I have a pretty good 914, and I have a decent Ghia roof clip, and I've already got the 916-style fiberglass flares and front and rear "bumpers". I've got a neat set of wide alloys, there's PLENTY of Bondo in the cellar, I even have a folding cloth sunroof for the Ghia.

I did up an admittedly quick Photo-Chop to show what I'm thinking of doin', maybe even gut the shell and lower it over a Beetle pan (pretty much the same wheel base and track), keep the Ghia interior intact, and make it a rear engine ala 912.


I could sure use some enthusiasm or even a reality check, 'cause so far, I'm gonna give it a try.

Thanks ! !

TC

Here's the Photo-Chop: (not MY 914 in the pic)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Tea...l/914ghia-1.jpg

Looks Boxter-esque, but I think you would have cooling problems.

I like it.

i sorta like it to.

keep it mid engine... but gotta find way to get cool air to the motor.... side vents? lexan rear windows with naca ducts?

very interesting, how will you handle the window pillar?

Would be interesting to see other views of the car in particular the back. The side view looks great.

You got a purty mouth..

..seriously, I like it

I agree with the mid-engine setup, but I don't know how you would deal with the air cooling and the firewall and what not...

A bit more rake to the windshield...

I somehow find it appealing. But, you gotta find a way to get air to the engine.

If you keep the 914 body as your building block you gotta keep it mid-engined. Maybe no rear window and keep it open for cooling air.

It looks neat though!

Arent Ghia's alot narrower than a 914?

im guessing you will have to widen the roof section with a filler piece (hello custom windows)

That would be a pretty cool looking 914, could you place vents in the side rear windows for the air? Thinking maybe a type of side air scoop?

The other thought that comes to mind if you keep it in a mid-engine configuration, wouldn't it get a bit hot in the cab if the rear is open? Just the ramblings of a man on percocet and motrin...

"Arent Ghia's alot narrower than a 914?"

No, the windshield base is the same width, the rear is the same from fender crest to fender crest. Still, I imagine that, considering the door length, Lexan or Speedster-style side curtains would be a needed. That's OK, though. I think that side curtains might just bring a little 356 styling into the mix.


If the mid-engine is kept, I can eliminate the rear window and use the "C" pillars as kind of flying buttresses to hold the roof line intact and also mimic, in a small way, the configuration of the original sail panels. If that makes any sense.

This would be a very cool car. DO IT!

are you going to need the upper halfs of ghia doors too? to section in the glass frame?
DO IT!

what if you put like a 4" tall grille matching the contour of the rear window to trunk area, right where the roof blends into the trunk

gives you some air into the motor, and also gives you a way to seperate the trunk lid from the rear glass area.

you could one-up the ricers and put a FUNCTIONAL roof scoop for cooling air on it

Do it


looks more like a cayman than a boxster, ladies

Or you could knock holes in the fenders like the cayman has for engine air

you could call it the ghiman

hehe g-man

geman

914-G

My first thought was that it looked like an Audi TT, or the one they had on Top Gear Sunday.

I like the look a lot, but like the others said, you would have to find a way to cool it. Or, you could drop in a water cooled engine like a Scooby or SBC. Frankly, I think that would be the best way to go to keep the motor cool. That way, you could firewall off the motor and not have to worry about it baking you.

Zach

I actually kinda like it.... roof scoop!

Anyone have the link to the site with the Karmann Ghia with the 3.2 911 motor in it? There's video of the car there too.

Make the trunk lid shorter and put a grille at the base of the rear window. If I had a spare running flared 914 and a Gia roof I would build that car! Very nice look. I would limo film the quarter glass so you couldn't see the targa bar behind the glass. This would keep the strength of the chassis.

It's like the Corvairs they did mid-engine.

Photo shop it from the front and rear.

I LOVE it.......that would be uberschwinginlysweet

I just had to double post....that would be AWSOME! what a cool look...If you do it I'll do it!

Josh

I guess that I need to go out and double measure my Ghia AND the 914, just to see what I'll need from both cars. I kinda think that I can get away with using part of the inner Ghia door structure to support the window and crank assemblies. A quick measure indicates that the tops of the roofs on both cars, where the windshields end, is within an inch of each other. Curiously, the Ghia "C" pillars and the 914 sail planes end within an inch of each other as well. WEIRD . . . I just might be able to replace the 914 window with Lexan and contour it to the inner Ghia roof line. Maybe just leave the "C" pillars as style accents OR fit another Lexan window into the stock Ghia rear window opening, but drill the entire piece with 2" holes or stacked 1' slots for cooling and kinda race-ready cool looks.

A LOT of details to consider and finish accents to work through, but the measurements seem to work out, so I guess that I have a Winter project for myself. Hopefully my regular work schedule will allow me the time to get started and have SOMETHING rolling come next year.

Your picture in the OP reminded me of this:

http://www.bader-racing.de/en/home/home_news.htm

ok, baron von franken-ghia-teen

your going to take flared front and rear clips from a 914, put them on a beetle pan, put a ghia top on it and dress it in ghia interior and open the trunk to get to the engine.

or your gonna start with a 914, chop the top in favor of the ghia top, add the ghia interior and move the engine to the rear?

maybe you need to start with the ghia, fit glass 914 flared fenders, bumper and hood pieces to it and make it work that way (or maybe just the fenders ).

the only way i can see it is to start with a 914 and keep it mid, chop the top in favor of the ghia top, keep the 914 interior, firewall and rear window and form a new window-line to keep the engine compartment separate. the only issue then is you'd have to drop the motor every time you wanted to check the oil!

i think i'm missing something~
don't get me wrong, i like the pic and the idea, it just sounds like tons of work! especially when the ghia is already such a cool car.

I agree with the Suby setup.

And Ghia front ends with slots/grill cut for a radiator look very wicked.

Saw a SBC mid engined in one years ago. The radiator opening actually enhanced the front end look.

I also agree it looks kinda like a Audi TT and a bit like a 959 Porsche.

This would make an extremely kewl project. I do like the styling exercise.

Why can't I think of this stuff..?????

Cheers and good luck.

Clayton

Oh, Oh . . . .

Look what I just realized:

If a Ghia hard top will work, a Ghia Cabrio top will fit and be a TON easier to accomplish. It's kinda like the Speedster that was never built. Black body, black canvas top and black interior would be KILLER.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/Tea...4ghiacabrio.jpg

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.

But the concept is similar.

Holy mustard stains, Batman!

we have a winnar!

holes in the fenders FTW!!!

Ummm... Thats been done before many times, or at least somthing very similar - And not once has it been done WELL IMHO -
Also, you SIGNIFICANTLY effect the rigidity of the tub if you go the cab route...

Your original concept is something that I have never seen proposed -
If you were able to execute it well, it would be an awesome looking car -

You might consider getting 2 additional rusty old tubs for a mock up, to perfect the concept prior to cutting your good tubs -

Best -
Thom

I gotta agree with Thom here.

The speedster/cabrio concept has been done a lot of times, and I've yet to see one that doesn't provoke a visceral response .

I love the hardtop coupe idea. And if you could get everything to blend well (and get air to the engine), it would be a spectacular creation.

The biggest beef I have with cabrio 914 conversions is that they royally sacrifice cooling in favor of a nice convertible top storage.

-Josh2

looks like a corvair...

just because we can do, doesnt mean we should...

It was much better with the hard top The hardtop was a really really cool idea!

Yes, hard top. Fatten the rear pillar. Side air intakes. Cool.

I like the concept BUT lose the side intakes they look like doo doo. I also think you will need to reshape the bumpers to get more of a rounded feel. Factory 914 bumpers will be to flat and boxy to go with the roof line IMHO

rick and i had the idea to add a grille that follows the contour of the rear window to trunk area.

lets see if i can photochop it

Keep it clean. I have no photo shop skills.

I really like that! I hope you do it.

Wow, that original hardtop idea of yours is awsome! And I usually hate body mods across the board. But your design seems very reminiscent of the first Porsche ever, the Type 64k10... from 1938

link to youtube video

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I like it too. If you got the stuff to do it ... ... Do It

A fantastic (and creative) concept. If you can build it ....Do IT!

Do it!
I would think some John Kelly metalshaping skills would be needed to help mold some awesome rounded fenders.
Also, Scooby it too! A 2.5 Sti engine would be the thing to send this project over the top
Take lots of pics if you do decide to take "One Step Beyond..."

I agree the rounded fenders would look better.

The original Caymen.

Cayman proto-type!

Reminds me of the spyder coupe. The last pic in this gallery shows it next to a Cayman



Automotive Legends

Wicked.

Somewhere in kit-car land, there is a copper colored 356 kit car with big flares and this really neat-o brake duct for the rear brakes. It was right at the start of the curve for the rear flare.

That or just a very simple, smooth naca duct in the corner.

Shield your eyes!!!!

But this has kind of a similar duct in the rear.

Thanks for all the comments/suggestions thus far. It looks like we're going to do the car as pictured in coupe form using refined 916-style front and rear "bumpers". I kinda want to keep the 914 heritage intact AND push the car into the realm of a period factory prototype/styling exercise.

I've owned four 914s so far and LOVE them for all their faults and virtues, but honestly the tall windshield and abrupt sail planes are a genuine acquired taste. Just "saying" this as kinda of a caveat to what's being done to alter the car's looks.

I think that the Ghia roof (or a variant) REALLY pushes the car into modern style sensibilities, and makes it look a LOT more a part of the Porsche lineage. I'm kinda wondering why the stylists didn't consider this idea way back in the late 60's/early 70's.

From what I understand, the 914 was originally a joint VW/Porsche venture. It was meant as a replacement for the Ghia and a low cost entry Porsche. the companies involved certainly had all of the tooling for the roof and 914 shell right there. The metal roof and mid engine would have made the car into a Super Coupe as far as racing AND styling go. Just seems odd that they didn't consider the union of these parts, or why I haven't seen this idea before presented in a factory sketch/one-off/prototype. It just seems so right, I guess. Seems like it ought to have cropped up before within the past three decades or so . . .

A suggestion, after removing the 914 windsheild frame, fit the Gia windows in the 914 doors first. This will aid in the placement of the roof. That's how I would start. Sounds bass ackwards but the glass shape will be an issue later. The Gia glass has a radical shape and it would be easy to get it wrong. Be sure to know how far apart the inside belt line is. This may also play a role in whether this whole concept will even work.

Be sure to retain all real glass windows. This will lend prestige and merit to your build.

Stay away from goofy ducts and scoops for air to the engine. That stuff looks tacked on. It's like Jaguar spending money like there is no tomorrow at the styling studio, then cheaping out on doing a wire-in-glass radio antenna. Then plunging one on the front fender at the late minute....

For what it's worth..

We'll be watching

Having had a Ghia and a 914, the Ghia has limited headroom- especially the hardtop.

With a Ghia, you sit on the floor with your head above the glass line looking out through gunslit windows...

With the Teener, more of your sholders are above the glassline...

The convertible is much better for room and is the one I bought. Why? Several trips back and forth to high school in the backseat of a hardtop Ghia will convince you that there is just not enough headroom in one.

That being said, I would take a long long look at your body size, where fore and aft the teener seat is, and where that places your head in the roofline relative to the base of the windshield. Then I would measure from the windshield base to head in both the the teener and the ghia. That might tell you if you will need a bulge in the ghia roof for your head.

If you are 4 foot tall...Nevermind....

Ken

Maybe something more along these lines?

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