There were more than Hot Rods at the Cruise -In!

Hi folks -- one thing about the local cruise-in is that there is an incredible diversity of cars that are parked in the parking lot at the K-Mart across from the Greene in Kettering, Ohio. For example, there was a 1950s R-R Silver Cloud, several Ferraris, at least two Porsches (including my own!), a few VWs, including a 1950s or early 1960s Combi, an entire row of Studebakers, old pickup trucks, post-war Fords from the 1940s and 1950s, Cobras, real and replicas, an Excaliber. There were cars for sale, and cars just purchased. That was the case of Scott Sloan's 1966 Karmann Ghia convertible that he bought at a gas station in Beavercreek, Ohio a week ago for $2500. It was fairly original, with an undetermined amount of Bondo, and in need of a new top and a paint job. Karmann Ghias were first introduced to the public in 1956, and a production run to at least 1974. In my opinion they were great, fun cars, especially the convertibles like Scott's. They were elegantly designed, nicely proportioned, tastefully appointed, and as reliable as a VW Bettle. In Germany they are now very hot collectibles. And here in the U.S. they are appreciating steadily. Congratulations, Scott, on a great purchase!

A Bit of History

The Karmann Ghia debuted at the October 1953 Paris Auto Show as a styling concept car. In the early 1950s, Volkswagen was producing small, fuel efficient, reliable automobiles. By the mid-1950s consumers in Europe began to demand more stylish vehicles. Executives at Volkswagen decided to produce an "image" car for post-war buyers. The Karmann-Ghia, VW's venture into the sports car market, was created in 1956. While it had limited power for a sports car, its stylish looks and reasonable price made sales strong.

Volkswagen contracted with German coachbuilder Karmann to build this car. In turn, VW contracted the Italian firm Ghia for a sports car design. Ghia took an existing, but unused, design and modified it to fit a slightly modified Beetle floorpan.

The body and nose of the car were handcrafted and significantly more expensive to produce than the assembly line-produced Beetle, which was reflected in the Type 14's higher price. Instead of fenders bolted and pre-welded together, as with the Beetle, body panels were hand-shaped and smoothed in a time-consuming and expensive process. At the time it was built, only the manufacturers of the finest cars took similar care.

The design and prototype were well received by Volkswagen executives, and in August 1955 the first Karmann Ghia, also known as the Type 14, was manufactured . Public reaction was excellent, and over 10,000 were sold in the first year, exceeding Volkswagen's expectations.

Since all Karmann Ghias used the same engine as the Beetle, the car was not suitable as a true sports car, but the car's styling and "Beetle reliable" parts compensated for this shortfall. It also shared engine development with the Beetle as the Type 1 engine grew larger over time, finally arriving at an engine displacement of 1584 cc which produced about 60 horsepower.

In August 1957, a cabriolet version was introduced. As with other automobiles, multiple changes were made. Notable exterior changes in 1961 included the car's new wider, finned front grilles, raised headlight relocation, and rear taillight lenses which became taller and more rounded. Cars made from 1955 to 1959 are referred to as "lowlights," due to the lower placement of the headlights. In 1970 larger tail lights integrated the reverse lights and larger wrap-around turn signals in contrast to the earlier "bullet" style lights. VW models of this era have earned the slang nickname fat chicks. Larger and wider tailights in 1972 increased side visibility. 1973 modifications included larger energy-absorbing bumpers and the provision of a package shelf in lieu of the modest rear seat.

The big enemy today when buying a Karmann Ghia today is rust. Rust around the front headlights and nose, and rust around the rocker panels can be costly to fix. In a later post, I'll tell you about my rusty 1969 Karmann Ghia, and its ultimate fate.