horsepower.

You need that disk setup back I got from you? We've since switched to the porsche running gear so I was going to contact you to see if you wanted it back anyway.

Shoot me an email or PM

ratghia wrote: I also realized I never posted about the instructor for the driving test. First he went to get into the Rabbit (he had to have been 6’8“) and the seat didn’t adjust back far enough for him. He slid the seat back past the last adjustment on the rail, then yelled at me because the seat wasn’t attached to the floor. When we finally got going we went to do the parallel parking. You get to pull back and forward 3 times each now. I pulled the car in right up against the curb on my first reverse without even needing to pull forward. He then asked if I was done and I replied yes. He looked at me and said “you didn’t put the car into park” and I thought to myself “it’s a five speed there isn’t a park”. I just told him I had the e-brake set and that there was no park besides that. He told me he would let that slide.

You're a better man than I. I would have said the thing about the manual out loud.

Kinda scares me a lil bit that such a person would have been an examiner in the first place. "..they call it an automatic, but you have to move this lever.."

Ugh.

I decided to go with a type 4 (type 411/412/late bus/914) engine in the ghia. The advantages of it are that they came from the factory in larger 1700-2000 sizes and are therefore easier to make power with. They are also more reliable and have a oil filter. I have a complete 2.0 and a 1.8 to work with. I am going to use the 1.8 heads. They have better porting and larger valves then the 2.0 heads (had to cut back on emissions). I am going to get a valve train kit from Jake Raby and use 96mm pistons and cylinders to have a 2100. With the larger cam and weber 44 idf carbs I should be around 140-150hp. To make it work you just need to modify the type 4 tin and the type 1 tin so it fits on and seals in the car. The engine will put me out of budget but I will still be there. I hope to have the car reliable enough that I can drive it down. The photos show a 1.8 type 4 head (top) and a 40hp head like was on the old engine (bottom).

methinks the 1.8 had a head gasket issue!

aaron, i'm sure you know this but it bears repeating, air-cooled engines are really air and oil cooled, so make sure you use a beefy oil cooler and make sure your cooling air is not leaking out between ill-fitting shrouds, torn seals, etc. i've seen people kill corvair engines by running them without spark plug boots, oil cooler covers, etc, and i always want to throat-punch them, but instead i just ask if they would run a water-pumper with a hole in the lower radiator hose....

that car will be wicked awesome, or should i say more wicked awesome, and i look forward to seeing it in person!

Dont know if you'll need it but I have some T4 tin sitting around if you need it for cutting up or anything.

JThw8 wrote: Dont know if you'll need it but I have some T4 tin sitting around if you need it for cutting up or anything.

Do you have a set of type 4 upper cylinder tins. You need 2 sets to do the Joe Cali conversion.

ratghia wrote:

JThw8 wrote: Dont know if you'll need it but I have some T4 tin sitting around if you need it for cutting up or anything.

Do you have a set of type 4 upper cylinder tins. You need 2 sets to do the Joe Cali conversion.

If you mean the ones that go on top of the cylinder yep, got a set, all sandblasted and ready for your use. I think they are off a 914 but they should work.

Cool, just send me a pm with a price and we can work something out. I also need the piece that goes behind the cylinders linking the upper and lower tin together, but I am not quite sure what it looks like. I will pull one off the engine tomorrow so I can send you a picture of it.

Dual ports are good, especially if you're taking it to 2 liters. Sounds like it's going to be a nice motor when you're done with it.

You make me want to go get some aircooled stuff. I don't know why so many of the watercooled VW guys ignore the aircooled cars...

My dad and I brought her home today. Next weekend I am going to get the temporary engine for it. I have everything to do the 12v conversion. I need to buy a patch for over the headlight. In the last year it got worse. I also need to buy a 5" narrowed beam so it doesn't rub after a 1/2 turn of the steering wheel. There is more rust repair I want to do but I am going to do them 1 at a time while I drive it.

That's pretty fly! My dad bought a 1970 convertible last fall and he has been replacing much of the body work (it's almost done!). In fact, he lives in Glen Rock. I'll bet he'd like to meet you and your car.

Actually, I think I knew your dad when I autocrossed with the fine folks at the Susquehanna region. I had a red Z3. Didn't he have a red Miata for a while?

This was me!

In reply to ratghia:

I'm still stoked you got it back. Did it have all those rust problems on the nose when you let it go, or are those new?

confuZion3 wrote: That's pretty fly! My dad bought a 1970 convertible last fall and he has been replacing much of the body work (it's almost done!). In fact, he lives in Glen Rock. I'll bet he'd like to meet you and your car. Actually, I think I knew your dad when I autocrossed with the fine folks at the Susquehanna region. I had a red Z3. Didn't he have a red Miata for a while?

Yep, my dad had the red Miata. He also had a black 3 series BMW for a year or two. I think I remember seeing your car at an autocross. Is that picture from Park City?

Tell your dad to say hi if he ever runs into me at a show or anything.

friedgreencorrado wrote: In reply to ratghia: I'm still stoked you got it back. Did it have all those rust problems on the nose when you let it go, or are those new?

It had the rust over the headlight bucket but when it was painted gold they filled it with bondo. Sometime between when I sold it and now the bondo chipped off. The rockers also have rocker skins that are covered with bondo. The rear wheel arches and the area below the taillights are covered with fiberglass. I am hopping I can fix it all before spring.

I am also thinking about painting the roof to make it look like a factory 2 tone car. It would be white with a small hint of blue.

In reply to ratghia:

That would be cool. I haven't seen one of the two-tone cars in years (except at shows). I did laugh when I saw the 2-tone avalible for the car in GT4.