Ripping Apart My Karmann Ghia | I Like To Make Stuff

It is time to completely dismantle the Karmann Ghia! This full-restoration project had to start by tearing it down so that I can start building it back up the right way. Come follow along with this on-going saga of Rebuilding My Dream Car.
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About I Like To Make Stuff:
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Ripping Apart My Karmann Ghia | I Like To Make Stuff
• Ripping Apart My Karma...
I Like To Make Stuff
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[@cadeholcomb]

This is the most real ILikeToMakeStuff I’ve ever seen. Seeing Bob struggle with the seat is so something that me and my Dad would do and it just makes me feel more relatable to these videos…

[@Iliketomakestuff]

The struggle is real

[@chuckwolfe4688]

Maybe he needs to rename his channel to "I Like to Break Stuff" :-D

[@tyceclark]

I thought this exact thing. Seeing him back there shouldering a seat made me smile....I've been there.

[@PeteRondeau]

Just a tip, any rubber trim (like window moldings) you are tossing, cut a piece off and keep, when you run into problems reassembling in a year or two you can check if the new trim is actually a match for what you took off. Some of the aftermarket replacements are sketchy.

[@S133S]

Agreed, excellent tip.

[@jimsauber9252]

The sample also will come in handy to match, if the original is not directly available. Steele Rubber has almost any car rubber seal profile ever made.

[@vayabroder729]

West Coast Metric makes all the rubber seals and items for these cars. Check them out.

[@Jon.S]

Ziplock bags Bob, for all the hardware that comes off, then label the bags. You’re going to end replating/coating the bolts and nuts etc, so that also helps keep them organised.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Agreed.

[@nimuie]

you can use one of those small instant photo print camera and place the photo in the bag next to everything else. 2 years from now you wont remember what the 3/4 x 2 washers left mid cylinder bolt" means

[@monsternside1509]

@@nimuie That or a digital picture and add the picture number on the bag.

[@patrickcunningham9385]

This is exactly what I do.

[@staratmidnight7]

Came down here to say exactly this

[@hunterdavis7504]

I'm not a car guy. And I've been loving this entire series of videos about the Karman Ghia. Great job as always Bob and crew!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

I'm not a car guy either, but I'm working on it piece by piece

[@davidcolson6622]

Total love for this project. You're attacking it just like every other vehicle repair, rebuild or shade tree upgrade I've ever worked on with friends growing up. Keep going man. Great stuff.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@WilliamVerdoorn]

To get those door screws off, I’d recommend a manual impact driver. It’s a simple tool you hit with a hammer to free stuck screws and can work really well. It’s about $8 at harbor freight.

[@iandoesit]

That's what I was about to say.

[@lynxshd]

@@iandoesit Like a big phillips screw driver and a sledge shock it while trying to turn it, or add a little bit of heat then hit it and try to turn. VW mechanic moto if it doesn't come off, get a bigger knockometer

[@jongmassey]

Also, those big cross heads aren't Phillips, they're flat bottomed like a slotted screw

[@marcelofrey1388]

@@lynxshd exactly, in brazil we called this "wake up" the screw

[@chloemae1176]

DO NOT use a manual impact I had a 71 ghia when i was 16 and that was all that was available and by hitting the impact with a hammer you can misalign the pillar or worse break the welds at the rocker . use penetrating oil heat and a good cordless impact driver with a number 3 impact bit. used this on my grandads 68 bug and it worked well without deforming anything

[@jamesdk5417]

In the old days, my uncle used a Polaroid camera and coloured markers and put dots on the picture and on the compartments of his containers with the hardware as it took him years restoring old cars in his garage.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

That would be a fun way of chronicling your build process

[@Stupefyyoursenses]

For all it's worth, @tom's turbo garage uses labeled ice cube trays to hold those, and i found it very useful...

[@David_Powell]

Write sequential numbers on painters tape, stick one number on the part, take a photo, maybe several if it needs it, each with the same number. Then stick the tape with the number on an index card, write notes as needed, put the card and small parts in the ziplock bag. Obviously, use different numbers for each assembly. Later, match the photos to the parts, using the number.

[@MaxMakerChannel]

What a great project. But oh boy am I glad I just have to watch him do the work.

[@peterd2973]

As a Vw french enthusiast, I'm super happy when i get notified of some ghia content ! Love it

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Happy to hear that!

Producers jokes aside, I am totally on board for this series... especially the "car rotisserie build". Question for Bob: for the repaint, have you picked a colour scheme yet?

[@JimmyPugwash777]

I think a load of VW guys know exactly what you're getting yourself into! Early days, keep enthusiastic about it, even when it tries biting back! The car will be awesome when it's done!!! I couldn't help but laugh when you said that you were hoping for the floor pan to be in reasonable condition 😅 ...when you get to it, if you don't decide to replace your whole floor pan with new, the best thing I found to get the bitumen coating off is a propane torch... it saved me weeks of back breaking work on my project. Looking forward to the next episode!!!

[@robertmcevoy24]

I’m glad your doing a off frame restoration, you will appreciate it. It’s great your taking us down this road with you! Thanks Bob

[@NathanielSalzman]

Also, pro tip when working with automotive stuff. Whenever possible use the box end of the wrench, not the open end. Much less likely to round off your bolt heads and nuts. Also highly recommend 6-point box wrenches over 12 point. Again, less likely to round off your bolts/nuts.

[@lmb5374]

Been waiting for this for a while. Love the comment- "in two years when I go to put this back together". Realistic and honest! Great job!

[@janis31]

The fan favorite series is back!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

It's not going anywhere! It just may take some time between updates

[@pamelanygaard2212]

I am cracking up!! I love when things don’t work right: you can’t get the seat out, the door won’t come off. Ahhhh, so relatable! Keep showing all the things… I am enjoying the journey!

[@kindalost1]

Long time follower. The fact you are a newbie at this just makes it more interesting than any pro restoration.

[@masterofnone]

As a person who fixes all his cars I am really excited to see this happening.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

As a person who has a car, I'm really excited to eventually be a "car guy"

[@spectre5724]

@@Iliketomakestuff you got a long way to go, but you'll get there. Keep it up!

[@anthonyfreeman5858]

Dude, I admire you for tackling such a major project. Taking a car apart that has just sat fit any length of time to get it all back together is an incredibly complex undertaking. I wish you well & take not to “bust” too many knuckles.

[@panda-threemonkeysracing2116]

Really like this series! Idea for the bolts is to put them through cardboard roughly in the layout the were on that part. Piece of cardboard for each part and you can put tape over them to make sure they don't come out. Keep up the great videos Bob!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

That's a great idea!

[@aliimam]

With the aircraft remover, cover it with clear wrap, it’ll hold in the fumes and helps it work even better

[@BrentWolff]

Or aluminum foil.

[@jacquelerock6938]

Love the series so far Bob. I’m sure this was already mentioned but it doesn’t hurt to hear it again I guess. After applying the stripper, cover the body panel with plastic so the stripper doesn’t dry out as quickly and also wait for the stripper to do it’s job. You will know it’s working when the paint starts to bubble off of the metal. Keep up the fine work and enjoy the restoration. Looking forward to your next vid.

[@jlinker7]

I love the optimism, ".. so when I go to put it back together in two years..." :-) I love this project. Prior to pouring myself into woodworking, rebuilding an antique vehicle from the ground up was a desire. But, no money and no space for working on it. Love seeing the variety here.

[@JasonPatz]

The Karmann Ghia videos are the ones I look forward to the most!

[@LoganLovell]

A trick i learned that works well on organizing small parts for stuff like this is taking a picture of the part/location that it goes, printing it out, circling the location, and then either taping the part to that picture or putting it in a plastic ziploc or tupperware. That way come time to reassemble I have a photo/location of where it goes

[@MadAsKiwi]

I think, in this video, you have hit on every single problem that someone restoring a car strikes. Keep at it.. this is going to be awesome

[@matthewcarlson5885]

This has quickly become my favorite series y’all have done

[@FCAutos]

*LOVE IT!!*

[@benlucas1039]

For part organization, Just get a piece of carboard. Label "zones" on the cardboard and then just push the bolts through! Super simple and effective

[@forby_]

nice!

[@BruceAUlrich]

I have zero interest in restoring an old car like this, but these videos are so fun! I'm enjoying them and the cool pace.

[@aegisvanquish]

Absolutely love watching his car restoration series he’s got going. Just cant say it enough but love the videos Bob honestly cant wait for the next. Good luck with the car!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Thanks so much!

[@SirKaptainSparkles]

As a qualified mechanic it's fun to see you working on a car, it's great that you are doing your research, those repair manuals will save your life. Penetrating oil is going to be essential, spray every nut and bolt and it's going to be a lot easier to disassemble

[@HDBrown-wc9xt]

That’s going to be a great ride once it’s finished.

[@Turk380]

Way to go! Lifelong air-cooled VW enthusiast, but have never owned a Ghia. want to build out a hardtop like yours but electric. will definitely be keeping up with this series! Good luck!

[@mpmfr]

Cardboard!! Label it and punch little holes through to push the bolts into it! I’ve even zip-tied parts to the cardboard, kinda grouping things together on different pieces. Then I wrap them in ceran wrap to keep it all in place. Depending on the parts I may shoot some WD-40 over them to keep rust from at bay. Also, depending on the part, let’s say a water pump, I’ll doodle a little sketch on the cardboard so I know which bolt goes where since they may be different lengths..etc..ziplock bags work but I have found you just get a pile of bags after a while and it’s hard to index them or find what you’re looking for. Good luck with the restore!!

[@luctoulouse]

I wish I can do a project like that. I love the way those videos are done. No filter, just plain raw! Great videos.

[@SpartanMJO12]

That's genuinely the best way to organise bolts - you can't do any better than to store the bolts where they actually live!

[@HarkiratVerma01]

Im in love with ILTMS ASMR, please include this section in each video from now on. Honestly would subscribe to an ILTMS ASMR channel.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Seriously? Wow, the guys thought it was an annoying joke.

[@HarkiratVerma01]

@@Iliketomakestuff well, the public has spoken in your favor, sir!

[@Iamdark1234]

ChrisFix is a good person to learn how to fix and work on cars, he shows tips for anything from body to engine, and goes into full detail

[@tvguy12346]

Putting parts back where they came from or ziplock baggies are the best methods I've found after DIY carwork for 20+ years.

[@daso34]

Is anyone already making a looped version of the ILTMS ASMR bit? Because I need that to fall asleep to!!

[@angelicupstart23]

Patiently waiting for another video on this project.

[@SchysCraftCo.]

So happy to see this new video on the build video series. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friends. At ILTMS. can't wait to see more videos on this great project. And other builds on the channel. Weld on. Fab on. Keep fixing. Keep repairing. Keep making. God bless.

For organization, I’d suggest small mason jars. With labels on them. I did that on my tractor engine rebuild and it worked like a charm. You can see inside and the label tells you exactly what it’s for. I also grouped these jars together in boxes.

[@ericharwood5721]

I've really enjoyed this series so far. I am purchasing a 72 Ghia that is mostly disassembled and ready for resto soon and this body off process is exactly what I plan on doing. Keep it coming!

[@ryanlee8390]

By far my favourite series on your channel Bob!

[@DavidMeggers]

I like to restore stuff…The Karmann Ghia project. Awesome video.

[@marcusolsson287]

Im learning so much from watching this! Keep it coming Bob and team!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

I'm so glad to hear that!! (I'm learning a ton as well)

[@theartist8906]

I'm in the middle of a Ghia restore with my 16 year old son. If you are going to dismantle this thing, always put the bolt or nut that goes to something back on as you disassemble it. If that is not possible, I put everything in a plastic zip-lock and include any notes or drawings you think may help in the bag. When disassembling electric. tag one side with 1A and the other side with 1A and so on. It's not as hard as it sounds. Different wire wheels on a 4" grinder will take a lot of rust off fast. Take lots of photos and use lots of PB Blaster!!!!!! Good luck!!! It's a big job.

[@dustinsharp8645]

This is a really fascinating series on a channel where I already don't want to miss a video. Great stuff! Something I like to do when having to keep track of small parts and screws (mainly for moving furniture) is to put the parts in sandwich bags and write on the bag what the parts go to. I'll even tape them to the furniture sometimes so that I don't lose track of the bag. Hope that helps.

[@jellibelli288]

so hyped for this series

[@aliimam]

Bob, I’ve been using ziptop bags for my hardware, but realizing there’s lots of shortcomings to that. Leverage Tupperware may be better. Also, store your glass upright, not on its side, or it’ll randomly explode! (From second hand experience)

[@diogor420]

Longer and more videos, pleaseeee!!!! Loving this series!!

[@timotheebilliet]

Really excited about this series! I know nothing about cars and I just hope I'm not going to be lured into a new hobbie like what happened with woodworking after watching your videos :D Keep it going!

[@Iliketomakestuff]

I hope you ARE! :) Thanks for watching!

[@SuperJakeutube]

Love to see you are restoring a Ghia. I am almost done with my 69 Ghia. Have fun.

[@thenonebadh]

Best series so far on this channel.

[@AaronSchmidt52]

I waited for this moment @12:00 because of the thumbnail and it did not disappoint. Solid work gents 👍

[@xenoshade8997]

Absolutely loving these restoration videos, please please keep them coming!!!

[@tmhurley27]

I have a '64 Ghia. Will be watching this series for sure!

[@mpmfr]

Look up an impact driver for the larger #3 Phillips screws in the doors. Works wanders!

[@kenmattias]

you are very confident, geep going, dont you worry......

[@Photokapi]

This is amazing to me -- and theoretically something I think would be a lot of fun. But that's where it ends, theory. The complexity of such a project astounds me, but I love watching it. Keep up the awesome videos, and good luck!

[@boomanchu78]

Love that your taking on this challenge. As someone who’s been a part of doing something similar I’d say freezer bags are great for storing nuts and bolts and such. They’ve already got a place to label them and they’re pretty tough. When I was about 16 my buddy bent the frame on his Chevy S10. So we spent the summer switching everything over to a new frame he picked up at a junkyard. The wiring was definitely the most difficult thing next to the break lines. But if two knucklehead teenagers borrowing or renting tools can do it I know you got this. Best of luck to you.

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic work, Bob! 😃 It's definitely not an easy job, but you're doing really well! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊 BTW, I was going to tell you about the plastic bag trick! 😂

[@TheCre8iveType]

Loved the Flight of the Navigator vibes from the music in the first sequence.

[@aaronnelson4065]

This looks like fun! To organize a little easier label shelves and put the parts accordingly.

[@realpdm]

This is relatable content! Fun and informative to see you doing something new to you as well to me. I'm glad you are sharing this journey with us. Have heard you talk about this on the podcast and am glad you are doing it.

[@carriganyoung1240]

One thing I’ve done is getting plastic baggies and a sharpie. I write on the bag where they go. It helps my husband and I a lot. One thing I learned is some parts are interchangeable depending on the vehicle

[@erqadezz]

Man i would love to drop everything in Europe, come to you and work on that car, i love this kind of stuff!

[@tahaks]

Hey I love how you show us learning your way through this. It helps us learn better as well

[@diyopedia4709]

What you did with the bolts is perfect

[@sgsax]

Watching stuff like this makes me think dangerous things about my '90 Miata... I don't know if that's good inspiration or not. 😁 Thanks for sharing!

[@TheMastercanine]

I’m loving these videos. Just the laid back kind of hang out with Bob videos are really awesome. Keep up the great work! I keep thinking of tips and stuff that I have learned from taking apart a Jeep but I know if someone told me them while I was doing it, I wouldn’t have listened. I would have rather learned through messing up. Great job!

[@stephenmoncrieff2056]

Ghias are one of my most favourite cars . I’m envious .

[@USAFPilot40]

I use plastic zip top bags either with the info written right on the bag or on a piece of tape adhered to the bag. For some of the bigger fasteners, those lunch meat containers are great. Good luck on this project. You have taught me a lot over the years, so hope this little tip helps you out.

[@arthurheusdens]

I really like this series! It’s cool to watch you develop some new skills during this build. Entertaining

[@heyitsthatdude17]

Labeled ziplock bags definitely would have been my suggestion for sorting small parts. I think ziplock makes "snack" size ones that might be most efficient for small groups, and then sandwich or bigger for other bigger stuff.

[@charlesandanaylnw4892]

Great video - When I was in HS - I had a 1970 KG same color as yours. Always going to junkyard for parts. Loved that car!!!

[@nathanielgoodlett4276]

Ziplock bags and a sharpie are your best friend when working on a vehicle

[@vincentalvarez7042]

Love IT! I am really looking forward to this series. I am still working on my Ghia that I started a year ago. I had to replace the floor boards and I have to say that some of the best ideas came from "duck man". His videos are weird but he does things like modify an engine hoist to remove the body. I think it was his channel that I found out about putting the chassis on its side to work on it. I also removed all of the old wires and used a PAINLESS kit to redo all of the electrical. Worked OK, but all of the pre-done kits are for front engine cars so I still had to do some modifications.

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Yes! I've watched several of his and gotten some great tips 👍🏼

[@butterknife_mtb_rc]

When ever me and my dad, who is a pro mechanic, work on a car we use quarter gallon ziploc bags to hold nuts and bolts, label the bag what part it came from and leave the bag with the part.

[@asandovalhatchet]

I'm loving these videos about the car. I'm so excited to see how it turns out!

[@tomim7187]

So glad you decided to film this! This is fantastic.

[@naturalmeditation101]

Fav new series here

[@Iliketomakestuff]

Thanks!

[@JKuhlman1981]

when you were struggling with the large Phillips head screw it reminded me of a trick i was told years ago . the shape of the handle on the classic craftsman screw drivers is designed to work with a box end wrench .. this way when you are trying to break torque on something like this you can get more leverage .. i am restoring a 1950 Willys Jeep and i have experienced the same struggles you are going through .. i used paper lunch sacks and wrote on each of them as i pulled screws and parts then wrapped them in tape and set them in a tote .. this soaked up any grease and kept them some what organized ..

[@panofish]

There is an impact screw remover that works best in the door screws circumstance. You hit it with a hammer and the impact forces a small cam to turn the screw counter clockwise a tiny bit.

[@floydwain]

I love how raw this is and the fact you kept all the different ways you tried it’s inspired me that one can do this

[@jeffsmith2144]

Love this series on the Ghia.

[@andrewc4781]

As far as organization goes, I find it useful to use Ziploc bags, take a picture of where the part was originally, labele that picture with a number and write that number on the Ziploc bag with sharpie. Then store the pictures on a hard drive

[@DowntimeMedia]

When it comes to disassembling old cars, a MAP torch is your best friend. A bolt can’t be stuck if it’s liquid!!

[@yaboijames_]

I organised my bolts in labelled food bags, I then took photos of the bolts in the food bags, next to the thing they go with

[@Toolz1980]

Great series! Make sure to spray all the nuts and bolts with a penetrating fluid and have a blowtorch on standby just to make sure everything comes out in one piece without too much of a hassle.

[@Mikefngarage]

Sometimes you need to use a torch and heat the bolts up to get them to come loose on a old rusty car.

[@LiqdPT]

Organizing bolts: either labeled zip lock bags or poke them thru cardboard and label them and/or have them positional.

[@jimcrone3837]

I love watching this process from you. Please make more videos of this

[@MikeBifulco]

Hey Bob - as you begin to clean up bodywork and reassemble the body/interior, consider lining big, broad, interior-facing panels with a sound treatment like Dynamat. It will make the car feel _much_ more solid when it goes back together, and you'll hear a lot less rattling/shaking/buzzing. It can really add to the car feeling like a bit more luxurious.

[@ceakoth]

Agree with packing the bolts in ziplock bags, but another tip my friend taught me was to take a small piece of cardboard, draw a diagram of the part the bolts came from, and press the bolts through where they attached to that part. Then just drop that into your ziplock bags and you’re good to go. I have an older truck I like to work on and this too has saved me immensely, especially when running into issues and realizing I need to order a part. Even after waiting a week for the part to arrive, I don’t forget which bolt goes where because of my diagram (and I’m an incredibly forgetful person!)

[@harveyottotech]

as a master technician and a veteran of several engine swaps the best piece of advice I could give is this... Put the bolts back into their holes as soon as possible to avoid losing them. They will always be exactly where you need them to be.

[@paulbesser55]

Your thumbnail! You look like a Tuscan Raider waving your gaderffii in the air. Love it!

[@rosspetersen1879]

Putting bolts back where they came out of is exactly what I was going to suggest! Its a great way for organization. When you need to remove them again for any reason, get a box of good heavy duty ziplock bags or old tupperware that you can write on so you can label what goes where.