ghiamaniac's 1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
Deirdre
The car I\\\'ve wanted ever since I was old enough to drive
The car I\\\'ve wanted ever since I was old enough to drive
Vehicle Make & Model
Gobi Beige 1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (find similar)Engine Mods
1776 cc bored stock: Solex 34-PICT-3 carb with K&N air filter, dual-ported, Petronix electronic ignition, 5-qt oil sumpPerformace Stats Performance Calculator
Quarter Mile
Exterior
Transplanted bodies in Fall of 2007; frenched headlight buckets to accommodate Porsche headlamps (new body had them at time of purchase); "Zoom Tube" exhaust replaces dual stock pipes; homemade fresh air grills; nerf bumpers; EMPI style 8-spoke rims; removed "trunk lip" and replaced with billet aluminum lighted license plate frame; pair of 60's era Ford Mustang sport mirrors. Stripes painted where chrome trim should be... helps the car go faster (grin!)Interior
Bare as Mother Hubbard's cupboard!! Waiting to put on a new paint job before installing all the innards...Suspension
Monroe Gas-Matic shock absorbersExhaust
Intake: Solex 34-PICT-3 stock carb, topped with a 6-inch K & N reuseable air filter. Exhaust: stock muffler, custom, chromed "Zoom Tube" replacing the twin tailpipesWheels
EMPI style 8-spoke rim (5-1/2 inch width)Tires
165 R15, Goodyear and MetricAudio & Video
Original Sapphire IX AM radio does not work, so mainly the songs rolling around in my headFuture Mods
Wood accents on interior (stick shift handle, window crank knobs, emergency brake handle); chrome/rubber pedal covers; custom seat covers; two-color door panels; sound-deadening and carpetting; headlinerAwards & trophies
"Best Foreign Car" 2002 Borrego Springs Grapefruit Festival/Car ShowSponsors
Nobody "sponsors" me officially, but I'm more than happy to promote the following companies to whom I owe my progress:* Ace Hardware
* eBay
* Harbor Freight Tools
* Karmann Ghia Parts and Restoration
* Mid-America Motorworks
* O'Reilley's Auto Parts (formerly Kragens)
* Peter Yegen Insurance (Policy through Hagerty Insurance)
* Quality German Auto Parts
* Yoo-Hoo
Testimony
Jesus Christ is my personal Savior. As Paul would say: as a mere man, I do things I know I shouldn't, and don't do things that I know I should. I thank the Lord that it is Jesus who, in my stead, meets the measure and allows me to be accepted by the Father; I make every day a new opportunity (with His strength, and according to His will and timing) to live a "Christ-like" life.
"This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles." Ps 34:6
I am retired from the U. S. Navy (20 years), and have more time to work on my cool little car. I had moved out to Montana for a while, but came back here to PA because I needed to get back on The Path that God wants me to be. I may not be able to attend the meetings on a regular basis, but will try at least once before the year is over. I like the work that you do, and enjoy knowing that this hobby can be an instrument of testimony-- not a self-satisfying obsession.
"This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles." Ps 34:6
I am retired from the U. S. Navy (20 years), and have more time to work on my cool little car. I had moved out to Montana for a while, but came back here to PA because I needed to get back on The Path that God wants me to be. I may not be able to attend the meetings on a regular basis, but will try at least once before the year is over. I like the work that you do, and enjoy knowing that this hobby can be an instrument of testimony-- not a self-satisfying obsession.
- Daniel Mosemann,
- Status: Status: User
- Age: 51 (February 7, 1961)
- Occupation: Mechanic
- Location: Burnham, PA
- Fav. Verse: Psalms 34:6
- Club Yellowstone Roaring 20s Auto Club
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It has been a while since I put anything up... been working through some major life changes. The Karmann Ghia is alive and well, and will soon be residing back in Pennsylvania. Despite health and money issues, my folks have been kind enought to help me pull "Deirdre" from Montana to my new PA residence. There are different rules for registering classic cars in the "Keystone State," than out in "Big Sky Country" so I'm gonna have to do some research...
Rang in the New Year (albeit a week late) by heading into the garage. I was happy to have a very special friend with me on th 8th and, despite the cold, we managed to get a little work on Deirdre...
Happy New Year to all!!! I'm starting this year on a good foot... sipping a cup of "Sheetz" coffee (from Pennsylvania). Oh, what a beautiful morning...
I'm one step closer to being a real Montanan... partook of my first pork chop sandwich!!! Not bad, really...
Back on the street!!
There's nothing like the feeling you get when a lot of hard work pays off. I'd been having trouble starting the Ghia ever since the last car show in August. To keep the story short, I'll just say I went through two tech manuals, a dozen or so troubleshooting checks, and an online plea for help before getting "Deirdre" to start up again. The problem: I'd left the ignition switched on, which basically fried my electronic ignition system. The solution: a new module and coil. Of course I HAD to take her out for a spin after the engine snapped back to life. Ahhhh, what a satisfying ride it was...
The irony of this whole thing? I got her fixed just in time to sock her away for the winter... go figure!!
I found some old taillight lenses and replaced the broken one... now "Deirdre" is experiencing more electrical problems!!
I was up early to pull excess stuff out of "Deirdre" before heading off to the All-Euro Show at the college. I got a bit of a scare when I went to start the engine: I turned the key and there was nothing... not even a flicker from the generator or oil warning lights!! "Oh my gosh," I first thought, "what did I leave on to drain the battery??" A quick check with a circuit tester showed the battery had plenty of juice... upon closer inspection around the battery, I discovered a major wire had slipped off the voltage regulator. Once it was reattached, the car sprang to life.
Once at Rocky Mountain College, I helped out with setting up canopies and tables. The "priceless" moment came when I went to move the Ghia off the street and onto the display area...
Windex, to clean the glass: $4.95
Foam and Shine, to bring out the luster of the tires: $3.79
Turtle Wax, to buff up the body: $4.50
Shop Towel, to cover the tail lamp you mashed when you backed into a tree:
Yep, my first "boo-boo" with this car in nine years, and it was while interacting with an inanimate object!! My first reaction was --naturally-- anger mixed with frustration, but I consoled myself with the realized providence of the Lord: had I put the car in last year for the elusive paint job (which would have cost close to $2500), I'd be looking at a steep price to restore the new look. As it stands, I simply have another dent for the body guys to fix once I do turn the car in.
Despite the rickety start, the day was delightful. I was able to touch bases with a couple of other VW owners; I even received a bit of insight regarding my fuel problem and a job offer!! Not too shabby.
I didn't take any myself, but current pictures --hopefully to be nabbed from the PCA website-- will be up in a couple of days on my Facebook page. Keep your monitor on standby...
In the meantime, Praise the Lord and pass the Bondo!! Stay Tuned!!
If you are in Billings, MT this weekend, be sure to stop by Rocky Mountain College on Poly Drive. The school will be the site of the
2009 ALL-EURO CAR SHOW
sponsored by the Absoroka Region Porsche Club of America
Saturday August 22 ~~ 10AM to 3PM
"Deirdre" and I will be there in the hopes to see some other Karmann Ghias and Volkswagens. This will be our last show before I start stripping her down for the long-awaited paint job.
Pics from the BAOCS are on FaceBook... look in the folder marked "Car Shows 2009"
**2nd Annual Billings All-Original Car Show**
I pulled Deirdre into North Park in downtown Billings, almost in the same spot we parked last year. We had about 230 cars on display this go-round. I don't know if it was the economy or the heat (almost 100!!), but it was far from the 300 machines we had in '08. Despite the smaller number of cars, it didn't seem to deter the crowds from coming out and lookat all of us. I was tickled to see that the foreign section was dominated by German engineering: two Beetles, two Porsches, and my Karmann Ghia.
Judging was much more streamlined this year, so the judges got done much earlier. Best Foreign Car went to the 1936 Austin touring sedan owned by the Roaring 20's own "Doctor Van" and the Best of Show awarded to a unique vehicle: a Willys-Knight Plaidside Phaeton... awesome car!!
I'll have pictures up on FaceBook or MySpace soon; in the meantime, go in my profile and read the article I posted from the local paper... goes into more detail on our Best of Show winner!!