68 Ghia

[EDNCAROL]

I'll check but it doubt it. Both cars are listed as 68 and have the same wiring configuration. so the chance of having two with front ends grafted onto them is remote i'd think.

Agreed. I thought the other car was a '70. Note to self read slower!

[AoT]

Here is my roto router setup. Garage door cable installed in cordless drill

How is the cable secured to the drill for future reference? Nifty idea!

[Glenn]

Here is my roto router setup. Garage door cable installed in cordless drill

How is the cable secured to the drill for future reference? Nifty idea!

Looks like a clutch cable with the tranny end in the chuck.

[Brown]

Here is my roto router setup. Garage door cable installed in cordless drill

How is the cable secured to the drill for future reference? Nifty idea!

The of the cable has a threaded rod attached, very similar to the clutch cable, although it is a garage door cable. The drill holds it just like a doll bit!

[Brown]

Back at the electrical issues this weekend.

after cleaning up the fuse holder and re-installing it in the car no change, but at least I didn't have to worry about that.
Replaced the turn signal and emergency light flasher and that solved that problem, although the light int he speedometer is not working, probably a bad bulb.
Checked out the headlights and there is power going to them and the high beam flasher is working so it probably is two bad headlamps.
The relay for the horn was missing and the power cable from the fuse box was taped off so i dug up an old relay and rewired the power cable but still nothing. I have to check to see if I ground the pin on the relay if it works.

Also the front right blinker bulb is flashing dim so i think that is a ground issue. The rear left light holder was not working all the bulb holders needed to be cleaned and adjusted to tighten up the connection.

[Raj]

damn!... this thing is going to be ' legal legal' when its done. Kudos.

[Brown]

When I decided to replace the headlights i discovered the buckets were a rusted mess and there was nothing left to screw them back into. After panicking for a day and doing some reading i decided to remove the old buckets and weld in some from the parts i had and then i will need to patch the top of the fender over the lights that rusts out. The car was filled with bondo so i did not realize how bad it was under the paintt.

Hear are some pics

[Raj]

Any before pics? Very scary as you never really know what lies beneath existing paint.

[Brown]

spent some time on the ghai over the weekend. Had to install a new gas line, which is a pain in the ass, but i got it. Bled the brakes using a brake bleeder, which worked nicely.

found a replacement fuel pump for the one i sold with an engine 2 weeks ago and got the engine running. Engine starts right up but idles very high. Carb idle adjustment is all the way turned in.

Rear passenger wheel was scraping and found the lug bolts i was using were too long. Replaced them and that was fine. Took it for a spin and when i let up on the clutch to first take off the car shudders violently. Once it gets going it rides nice and shifting no problem. I'm going to check to see that the Bowdin tube is installed, but any other suggestions?

Thanks

[Raj]

echo the bowden tube.... that was my first guess.

tranny mounts any good? When you jack up the car by the motor ( yikes) does the whole motor raise up?

[Brown]

echo the bowden tube.... that was my first guess.

tranny mounts any good? When you jack up the car by the motor ( yikes) does the whole motor raise up?

Didn't get a chance to check tonight with the rain!

[Raj]

ken,
Just checking on you buddy. All cool. Any progress on the ghia?

[Brown]

With some free time I've gotten back to the Blue Ghia, which has gone through some changes. some time back I acquired another 68 Ghia with much better floor pans and was an original 4 speed so I removed the body from both to swap them over. I could not find a buyer for the old chassis so that got cut up and hauled away.

Now I'm working on the current chassis to get the rust and some other issues cleared up before i put he body back on it. I have good brake cylinders and calipers front and rear from one of the other cars but I decided to replace all the metal lines and rubber hoses. I'm also replacing the axle boots. The plan is to fix the rust then POR 15 the Chassis and slap the body back on it. THen fix the headlight buckets, check the wiring and get it on the road

Here are some pictures of the progress so far.

new Parts


swing axle


Chassis before


stripping chassis


Getting ready to pleasure wash

[Raj]

Looking good ken! Glad you still at it with these ghia's. Hoping to see you in something air cooled this summer bud.

[Tom]

Looking good ken! Glad you still at it with these ghia's. Hoping to see you in something air cooled this summer bud.

Good luck with that, he only enjoys dismantling them !

[Brown]

Does anyone have access to a brake? I want to bend some 18 gauge sheet metal 36" long!

Thanks

[Raj]

Does anyone have access to a brake? I want to bend some 18 gauge sheet metal 36" long!

Thanks

Nothing here Ken. Im actually looking for one to bend up the fascia on my house, I'll let you know if I get in in the near future

[Brown]

While i have not been around i have been finding some time to work on the Ghia. I finally completed rust repair on the pan and painted it with POR15. Here are a couple of shots of some of the repair and it ready for paint. I painted it this past weekend but have not had a chance to take any pictures but I will. Next i'm putting everything back on the pan to get a rolling chassis, Brakes, Brake lines, ball joints, front end, axle boots bearings etc then dropping the body on it.

[Big_kid]

Nice! Keep at it!

[Raj]

Ken, glad your still at it my friend!

[Brown]

I'm looking to pull the rear bearings from a swing axle and the book says to use an inside puller. What have people done to remove this bearing?

Thanks

[B MAN]

The bearing is a press fit on the axle and you need a puller to get it off without damaging anything. All you need to remove is the brake drum and backing plate. The axle tube can remain in place while you pull off the bearing.

Muir mentions how to get it off with a couple of vise-grips and if you search on the forums you'll see how other people got it off. I tried and tried but I finally broke down and bought a very pricey puller made by Sir Tools that's a duplicate of the VW shop bearing puller. If you lived closer to me I would drive over to let you use it. Comes off in two minutes.

CAUTION!!! If you pull on the axle while you are trying to pull the bearing off (without using the tool), you may pull the axle out of the transaxle just enough to have a couple of shims drop behind the end of the axle. If this happens to you (it did to me) you will have to remove the axle tube and pull the whole axle / side gear assembly out of the transaxle in order to get the shims back in place. More fun than anyone deserves to have.

http://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tools/ax ... ckfit=true

[Brown]

I purchased a swing axle gasket set but found that the 1968 swing axle uses a smaller O Ring to go around the end of the axle where it meets the transaxle. I'm having trouble finding the smaller O ring , I think 5". Anyone have any ideas where I can find a set of O rings? Under the axle tube retainer!

[Raj]

This by the tranny or the the end of the axle... by the wheel bearing seal?

[Brown]

It’s the large O Ring next to the transmission. I think I found it though on Weddle Industry Website. I’ll know if it’s the right size when I get it.

The O Ring that comes with the gasket kit is much larger than needed for this application.