Alan are you doing the body work ??
Wish I could but about from taking it about and doing the parts resto, the hand polishing of anything that I can, that I can I just don't have the tools or the skills to do the body. Engine is going together at the moment so will post up some pics this weekend
Started test fitting all the tinware, Porsche fan housing etc. I made a mistake in getting all the tinware painted already as the paint on the fiberglass fan housing has reacted to a cover I had and I'll need to get done again. Also had 3 attempts to get the alternator and rear plastic cover that directs air in the correct position to fit correctly without hitting the fan housing. Each refit meant taking apart and starting again. I'm a photographer and I thought I had taken all the shots I'd need to make re-assembly fool proof..I needed to take more.
Big day tomorrow as going to Vintage Vee Dub to hopefully collect Chassis as is all complete . Just need to find a trailer.
you didn't bring the trailer we had to push it back
Finally have chassis at its home and will get the crew around to help place Body on the chassis.
Nice!
Looks like to need to upgrade your wheel chocks though LoL
This is an EPIC build! Quality all the way.. Very nice!
how about 17"3 piece smoothies! These are awesome but not the look I want.
Are you serious? Those rims are just awesome.Where did you find them? I have never seen them on any sites I visit.I really like that 3rd member of your Kafer Brace that goes to the pivot boxes-well thought out and really tightens the whole rear end.
alansvw wrote:I did the 8 hour round trip to deliver the ghia chassis to have the swingarm pivot bracket Installed. I bought them from Pacific Custom for $82 US which included the 7/8 4inch Hex Bolt that are counter sunk into the bracket. I checked out others available but this are so well made and the welds are beautiful. Decided to do some other work on cleaning up the chassis at the same time. Not decided if I need a bigger fuel line installed to feed the 48"s have had engines with and without bigger lines and cannot say i noticed a difference. cant wit to now install the narrowed trailing arms plus every other bid needed when narrowing the rear end. Are 17"wheels worth the effort don't know yet!
Couldn't work out how you were going to tighten the nuts on these brackets because they would be inside the frame horns.
In my search for my perfect wheel I found a guy that makes custom 17"wheels from old wheels into 3 piece beauties. I have seen lots of samples of 17"Riviera's an old Ronals in 17", but not cheap at close on 3,000 EU
Can you fit 17x9"wheels under the front of a ghia and still have clearance... sure can. Wouldn't recommend trying to go round a corner but they fit. Only fitted theseon so it can go to paint next week and I needed it rolling. It will be running 17 x8"when my wheels arrive.
I'm lucky that a sons mate has a laser cutter and has made up these brackets to keep the oil lines tidy and looking good.
my 12Volt armature motor arrived so I can convert my 6 Volt wipers to 12V
Its finally gone away to paint, next lot of pics will be final body prep and paint.
heading down south to see the progress next week, not expecting to see a lot done as Chris wants to finish a few other projects so he can concentrate on mine . I'll post up some new pics after I see it.
I have finally found my wheels . It continues to amaze me that you can look all around the world then up pops the item only a few K's away. TI'll need to rebuilt to narrow but that's the easy part now I have them.
Chris at Innovative are now working hard on my car and doing a heap of small things getting ready for paint. I've had the bonnet and engine release metal lines now moved so they run under the body for a cleaner look.
Great metalwork. I have a ghia that I am restoring aswell, can I ask who did the bodywork and wanted to charge $20,000 and who is doing the painting now?
VW fan & Real Estate Agent at
www.argyproperty.com.auLooking good Alan
Step up to get out !!!
Hi Walter, originally I had O&S at Cromer do the work but I had a number of issues with not doing what I requested or doing things I didn't request so I took it away from them and I'm now having their work corrected and the body finished for paint in the next few weeks by Chris Rolfe at Innovative Bodyworks. I can highly recommend Chris and his work is excellent and he takes the time to think it through and then explain his reasons etc. Yes its still going to cost $20,000
Hi Alan, interesting, and what a headache. Out of curiosity what were or were they not doing?
When I was looking for someone to do my car i contacted O&S amongst a few others, didn't go with O&S, I didn't contact innovative as they weren't on my radar, didn't see them. Anyway my car is down at Sydney Vintage car restorations. Restoring a car PROPERLY is an expensive exercise and not for the faint hearted or shallow pocketed. I takes alot of time, whether one can do oneself or otherwise one must pay someone else.
I will be starting a thread on my '66 T34 ghia soon.
VW fan & Real Estate Agent at
www.argyproperty.com.auI'll send you a PM
Testing fitting my wheels before I pull them apart to fit the new outer lips and if needed rear barrels.
The original wheel was 9" wide , the outer lip was 3" I love the look but knew they would not fit but was really surprised to see they are not that far out.
shot showing rear clearance. I am sure I can leave the rear 6" barrel as I have good clearance and will just change the front lip to 2" giving a width of 8" on the rear.
they took a lot of hard sanding and cleaning to get from this to the finished barrel.
Even though the rear wont be seen I want them to be perfect.
and what a better thing to be doing while its raining.
Before someone asks about the front.... I've ordered 2" lips in a High polished finish called Radinox for the rear As they are expensive I've just ordered 2 for the rear . I can then test fit them on the front and then see what size rear barrel and lip I can fit. I'm thinking that they will end up being 6.5" or 7", made up of a 5" rear barrel and a 1.5"or 2" lip. When I have all the parts then I have a few surprises I want to do to make them unique.
Wow Alan,
I didn't realise the rears would fit with that width.....I think I need to talk to you more about those inner & outer sizes when I get a chance,
Nath
Step up to get out !!!
Those wheels look great, Ghias are usually hard to fit bigger wheels to. Are they 17s?
Yes Steve, they are 17". I looked around the world for two years before I found them on the internet 20 k's from home but the were way too wide. The rears are 12" wide and the fronts 9". I test fitted the 9" wheels on the ghias rear and was surprised at how much rear clearance there was. The lip on the 9" wheel was 3" so I have ordered a 2" lip. I can still if needed have a cm machined off the rear centre hub if I need more clearance. The new lips will arrive this week and I'll then test fit again and this time try on the front.. I know they wont fit but I'll be able to measure and order the rear barrel and a new 1.5" new lip. The front will I think end up being 6.5" or 7" wide, don't want any wider. I'll post more photos with them being fitted.
VERY NICE
Received the new rear 2.5" lips for the rear. was wanting 2' but they sent the wrong size but will return if they don't fit. I reassembled with just a few bolts so I can test fit. You can see the difference in the hi polished Radinox finish.... they are like a mirror!
