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

r

I
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.

I
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.
I

The design ol lhe vw Engine ollows on operolion on oll proven lrode-mork luels.
Trode-mork luels, including gosoline-benzol blends, comprise such choroclerislics
os conslonl physicol properlies, sulficienl onli-knock quolilies ond freedom lrom
objeclionoble consliluenls.
The seleclion of o grode ond brand of fuel is lherelore lell enlirely to youl
discrelion.
The Tires
deserve ond require your speciol oilenrion. The riding comforl ond lhe roqd-
holding of your cor will greolly depend on lheir condilion.
Moinloining correcl lire pressure ond ovoid-
ing driving obuses ore lhe mosl imporlonl
loclors in obloining moximum lire lile.
Moke sure lhe lires ore correclly infloled,
ol leosl once o week, using o relioble lire
gouge,
Keep lhe pressures belween 1.1 ond 1.2 kg.lsq. cm. (1 6 ond 17 lbs,/sq.in,) in lhe
Ironl lires, belween 1.4 ond ,l.6 kg./sq. cm (20 ond 23 lbs./sq.in.) in lhe reor lires.
when lhe cor is fully looded, or when driving fosl lor o long period of lime, keep
lo lhe higher lire pressures.
The Brokes
should be checked belore lhe cor slorls on o rrip by groduoily depressing lhe
broke pedol, while lhe cor is in molion, lo oscerloin proper lunclioning.

Good Exlerior Lights
ore lhe firsl requiremenl ol sole cor operolion ol nighf. The three posilions ol lhe
lighling swilch ore os Iollows:
1 - Fully pushed in - Ofl
2 - Pulled oul lo {irst slop - Porking light,
3 - Fully pulled oul
loil ond license plole lighls
- Heodlighl upper or lower beoms
(depending on posifion ol fool dimmer swilch),
loil ond license plole lighls.
When pulling oul lhe lighling swilch knob eilher lo lhe lirsl or second slop, lhe
inslrumenl lighl is oulomolicolly lurned on. By lurning lhe knob, o vorioble degree
ol inslrumenl lighling is obloined, lurning lhe knob lo exlreme lefl lurns oul lhe
lighl enlirely. When checking lhe lighling syslem, do nol {orgel lhe lwo slop
lighls which should lighl up when depressing lhe broke pedol wilh the igniiion
lurned on.
Storling the Engine
is eosy, becouse you ore now lomilior with lhe vorious conlrols ond inslrumenls.
However, moke sure lhol lhe geor lever is in neulrol posilion be{ore slorling
lhe engine.
The ignilion key slorling enobles you lo
slorl lhe engine by merely lurning lhe key.
Firsl lhe ignilion is swilched on by lurning
lhe key lo the righl. The red generolor
worning lighl ond lhe green lighl lor lhe
oil pressure will lighl up. To slorl lhe
engine, lhe key is pressed ogoinsl o spring
lood ond lurlher lurned clockwise unlil lhe
slorling molor operoles. As soon os lhe
engine Iires, releose pressure on key lo
disconnecl slorling molor.
10

lmporlonl
ln cold weolher lhe rronsmission oir is opr ro become congeored. il is, rhererore,
good proclice lo declurch unrir lhe engine slorrs. Thus you wiil sove rhe bolrery
ond focililole lhe operorion or rhe srorring moror. you wiil never encounrer ony
difficullies when slorling your engine in severe rrosr, if you observe the rure ol
using lhe specrfied lighl grode engine ond lrqnsmission oils,
To rlort cold engine.
pull oul lhe choke conlrol knob ond operole lhe slorling molor unlil
slorls.
ln severe frost, it is recommended lo proceed os Iollows:
o - Slightly depress lhe occelerolor peciol severol limes.
b - Fully pull oul lhe choke conlrol knob.
c - Fully depress clulch pedol.
d - Turn on lhe ignilion ond operole lhe slorling molor.
As soon os lhe engine srorrs, srowry push in choke coniror knob (obout hoil woy)
unlil lhe engine runs smoorhry ond evenry or fosl idre speed wilhoul o tendency
lo sloll (it is inodvisoble lo roce the engine immediorery on slorring up {rom cord).
This posilion ol lhe choke conrror knob permirs o quick moving of{ wilhour ony
delrimenl lo lhe engine. Neirher wiil horm be done ro lhe engine when you drive
{or o longer period in dense cily lro{lic wilh lhe choke pulled oul holl woy.
As the engine otoins operoring remperorure, you wiil norice on increose in rhe
idling speed' Ar rhe some time groduoily push rhe choke conrror knob ruily home.
This posilion musl be reoched berore you moke use of the rul engine power on
o free rood' lf lhe engine does nor srorr wirhin ren seconds,.iusr repeor rhe
procedure o lew limes, ollowing o shorr inrervor berween eoch successive ofiempr,
os lhe bollery is being srroined heoviry by conrinuous srorring molor operorion.
Io slorl wolm engine,
do nol pull lhe choke conlrol knob.
Slowly depress occeleroior pedol while leiling lhe srorring molor operore. Do nol
pump the occelerolor pedol,
ll is imporlonr lo know rhot pumping rhe gos pedor mokes o srorring of rhe worm
engine dillicult ond increoses the luel consumplion.
Cqution!
Be corelul when srolring rhe engine inside your gologe, see to ir rhor rhe door
ond windows ole open so rhqr rhe exhousr rumes con escope. They conroin rhe
colorless, losleless ond odorress. yer exrremery poisonous corbon monoxide gos.
lhe engine
11

Driving Olf
is exlremely eosy, il you observe lhe lollowing:
I - Press down lhe clulch pedol qs lor os possible. Keep il in thol posilion.
2 - Shifl lo lhe lirsl geor. Releose lhe hqnd broke.
3 - Engoge the clulch by gently removing your lool lrom lhe pedol, while
rimulloneously pressing down lhe occelerolor pedol. The sqr rolls!
4 - Groduolly increose lhe presrure on lhe occelelolor pedol ond lemove your lool
complelely lrom lhe clutch pedol, os lhe clulch is now lully engoged.
Shilting lo second geor is equolly simple:
{ - Tqke your Iool oll lhe occelerotor pedol,
while rimullqneously presring down lhe
<lulch pedol.
2 - Shill gecr lever inlo second position.
3 - Engoge lhe clulch by tcking your lool
oll lhe pedol gently ond groduolly ond
ogoin slep on lhe qccelerotor pedol.
You now know how to "shilt geors", ond moy ol will shi{l lo lhird ond lourlh
posilions. You will hove noliced by now lhol the occelerolor ond clulch pedols ore
operoled simulloneously, but in opposile direclions. ll is lhe coordinolion ol lhese
simulloneous operolions lhol brings skill in shilling geors.
To engoge lhe reverle geol, lirsl press down lhe geor lever verlicolly, move il
lo lhe lell ond pull il reorword.
Shilting lo Lower Geor
This is whol you should do in close cily lroffic, or wilh shorp lurns oheod of you,
or when driving uphill.
{ - Releose occelerolor Pedol ond deprers clulch pedol.
2 - Shill lo 3rd or 2nd geol respeclively.
it - Releqse clulch pedol ond steP on occelelolol Pedol rimulloneou3ly.
Ol course, lhis goes much more quickly in ocluol operolion thon by describing il
here. We do nol wonl lo bore you wilh o lechnicol discourse, bul il moy be
12

!
ol inleresl lo you lo know lhol, when chonging down, lhe synchromesh device
ossures meshing ol lhe geors wilhoul closh, os lhe lower geor is broughl inlo
synchronism so lhol bolh geors ore lurning ol lhe some speed.
When shilling geors, il is obsolulely necessory lo lully depress rhe clurch pedol.
lncomplele declulching mokes geor shilling di{ficull ond leods ro ropid weor of
lhe synchronizer slop rings.
The lirsl geor is nol provided wilh o synchronizing device, os lhe moin drive sholl
normoily is nol lurning when lhe cor is shilled inlo lirsl.
should il become neces3ory lo shilt lrom second lo lilsl, lhe lwo cogwheels of
lhe lower geor should be broughl lo lhe some rolio ol speed by momenlorily
depressing lhe occelerolor pedol wilh lhe geor lever in neulrol posilion lo insure
on eosy ond silenl engoging ol lhe geors. This is done os lollows:
I - Releose occelerolor pedol ond depress clulch pedol,
2 - Ploce geor lever in neulrol porilion.
3 - Releore clurch pedol ond depress qcceleroror pedol or rhe some rime, rhe
omounr ol lhis inlermediole leeding ol gos dependr on the speed ol lhe cor.
4 - Depress clulch pedol qnd thill lo lirst geor.
5 - Releose clulch pedol sleodily ond ol lhe some lime step on sccelerolor
pedol.
Under no circumslonces should you be o{roid lo shift lo lower geor, or lry lo
ovoid shifling occosionolly by merely lelring lhe clulch "slip" in o porrly dis-
engoged posilion. Do nol use clulch pedol os o lool-resl while driving your cor.
Woil unlil lhe cor is ol o deod rlop before engoging reverse.
Brokes
The brokes should be opplied sporingly. The inexperienced driver con be re-
cognized by lhe loo lrequenl lighling-up of lhe slop lighl. By removing your fool
Irom lhe occelerolor pedol, lhe engine compression will serve os o broke, lhus soving
luel ond prevenling premolure weoring o{ rires ond brokes, Don'l drive loo losl
ond lhen skid lo o slop, bul drive ol o moderole speed, commensurole wilh lhe
lrollic, ond your cor will per{orm mosl economicolly. To press down lhe brokes
suddenly con only be juslilied when donger is oheod.
13

operole your brokes especiolly genlly when lhe rood is wel or covered wilh ice,
Sudden broking o{ lhe wheels will result in skidding ol lhe cor.
Here is one ol lhe fundomenlol rules:
Use your broker before, nol while moking o luln!
When driving downhill, moke use of lhe broking copocily ol lhe engine com-
pressic,n by shilling lo lhol geor which you would use in driving uphill. You will
sove qnd preserve lhe brokes il you use lhem only lo conlrol lhe speed occosion-
olly, ond ol the some lime you will olloin o higher degree ol solely. The ignilion
musl never be swilched oll when descending grodes.
Slopping lhe Cqr
Toke your lool oll ihe occelerolor pedol ond operole lhe brokes genlly. Shorlly belore
lhe cor comes lo o lull stop, depress lhe clulch pedol, ploce lhe georshilt lever
in neulrol posilion ond releose clulch pedol ogoin. The engine conlinues lo idle.
ll you wish lo lurn oll lhe engine, merely swilch lhe ignilion key lo lhe lell'
The Fronl Seqts
ollow on odjuslmenl lo suil individuol requiremenls. Merely roise lhe odiusling
lever ond slide lhe seoi eilher bockword or forword lo lhe mosl convenient posi-
lion. The seol rises os il moves {orword, permilling shorl persons lo sil higher'
The roke ol lhe lronl seol bocks is odiusloble by lurning lhe knurled nul ol lhe
seol bock hinge. Turning onli-clockwise (1) moves lhe bock lorword ond clock-
wise (2) reorword,
14

The Emergency Seol Bock
con be hinged over lo odd to lhe luggoge plollorm oreo.
Ihe Fresh-Air yentitqlion
will prove very ellicienl during hol weolher.
Fresh oir is guided inlo lhe inlerior lhrough
lhe lwo defrosler venls ol the windshield.
Eoch ol lhe lwo venlilolors is equipped
wilh o rolory knob below lhe inslrumenl
ponel lo permil on individuol regulolion
of eilher oir {low. Turn knob onliclockwise
lo open. To close venlilolor lighl, lurn knob
fully clockwise.
1 - To open 2 - To close
By lurning on heoling
oddilionolly reguloled ond venlilolors ol lhe
by ventilolor openings.
15

The Clock
is eleclricolly driven. should il become necessory lo resel the clock, push in lhe
knob in lhe cenler ol lhe diol ond lurn lo correcl lhe lime.
-.-.\
('
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The Ash Receiver
in lhe instrument ponel con be complelely lifled oul wherr slighlly pulling up
lhe reloining spring.
fhe lnlerior Lomp
is oulomolicolly operoled by opening or
closing eilher ol lhe doors. As on odded
convenience, lhe lomp moy be operoled
by lhe monuol lhree-posilion swilch in-
corporoled in lhe lomp filling.
Posilions ol swilch:
Upper - On
lnlermediole - O{l
tL
I
I
Lower - Door conlocts
This ollows lhe lighl lo be lurned o{{ wilh
lhe doors open.
:.i].
'l,Q
Itr

fhe Fronl Hood Lock
is releosed when pulling ol lhe knob below lhe inslrumenr poner. Then push bock
lhe so{ely colch lo open lhe hood. The solely colch is lo prevenl lhe hood {rom
opening while cor is in molion, il lhe hood becomes occidenlolly unlocked.
Ihe Jqck
is secured in posilion odjocenl lo lhe spore wheer by meons of o quick releose
clomping slrcrp. Also occommodoled under lhe fronr hood ore lhe rools ond lhe
spore Ion bell.
The Reqr Hood Lock
is releosed when pulling ol lhe knob below
lhe emergency seol bench, Bolonce springs
hold lhe hood in lhe open posilion. To lock,
lower hood ond press down on reor end.
:4

A)
o
n
c
PRACTICAL DRIVING
Breoking-in (running-inl Period
does nol imply inconvenience os reslriclions ore nol
imposed on lhe speeds in lhe vorious geors'
Progressive relinemenls hove roised lhe VW engine
lo ils presenl predominenl posilion ond il is lhese
refinemenls which ollow on omission of breoking-in
inslruclions. Your cor moy be operoled righl lrom lhe
beginning ol lhe full speeds recommended lor lhe
9eors: lrl geor 0 - 25 km. P' h. (f 5 m. P' h'l
2nd geor l0 (61 - 50 km. p. h. 130 m. p. h.l
31d Eeol 25 l{51 - 75 km. p' h. 145 m.P.h'l
Top geor 40 l25l -ll5 km.p.h' 172 m'P'h'l
The lile of your cor, ils petlormqnce' ond ils opelo-
tion will depend on your driving hobil.
Moximum solisloclion in lhe running ol your cor will
be ossured by lollowing lhe lundomenlol rules lor
driving on oulomobile:
Do not unnecessorily roce lhe engine, no moller
whelher lhe cor i5 slolionoly or in molion.
The new engine is nol governed. There{ore, il is good
proclice lo glonce ol lhe speedomeler hond lrom
lime 1o lime. The moximum permissible speeds in lhe
geors ore morked red on lhe speedomeler diol'
Do nol ollow lhe enEine lo lobor by driving ol loo
low speeds.
Don'l believe lhol your engine will be soved ond
preserved mosl when il is operoled ol low speeds
only. You won'l reduce lhe luel consumplion eilher'
The engine requires oir lor cooling, which is only
olloined ol on odequole number ol revolulions. ll is
overlooding ond overheoling thol ore horm{ul lo lhe
engine, bul never high speed operolion.
18
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