Old Itch

I've got the itch to buy something old. I've been perusing Auto Trader, saw a few promising leads on eBay for a Karmann Ghia. I first stumbled upon these unique Volkswagens back in high school when the original plan was to find a reliable car for my sister, when the search turned into a personal quest, and the local paper yielded a one-of-kind example with a flat 6 stuffed in the back where the once mousy, air-cooled VW motor resided. The car was a perfect example of a wolf in sheep's clothing. The engine was sourced from a Chevrolet Corvair and had more than 3 times the power of the stock engine and at least that many multiples in the torque department.

Photo source: harrisburg.craigslist.org

The car was a blast to drive and in spite of the extra heft of the engine, it still handled well. Get aggressive on the gas and the clutch let you know it's doing double-duty with the smell which was a mix of burnt marshmallows and formaldehyde. Driving the car in the rain made for fun fishtailing and careful application of the clutch mixed with moderation of the brakes and inputs of counter-steering helped to keep this in check. The car is still in the family, but is about 15 years past due on a complete overhaul and restoration. As with most garage projects, it wasn't perfect to begin with and perhaps I could pay my brother visit to convince him that I can resurrect this fine car.

More to follow...