Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Post-War (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-war/)

-   -   My encounter with Pontons and a Beetle (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-war/39448-my-encounter-pontons-beetle-2.html)

Sadly no more pics :( Theres a convertible Beetle opp the World Trade Center building too. Again no pics of it. Some more VW pics for you Karl. The owner seems to have all the original lights and badges of the Karmann Ghia. Since he fears these could be stolen easily, they have been kept at home and he's used Fiat lights and an aluminium grille.

I remember seeing the Ghia pictures earlier as well. Is it still in use and with the owner? Thats amongst a handfull of Ghias left in Bombay, and Bandra was flooded with them some years back!

:Shockked:Thats the saddest thing anyone could do to a Karmann Ghia. That story about the lights and grille sounds untrue.

If the owner feared so much why has he still retained the original hubcaps?

Hope the Karmann Ghia lands up in some safe nice hands who could get it back to period correctness.

I consider Karmann as a stripped down porsche.

I have to sympathise with the Ghia owner here. There are many rare bits for my cars which i am still hesitant to fit after a couple of bad experiences.

Karl.

Having a rare classic there's always fear of losing few cosmetics by some miscreants.

I've lost one hubcap, 2 monograms,one wiper, one sideview mirror. but this doesnt deter me to keep the car update with all fittings from time to time.

My Beetle runs 350 kms a month without fail, and i park the car at lot of places, There's this fear of losing parts but i cant deprive the car of its complete look.

You need to live with such uncertainaties.

BTW i am eager to see your Beetle coming by.

Agree with you Pavan. But maybe not everyone can afford to replace these parts just cos someone steals them. Hence I feel he must have kept the easily-flickable parts safely and puts them only when needed (maybe at rallies or some get-together). When we know that some things which are bound to happen, we take precautions.

There is a Red Convertible Beetle Karmann owned by a collector friend of mine. Please add that to the list. Its under restoration at present.

Karl Gandhy's yellow convertible beetle was a regular on marine drive till a few years ago- Anyone know her whereabouts ???

Not just that, but bumper over-riders and Amby number plate light too, besides all the other things already mentioned, have been swapped for safe-keeping. Like Karl said, I can sympathise with the owner for being paranoid. However, I also quite agree with Pawan, that the story doesn't quite gel. One of the most difficult items to get on the Karmann Ghia is the enamel badge on the front fenders (just behind the wheel arch, above the rocker panel), and he's left that (can't see on the other side, so maybe both) on!

Ive heard about his Mercs and his fathers well known Fiats over the years, didnt know he had a Beetle, that too a cabrio!

Prabal the bumper over riders look right to me. Am I missing something?

Oooh his beetle cabrio was a hit !!! Karl was part of the Wilson College Canteen Gang, and as FYJCites, we were absolutely in awe of him and his cars.
By the way what did you say about his father's fiats ??

Karl, I think these are after-markets, maybe even recast from the original ones (since the gent plays it safe!). Over-riders of this shape (there were others also as you'd know - the long ones, those with pram-handles, and on some bumpers none at all - as also the later broader, bigger bumpers with a ridge) that came as OE fitment were a little slimmer, more chiselled on the edges and the lower portion (below the bumper's curve) was much shorter, while the upper portion was a little higher. These pix might help compare. I could be wrong though, but these look a little smaller and squatter to me.

There was big trade in exporting VW parts from India (made in India) and I've found the metal parts made here (hubcaps, tail-pipes, handles) to be of slightly different dimensions - maybe they weren't made out of wooden patterns or dies of exact size, but an OE part was used to make the cast in the sand, which always renders the replica a slightly shrunken size.









Above pix courtesy:
http://www.paulridley.co.uk/VW%20Kar...%20Trailer.JPG

VOLKSWAGEN Karmann Ghia Vincennes - France photo - Marc Demoulin photos at pbase.com

www.shannons.com.au/.../lot/?id=DKT686273REBDTB7

Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Coupe (Typ14) '1955–74

Thanks Prabal for sharing such nice pics.

The bumpers are ok in the above pics, just because they are painted they look out of shape.

Amazing car this was.

Not all Pawan, I had to only nick a few off the www! but you are welcome still.

Regarding the bumpers, actually I was talking about the over-riders. You are probably right about the paint making them look out of sorts, I thought so too. But, I'll still back myself that these are not the OE over-riders, they look rather small to me.

any idea if the karmann is for sale?

Its always been my dream to own one.

especially the pre 1979 model with the smaller rear and front indicator lights