many years ago, a family friend-an older German dude-owned a 1956 Ghia...this was in the early 70s when I met him...the most interesting thing about that car, was the gas gauge...it was a vertical bar sort of thing, that looked like a thermometer!...a few years later, I bought an old 62 Ghia...it had a more normal looking gas gauge...So I guess that vertical gauge was only used for a couple of years.
My parents used to own a new one in +/- 1966 in the Congo, our driver took me to and from school in it. I bought a RHD 1958 model in South Africa 30 years later. The interior smelled exactly like my parents one, loved it, the simplicity, the looks. Isn’t she an absolute beauty?
Yup, can you still (steal) from yourself? The Thing might have used the ghia pan, but the design was straight from WWII. What did the officers in the field drive? Their version of the jeep in my opinion. I like the double carbs and non-replacement exhaust that were stock. Hey just try a fact check or google and then admit what you are talking about. Good catch Edmond and the rest who chimed in on this part. The rest was ok. (I own 3 Ghias, two Westfalias and two 72 super beetle convertibles [ugh on super beetle but eh], And a software fixed 2013 beetle TDI) hee ha
@CASPER 12345 I built a 2200 cc motor with balanced crank, dual port heads and the dual Kadrone carbs for my '59 bus. Ended up lightening the flywheel and putting the built motor in a 67 KG. It ran neck and neck with my buddies 911.
I own a 69’ Ghia vert and I cant stress how much the feel of driving this car cannot be explained its simply just wonderful its just charming in every way, and there’s no car I can ever picture myself owning other than it..
Arguably the best Year- IRS, discrete rear lights, pre. big bumper... Currently restoring one in UK and we are going through many bottles of welding gas 😶
It's one of the most beautiful cars ever made. Even today, with high-tech underpinnings and drive train, it would be a superb car. Why always the fake derogatory remarks?
I've owned 3. Everyone (especially women) thought they were Porshes. And as you said with the beetle engine there were a lot of little ways to make it go faster. Great little cars. Nice presentation.
I had a Ghia and they are fun to drive and handle very well. The Ghia wasn't particularly fast but it was really nimble. 4-Wheel independent suspension. Easy to work on. I had a Volvo P1800ES. It handledd very very well. It was very plush inside but waaay under powered. It caught fire under the Chicago Post Office on the Ike's Pike.
Since VW has gotten rid of the New Beetle convertible, maybe this is what they need to do, a new design Karmann Ghia, I think it would be very cool!! Maybe even a new version of the Scirocco!! I always liked those as well!!
I had 3 MK1 Sciroccos (my first 2 cars were '78s) and I regularly drove several others (Dad had an '81, best friend had a '79 and an '80). I let go of my 3rd one in 1999 for free, because it needed work, and I didn't have the time (or space) to do it justice. I hope the guy I gave it to did. Wish I still had it - it's almost impossible to find one for sale these days, and they regularly go for $10k or more. I paid $300 for my last one. Sigh...
I have a 71, had it for almost 30 years, paid 750 for it. I rode in the back seat of one when I was maybe 5, and thought it was the coolest car ever. Always wanted one and then, there it was, my bosses brother owned it, and it was one of those “hey Willie, when you gonna sell me your car?” He said “hell, I’ll sell it to you right now “, and it was mine. I have had probably 10 cars since and will never sell this one. Classic lines, simple to work on, cheap to own… what’s not to love?
I think there are quite a few handsome cars around today if you are looking. It took courage to buy such a small and un-threatening car for its looks. And it's the same today: in a world where Doug de Muro says that only less than 3 seconds from 0 to 60 gives you the top score, well proportioned cars tend to go unnoticed. A Morgan 4+ is all the sports car you"ll ever need, it's built right now and it's design was considered beautiful but dated when the Karmann was all new.
That’s true, I think that there are many attractive cars today. I’m not denying that. However I think you would be hard pressed to find a reasonably priced modern production car, that looks like such a piece of art.
@@issuesexplained681 That's a nice challenge! If I go back to European cars of the nineties and the noughties, I think the last classic Alfa Spiders (1990-1993), the Fiat barchetta, the first series of the Audi TT and the Peugeot 306 cabriolet might qualify as future classics for their timeless looks. Being quite a Saab fan, I'also throw in the classic 900 (both as 3 door coupé and as convertible). While the Alfa and the Saabs are strongly appreciating, the other ones still can be had for small amounts of money... Class doesn't die - it just hides in plain sight...
I’m not disagreeing with you. I think there were a lot of beautiful cars to come out of the 90’s. I was mostly commenting on the fact that today most new cars all look similar, and there is less creative styling than there used to be. I don’t hate the way new cars look, there just aren’t many cars I would consider “works of art”. I don’t think it’s necessary a bad thing new cars often look the same, for example better safety standards, better aerodynamics. It’s not bad, it just contributes to a similar look.
@@notroll1279 I had a Peugeot 505 as my (handed down from mom)first car.Much later I had a '97(NG) Saab.Both were attractive,but like you said,they looked generic compared to their former models.There's something about Italian design,though.They can make everything from a huge ocean liner to a ballpoint pen absolutely gorgeous.
The ad campaign of "You'd lose" reminds me of the last Ford Thunderbird coupe. Which were a beautiful throwback to the early ones. Middle aged impeccably dressed GQ guy in T-Bird challenged at light by muscle car young guy. The young guys hottie girlfriend reluctantly flags them for a drag race, young guy peels out. And the gentlemen stays put, smiles at the girl and opens the passenger door for her. That was a clever ad.
I did not know that a 1966 VW Karmann Ghia does have a 12 volt electrical system, and I thought 12 electrical system does occurred for all 1967 VW models (1968 for Type 2 as standard equipment). I have noticed that there are as many as 15 changes for 1968 VW busses, pick up trucks, paneled vans, and Westfalia campers, including totally new body shell with larger windows, including larger one piece windshield, and glass cover over sealed beam headlights dropped. 12 volt electrical system did came out during and later for VW Karmann Ghia for 1966, since I have visited the VW Bug-In Show in various car shows across the USA.
I saw one of those cars (with the Corvair engine) in Arlington, Virginia back in 1971. The owner said he had to "shoehorn" the engine into the compartment and change the engine mounts but otherwise a fairly straight drop-in. A road rocket is a good description!
My brother, who builds custom hot rods, figured out how to shoehorn a Porsche 914-6 engine into a VW van. When others heard about it they brought their KGs to him for the same treatment. There were at least 20 or so conversions done, a feat that people, even today, say that it can't be done, until they see it. Fastest V dub van on the planet. He once got out of a ticket when showing the judge the specks on a van when fighting a ticket for going over 1 C, case was dismissed...
I used to work on them (and owned several bugs). Interesting video. I did notice that the engine air filter(s) in the video were aftermarket, the original used an oil bath filter.
My first car was a 69 ghia in light blue. I added tubular exhaust 1600 cc dual port heads, a two-barrel carb, Judson electronic magneto, short throw shift kit, and enjoyed it immensely.
@@lawrencelewis8105 Uh, ya. That's what's in the video and history. But thanks for stating the obvious, on top of what I already knew. Please read what I put.
And design studios would use the same basic ideas for different makes of cars. People think the Japanese "copied" European cars when actually the same studios designed the BMW sedans and the Hino Contessa at about the same time in the early 60s What they call the "Hofmeister Kink" on a BMW is present on the Hino.
I've always wondered what those little half-grilles did. In the 1950s, it was common to use them to let in air for the ventilation system, but that soon stopped when people realized that air let in at the base of the windshield was a lot cleaner. It was also common to put the horn behind one side grille (or one behind each), as on the Beetle. To this day, grilles like that have been used to cool the brakes. I'll have to check for all 3 the next time I see a Ghia at a classic car show.
I absolutely love this car, and I can't go into the grave without ever having one in my life! I don't care if I'll be 70, and the car will be around 90 years old and it won't be any good for other than garden decoration, but I'll get one! It's such a gorgeous car, and a lovely snail cruiser for the sunny days :)
@@golden.lights.twinkle2329 Aren't all vintage cars are? Unless you do a nut and bolt full resto with a thorough cavity and surface protection after, and keep it in a climate-controlled garage... I don't mind, I drive rustbuckets anyway... :D
Pebble beach! The 17 mile drive! Ground zero for cars. I live nearby, and this is one of my favorite places on earth! I love it here! If you just drive around the area during car week, it’s like car heaven. You don’t need the expensive tickets to get into the show itself, just hang out in downtown Carmel!! You’ll see things like a black la Ferrari parked next to an F40, a group of Testarossa’s, Porsche 959’s, all parked on just 1 side street! It’s nuts!! Highly recommend car week for any cars guys bucket list!
Jalopnik - You speak the truth. I had the legendary 1967 Ghia convertible. To this day, over 40 years since I owned one, I still miss it all the time, and selling it was one of my more stupid moves when I was young and clueless. It is truly a baby Porsche, in every sense of the word. I was great to drive, even though it was not powerful. You felt the road, the wind in your face and true excitement, without going over 60 miles per hour. A great car that I wish I still had...
Back in high school, Titusville, FL in '66, one of my classmates bought a VW KG hardtop.... ALWAYS admired him for doing that...! He and his car was always "IT" whenever he showed up around town....! Thanks for bringing back good memories....! Great little Vid....! Gordon in Maryland
My very first car was a beautifully restored 73 with an 1835cc aftermarket motor sporting twin dellorto carbs. It topped out at about 200 horsepower and in that car it was like driving a little rocket ship. One of the coolest things I ever owned.
Had a 71 also,like the red conv.in this video. On the showroom floor at Billco Motors in Wexford,PA. I traded a beat up Beetle and ended up paying 2500.00 when the deal was done. This was in 1973. The car had 2755 miles on it and I had to be told that it was a used car. Looked new to me. I mean it was in the showroom after all. One of my favorite cars of all I've owned. A blast to drive and I was the only dude around to own one.
My science teacher in high school daily drove a hardtop Karmann Ghia, and it was a lovely blue (my favorite color). That design turned me on to it, and I love it, wouldn't mind owning one now.
Jared D I live in Michigan and I had vws years ago, carried a hundred foot extension cord, a hair dryer, and a 6 inch putty knife! Winter mornings I could defrost it with the hair dryer, and scrape it with the putty knife on my way to work! But with 15 inch tires and wheels and the engine in the back it would go through some shit!
My parents had a convertible Ghia back in the early 60’s & drove it up & down logging roads in the Idaho mountains to go camping, once even fording a creek that stalled a jeep. Fast forward to the 70s & they bought another (hardtop). My sister (9) and I (6) got to pick the color when it was repainted after some bodywork: metal-flake green. I learned to drive in that car. It was outfitted with a 60w stereo so you you could hear it over the engine noise, and an 8-track player. We had 3 tapes: Count Basie Afrique, Don McClean American Pie, and a Plastic Ono Band bootleg. When I went to college with my ‘77 Subaru, it became my sister’s. Sadly, someone rammed it in the early 90’s. She was fine but it was toast. RIP ‘67 Ghia.
I drove one from Newburgh NY to City Island, NYC. My military buddy was taking his Mother's 67 Firebird back to her place and wanted me to drive the Ghia. I barely knew how to drive stick back then (1967), so he explained it. Being a dramatic person, he told me to watch for his hand signals (LOL). When we were climbing up a hill, he had his arm out of the window and waving it furiously downwards. It was a gas, man. My Ghia claim to fame. A load of fun, especailly when driving thru NYC. By then I had the stick shift nailed.
I came home from the Navy in 1980, and bought my 1969 forest green hardtop KG for $1600. Just like it's 1600cc motor. I had it restored to perfect condition. Unfortunately, I live in the northeast USA. No heat in the winter! I loved that car!
I first had a Karmann Ghia 36 horses. I drove from Amsterdam to Torremolinos in Spain in three days. 1500 miles, no highways in Spain in 1969. Later I bought a 356A with 75 horses. I briefly had the Porsche engine in the Ghia Convertible. And that was a party. 2x more power. And a gearbox with lower gearing. The Ghia suffered much less from rust, partly due to its own chassis, which a 356 did not have. What a wonderful car. Especially if you are newly married. By the way, still with the same woman. hahahah. You never get a second chance for a first impression. If I had enough money, I would immediately leave for the US to buy one. The American climate is much more agreeable to iron than the European one.
Your video have solve the mystery of my late father first car when bought it in Hong Kong in 1970's. It was beautiful and same red colors car. Brings back great memories. Only photo in my memory now. Thanks
my pops bought his new in '67, convertible. I still have it. One thing I don't see on here is even though it's a bit slow, guess what, going through canyons (not steep ones) is a blast as there's no way you could ever flip it! it grips very well.
I had a ghia in Upstate NY. But my ghia had the instant heat burner in it. No matter how cold it was my little green monster, haha, would throw extreme heat into my body. Then I sold it and bought my first of two 914's. It was during the fuel crisis. It would give me over 400 miles on a tank of gas. Never waited in line and only topped her off when there wasn't any. All three were so much fun to drive.
I had a Karmann Ghia in 1970. It was a great car and I had a lot of fun with it!! Almost forgot about it. Wouldn't mind having the one you are showing here!!!
I'm rebuilding a rusty '74 with dual carbs at the moment. Planning to resell, so I'm going to bring up these points to potential buyers that may not be aware of the history of this car. Great video! Minneapolis if anyone is interested.
The engineer that adapted Exner's Chrysler (Givanni Savonuzzi) certainly used his own styling cues as well, front fenders are from his1947 Cisitalia, and headlight/nose shape similar to his Alfa Supersonica. But certainly the roofline, windows and rear quarters were Exner's!
Used to work at a Colorado Springs, Colorado VW performance garage named Performance Unlimited and built a beast of an engine that I slid into my 71 Karmann Ghia. She would easily tear up any 356. I did my best to dial in the torsion bar suspension and she handled pretty nice. I think I destroyed 4 transmissions with that engine, drag racing on Nevada Avenue in Colorado Springs. We had quite a crew and a number of progressively faster air cooled monsters to take on pretty much anything street legal. My car was the slowest but no slouch when it came to light-to-light drags. After mine came my brother's fiberglass front ended Ghia with a 2180, then the machinist's 25-pounds-of-boost turbocharged beetle and finally a legit street legal drag bug with fiberglass doors, fenders, front end, rear deck, plexi windows and a floor pan that had been modified with expanded metal. You could literally see the road underneath you through the mesh and you had to be sure to put your feet on the solid area so you wouldn't Flintstone through it. The car weighed in at 1200 lbs with the driver in it. We had a reputation that led to a race against a v8 Vega. This was to be a pink slip race, title for title, with the agreement that the vehicles be street legal. We showed up at Mark Sheffel road in mid-winter, freezing our balls off (remember the holey floor), to meet up with our opponent. Can't remember the guy's name but he was big in the v8 performance circles. His Vega, shod with wrinkle wall slicks jammed on a narrowed rear end and backed up by wheelie bars, was towed to the site on a trailer. His car didn't qualify for the street legal requirement so we bailed on the run. Turns out we would have taken him in the quarter mile stretch marked on that lonely little backcountry straight away east of Colorado Springs but it was all about principle. The Colorado Highway Patrol must have known what that was all about, a white line sprayed across both lanes on either end of the quarter-mile of pavement with vehicle width tracks of rubber on either end but they never bothered us. I miss that 71 Ghia and all the trouble she got me in and would love to be with her again but I'm sure she's in a junkyard now, rusting away.
In Melbourne Australia in 1961, my first car was a just released 40hp verion of VW Beetle, but at the dealership I very 'taken' by a Karmann Ghia Coupe. As I had learnt to fly at age 17, I was rather smitten by its aerodynamic styling although I knew it was basically just a Beetle under that shapely body. But cash at 18yo was a stretch. But I digress. To continue. By late 1961, I'd ordered a Chrysler Valiant R Series which came in '62 as an S series. So Chrysler & VW definitely had an effect on my car buying habits. Thanks for the video.
Nice! A friend of mine had a convertible in high school. We use driver around with the top down in the winter months. In Indiana. Brrrrrrrr! Oh to be young again.
My grandfather put a Corvair engine in a Karmann Ghia. He used to tell a story about how he got stopped, while doing over 100mph, by the Highway Patrol. He said the cop walked around the car several times and said to him: "That's not a Karmann Ghia!" I feel bad I didn't appreciate that car (it was at rest behind his garage, in the back yard) after he couldn't work on it (and I was too young.) I'd love to have restored it.
All true, very good report on the Karmann Ghia, a classic car that looks better as it gets older. The Italian body makes that car, Chrysler may have unintentionally influenced the design, but it was Ghia that made the design work for Volkswagen.
My grandfather drove a 1969 model until he gave to my dad after he got his license. My dad drove it until the early 80s when it started developing rust on the underpinnings, then it became unsafe to drive and my dad had to get rid of it. My grandfather thought that Hurricane Agnes caused flood damage to the car, which given that he got it sometime in the early 70s in Scranton, seems to be a safe bet.
Because i once owned a Beetle when i was young and a few smaller reasons, i have one display model each of that, a Microbus, and a Karman Ghia. I call it the Wolfsburg Holy Trinity.
When I was in high school I came across an airman who was shipping out to Vietnam in the next day or two. Had a KG with a 356 engine, transmission, and brakes. He wanted something like $1600 for it. I was building a dune buggy at the time, so good old dad wouldn’t let me do it. Of all the cars that have slipped through my fingers, that is the one I regret the most.
Peter Schickele, the composer, writing as P. D. Q. Bach, wrote a parody opera with a character called Karmann Ghia, presumably as a joke on Bizet’s Carmen...
My much older cousin owned one back in the sixties; a lovely green convertible. She took me for a few rides, which were lots of fun. No, it wasn't for racing. but it was fun to ride in.
I had one for a while. It was passed down to me but was a total rust bucket.It serve me well for a year ,until the engine would eventually only run roughly 30 minutes when the valves would overheat, stick and shut down. It got me to the dance clubs on Friday nights. Sometimes leaving me just 1 mile away from my destination. I sold it shortly afterwards. That was back in 1981.
1961 Itazuke, A friend had a Ghia. It was well suited to the narrow streets and the girls went nuts seeing it. Most of the guys drove old clunkers like Hudson, Kaiser or Packard.
Always thought these were cool cars. As a kid our next door neighbour always drove one in the late 60's until about 1980, and always the coupe version which was much nicer than the convertible. He kept his last one for about 10 years after he stopped using it as his daily driver and only took it out once in a while on a nice day to go for a drive. It still looked almost brand new as he took such good care of it.
This is my cheap dream car even though its not my style of car (I like Mopars) but this things are so classical and deserve to live.Most of these Karmann Ghias are in barns because they were underproduced.When I turn19 I want one of these cars and honestly will love it to the bottom of my heart.I love the Karmann Ghias because the front end is so cute!
Shell petroleum had or still has back in the 60/70's a prestigious award called "The Shell design award" the award was bestowed upon any item or thing with exceptional design, the Karmann Ghia made the grade & was awarded this prize, due to its outstanding air coefficiency. Very few cars can match this coefficiency.
When I was a kid dad bought a new Karmann Ghia convertible, must have been 1969-1970 model, I remember something about the rear seat folding down and a compartment behind it. I couldnt pronounce the car's name other than calling it as it sounded to me like "Common gear" hahah
My first car was a VW sedan 1966. Lots of gas mileage. Fun times and not bad for the yearly camp out at the deerlease. But my first love was the karman Ghia. I'd still take one.
Technology flowed from Porsche to the Karmann Ghia to the Beetle. A few years after Porsche got front disc brakes, the Ghia got them, and a few years later Beetles got them. Same with anti-sway bars. The pan wasn't just wider than the Beetle's, it was stiffer. Combined with the stiffer welded body and lower center of gravity, anti-sway bars etc., it handled much better than a Beetle. Ghias were geared higher (lower numerically) so they didn't have the quick acceleration, but they had higher top speed and better MPG than the Beetle, probably also aided by the lower roof line. Ghias might take time getting up to speed, but they didn't have to slow down much for corners.
I guess I was told wrong that the Ghia was designed by Ferdinand Porshe, and that is why it was called the poor mans Porche. Either way I loved my 70 Ghia. Never a day pass that I did not get a compliment or a thumbs up on the road. I even remember once this lady with her two kids in tow having to stop cuz her kids stopped to look at my car at the intersection. They were like 5-7 yrs old. The cars design is an eye catcher for all ages. Hoping to get her back on the road soon. Divorce messed me up, but I still have her(and her 2 sisters, a 66, and a 71).
I loved the look of the Ghia when I was a kid. Wanted one for a while but that never worked out. Well after I had grown up, a neighbor bought one and I asked to sit in it. He said, "Ok." That turned out to be a hopeless situation. I am no longer even close to being able to fit in that car. Still love the look of it though!
It was always an under powered little car that looked great. It is the same criteria Audi used to build the original TT (with a bit more power), but like all good ideas they took what made the car great and changed it into a thoroughbred sport car at the appropriated price. Actually only the Miata has stuck to the Karmann Ghia concept to never build a high powered car. Unlike the the Karmann Ghia, their car is still very popular today with under 150 HP.
Really nice car, good presentation. But VW was not involved in 1953. It was Karmans initiative. Ghia should in Karmans mandate design a beetle in a "sunday-dress". So in the first step it was a deal between Karmann in Germany/Osnabrück and Ghia in Italy. Later the CEO of VW (Nordhoff) should be convinced. Karmann was lucky and got the assignment for a volume-production from VW in Germany/Wolfsburg.
Way back in the mid 70s I bought a 60s karmann Ghia with a smashed in nose for for $125...at that time I had been taking the rollback sunroof from bugs and welding them in to VW buses. I did about 10 of those conversions.I got pretty good with braising and forming Bondo into making those buses look a little like a 747 ... There is nothing like having the sunroof over your head! I had a couple local wrecking yards who let me know when a totaled bug came in with a good sunroof I will go down cut it off with a jigsaw and do the van conversion thing. When I bought the Ghia I needed to not only pull out the nose but both headlights were smashed so I had my wrecking yards do a search for me to try and find a pair, but the search went nowhere... They were available at a local VW dealer but the prices were way off the chart...So then I had to be creative. I got the headlight buckets off a bug and braised them onto the Ghia, with my wonderful body working skills (that's a joke) I tampted down the ridge on the top of the front fenders to smoothly merge into the bug headlight shape. Next I cut the top off and made it into convertible, that was a bit of a challenge because the windshield was holow at the top and of pretty thin metal so the braising was a little difficult, but I got the job done... I d-cambered the rear wheels, rebuilt and punched out the engine and all of a sudden I had myself a mini Porsche. I drove that car for several years finally selling it for $1,500. (That's the money I had into it) I bought a 1957 356a Porsche from a guy who was down on his luck and living in the vehicle. He offered me the engine for $500, but it was a basket case in pieces, so I declined. searching for an engine on the local advertiser paper I found one near my home in San Francisco for $500. When I called the guy up he insisted I show up with a pink slip for a Porsche as he was an absolute Porsche aficionado and did not want his engine going into a Volkswagen of any kind. it was a 1600 normal and the exact engine needed for that car, such a deal! Painted that car in black lacquer and drove it around for year...one of my favorite cars of all times. I sold it in the mid-80s as I needed a down payment to buy my house and was always sorry to see it go. Now in 2020 that car would be worth a pretty penny, but I sold my house a few years ago for well over a million, so I guess I did the right thing. Now I have a 1973 VW thing (my third one) in almost showroom condition... Maybe the ugliest car ever made but it sure is fun!
I was just watching a video on the Studebaker Champion and my immediate thought was 'Damn that looks like a Karmann Ghia' and turns out yep, the Champion was also designed by Virgil Exner and the similarities are blatant.
My first car was a '67 Ghia, purchased for $1200 in May of '73. Had it till September of '78. I still remember the license number: UVJ372. Wonder if it's still on the road?
To be honest when I had my '68 I did have a guy in a Corvette challenge me at a stoplight. I took him no problem. I will be honest and admit he stalled his engine, but I got a good laugh out of it as I pulled away and left him behind.
When I turned 17, my father bought me my first car, a 1972 ghia. Till this day, at my age of 40, its still my daily driver!
Tomas, you are such a lucky man!
YUSS!
Lucky and smart you for keeping it! Wish I had.
My dad showed me where a 66 Ghia was for sale for $ 100 . I was 16 in 1977.
Drove it for about 6 years. Sold it for 250. Don't know what I had. 😢
Lucky you .
Wish I still had mine. 😣
One of the prettiest cars ever made.
timfireblade I agree!!
one of the most beautifully designed products of all time
Except for just about all other cars, anyway...
So much better than the amorphous blobs of today !
Absolutely!
I have a '59 that I have owned for forty years, we have been through thick and thin together! He's 60 and I'm 63, my first car and will be my last!
Susan Tobias ancient
many years ago, a family friend-an older German dude-owned a 1956 Ghia...this was in the early 70s when I met him...the most interesting thing about that car, was the gas gauge...it was a vertical bar sort of thing, that looked like a thermometer!...a few years later, I bought an old 62 Ghia...it had a more normal looking gas gauge...So I guess that vertical gauge was only used for a couple of years.
My parents used to own a new one in +/- 1966 in the Congo, our driver took me to and from school in it. I bought a RHD 1958 model in South Africa 30 years later. The interior smelled exactly like my parents one, loved it, the simplicity, the looks. Isn’t she an absolute beauty?
VW did not steal the design, Ghia sold it to VW. and it was not Chrysler's design, it was Ghia's.
I agree well said
Sort a MIX of both.
@@johnhetherington8830 Yeah and that design also reminds me of of the Bentley R-Type Continentals......
Yup, can you still (steal) from yourself? The Thing might have used the ghia pan, but the design was straight from WWII. What did the officers in the field drive? Their version of the jeep in my opinion. I like the double carbs and non-replacement exhaust that were stock. Hey just try a fact check or google and then admit what you are talking about. Good catch Edmond and the rest who chimed in on this part. The rest was ok. (I own 3 Ghias, two Westfalias and two 72 super beetle convertibles [ugh on super beetle but eh], And a software fixed 2013 beetle TDI) hee ha
I think also ghia bult. Theyr handmade coach in italy
Despite being slow it would still usually pull ahead at stop lights, it was such a beautiful design people let it go just so they could look at it.
@einkerl
actually, i read decades ago that VW was the fastest car in the world--for the first six feet--due to the clutch design.
@CASPER 12345 I built a 2200 cc motor with balanced crank, dual port heads and the dual Kadrone carbs for my '59 bus. Ended up lightening the flywheel and putting the built motor in a 67 KG. It ran neck and neck with my buddies 911.
I own a 69’ Ghia vert and I cant stress how much the feel of driving this car cannot be explained its simply just wonderful its just charming in every way, and there’s no car I can ever picture myself owning other than it..
Arguably the best Year- IRS, discrete rear lights, pre. big bumper...
Currently restoring one in UK and we are going through many bottles of welding gas 😶
Its more fun driving a slow car fast than a fast car slow
Pete kovacevic 👌🏼😎 Yup! Got that right.! 😅🚗💨💨 Hahaha! 😄😆😂🤣😂
Brilliant!!!👀🚀🛩️🚁👹👻🛸
Bravo hrvatski brate!
Yes, driving fast is in fact fun
Exactly, some cars are known as "drivers" cars......and that doesn't mean they're all 400+ HP sports cars
It's one of the most beautiful cars ever made. Even today, with high-tech underpinnings and drive train, it would be a superb car. Why always the fake derogatory remarks?
I've owned 3. Everyone (especially women) thought they were Porshes. And as you said with the beetle engine there were a lot of little ways to make it go faster. Great little cars. Nice presentation.
The Trump News Network I want one badly!
@@SladesVWBeetle They are very cool little cars but like all air cooled VWs you have to tinker with them often which is easy.
The Trump News Network Absolutely!! I have had many Beetles, but never had a Ghia.
I had a Ghia and they are fun to drive and handle very well. The Ghia wasn't particularly fast but it was really nimble. 4-Wheel independent suspension. Easy to work on. I had a Volvo P1800ES. It handledd very very well. It was very plush inside but waaay under powered. It caught fire under the Chicago Post Office on the Ike's Pike.
Since VW has gotten rid of the New Beetle convertible, maybe this is what they need to do, a new design Karmann Ghia, I think it would be very cool!! Maybe even a new version of the Scirocco!! I always liked those as well!!
They failed terribly with the New Beetle as it was nothing more than a Golf in sheep's clothing.
What about a New Corrado
KG electric, deep blue with a tan bark ragtop. My dream car.
I had 3 MK1 Sciroccos (my first 2 cars were '78s) and I regularly drove several others (Dad had an '81, best friend had a '79 and an '80). I let go of my 3rd one in 1999 for free, because it needed work, and I didn't have the time (or space) to do it justice. I hope the guy I gave it to did. Wish I still had it - it's almost impossible to find one for sale these days, and they regularly go for $10k or more. I paid $300 for my last one. Sigh...
How about keep the design the same? Why should they change one of the most beautiful cars ever designed?
I have a 71, had it for almost 30 years, paid 750 for it. I rode in the back seat of one when I was maybe 5, and thought it was the coolest car ever. Always wanted one and then, there it was, my bosses brother owned it, and it was one of those “hey Willie, when you gonna sell me your car?” He said “hell, I’ll sell it to you right now “, and it was mine. I have had probably 10 cars since and will never sell this one. Classic lines, simple to work on, cheap to own… what’s not to love?
This is a beautiful car, nothing quite like it would ever happen today.
I think there are quite a few handsome cars around today if you are looking. It took courage to buy such a small and un-threatening car for its looks. And it's the same today: in a world where Doug de Muro says that only less than 3 seconds from 0 to 60 gives you the top score, well proportioned cars tend to go unnoticed.
A Morgan 4+ is all the sports car you"ll ever need, it's built right now and it's design was considered beautiful but dated when the Karmann was all new.
That’s true, I think that there are many attractive cars today. I’m not denying that. However I think you would be hard pressed to find a reasonably priced modern production car, that looks like such a piece of art.
@@issuesexplained681
That's a nice challenge!
If I go back to European cars of the nineties and the noughties, I think the last classic Alfa Spiders (1990-1993), the Fiat barchetta, the first series of the Audi TT and the Peugeot 306 cabriolet might qualify as future classics for their timeless looks. Being quite a Saab fan, I'also throw in the classic 900 (both as 3 door coupé and as convertible).
While the Alfa and the Saabs are strongly appreciating, the other ones still can be had for small amounts of money...
Class doesn't die - it just hides in plain sight...
I’m not disagreeing with you. I think there were a lot of beautiful cars to come out of the 90’s. I was mostly commenting on the fact that today most new cars all look similar, and there is less creative styling than there used to be. I don’t hate the way new cars look, there just aren’t many cars I would consider “works of art”.
I don’t think it’s necessary a bad thing new cars often look the same, for example better safety standards, better aerodynamics. It’s not bad, it just contributes to a similar look.
@@notroll1279 I had a Peugeot 505 as my (handed down from mom)first car.Much later I had a '97(NG) Saab.Both were attractive,but like you said,they looked generic compared to their former models.There's something about Italian design,though.They can make everything from a huge ocean liner to a ballpoint pen absolutely gorgeous.
The ad campaign of "You'd lose" reminds me of the last Ford Thunderbird coupe. Which were a beautiful throwback to the early ones.
Middle aged impeccably dressed GQ guy in T-Bird challenged at light by muscle car young guy. The young guys hottie girlfriend reluctantly flags them for a drag race, young guy peels out. And the gentlemen stays put, smiles at the girl and opens the passenger door for her. That was a clever ad.
I did not know that a 1966 VW Karmann Ghia does have a 12 volt electrical system, and I thought 12 electrical system does occurred for all 1967 VW models (1968 for Type 2 as standard equipment). I have noticed that there are as many as 15 changes for 1968 VW busses, pick up trucks, paneled vans, and Westfalia campers, including totally new body shell with larger windows, including larger one piece windshield, and glass cover over sealed beam headlights dropped. 12 volt electrical system did came out during and later for VW Karmann Ghia for 1966, since I have visited the VW Bug-In Show in various car shows across the USA.
I had that exact car back in the day. Same color, everything. I really miss it!!
Are these front wheel drive or rear wheel?
@@johnthompson3856 Rear wheel drive.
Some SoCal guys discovered that a 150HP Corvair pancake six would drop into the Ghia's engine compartment. Those things were real road rockets.
I saw one of those cars (with the Corvair engine) in Arlington, Virginia back in 1971. The owner said he had to "shoehorn" the engine into the compartment and change the engine mounts but otherwise a fairly straight drop-in. A road rocket is a good description!
My brother, who builds custom hot rods, figured out how to shoehorn a Porsche 914-6 engine into a VW van. When others heard about it they brought their KGs to him for the same treatment. There were at least 20 or so conversions done, a feat that people, even today, say that it can't be done, until they see it. Fastest V dub van on the planet. He once got out of a ticket when showing the judge the specks on a van when fighting a ticket for going over 1 C, case was dismissed...
I used to work on them (and owned several bugs). Interesting video. I did notice that the engine air filter(s) in the video were aftermarket, the original used an oil bath filter.
My first car was a 69 ghia in light blue. I added tubular exhaust 1600 cc dual port heads, a two-barrel carb, Judson electronic magneto, short throw shift kit, and enjoyed it immensely.
The video title is somewhat misleading; it was not a Chrysler design but a Ghia's own design that they re used for Volkswagen
Its sort-of stolen design: jalopnik.com/five-things-to-know-about-the-volkswagen-karmann-ghia-1830383182
Like the Aston towards the F-Type. Same designer. Both look great.
@@BeeRich33 Ghia designed concept cars for Chrysler that have some resemblance to the Volkswagen.
@@lawrencelewis8105 Uh, ya. That's what's in the video and history. But thanks for stating the obvious, on top of what I already knew. Please read what I put.
And design studios would use the same basic ideas for different makes of cars. People think the Japanese "copied" European cars when actually the same studios designed the BMW sedans and the Hino Contessa at about the same time in the early 60s What they call the "Hofmeister Kink" on a BMW is present on the Hino.
I've always wondered what those little half-grilles did. In the 1950s, it was common to use them to let in air for the ventilation system, but that soon stopped when people realized that air let in at the base of the windshield was a lot cleaner. It was also common to put the horn behind one side grille (or one behind each), as on the Beetle. To this day, grilles like that have been used to cool the brakes. I'll have to check for all 3 the next time I see a Ghia at a classic car show.
they are for fresh air on my 71 Ghia
Owned a pumpkin orange ghia with my dad and brother throughout university. One of the best parts of my life.
I absolutely love this car, and I can't go into the grave without ever having one in my life! I don't care if I'll be 70, and the car will be around 90 years old and it won't be any good for other than garden decoration, but I'll get one! It's such a gorgeous car, and a lovely snail cruiser for the sunny days :)
I owned a 1972 coupe. They are real rust buckets. They rust like crazy.
@@golden.lights.twinkle2329 Aren't all vintage cars are? Unless you do a nut and bolt full resto with a thorough cavity and surface protection after, and keep it in a climate-controlled garage...
I don't mind, I drive rustbuckets anyway... :D
I had a 1970 convertible that I sold to help pay for college. I regret it to this day. What a fun car to drive and the lines were amazing!
Pebble beach! The 17 mile drive! Ground zero for cars. I live nearby, and this is one of my favorite places on earth! I love it here! If you just drive around the area during car week, it’s like car heaven. You don’t need the expensive tickets to get into the show itself, just hang out in downtown Carmel!! You’ll see things like a black la Ferrari parked next to an F40, a group of Testarossa’s, Porsche 959’s, all parked on just 1 side street! It’s nuts!! Highly recommend car week for any cars guys bucket list!
Jalopnik - You speak the truth. I had the legendary 1967 Ghia convertible. To this day, over 40 years since I owned one, I still miss it all the time, and selling it was one of my more stupid moves when I was young and clueless. It is truly a baby Porsche, in every sense of the word. I was great to drive, even though it was not powerful. You felt the road, the wind in your face and true excitement, without going over 60 miles per hour. A great car that I wish I still had...
Owned one of these for 5 years and was one of my favorite cars.
Back in high school, Titusville, FL in '66, one of my classmates bought a VW KG hardtop.... ALWAYS admired him for doing that...! He and his car was always "IT" whenever he showed up around town....! Thanks for bringing back good memories....! Great little Vid....! Gordon in Maryland
karman Ghia looked great in the 60s and still look great today.
My very first car was a beautifully restored 73 with an 1835cc aftermarket motor sporting twin dellorto carbs. It topped out at about 200 horsepower and in that car it was like driving a little rocket ship. One of the coolest things I ever owned.
In 1974, I bought a 1971 KG and kept it for 13 years. I never loved a car so much as that one.
Had a 71 also,like the red conv.in this video. On the showroom floor at Billco Motors in Wexford,PA. I traded a beat up Beetle and ended up paying 2500.00 when the deal was done. This was in 1973. The car had 2755 miles on it and I had to be told that it was a used car. Looked new to me. I mean it was in the showroom after all. One of my favorite cars of all I've owned. A blast to drive and I was the only dude around to own one.
Howard McCauley Very cool 😎
My science teacher in high school daily drove a hardtop Karmann Ghia, and it was a lovely blue (my favorite color). That design turned me on to it, and I love it, wouldn't mind owning one now.
Had to see this one again ❤️❤️
Fact #7 A Gerbil could defrost your windshield faster than the stock heater.
Jared D I live in Michigan and I had vws years ago, carried a hundred foot extension cord, a hair dryer, and a 6 inch putty knife! Winter mornings I could defrost it with the hair dryer, and scrape it with the putty knife on my way to work! But with 15 inch tires and wheels and the engine in the back it would go through some shit!
Driving south to f'ing Florida every winter morning worked faster than the stock heater. ( ಠ ͜ʖಠ)
Gas heaters were the trick in the day. And making sure your heater boxes and flex tubes were working,
Jared D , a Gerbil with pneumonia.
My parents had a convertible Ghia back in the early 60’s & drove it up & down logging roads in the Idaho mountains to go camping, once even fording a creek that stalled a jeep. Fast forward to the 70s & they bought another (hardtop). My sister (9) and I (6) got to pick the color when it was repainted after some bodywork: metal-flake green. I learned to drive in that car. It was outfitted with a 60w stereo so you you could hear it over the engine noise, and an 8-track player. We had 3 tapes: Count Basie Afrique, Don McClean American Pie, and a Plastic Ono Band bootleg. When I went to college with my ‘77 Subaru, it became my sister’s. Sadly, someone rammed it in the early 90’s. She was fine but it was toast. RIP ‘67 Ghia.
I drove one from Newburgh NY to City Island, NYC. My military buddy was taking his Mother's 67 Firebird back to her place and wanted me to drive the Ghia. I barely knew how to drive stick back then (1967), so he explained it. Being a dramatic person, he told me to watch for his hand signals (LOL). When we were climbing up a hill, he had his arm out of the window and waving it furiously downwards. It was a gas, man. My Ghia claim to fame. A load of fun, especailly when driving thru NYC. By then I had the stick shift nailed.
I came home from the Navy in 1980, and bought my 1969 forest green hardtop KG for $1600. Just like it's 1600cc motor. I had it restored to perfect condition. Unfortunately, I live in the northeast USA. No heat in the winter! I loved that car!
I first had a Karmann Ghia 36 horses. I drove from Amsterdam to Torremolinos in Spain in three days. 1500 miles, no highways in Spain in 1969. Later I bought a 356A with 75 horses. I briefly had the Porsche engine in the Ghia Convertible. And that was a party. 2x more power. And a gearbox with lower gearing. The Ghia suffered much less from rust, partly due to its own chassis, which a 356 did not have. What a wonderful car. Especially if you are newly married. By the way, still with the same woman. hahahah. You never get a second chance for a first impression. If I had enough money, I would immediately leave for the US to buy one. The American climate is much more agreeable to iron than the European one.
Me being a muscle car import man I thought the ghia was a nice cute lil car ! Alot of friends laugh at me because I love the classic vw cars .
One of my top 3 all time favorite cars. Thank you for the video
All the cars of today have no style. Love the oldies.
love them ghias! my 65 has a 2386cc motor instead of the 1192cc 40hp it ran a 7.60@90mph in the 1/8th mile with a milder setup
Your video have solve the mystery of my late father first car when bought it in Hong Kong in 1970's. It was beautiful and same red colors car. Brings back great memories. Only photo in my memory now. Thanks
Although I never owned a Ghia so far, I think it's worthwhile waiting for the right one to come along. the back and sides are gorgeous and I love ti
I've had 3 Karmann Ghia's . A 68 coupe , a 68 vert , and a 73 coupe . I love them . Looking for one now actually .
If you put a 1776cc Dual Carb with mild performance cam in the Ghia it will Fly!
I wonder how many have done that? It would be neat to check it out online.
Thank you! That was a nice take on a, at least, nice looking car! It still is really good looking, maybe beautiful for some...
my pops bought his new in '67, convertible. I still have it. One thing I don't see on here is even though it's a bit slow, guess what, going through canyons (not steep ones) is a blast as there's no way you could ever flip it! it grips very well.
I had a ghia in Upstate NY. But my ghia had the instant heat burner in it. No matter how cold it was my little green monster, haha, would throw extreme heat into my body. Then I sold it and bought my first of two 914's. It was during the fuel crisis. It would give me over 400 miles on a tank of gas. Never waited in line and only topped her off when there wasn't any. All three were so much fun to drive.
I had a Karmann Ghia in 1970. It was a great car and I had a lot of fun with it!! Almost forgot about it. Wouldn't mind having the one you are showing here!!!
I'm rebuilding a rusty '74 with dual carbs at the moment. Planning to resell, so I'm going to bring up these points to potential buyers that may not be aware of the history of this car. Great video! Minneapolis if anyone is interested.
I've got a 74 ghia in the east metro right now!
While in the Army in 1977, I bought a 1974 Karmann Ghia. Kept it 4 years and sold it for more than I paid for it. Not a bad deal.
The engineer that adapted Exner's Chrysler (Givanni Savonuzzi) certainly used his own styling cues as well, front fenders are from his1947 Cisitalia, and headlight/nose shape similar to his Alfa Supersonica. But certainly the roofline, windows and rear quarters were Exner's!
Had a 61 coupe in high school. That was the only year they had both an aux gas tank and a gas gauge in the same car. Had a lot of fun with that car.
Used to work at a Colorado Springs, Colorado VW performance garage named Performance Unlimited and built a beast of an engine that I slid into my 71 Karmann Ghia. She would easily tear up any 356. I did my best to dial in the torsion bar suspension and she handled pretty nice. I think I destroyed 4 transmissions with that engine, drag racing on Nevada Avenue in Colorado Springs. We had quite a crew and a number of progressively faster air cooled monsters to take on pretty much anything street legal. My car was the slowest but no slouch when it came to light-to-light drags. After mine came my brother's fiberglass front ended Ghia with a 2180, then the machinist's 25-pounds-of-boost turbocharged beetle and finally a legit street legal drag bug with fiberglass doors, fenders, front end, rear deck, plexi windows and a floor pan that had been modified with expanded metal. You could literally see the road underneath you through the mesh and you had to be sure to put your feet on the solid area so you wouldn't Flintstone through it. The car weighed in at 1200 lbs with the driver in it.
We had a reputation that led to a race against a v8 Vega. This was to be a pink slip race, title for title, with the agreement that the vehicles be street legal. We showed up at Mark Sheffel road in mid-winter, freezing our balls off (remember the holey floor), to meet up with our opponent. Can't remember the guy's name but he was big in the v8 performance circles. His Vega, shod with wrinkle wall slicks jammed on a narrowed rear end and backed up by wheelie bars, was towed to the site on a trailer. His car didn't qualify for the street legal requirement so we bailed on the run. Turns out we would have taken him in the quarter mile stretch marked on that lonely little backcountry straight away east of Colorado Springs but it was all about principle. The Colorado Highway Patrol must have known what that was all about, a white line sprayed across both lanes on either end of the quarter-mile of pavement with vehicle width tracks of rubber on either end but they never bothered us.
I miss that 71 Ghia and all the trouble she got me in and would love to be with her again but I'm sure she's in a junkyard now, rusting away.
In Melbourne Australia in 1961, my first car was a just released 40hp verion of VW Beetle, but at the dealership I very 'taken' by a Karmann Ghia Coupe. As I had learnt to fly at age 17, I was rather smitten by its aerodynamic styling although I knew it was basically just a Beetle under that shapely body. But cash at 18yo was a stretch. But I digress. To continue. By late 1961, I'd ordered a Chrysler Valiant R Series which came in '62 as an S series. So Chrysler & VW definitely had an effect on my car buying habits. Thanks for the video.
Wow did not expect them to be sold new here. Nice to know they are around.
Nice! A friend of mine had a convertible in high school. We use driver around with the top down in the winter months. In Indiana. Brrrrrrrr! Oh to be young again.
My grandfather put a Corvair engine in a Karmann Ghia. He used to tell a story about how he got stopped, while doing over 100mph, by the Highway Patrol. He said the cop walked around the car several times and said to him: "That's not a Karmann Ghia!"
I feel bad I didn't appreciate that car (it was at rest behind his garage, in the back yard) after he couldn't work on it (and I was too young.) I'd love to have restored it.
Interesting info. Thank you. I can’t seem to get enough of the Karmann Ghia, right now. I think I’m getting obsessed with it. 😬
My dad had one in the 70s. I remember my dad rushing my brother to the ER and I had to sit on the "shelf" in the back because there was no back seat.
All true, very good report on the Karmann Ghia, a classic car that looks better as it gets older.
The Italian body makes that car, Chrysler may have unintentionally influenced the design, but it was Ghia that made the design work for Volkswagen.
In 1966 i was 16 and bought my first car for $750....a 1960 red Karmann Ghia convertible! How i loved that car. Wish i still had it.
My grandfather drove a 1969 model until he gave to my dad after he got his license.
My dad drove it until the early 80s when it started developing rust on the underpinnings, then it became unsafe to drive and my dad had to get rid of it. My grandfather thought that Hurricane Agnes caused flood damage to the car, which given that he got it sometime in the early 70s in Scranton, seems to be a safe bet.
So awesome. I owned a 61 when i was 18. Miss it a lot.
Because i once owned a Beetle when i was young and a few smaller reasons, i have one display model each of that, a Microbus, and a Karman Ghia. I call it the Wolfsburg Holy Trinity.
I owned a 1970 Ghia. Great car. Except the heating system in winter.
You can drop a Porsche engine & transaxle in one of those and now you have a sleeper.
Or you could drop an LS motor in it and have a mess.
Did that with 1600S engines with 100 hp. For less bucks a dual port can match it.
Did that too . $125 in the 70's. Took less than an hour.
When I was in high school I came across an airman who was shipping out to Vietnam in the next day or two. Had a KG with a 356 engine, transmission, and brakes. He wanted something like $1600 for it. I was building a dune buggy at the time, so good old dad wouldn’t let me do it. Of all the cars that have slipped through my fingers, that is the one I regret the most.
I put a 1600 porsche in a 62 Ghia. It bolted up to the trans directly
Peter Schickele, the composer, writing as P. D. Q. Bach, wrote a parody opera with a character called Karmann Ghia, presumably as a joke on Bizet’s Carmen...
In Mel Brooks' musical "The Procucers" the bad director, Roger Debris, had a personal assistant named Carman Ghia.
5 t5 35 t5 t5 t5 t5 t5t 15th from ft ft
My much older cousin owned one back in the sixties; a lovely green convertible. She took me for a few rides, which were lots of fun. No, it wasn't for racing. but it was fun to ride in.
the 356 had the same concept with the welded single piece front end. But the ghia was much cheaper
I owned one and wish I still had it
I had one for a while. It was passed down to me but was a total rust bucket.It serve me well for a year ,until the engine would eventually only run roughly 30 minutes when the valves would overheat, stick and shut down. It got me to the dance clubs on Friday nights. Sometimes leaving me just 1 mile away from my destination. I sold it shortly afterwards. That was back in 1981.
1961 Itazuke, A friend had a Ghia. It was well suited to the narrow streets and the girls went nuts seeing it. Most of the guys drove old clunkers like Hudson, Kaiser or Packard.
Looks awesome
You again
I owned a 1970 one.. even in a well kept garage it rusted away
Mike Allan Unfortunately most Cars did back then
Always thought these were cool cars. As a kid our next door neighbour always drove one in the late 60's until about 1980, and always the coupe version which was much nicer than the convertible. He kept his last one for about 10 years after he stopped using it as his daily driver and only took it out once in a while on a nice day to go for a drive. It still looked almost brand new as he took such good care of it.
This is my cheap dream car even though its not my style of car (I like Mopars) but this things are so classical and deserve to live.Most of these Karmann Ghias are in barns because they were underproduced.When I turn19 I want one of these cars and honestly will love it to the bottom of my heart.I love the Karmann Ghias because the front end is so cute!
The rag top really makes this beautiful. I can't say the same about the hard top.
Vw's ads back then were the best. They were witty and honest. To bad they didn't stick with that.
Google," If Ted Kennedy drive a Volkswagen, he'd be President today"
Shell petroleum had or still has back in the 60/70's a prestigious award called "The Shell design award" the award was bestowed upon any item or thing with exceptional design, the Karmann Ghia made the grade & was awarded this prize, due to its outstanding air coefficiency. Very few cars can match this coefficiency.
Nice video , I own 12 Ghia's and I would NEVER use the word GHIA & 356 in the same sentence .
5150mxVW you just did 🥴
Haha ! Great vid and beautiful car
When I was a kid dad bought a new Karmann Ghia convertible, must have been 1969-1970 model, I remember something about the rear seat folding down and a compartment behind it.
I couldnt pronounce the car's name other than calling it as it sounded to me like "Common gear" hahah
My first car was a VW sedan 1966. Lots of gas mileage. Fun times and not bad for the yearly camp out at the deerlease. But my first love was the karman Ghia. I'd still take one.
Mentioning the VW Thing: “1965 Car and Driver Engineering Malpractice Award Winner”. Absolutely true.
VW actually ran magazine ads in the sixties that explaned how the Ghia body was formed and made. I still like them. Simple yet strangly elegant.
I bought a brand new Karmann Ghia in 1970 with factory A/C. The air conditioner was fantastic and was actually sourced from Chrysler Corporation.
Nice-looking red Ghia
Technology flowed from Porsche to the Karmann Ghia to the Beetle. A few years after Porsche got front disc brakes, the Ghia got them, and a few years later Beetles got them. Same with anti-sway bars. The pan wasn't just wider than the Beetle's, it was stiffer. Combined with the stiffer welded body and lower center of gravity, anti-sway bars etc., it handled much better than a Beetle. Ghias were geared higher (lower numerically) so they didn't have the quick acceleration, but they had higher top speed and better MPG than the Beetle, probably also aided by the lower roof line. Ghias might take time getting up to speed, but they didn't have to slow down much for corners.
I guess I was told wrong that the Ghia was designed by Ferdinand Porshe, and that is why it was called the poor mans Porche.
Either way I loved my 70 Ghia. Never a day pass that I did not get a compliment or a thumbs up on the road. I even remember once this lady with her two kids in tow having to stop cuz her kids stopped to look at my car at the intersection. They were like 5-7 yrs old. The cars design is an eye catcher for all ages.
Hoping to get her back on the road soon. Divorce messed me up, but I still have her(and her 2 sisters, a 66, and a 71).
Great video! I never knew that the original concept design was stolen. Thanks for sharing
Nice ! You are the Bobcat Goldwaith of cars
I loved the look of the Ghia when I was a kid. Wanted one for a while but that never worked out. Well after I had grown up, a neighbor bought one and I asked to sit in it. He said, "Ok." That turned out to be a hopeless situation. I am no longer even close to being able to fit in that car. Still love the look of it though!
It was always an under powered little car that looked great. It is the same criteria Audi used to build the original TT (with a bit more power), but like all good ideas they took what made the car great and changed it into a thoroughbred sport car at the appropriated price. Actually only the Miata has stuck to the Karmann Ghia concept to never build a high powered car. Unlike the the Karmann Ghia, their car is still very popular today with under 150 HP.
Really nice car, good presentation. But VW was not involved in 1953. It was Karmans initiative. Ghia should in Karmans mandate design a beetle in a "sunday-dress". So in the first step it was a deal between Karmann in Germany/Osnabrück and Ghia in Italy. Later the CEO of VW (Nordhoff) should be convinced. Karmann was lucky and got the assignment for a volume-production from VW in Germany/Wolfsburg.
Way back in the mid 70s I bought a 60s karmann Ghia with a smashed in nose for for $125...at that time I had been taking the rollback sunroof from bugs and welding them in to VW buses. I did about 10 of those conversions.I got pretty good with braising and forming Bondo into making those buses look a little like a 747 ... There is nothing like having the sunroof over your head! I had a couple local wrecking yards who let me know when a totaled bug came in with a good sunroof I will go down cut it off with a jigsaw and do the van conversion thing. When I bought the Ghia I needed to not only pull out the nose but both headlights were smashed so I had my wrecking yards do a search for me to try and find a pair, but the search went nowhere... They were available at a local VW dealer but the prices were way off the chart...So then I had to be creative. I got the headlight buckets off a bug and braised them onto the Ghia, with my wonderful body working skills (that's a joke) I tampted down the ridge on the top of the front fenders to smoothly merge into the bug headlight shape. Next I cut the top off and made it into convertible, that was a bit of a challenge because the windshield was holow at the top and of pretty thin metal so the braising was a little difficult, but I got the job done... I d-cambered the rear wheels, rebuilt and punched out the engine and all of a sudden I had myself a mini Porsche.
I drove that car for several years finally selling it for $1,500. (That's the money I had into it)
I bought a 1957 356a Porsche from a guy who was down on his luck and living in the vehicle. He offered me the engine for $500, but it was a basket case in pieces, so I declined. searching for an engine on the local advertiser paper I found one near my home in San Francisco for $500. When I called the guy up he insisted I show up with a pink slip for a Porsche as he was an absolute Porsche aficionado and did not want his engine going into a Volkswagen of any kind. it was a 1600 normal and the exact engine needed for that car, such a deal! Painted that car in black lacquer and drove it around for year...one of my favorite cars of all times. I sold it in the mid-80s as I needed a down payment to buy my house and was always sorry to see it go. Now in 2020 that car would be worth a pretty penny, but I sold my house a few years ago for well over a million, so I guess I did the right thing. Now I have a 1973 VW thing (my third one) in almost showroom condition... Maybe the ugliest car ever made but it sure is fun!
I was just watching a video on the Studebaker Champion and my immediate thought was 'Damn that looks like a Karmann Ghia' and turns out yep, the Champion was also designed by Virgil Exner and the similarities are blatant.
Mothers speed shop had one of the nicest Ghia s in N.J., back in the 70`s.
My first car was a '67 Ghia, purchased for $1200 in May of '73. Had it till September of '78. I still remember the license number: UVJ372. Wonder if it's still on the road?
I'm watching because of Brad Pitt's "Cliff Booth" making his Karmann in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" look so much fun to drive. ❤❤
To be honest when I had my '68 I did have a guy in a Corvette challenge me at a stoplight. I took him no problem. I will be honest and admit he stalled his engine, but I got a good laugh out of it as I pulled away and left him behind.