This vehicle, a low milage, 6 volt car with rusty roof was purchased  from an old age Pensioner in Zabbar, it was about to experience a radical personality change....

I had in mind an open top California look car with down on the tarmac suspension, lower than anything cruising on Maltese Roads.

Before starting a project like this, remember Safety - a lot of  work went into planning the construction of the car and obtaining necessary permits before letting loose with the hacksaw. It is also important to measure everthing twice, cut the wrong bit off and you can't stick it back with hard metal.

This bug has a lot of modifications which should not be attempted by the faint hearted. Firstly, the car was going to be lowered, I gave it a bit more ground clearance by cutting out the sloping rear floorpan sections and grafting in new flat sections, reinforced with 1/4" crossbars (otherwise known as belly panning the floor).

Next, substantial 3" angle sections were welded inside the car from the rear to the front over the heater channel . High metal gussets were welded from these sections around the Aand B pillars and down into the inner kick panels, to prevent "scuttle shake". Supporting the door pillars stops them wobbling when you close the door, and the doors do not clank when you drive over small bumps!

I took a note of the bodyshell measurements, then cut the rusty roof off (I had taken the windows out by this stage). Fingers crossed I checked the measurements they were the same, no distortion had occured.

Cutting the roof off leaves a few gapping sections to fill. I did not simply cap the pillars but made curved metal work to follow the flowing lines of the original bodywork (this took many weeks to complete). The rear parcel shelf is made of sheet steel and incorporates a frenched electric aerial fitted with an orange aeroball !  Try and spot the small 1/4" strengthening bars welded into the top of the rear quarter panels (they also prevent the door pillar  flexing when the door shuts).

What, no roll bar ? well a Karman Ghia Convertible does not have one, so lets keep it looking traditional OK. 

The dashboard was smoothed with one sheet of metal (who needs speaker grilles or a glove box) and the steering wheel changed for a Mountney sports wheel. The speedo is all white with a blue needle.

The windscreen surround was again hand made in steel because it looked nicer than using a lumpy fibrglass capping., and enabled the door frames to be cut shorter.

In the electrics department, everthing was changed to 12-volt specification, the front indicators were shaved off, and relocated behind the horn grilles. The rear lenses were changed to all red USA versions. Inside the engine airvents is a long brake light, when braking at night, the vents illuminate.

This bug is only driven in the sunshine, no need for guttering (paraqua) so it was fully deseamed, the bonnet trim holes were welded closed at the same time. A tonnau cover is hidden in the back, it clicks into place over 7 sensors which automatically detect, should anyone try and remove the cover, the car alarm will sound.

At the recent V-DUBS cruise you could see that this car was a lot nearer the tarmac than your normal VW. 3" were cut out of the front beam and  Sway-Away adjusters with caster shims added. Shortened shock absorbers are fitted. You can fit a bump steer kit but personally I have not found it was necessary on my car. At the back the rear suspension was removed and rotated up one spline, you do get some negative camber but this is normal. People gasp and ask how it is possible to drive such a low car in Malta. As my passengers will tell you, the ride quality is really good, and better than some normal cars ... like my Mini Metro for instance (yes, I admit a Metro is my Company vehicle).

The exterior is finished in 2-pack paint, a blue Porsche shade, the seats are all new upholstered in light grey, with blue Porsche seat belts. The door panels have  modern paterned inserts in them and the carpet is grey. Finally the car rides on chrome Porsche 356 replica wheels with low profile tires at the front. The chome used on the car is all new, even the bonnet handle.

It took 10 months to complete this project. Watch out for my next ...... a chopped roof, lowered split screen window beetle is already being built. Am I crazy, no just an English dude who's seriously into VW's.
 

Kevin Widmann