Oh I forgot. The flip up back seat was so small that the only way two people could ride back there was if they were in love. And if they weren't they would be by the time they got where they were going!
I owned one of these back in the day and I loved it! This car had so many quirky features that I will never forget it. There was nowhere to put your left foot when driving it due to the wheelwell protrusion. The heater didn't start working until ten minutes before frostbite got your toes. The defroster only cleared about a four inch circle in front of you that you had to lean forward to peek through. All the doors and lids froze shut in the winter. I still loved it.
Gorgeous Ghia! Your story reminds me of my Super Beetle. Back in 2001, it was in an extremely sorry state. It had no rear bumper, the tailpipes were rusted through, the rims were rusting and one fender was painted black (the original color is Sumatra Green) The previous owner restored it had it re-painted the original color, put new rims (from a Porsche 914) on it, and now the car looks flawless. He did a number of other things to the car as well. I just purchased it last year and I love it.
OMG my first car... to the tee. year, color and all and the numbers were late off the line in Germany..... graduated in 76 and bought this car in 78... drove the damn thing from Cleveland to Pa to Florida to Michigan and then back to Michigan. sadly i used it to run fire wall trails in Northern Michigan and sold it for 100 bucks to someone who wanted to restore it. Bet if i looked hard enough i could find Px of it even in Canada. Damn I was a dumb kid.
Randreash -- Beautiful work. I'm looking at buying a 1974 Karmann Ghia that's actually in pretty good shape (relative to yours). I'm wondering about the possibility of retrofitting the car with AC. Do you happen to know if it's possible. I can't find definitive information on the topic. I'm guessing you'd know.
Hi dkulawik. There were dealer installed AC systems available for most VW air cooled models. I had an AC system for my Ghia, but finding the missing parts is impossible. So i sold what I had. You would try as I did to put an ac system in the car. All I can say is good luck finding the parts. But when i was re-building this car there was not internet. You just may find an AC system out there. One thing is for sure, it will not be cheap. : )
Your information is incorrect. In the United States 1974 was the last year of production. Even the cars registration card states it is a 1974 Karmann Ghia. 1974 was the last year for several models. The Ghia, type 3, type 4 and the Thing. 1975 introduced the Rabbit (Golf), Dasher (Passat) and Scirocco. Thanks for watching.
Kevin. Mparents are from Deutschland. I lived there for many sommers in the 1960s in Gelhnhausen. My last visit was in 2002. I may have learned a thing here. You had no Ghias in 1973 or 1974? That is interesting. Maybe the last two jears it was built it only came to America. It waz very popular here. I think we are both Correct.
Depending on where you get this information, the Karmann Ghia was sold here (in the U.S.) from 1955 to 1974 in its Type 14 incarnation, being replaced by the Scirocco for 1975.
As with the Karmann Ghia, final assembly work on the Scirocco was performed by Karmann Coach in Osnabruck, Germany.
The Type 34 Karmann Ghia Coupe, with its 1.5L engine, was never officially sold here, although many did arrive here by way of Canada. It was replaced by the Porsche 914 in 1969.
Oh that almost makes me cry. I had a 1969 convertible in high school. Same color with a white top. It was a piece of junk but I loved that little car. No heat and windsheild would frost over on the outside AND inside. LOL! Used to use a hair dryer in the morning to melt the ice. Wrapped up in a blanket to drive to school. LOL! They had a wooden header bow and the top leaked something horrible. So much fun in the summer. So easy to drive. Could park them anywhere.
I had a green one, bought in '75, paid $3300, sold in '79 for the same amount, it was auto shift and we had two minor wrecks but it was beautiful, kelly green with tan top, kids came and I sold it. Yours is gorgeous!
oh i could cry !!!!!!!!!! your KG is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!! i bought my red karmann ghia in 1974 when i was 23 years old and i had it till 1986. i hated to part with it and to this day, i still want (or need) to buy another ghia. i will someday. thanx for your video; it's just gorgeous
Ohhhh baby - You did a fantastic job on that restoration! I love Karmann Ghias. I've restored a couple now, I'm in the process of restoring a 1962 Ghia Convertible now, just need to put it back together.
that's close as it ever got to being done ..It threw 60 foot roostertails in the rain for months and finally got towed and i lost it for the 140 bucks the tow guys wanted ...I agree that this car will put you in the ditch..maybe a 1000 dollars of suspension parts would save your life ..but my cute car scared me into believing it was a p.o.s. when it came to having any ability to make corners look fun..next car 79 rx-7 proved to me that japan was the wave of the future .. love both cars
pretty car i had an auto shift robin egg blue one with white interior that had so much bondo it weighed more than the entire car.paid 300 and after a while decided to redline every shift to blow it up..it never would pop...i was going to cut a AC cobra hole in front and flare ft. fenders and whaletail the rear end like a camel gtu mazda racer .I drew the lines in the ft fenders.. but one day my buddy broke out the air chizel and just lopped off the tops of the ft. fenders before I could say wait
Yes, they look very nice, that is... untill you drive one of them. You'll find out its nothing more than an extended beetle, with all the same horrible qualities; hard, nasty and bumpy ride, no performance at all, and a lot of noise. Souping the engine up will not help and probably kill you, because under its skin its NOT a sportscar, just a miserable beetle. I'm Dutch, but would choose for Detroit-iron over this any time !
And like the "shitty" Beetles you can change the suspension, engine and other components to make it a monster around a track and it will still be more practical than most cars on the road today. The Volkswagen Beetle is a real testament to practical engineering
because of how reliable and relatively cheap it is to run and maintain.
It's common knowledge already that the Karmann Ghia is nothing more than the Beetle's baby sister.
It's just that I hate beetles, because one of them nearly killed me when there was water/ice in the break drums, so that I plunged into a canal, through the ice in the midst of a Dutch winter, doing 50 mls ph. Imagine that.
Yes it does have similarities to the TT Gen 1. I always wondered why VW didn't use the TT for a new Karmann Ghia. A few changes to the body to give it the eyebrows up front and the fins in on the back. Maybe a Ghia on a boxter platform would be better, that way the engine would be in the rear. Isn't it fun to dream?
I have a 1971 VW Karmann Ghia convertible for sale with new pans, new brakes, new carb, new shocks, etc. Runs good. Needs body work and frame alignment. $2,500. Perry 717-418-5812. Harrisburg, PA
beautiful car man my dad has got a 67 ghi its yellow with a white roof and it has some very nice rims they look sporty rather then classc, it still needs a little work, the exhaust is rattling there is no stereo, for some reason the horn only wokrs if you turn the wheel but hey thats what classic cars are all about!:)
I have a 1974 Ghia Cabriolet too. Same color. I drove it into the garage 10 years ago and haven't touched it since. I bought it in 1982 from the original owner. I've got to clean it up.
Over the past 25 years I have restored about five old VWs. I've sold them all. This one I'm gonna keep. Plus I told my daughter she can have it after I pass away. That give me and idea. I'll try to dig up the photos of those cars and make a slide show to post.
The car was trashed when I got it. I figured I'd make it stock with a look I wanted. I like customs and stock VWs. I wanted something in the middle. You should have seen my 1969 Type 3 before I sold it. 100% stock. I miss that car. I got a lot for it. Thank you so must for stopping by. Forgive me for the Ghia dash. Now all I want is a 100% stock 1972 Super bug. That was my first car. Boo hoo. I miss it.
I have had my Karmann 26 years. I "restored' and modified it for *me*. I'm not selling it after these years so mods and amateur quality work does not bother me. video 'Karmann in Drydock'
I ubder stand they made an average of 100 cars a day. That's not a lot. They were hand built. No two are alike. I tried putting a door on my Ghia from a diferent car from the same year and it would not fit. I had to repair the original door.
My Karmann came from the factory 3mm longer on the port side than the starboard side. I found this out when body off rust removal was being done. See 'Karmann in Drydock'. It grew an additional 3mm each side (evenly) during my process. Had to rehang the doors because of it.
And the window washer was powered by the air in the spare tire.
Randreash 4 months ago
Oh I forgot. The flip up back seat was so small that the only way two people could ride back there was if they were in love. And if they weren't they would be by the time they got where they were going!
TheStarbull 4 months ago
I owned one of these back in the day and I loved it! This car had so many quirky features that I will never forget it. There was nowhere to put your left foot when driving it due to the wheelwell protrusion. The heater didn't start working until ten minutes before frostbite got your toes. The defroster only cleared about a four inch circle in front of you that you had to lean forward to peek through. All the doors and lids froze shut in the winter. I still loved it.
TheStarbull 4 months ago
check out my fathers ghia at my account!
Nice Car!
henriquezanicotti 7 months ago
the Germany 1955–1974 Brazil 1962-1975 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia was assembled in
Osnabrück, Germany
São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
Annihilator1111 7 months ago
Gorgeous Ghia! Your story reminds me of my Super Beetle. Back in 2001, it was in an extremely sorry state. It had no rear bumper, the tailpipes were rusted through, the rims were rusting and one fender was painted black (the original color is Sumatra Green) The previous owner restored it had it re-painted the original color, put new rims (from a Porsche 914) on it, and now the car looks flawless. He did a number of other things to the car as well. I just purchased it last year and I love it.
Tryvaltor 8 months ago
OMG my first car... to the tee. year, color and all and the numbers were late off the line in Germany..... graduated in 76 and bought this car in 78... drove the damn thing from Cleveland to Pa to Florida to Michigan and then back to Michigan. sadly i used it to run fire wall trails in Northern Michigan and sold it for 100 bucks to someone who wanted to restore it. Bet if i looked hard enough i could find Px of it even in Canada. Damn I was a dumb kid.
Beautiful restoration...love to see it.
dogshock1 8 months ago
great work.....
greyone308 9 months ago
Beautiful. What a great car.
Vikingdescendent 10 months ago
Gorgeous! I just bought a '70 basket case,(near Pittsburgh!) and have a long road ahead to get it to your car's level. Thanks for showing your Ghia!
CrashBurn24 10 months ago
Danke.
Randreash 11 months ago
Danke!
Randreash 11 months ago
Wunderbar! Was fur ein tolles VW!
WESTY70 11 months ago
nice music...oh, and the car is nice too .....
slats22 1 year ago
nice fat chick! .. thumbs up! own a 71 which still needs a bit of work, but the body and paint are done
rickpereira30 1 year ago
Randreash -- Beautiful work. I'm looking at buying a 1974 Karmann Ghia that's actually in pretty good shape (relative to yours). I'm wondering about the possibility of retrofitting the car with AC. Do you happen to know if it's possible. I can't find definitive information on the topic. I'm guessing you'd know.
dkulawik 1 year ago
Hi dkulawik. There were dealer installed AC systems available for most VW air cooled models. I had an AC system for my Ghia, but finding the missing parts is impossible. So i sold what I had. You would try as I did to put an ac system in the car. All I can say is good luck finding the parts. But when i was re-building this car there was not internet. You just may find an AC system out there. One thing is for sure, it will not be cheap. : )
Randreash 1 year ago
@Randreash
Try Gilmore Industries in Florida or I.C.E. San Diego, CA
both specialize in AC for air-cooled cars
1SemperDad 11 months ago
1974? 1972 was the year where the production has been stopped.
kevinwolze22 1 year ago
Your information is incorrect. In the United States 1974 was the last year of production. Even the cars registration card states it is a 1974 Karmann Ghia. 1974 was the last year for several models. The Ghia, type 3, type 4 and the Thing. 1975 introduced the Rabbit (Golf), Dasher (Passat) and Scirocco. Thanks for watching.
Randreash 1 year ago
@Randreash Okay, I'm sorry, I'm from the home of the car, Germany. ;)
kevinwolze22 1 year ago
Kevin. Mparents are from Deutschland. I lived there for many sommers in the 1960s in Gelhnhausen. My last visit was in 2002. I may have learned a thing here. You had no Ghias in 1973 or 1974? That is interesting. Maybe the last two jears it was built it only came to America. It waz very popular here. I think we are both Correct.
Randreash 1 year ago
@Randreash
Depending on where you get this information, the Karmann Ghia was sold here (in the U.S.) from 1955 to 1974 in its Type 14 incarnation, being replaced by the Scirocco for 1975.
As with the Karmann Ghia, final assembly work on the Scirocco was performed by Karmann Coach in Osnabruck, Germany.
The Type 34 Karmann Ghia Coupe, with its 1.5L engine, was never officially sold here, although many did arrive here by way of Canada. It was replaced by the Porsche 914 in 1969.
ClassicTVMan1981X 10 months ago
@kevinwolze22 Ich auch, so was passiert uns halt mal. ;P
LeoVolkswagen 1 year ago
Oh that almost makes me cry. I had a 1969 convertible in high school. Same color with a white top. It was a piece of junk but I loved that little car. No heat and windsheild would frost over on the outside AND inside. LOL! Used to use a hair dryer in the morning to melt the ice. Wrapped up in a blanket to drive to school. LOL! They had a wooden header bow and the top leaked something horrible. So much fun in the summer. So easy to drive. Could park them anywhere.
ChristopherClown 1 year ago
congratulation your car is wonderful¡¡¡¡¡¡ =)
Carniceroification 1 year ago
Please put me in your will.
iangoblin71 1 year ago
The Karmann Ghia is one of my favs! Beautiful Car, Nice Job!
JeepCrazyMe 2 years ago
great job! Great car !!
wonderingsemara 2 years ago
I bought a 70 Ghia, from a shop that had been left there. They wanted $340.00 little did i know it had a 2110cc .
maliq32 2 years ago
I had a green one, bought in '75, paid $3300, sold in '79 for the same amount, it was auto shift and we had two minor wrecks but it was beautiful, kelly green with tan top, kids came and I sold it. Yours is gorgeous!
shunammite 2 years ago
Great job!!!!!!!!
juanitovw 2 years ago
oh i could cry !!!!!!!!!! your KG is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!! i bought my red karmann ghia in 1974 when i was 23 years old and i had it till 1986. i hated to part with it and to this day, i still want (or need) to buy another ghia. i will someday. thanx for your video; it's just gorgeous
agyvonne 2 years ago
Ohhhh baby - You did a fantastic job on that restoration! I love Karmann Ghias. I've restored a couple now, I'm in the process of restoring a 1962 Ghia Convertible now, just need to put it back together.
VintageSC73 2 years ago
my uncle has one and its brilliant
Tozaroo 2 years ago
I can't imagine all the long hours you spent restoring it to look like this! Great color.
beachnikk 2 years ago
I just love Karmann Ghia!
djwing1 3 years ago
Pretty blue.
GOTTshua 3 years ago
that's close as it ever got to being done ..It threw 60 foot roostertails in the rain for months and finally got towed and i lost it for the 140 bucks the tow guys wanted ...I agree that this car will put you in the ditch..maybe a 1000 dollars of suspension parts would save your life ..but my cute car scared me into believing it was a p.o.s. when it came to having any ability to make corners look fun..next car 79 rx-7 proved to me that japan was the wave of the future .. love both cars
zwreckless1 3 years ago
pretty car i had an auto shift robin egg blue one with white interior that had so much bondo it weighed more than the entire car.paid 300 and after a while decided to redline every shift to blow it up..it never would pop...i was going to cut a AC cobra hole in front and flare ft. fenders and whaletail the rear end like a camel gtu mazda racer .I drew the lines in the ft fenders.. but one day my buddy broke out the air chizel and just lopped off the tops of the ft. fenders before I could say wait
zwreckless1 3 years ago
Yes, they look very nice, that is... untill you drive one of them. You'll find out its nothing more than an extended beetle, with all the same horrible qualities; hard, nasty and bumpy ride, no performance at all, and a lot of noise. Souping the engine up will not help and probably kill you, because under its skin its NOT a sportscar, just a miserable beetle. I'm Dutch, but would choose for Detroit-iron over this any time !
helmuthoorn 3 years ago
And like the "shitty" Beetles you can change the suspension, engine and other components to make it a monster around a track and it will still be more practical than most cars on the road today. The Volkswagen Beetle is a real testament to practical engineering
because of how reliable and relatively cheap it is to run and maintain.
It's common knowledge already that the Karmann Ghia is nothing more than the Beetle's baby sister.
Maxpound 3 years ago
If you at it that way you're right of course.
And they are very pretty looking cars as well.
It's just that I hate beetles, because one of them nearly killed me when there was water/ice in the break drums, so that I plunged into a canal, through the ice in the midst of a Dutch winter, doing 50 mls ph. Imagine that.
helmuthoorn 3 years ago
I'm sorry to hear that. I guess I'd hate them as well if that happened to me.
Maxpound 3 years ago
If you live in sunny California this will probably never happen to you. Good luck with your nice hobby.
helmuthoorn 3 years ago
Helmut sounds like he has issues with his little pecker. "Detroit Iron"?? Come on Dutchboy, grow a set.
tuxvideo 3 years ago
Come on man.
There must also be cars you don't like without referring to genital regions ?
helmuthoorn 3 years ago
Fing sweet. I had a 74 vert ghia about 15 years ago. I'd love to get another
Crosisborg 3 years ago
every little detail of the car is perfect. nice job
streetpaul18 4 years ago
my father has VW Karmann Ghila 1500 from 1970 with original colour and original wheel. itąss look how new car!!
tireurcc 4 years ago
loving it! the Ghia is the most awsome car ever!!!
reyitodelosreyes 4 years ago
nice, that reminds me of our old 1969 Ghia, it was all stock, mint condition too. i miss the smell and sound of the old Ghia...
akoch 4 years ago
Wow interesting, if you look long enough, you ll find similarities in design ideas with the Audi TT Generation 1.
Tussicat 4 years ago
Yes it does have similarities to the TT Gen 1. I always wondered why VW didn't use the TT for a new Karmann Ghia. A few changes to the body to give it the eyebrows up front and the fins in on the back. Maybe a Ghia on a boxter platform would be better, that way the engine would be in the rear. Isn't it fun to dream?
Randreash 4 years ago
a boxster would be perfect! probably rather expensive though.
LeviMan2001 4 years ago
Simply Beautiful man!!!
Great job
segerduder 4 years ago
*Drool* I want one sooooo bad! Great job by the way! It's a beautiful car.
KelRen 4 years ago
I have a 1971 VW Karmann Ghia convertible for sale with new pans, new brakes, new carb, new shocks, etc. Runs good. Needs body work and frame alignment. $2,500. Perry 717-418-5812. Harrisburg, PA
jdhicrop 5 years ago
What a labour of love, and what WOW results, randreash!
Thanks for showing off your "baby"
vickster304 5 years ago
beautiful car man my dad has got a 67 ghi its yellow with a white roof and it has some very nice rims they look sporty rather then classc, it still needs a little work, the exhaust is rattling there is no stereo, for some reason the horn only wokrs if you turn the wheel but hey thats what classic cars are all about!:)
Birelkart91 5 years ago
I have a 1974 Ghia Cabriolet too. Same color. I drove it into the garage 10 years ago and haven't touched it since. I bought it in 1982 from the original owner. I've got to clean it up.
cyt8 5 years ago
are you selling it?
merla118 5 years ago
Over the past 25 years I have restored about five old VWs. I've sold them all. This one I'm gonna keep. Plus I told my daughter she can have it after I pass away. That give me and idea. I'll try to dig up the photos of those cars and make a slide show to post.
Randreash 5 years ago
I got a '70 Ghia Cabrio with the original rear glass....
I'm working on pulling the body off.... floor pans are shot and cancer is eating the body....
How hard is it really to rip the body off the pan?
deviousvolkswagen 5 years ago
Not too hard to remove the body. just a lot of activity. The real bear is putting it back on the pan. Have fun.
Randreash 5 years ago
Dude....nice job rebuilding....but did you honestly butcher that dash for gauges??? That's criminal ! !!
UHOH5OH 5 years ago
The car was trashed when I got it. I figured I'd make it stock with a look I wanted. I like customs and stock VWs. I wanted something in the middle. You should have seen my 1969 Type 3 before I sold it. 100% stock. I miss that car. I got a lot for it. Thank you so must for stopping by. Forgive me for the Ghia dash. Now all I want is a 100% stock 1972 Super bug. That was my first car. Boo hoo. I miss it.
Randreash 5 years ago
I have had my Karmann 26 years. I "restored' and modified it for *me*. I'm not selling it after these years so mods and amateur quality work does not bother me. video 'Karmann in Drydock'
CdrSalekSutai 5 years ago
Nice Vert, Ya I think the gauges were the radio is cool, better then were the glove box is.
po7g 5 years ago
Thanks 4 stopin by. You got the kewl bumpers and turn signals. Here is a quiz. Do u know how many Ghias VW built every day?
Randreash 5 years ago
ohh noo I love my Ghia but dont know that one. lol, check out my latest movie on my car it is sad
po7g 5 years ago
I ubder stand they made an average of 100 cars a day. That's not a lot. They were hand built. No two are alike. I tried putting a door on my Ghia from a diferent car from the same year and it would not fit. I had to repair the original door.
Randreash 5 years ago
My Karmann came from the factory 3mm longer on the port side than the starboard side. I found this out when body off rust removal was being done. See 'Karmann in Drydock'. It grew an additional 3mm each side (evenly) during my process. Had to rehang the doors because of it.
CdrSalekSutai 5 years ago
Very,very nice Karmann Ghia!Like a new!
chzanicotti 5 years ago
sweet!
southcoast23 5 years ago