Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Coupe

Description

I am very pleased to offer this charming, highly correct and original 1974 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia, the last year of production for VW’s legendary sporty coupe. The Karmann-Ghia was born of a time when the European economy was recovering and buyers were looking beyond the basic transportation the Beetle provided. Volkswagen bosses wanted a Halo car to offer buyers and to drive traffic to showrooms. A concept was shown in 1953, based on a standard Beetle platform but with gorgeous Luigi Segre (chief stylist at Ghia) penned bodywork. Public reaction was overwhelming and the Type-14 was put into production starting in 1955. The soft, flowing lines were in stark contrast to the utilitarian Beetle, and required special techniques to build. While Ghia had their own manufacturing facility, the cost of importing bodies from Italy would have been too great. So VW turned to its close partners at Karmann to build the bodies. Panels were hand formed in steel and butt welded, and seams were leaded to create a smooth, clean look. It was a labor intensive and expensive process, which was reflected in the price of the car when it hit the market. In spite of the cost, sales were brisk and the Type 14 Karmann-Ghia went on to become a mainstay of the line until 1974 when it was replaced by the Golf-based (and also Karmann built) Scirocco coupe. This 1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia has just under 26k miles from new and is from the last year of Ghia production. This example features dealer-installed air conditioning and was with its second owner for 38 years. The car shows no evidence of past repairs, and it remains mechanically unmodified and absolutely no rust. This VW comes with the original books, window sticker, and a clean GA title. This Karmann Ghia is stock apart from chromed wheels. There is a slight sag to the driver’s door, but the bodywork remains otherwise straight with good panel gaps throughout. Some dents and marks are present, most notably on the passenger’s door. There is little to no paint damage in or around many of the dents, suggesting that some of the may have been incurred while the car was covered. It is unknown if any other paintwork performed apart from the driver’s door, with paint gauge readings are uniform throughout. Some chips are noted on the rockers. The bumpers and trim are in very nice condition. An aftermarket steering wheel has been fitted, though the original is included in the sale. The seating surfaces and carpets all are in great condition. A new dash was recently installed and it and all instruments and gauges are in perfect condition. The dealer-installed A/C system has been flushed and refilled with R12, and blows cold. Heating and cooling in this car is factory and works very very well. The rear seat has been removed, and the rear cargo area and fold down portion are covered in matching carpet. This Ghia stayed with its second owner from 1978 until it was acquired by the seller this year. Though records are not complete back to new, there is a signed affidavit from the second owner indicating that the mileage is accurate and the engine original. The 1600cc flat-four remains standard, with its original equipment still intact. The A/C was fitted in-period by the original dealer, and the installation appears tidy. The engine bay paintwork still shows well, and the insulation on the rear bulkhead is intact. The underside appears clean and shows considerable undercoating. The engine is has no leaks and is very dry. The pans is uncut from front to back, with correct stampings on the panels. The sale includes the factory manuals, users’ guides, a hanging tag with information on how to use the dealer installed A/C, and the original window sticker showing a suggested retail price of $3572.