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Anyone have experience with Ghias?
Been kicking around the wacky idea of buying a Karmann Ghia as a daily driver...used to have a '72 bug in High School and sorry I ever sold that car. Anyone have any experience with them? Trouble spots? Reliability? Also, I am almost 6'5"...will I fit? Thanks.
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Rick 1984 911 coupe |
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10-21-2005, 04:20 PM
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Rust is all I can remember about them.....
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10-21-2005, 07:23 PM
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Location: Linn County, Oregon
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Fergit it...I'm 6'3"...maybe a ragtop, driven top down only. Coupe? Fergit it, in stock trim, stock seats...
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"Now, to put a water-cooled engine in the rear and to have a radiator in the front, that's not very intelligent." -Ferry Porsche (PANO, Oct. '73) (I, Paul D. have loved this quote since 1973. It will remain as long as I post here.) |
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10-21-2005, 07:26 PM
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I'm 6'1" with a 30" pants inseam. For my '69 Ghia coupe, I had to have the driver's seat rails removed, and re-welded about 2" farther back, to achieve maximum leg room (while retaining the rear seat). With the stock seats, I fit into the car, but with barely enough leg room. I've made a few 300-mile trips in the car, but have to stop every hour to get out and stretch my legs, otherwise I get leg cramps that become quite uncomfortable. I don't know my torso length, but there is 1" between my head and the headliner. No room to wear a helmet for autocross events, obviously.
For a person with an inseam longer than 30", the driver's seat rails would have to be moved even farther back, which would require removing the stock rear seat. Considering the sloping roofline - moving the driver's seat that far back, plus your longer torso length, might reduce the headroom to essentially zero if you retain the stock seat (anything less than 1" is considered unsafe). If that is the case, you could install a custom driver's seat with custom mounts, Recaro for example, to regain that headroom. It might be do-able, but it would require mods. 
Last edited by genrex; 10-21-2005 at 08:07 PM.. |
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10-21-2005, 08:04 PM
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Yeesh...ok, well that is what I was afraid of. Sure are neat looking little cars though...guess I'll have to make do with my 911 LOL.
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Rick 1984 911 coupe |
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10-21-2005, 08:06 PM
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Quote:
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1977 911S Targa 2.7L (CIS) Silver/Black 2012 Infiniti G37X Coupe (AWD) 3.7L Black on Black 1989 modified Scat II HP Hovercraft George, Architect |
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10-22-2005, 04:59 AM
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Hey, while we are on the topic of small cars, would a 356 have any more room? Never sat in one. I fit in my 911 with the seat all the way back on the rails.
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Rick 1984 911 coupe |
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10-22-2005, 05:07 AM
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By all means do a seating test first, but yeah...if you fit in a 911 you should fit in a 356...
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"Now, to put a water-cooled engine in the rear and to have a radiator in the front, that's not very intelligent." -Ferry Porsche (PANO, Oct. '73) (I, Paul D. have loved this quote since 1973. It will remain as long as I post here.) |
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10-22-2005, 09:04 AM
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Swap the seats out, 914 seats are a good, low swap. I use to love using them in busses
 BTW, two of my friends who use to have trick Gias, one is 6'4", the other is 6"8", and now, I don't know how he fit in that car.
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Byron 20+ year PCA member  Many Cool Porsches, Projects& Parts, Vintage BMX bikes too |
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10-22-2005, 09:50 AM
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1977 Porsche 911S 2.7L
1974 Porsche 914-6 3.0
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