RE: You Know You Want To: Subaru'd Karmann Ghia
Discussion
RemarkLima said:
Surely the argument to make about sticking modern running gear in a classic is quite simple:
If the technology was available at the time, they would have put that lastest kit inside the car. The body and design is the part that really is / was dependant on era IMHO.
Still, fully originals should be kept for a museum.
Not sure if I agree with that in the case of the Karmann Ghia, Volkswagen never attempted to make it a sports car it was all about the looks not the performance. If the technology was available at the time, they would have put that lastest kit inside the car. The body and design is the part that really is / was dependant on era IMHO.
Still, fully originals should be kept for a museum.
I think this period advert sums it up perfectly , you have got to love VW adverts -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiBNtGSzrp4
chrisw1991 said:
RemarkLima said:
Surely the argument to make about sticking modern running gear in a classic is quite simple:
If the technology was available at the time, they would have put that lastest kit inside the car. The body and design is the part that really is / was dependant on era IMHO.
Still, fully originals should be kept for a museum.
Not sure if I agree with that in the case of the Karmann Ghia, Volkswagen never attempted to make it a sports car it was all about the looks not the performance. If the technology was available at the time, they would have put that lastest kit inside the car. The body and design is the part that really is / was dependant on era IMHO.
Still, fully originals should be kept for a museum.
I think this period advert sums it up perfectly , you have got to love VW adverts -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiBNtGSzrp4
Pothole said:
hora said:
Front or rear wheel drive?
Really?In case some people aren't aware the Subaru boxer engine can be fitted into a variety of VW bugs, campers and buggys. There are even off the shelf conversion kits available but there are some people who choose not to use these for example http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... is a fantastic read.
Or if you don't need the rear seats... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTAC8nAjtpQ
jamespink said:
Cant see anything to not like here, especially as the wheezy old lump puts out about 40 brake! Nice balance and a lovely rebuild, very tasty!
Might only put out 40bhp, but there's something lovely about the way a VW air-cooled flat four thuds its way along at 60mph - just as it was designed to do on the new German Autobahns in the 1930s/40s.Dr Interceptor said:
Might only put out 40bhp, but there's something lovely about the way a VW air-cooled flat four thuds its way along at 60mph - just as it was designed to do on the new German Autobahns in the 1930s/40s.
Absolutely, loved the way my old 1600 GT Beetle drove at that speed, it had such a lovely reliable hum about it, you just had total confidence in it doing exactly what it was supposed to do. aka_kerrly said:
Indeed, rear engine front wheel drive car, that is the sort of ludicrous idea a Rover engineer would come up with.
In case some people aren't aware the Subaru boxer engine can be fitted into a variety of VW bugs, campers and buggys. There are even off the shelf conversion kits available but there are some people who choose not to use these for example http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... is a fantastic read.
Yep, even I managed to squeeze a 3.3 litre flat 6 under my rear engined Vw Caravelle hobby wagen. In case some people aren't aware the Subaru boxer engine can be fitted into a variety of VW bugs, campers and buggys. There are even off the shelf conversion kits available but there are some people who choose not to use these for example http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... is a fantastic read.
aka_kerrly said:
Indeed, rear engine front wheel drive car, that is the sort of ludicrous idea a Rover engineer would come up with.
You laugh, but I spoke with an engineer who told me that he used to work for Rover and that this was one of the ideas for the first BMW-era Mini. The idea was that the driveshaft would become part of the crash structure and provide a predictably handling yet safe-for-its-weight Mini. Fascinating to talk to the chap.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff