Narrow Rear of Karmann Ghia

[Nonstock]

Hi:

New to this forum, so if I bring an already discussed topic, please refer me to the link.

Have a 1964 ghia convertible with turbo 2332, Rancho trans, SAW axles, etc. Runs 13.65 s at 100 mph on 1/4 mile with 185 street tires on a roll out race. Tried to find the 3 inches shorter racing axles (23 11/16") without luck (out of stock everywhere) to be able to get some traction in 1st and 2nd by narrowing torsions and tubes.

Had some information that Mike Lawless did something to the rear of the ghia when had swingaxle and fit M&H drag street tires (looks like 7 inches). Also, read that some narrowing is possible by cutting torsions 2 inches, making some adapter for the tubes to connect to spring plates and using the stock length short axles, resulting in having space to add on the inner lip.

Did someone has details on these 2 options? Will prefer finding the 3 shorter axles, but if nothing in the next few months, then will look for these options.

Thanks in advance. Here is one of the passes at low boost...
Karmann Ghia Convertible 1964 13.65 s 100 mph at 6 psi boost

[John S.]

RLR has 3” shorter axles and and tubes. https://ronlummusracing.com/product-cat ... and-tubes/ scroll down on his page.
Not sure if there is a 1 or 2” solution. But for 3”, I think it’s a combo of the axles, cut and narrowed torsion housing and tubes and the appropriate spring plate. Not cheap, since RLR seems to be the only ones selling the axles.

[Nonstock]

John, thanks for your reply.
Contacted RLR few months ago and seems they probably be able to find a set in Finland...from Karpiola...+$1200 (axles only)...that will triple the cost of the axles from the average cost of $400, if available from SAW. SAW told me they may be doing them by April, but that's the 3rd time postponed construction since 2020, I'm afraid will not going to make them anymore...

[Chip Birks]

If I remember right, Mike took long axle ends and put them on custom length tubes, putting the end of the casting at the same place a typical short axle ended. This allowed him to move the spring plate inboard 1.25" per side. He did have to narrow the torsion housing that same amount per side and then had to weld a second spline section to a set of spring plates since he wasn't going the typical 3" narrow that stock plates from a later year allow you to go with. I actually tried to buy those spring plates off of him 8 or 10 years ago, hoping to do exactly the same thing as you are. He said he had modified the hole locations on the plates where the axles bolted to them to better work with his bus trans setup, and that they wouldn't work well for me.

If i were to attempt to narrow the rear on a car today. I would go with the RLR 3" narrowed IRS trailing arms. Not a cheap way to do it. But you can get really stout IRS axles in a huge range of lengths.

All that said. Why not just fit a bigger tire back there? It may take some custom offset wheels, but a ghia should fit a 6" m&h slick without too much effort I'd think. I had 215s on the rear of a ghia fairly recently, I think it's definitely doable. I've seen guys go deep deep 10s on a 6" slick in a bug.