Kai's '58 cognac lowlight

I thought it would be nice to introduce myself and my Karmann Ghia here...
This is me: Kai, 30 years old from the Netherlands.



My lowlight is originally from California, but was imported into Germany a few years ago. It's not original paint, but has been painted long time ago so it has a nice patina. Here's what it looked like when it had just crossed the ocean:




Then it changed hands in Germany, where the new owner put on a 2inch narrowed front beam with dropped spindles, 1.5 inch lowered rear spring plates and some rims:


He took off the red seat covers and found this:

Which he had fixed to this:

rear seat is og and has only 1 cigaret burn, otherwise perfect. The colour of the front seats isn't a perfect match, but acceptable.
It arrived at my house on a trailer:



Looking happy:

I've put on some 145/65 tires up front, lowered the rear some more and now it looks like this:

Cleaned the sunvisors and mirror parts, from this:


To this:


Put in my og Empi Universal wheel, NOS SWF red indicator switch, repainted ebrake handle, shifter, steering column, indicator housing:

I just received a beautiful og Hurst shifter to match the steering wheel, so that will go in asap!

Last month I had engine problems so I had to take it apart..
Almost half-way:


The problem, here together with the NOS solution:

The case was closed by a friend of mine, and the heads were overhauled too. I got everything back just a few days before Le Bug Show...
Well, I made it to the show! 8-)
I wrenched for 2 days straight and when I was ready I took a shower and drove to Le Bug Show. I arrived there at midnight on friday..
Had a great weekend, and all in all it was a 335 miles round trip without any problems at all!
I'm kinda proud to have made it there after all the work done all by myself.. (most stuff was 1st time for me..) 8-)

Hey Kai welcome on the french forum Karmann Ghia

Congratulation, your low light is splendid !!!!!!!!!

How did you discovered the forum?

What is the month of built of your low light ?


I followed a little your post on the samba

Sorry my English is very bad

Hello!!! Welcome on board!!! Your Ghia is fantastic!!!!

Hello Kai, welcome on the French KG Forum!

Many thanks for your pics, your Ghia is awesome! Low and full patina!

We saw you at the Bug Show, we've looked for you but never found where you were... We wanted to meet you, introduce to you the forum, an get more informations 'bout your Low Light!

Fortunately, you found us! As Ghia asks, how have you done? Maybe by Google?

I hope you'll come there as often as you want, even if we speak french most of the time (well... 99.9999%!), but anyway if you have requests, we'll be abble to answer, even in technical terms i guess...

Seeya! Maybe in Bitburg??

Hey guys, thanks for the kind words on my car!
It's a July '58.

I was looking at some vw-related blogs today, and went from one to another and then the next.. And somewhere there was a link of just the words 'Karmann Ghia', so I clicked on it and arrived on this site.. Sorry, I can't find back which blog it was..

@GHIA: Your english is better then my french!

@VDR: Too bad you didn't find me, would have been nice to meet you and talk ghia.. I'm not going to DDD, but I'm sure we can meet at some show next year..

kai a écrit:

@VDR: Too bad you didn't find me, would have been nice to meet you and talk ghia.. I'm not going to DDD, but I'm sure we can meet at some show next year..

For sure!!!

very nice car

VDR a écrit:

Hello Kai, welcome on the French KG Forum!

Many thanks for your pics, your Ghia is awesome! Low and full patina!

We saw you at the Bug Show, we've looked for you but never found where you were... We wanted to meet you, introduce to you the forum, an get more informations 'bout your Low Light!

Fortunately, you found us! As Ghia asks, how have you done? Maybe by Google?

I hope you'll come there as often as you want, even if we speak french most of the time (well... 99.9999%!), but anyway if you have requests, we'll be abble to answer, even in technical terms i guess...

Seeya! Maybe in Bitburg??

sell it to me,please

rusty a écrit:

sell it to me,please

Everything is for sale.. Make me an offer I can't refuse!

Hi Kai, in holland, do you know alain de bruin ( Area 51 ) and joost marx ( THW bulli ) ? 3 past years, i'm going to holland for delivery the fuchs wheels and bought other parts and visit sturmann classic shop....it was a very good day and the holland's boys was very cool....i'm in the xposure forum...
see you soon

rapido

rapido a écrit:

Hi Kai, in holland, do you know alain de bruin ( Area 51 ) and joost marx ( THW bulli ) ? 3 past years, i'm going to holland for delivery the fuchs wheels and bought other parts and visit sturmann classic shop....it was a very good day and the holland's boys was very cool....i'm in the xposure forum...
see you soon

rapido

ITS ALWAYS COOL WHEN YOU GO TO NETHERLAND YOU'VE GOT GOOD CHEESE......

empicolector a écrit:

rapido a écrit:

Hi Kai, in holland, do you know alain de bruin ( Area 51 ) and joost marx ( THW bulli ) ? 3 past years, i'm going to holland for delivery the fuchs wheels and bought other parts and visit sturmann classic shop....it was a very good day and the holland's boys was very cool....i'm in the xposure forum...
see you soon

rapido

ITS ALWAYS COOL WHEN YOU GO TO NETHERLAND YOU'VE GOT GOOD CHEESE......

rapido a écrit:

Hi Kai, in holland, do you know alain de bruin ( Area 51 ) and joost marx ( THW bulli ) ? 3 past years, i'm going to holland for delivery the fuchs wheels and bought other parts and visit sturmann classic shop....it was a very good day and the holland's boys was very cool....i'm in the xposure forum...
see you soon

rapido

Hi Rapido,

I know Alain's bus and I have seen him a couple of times, but don't really know him. But I'm good friends with Erwin ('Bussie komt zo' on exposure forum).

Hi Kai,

welcome here really nice lowlight

You know what you have to do now...learn French

I think that Lars offer me your KG 10 month ago

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^^^^ Nice pics! Thanks!!

@Rascal: Yes it came from Lars Neuffer, he imported the car from Cali.

very great

Thanks streetkillerkg!

Took the lowlight for a spin yesterday, finally no rain!

YESSSSS! We want so much great pictures again!

VDR a écrit:

YESSSSS! We want so much great pictures again!

nice shoot dude

empicolector a écrit:

VDR a écrit:

YESSSSS! We want so much great pictures again!

nice shoot dude

The last one will be on my "screen back" in 20 seconds.

I've replaced the center top and bottom pieces of my rear bumper with some nicer parts.

Before:


Now:


Slowly getting there.. :wink: