60 Ghia Updating

[cal 67]

I haven't worked on any VWs this early. I have a new 67 box with short axles for the Ghia. The original trans has a completely different mounting setup. What adapters are available or what is the common conversion?

I have a new Wiring Works harness. How do I change everything over to 12V while retaining the 6V parts? Also, I'm not sure how to run the harness through the tunnel. There's a sharp 90 degree bend at the floor which seems impossible to get the harness through. Do I need special tools? Also, I've left the old harness in in case I have to attach the new harness to the old one. Which is the best way to pull through? Out of the front or the back?

If you can answer all or as many of the questions as possible, it's be much appreciated. Thank you.

[FJCamper]

Hi Cal67,

By your transmission having a different mounting, do you mean the nose cone of the transmission itself? The really early had slots for bolts, the later nose cones have bolt holes. The good news is all it takes is a change of nose cones.

In doing a 6v to 12v conversion, every light bulb you have, to include instrument lights, has to be changed, and the only electrical part you can keep is the wiper motor but you need a kit for it. You'll be changing your generator and starter.

C13-9344 - WIPER MOTOR CONVERSION KIT - 6-VOLT UP TO 12-VOLT - ALL 6 VOLT MODELS

http://WWW.CIP1.com

Your wiring harness does not go through the central chassis tunnel, but out under the dash and along the floor. Is that what you meant by the tunnel?

There are actually two main elements to a new rewiring, one harness from the fusebox forward, and one from the fuse box to the rear of the car.

I hope this at least gets you started.

FJC

[cal 67]

I've called around. It seems that for only one year, the body mount for the transmission was different than all of the other years. I have to take it in to get a different piece welded on to use common transmissions.

The tunnel that I meant is a tube that leads from the inside of the trunk to the floor on the passenger's side. I don't understand how to pull the wires through with such a sharp bend at the floor and which direction to pull them in.

this is a 60 Ghia by the way.

[Chris V]

Does your front transmission mount look like this?:
...that's a rare one, and the weakest P.O.S. VW ever made. If you'll be doing a true resto and sticking with a 1200cc 36HP (or stock 40HP) engine it'll be barely adequate, otherwise I'd whack off the mounting points on the rear torsion and weld in either the pre`60 or `61-up bracketry to accept a stronger front mount.

[cal 67]

Yes that's it. Now my problem is how to get the new harness through it's tunnel. I've left the old harness in place because I'm not sure whether to attach the new harness to the old one to pull it through or just pull it out and use special tools to get it through.

[FJCamper]

Hi Cal 67,

There are no special tools to pull the harness, just much slow work. I'm presuming you have an exact match 1960 harness sheathed in plastic tubing, and not a universal harness.

We had to custom hand-wire our 1965 Ghia road racer, and the front firewall hole for the main harness is awfully small.

Installation involves silicone lube, twisting, pulling, bending, and cussing.

FJC

[cal 67]

I just discovered that it's a 61-65 harness. It has spades instead of the correct open ends. Now I have to figure what fuse box to use and how to mount it.

I'll look into that silicone lube.

It doesn't look like there's any access holes to guide the harness through. I guess that I have to attach the new one to the old one to get it in.

[FJCamper]

Hi Cal 67,

Just for reference, here is our hand-wire job on our road-racing 1965 Ghia, with additional ground bar, etc. The gold-colored finned cylinder on the far left side of the photo with a white wire to it is a 12v to 6v voltage drop adapter for our wiper motor.

FJC

[cghia]

Some questions for FJCamper: I am about to start rewiring my 65 KG and must decide whether to buy a ready-made harness or “hand-make” the wiring. I already know from another web site that a 6v harness is more heavy-duty than a 12v one; so … if I do install a new harness, it likely will be a 6v one if I can find it. I found a wiring diagram online that seems closest to the wiring now in my car (which was converted to 12 v by a previous owner). My tentative plan is to follow that diagram carefully [with the exceptions that (1) the diagram does not show the 12v wiper motor that was installed in the conversion; I know which wires to use for that and (2) a relay has been added for the starter; I can see where the wires go for that also).

Given your “hand-made” experience, do you have any advice now about whether to go the hand-made route or to install a ready-made harness? What gauge wires did you use (I assume 10 or 12 for the starter/ solenoid/ generator … but what about the other things)? I see that you installed a grounding panel and that it has lots of wires on it. What devices were grounded there? What is the strip on the right of the photo with all the blue-insulated spade connectors?

A question for anyone: What ready-made harness is easiest to install? Do you recommend finding an entirely new system with its own fuse box or using the old fuse panel?

Sorry for so many questions all at the same time. Thanks for any help.

[Marc]

....I already know from another web site that a 6v harness is more heavy-duty than a 12v one; so … if I do install a new harness, it likely will be a 6v one if I can find it...

An OEM factory 6V harness has some heavier-gauge wires, but I would not assume the same of an aftermarket replacement - copper costs money, they're going to use the cheapest they can get away with.
A big issue on the electrics of an early car is that there really isn't much "room" on the fusepanel for the accessory loads so you end up with several functions sharing a common fuse. An aftermarket panel, or one from a newer VW with more fuses, or even a combination of the two allows much better load distribution. To install a larger stock panel and have it look like it belongs there you must open up the mounting hole in the dash, something that makes a purist cringe (one man's upgrade is another's abomination).
There are aftermarket solutions such as the Watson's StreetWorks, but I'm unimpressed with them. If it's not a priority to retain stock (or nearly so) appearance and you have some wiring experience, you can build an improved harness with more/bigger wires than stock and add a panel/feature or two in the process. Chris V has used this approach on a couple of Beetles and a Bus with great results.

There's very little that's specific to a Karmann-Ghia when it comes to the wiring, it's 98% the same as that in a Beetle; the Electrical Forum is probably a better place to carry on this discussion. A lot of your questions have already been addressed there, take this thread for example: viewtopic.php?f=54&t=141442&start=15

[cghia]

Thanks, Marc. I appreciate the tip re using an OEM 6v harness and the tip about the specific aftermarket kit mentioned with fuse panel included. I will consider adding a panel. Cutting an additional panel hole won't scare me away; I'll just have to figure out how to jump power to the second panel (should not be difficult).