Karmann Ghia 1956 User manual

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INSTRUCT}ON MAN UAL j
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CONTENTS
Preloce 3
Driver's Conlrols 5
Operolinglnslruclions ........ 7
Proclicol Driving ...... 18
WinlerService ........23
Lubricolion ..........26
Wheels ond Tires .. .. . 34
CoreollheCor ......35
Moinlenonce .........41
Generol Descriplion ..........57
Technicol Dolo . ...... 61
LubricolionChorl . ....65
MoinlenonceChorf . .........66
lndex .. ....... 67

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Chi, Monuol sels oul in full the in{ormolion necessory {or lhe proper operolion,
core ond gerrerol moinlenonce ol your cor. ln oddilion, inleresling specificolion
deloils hove been included io lomiliorize you wilh lhe conslruclion ond mechonicol
deloils ol lhe cor.
Diligenl e{lorl hos been mode lo lurn oul on efficienl ond relioble oulomobile.
Now, il olso depends on you lo ossure prolonged solisfoclion in lhe running of
lhe vehicle by giving il lhe core ond ollenlion il deserves. All inlormolion conloined
in lhis indispensoble hondbook hos possed lhe lesl of experience ond proclice
ol mony yeors.
ln order 1o moinloin mqximum elliciency, we eorneslly recommend ro lollow rhe
recommendolions sel lorlh in lhe ensuing poges. The inlimole knowledge obloined
in sludying lhis monuol will prove of greol volue in deriving lhe urmosr service
ond enjoymenl lrom your cor.
Regulor qllenlion lo proper lubricolion ond moinlenonce ol your cor is essenliol.
An exlensive nelwork ol VW service slolions is ovoiloble, ond you will reodily
recognize such slolions by lhe {omilior blue VW SERVICE sign. These repoir shops
ore in closesl conlocl wilh lhe Volkswogenwerk lhrough lield engineers, lhus
providing skilllul ond experl perlormonce o{ ony job lo be done. Eoch experienced
molorisl knows lhe volue of prevenlive moinlenonce. The eflorls mode in lhis
respecl will be omply reworded in lhe long run.
And now go oheod ond enjoy your ride!

10 11 t2 13 14

DRIVER'5 COf\I TROLS
Are you {omilior wilh the conlrols ond inslrumenls ol your new cor? Jusl loke
o seol behind lhe wheel, moke yoursell comlorloble, ond gel ocquoinled firsl wilh
oll lhe vorious levers, swilches, ond conlrols. Here ore the lull deloils:
lnrlrumenls: Speedomeler ond odomeler ..... 8
Worning lighl - Blue - Heodlighl upper beom 6
Worning lighl - Red - Generolor ond cooling syslem 5
Worning lighl - @yssn- Oil pressure 9
Worning lighl - Red - Direclion indicolors 7
Clock (electricolly driven) ......... ll
Heodlighldimmerswilch. ......... 19
Accelerolorpedol . ........22
Broke pedol ....... 21
Clulch pedol ....... 20
Doorinnerhondle ......... t6
Heodlight ond inslrumenl lighl swilch ..... 14
Windshield wiper swilch .......... 13
Chokeconlrol ...... 4
Clock resel knob . .........12
Combined ignilion ond slorling swilch . 3
Fresh-oirvenlilolorconlrol ........ 1
Geor lever .........24
Fuel lop .... 23
Hond broke lever .. .......26
Heoling conlrol .... 25
Window regulolor hondle ......... 15
Fronl hood lock conlrol .... lg
Direclion indicolor lever .. ........ 2
Hornbullon ........ 10
Sleering wheel . .... 17
Fool conlrols:
Hqnd conlrols:

ln the documenls which occompony your cor you will lind, omong olher doto'
deloils regording lhe model, yeor ol conslruclion, ond chossis ond engine numbers
of lhe vehicle. The Police or Trof{ic Deporlmenl will check il lhe inlormoiion given
in lhe docunrenls is idenlicol wilh lhol on your cor.
Vu
The ldenlilicotion Plole
is lound lo the righl o{ lhe sPore
wheel underneolh lhe lronl hood.
The Chqssis Number
is slomped on lhe lrome lunnel underneolh
the emergency seols.
The Engine Number
is slomped on lhe generolor supporl'
Only one key
is required lo unlock lhe door, lurn on lhe
ignilion, ond operole lhe slorling molor.
ll is odvisoble lo record lhe key number,
so lhol you con order duplicoles lrom your
deoler, should you lose or misploce your
keys.
To open lhe door, press lhe bullon in lhe
hondle.

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1
Belore you drive owoy pleose check engine oil level
fon belt lension
quonlily ol luel in lhe lonk
lire pressures
elliciency of brokes
lhe exlerior lighls
ond, il driving ol nighl,
Engine Oil Level
The oil level should be checked wilh lhe engine ol resl. The oil level is solis{oclory
when il is belween lhe lwo morks on lhe oil level dipslick, bul it should never be
permilled lo drop below lhe lower mork. To moke on occurole check, il is besl
lo wipe lhe dipslick wilh o cleon rog before.
Should il become necessory lo lop up,
pleose remember lhe Iollowing hinls: Mosl
oils morkeled ol presenl conloin chemicol
ingredienls lo improve lheir lubricoling
quolilies. However, oils ol dillerenl origin
behove dilferenlly when used os engine
lubriconls ond should, lherelore, nol be
mixed.
Selecl o HD oil lfor Service MSI lrom well-
known ond dependoble bronds right ol lhe
beginning, ond slick lo it !
ll would be wrong lo lill in HD oil ond
Regulor oil ol rondom, or even lo mix
lhese lwo lypes!

Fon Bell
The V-bell drives lhe generolor ond lhe lon. Perlecl condilion ond correcl lension
of lhe bell insure ils long life ond odequole cooling ol lhe engine. Checking is
very simple: The bell, when slighlly pressed wilh the lhumb ol mid-poinl, should
yield opproximolely 2 cm. (neorly 1 in.). No lroces ol excess use, such os froyed
edges, should be perceplible.
o : 2 cm. (opprox. 1")
Posilions of luel lop: I - Open,2 - Reserve,3 - 5hut ofl
Fuel Tqnk
The lonk hos <r copocily ol 40 lilers (10.5 U.S. goll., 8.8 lmp.9oll.), sul{icienl lor
o drive of well over 500 kilomelers (300 miles). Under normol condilions, lhe
luel lop should be sel ol posilion "1", while lhe cor is in operolion. l{ lhe molor
begins lo "sluller", os o resull ol lock ol luel, jusl lurn lhe lop 1o "2". A luel
reserve of 5 lilers (t.3 US. goll., 1.1 lmp.9oll.) will lhen losl lor o lurlher drive
o{ oboul 70 kilomelers (45 miles). ll is imporlonl lo re-sel lhe lop ol posilion "1"
when refilling lhe lonk, olherwise lhere will be donger ol running oul of luel on
lhe rood. The luel supply is shul olf when lhe lever is sel holl woy (45o) belween
lhe lwo end posilions.
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