1958 VW Karmann Ghia Coupe For Sale
Its always fun to walk around at the big VW events and see what there is on display
and at the VW Classic in Irvine California this June, the car that really took my breath away
was this black low light Karmann Ghia. The more I looked at it, the more I was blown away.
This car is truly something special!
First of all it is an early Karmann Ghia...the "Low Light" body style built from 56-59.
It is one of the most pure of the Ghia's design wise...so smooth, so beautiful.
The rarity of the car drew me in first, but the rarity of the accessories and the details on this car are what
truly set the hook and got me drooling over it.
Obviously the wire wheels are unique...and there is a fair bit of cool extra trim here and there.
The car was obviously a show and rally car from new with all the modifications done to it
early in it's life. Hidden under the engine lid is a genuine Porsche engine!
The grilles on the headlights, the added bumper trims with badges.
Very smooth body and glossy paint.
Nice fit and finish to all panels..
A bit of age to it...the chrome is not perfect, there are a couple maint flaws from age.
But it is still impressive.
OK...you have seen some pretty shots...nice car...but just wait until you see the silver lining in this one...
Oh my it is something so so cool!
OK...one last beauty shot...now lets peek in deeper.
The interior of the car is all original and in quite impressive shape.
Loaded beyond belief with period accessories such as these extremely rare headrests.
Original carpet throughout...in the back here there are straps for holding cargo.
An array of awards won by the car in it's early days for both rally racing and shows.
All controls are trimmed out with special custom touches such as the handbrake and shifter...even the heater control knob.
Im teasing you here with the more mundane stuff I realize...but I like to build some suspense.
Top of the dash is treated with an anti glare coating.
Event badges on the dash...Riverside race way...the Le Cercle Concours de Elegance from 1961
Custom knobs, full period rally gauges and chronographs, more incredible dash plaques.
The timing equipment is truly incredible...check out this clock fitted into the factory clock spot!
Very rare trip speedo with clear needle.
The aluminum rings treated with non glare surface.
VDO tachometer, sweet pocket watch in a custom holder...
and it gets even better...
But wait...I need to meter out the cool factor stuff a bit (I know...Im messing with you)
Here is a nice exterior shot...check out the chrome trim part on the body here
Oh...and some back story...this car has been in storage for many many years.
Last street registered in 1987.
The car was bought from the original owner about 10 years ago from what I was told
and has remained in storage since. It has always been garaged, always been in California
and the title is clean and clear.
The underside of the car was completely undercoated back in the day and sprayed with a white finish underneath.
As you can see it is still pretty clean under here.
While the finish is a bit unorthodox by today's standards, it has done a phenomenal job
of keeping the chassis solid and you can imagine when it was first done it was quite
pretty and made a bold contrast to the black exterior.
Years of grease and grime have dirtied it up a bit but underneath it is truly straight and solid original metal.
The wheels are truly the "rarest of the rare"...these true knock off chrome wire wheels
thread on to a geared hub that bolts to the wide 5 drums.
Now the drums on here are no normal VW drums, but aluminum drums from a Porsche 356A!
Under the hood in front the madness and beauty of this car really start to show.
Every possible bit of rally equipment and trinket imaginable has been carefully mounted in special holders
many labled with engraved placards. Check out the chrome shovel, the tire pump, the fuel and oil canisters,
the tools and spare parts...I will delve in deeper to shis in a minute...but it is truly over the top!
When I was shooting photos of the car I was seriously all over it...so I apologize for not keeping them in
order that makes sense... I just posted them as I took them...
Check out the period compass on the dash and the array of event badges.
The original Karmann badge on the fender...check out the gold accent between the body trims.
The wheels are truly amazing!
Body trim on the rear fenders.
Super smooth and straight!
OK...lets go inside and see more...how about these impressive original door panels!
A Co2 bottle and a spot light mounted inside the drivers door.
Racing belts over the impressive original material on the seats.
Under the dash there are extra lights mounted.
The original carpet on the rear deck...tie down hooks for securing the contents in back for hard rallying.
An award...and engraved gold plate...
Vintage sports car event trophies that by their own right are impressive and date back to the late 50s and early 60's
all won by this very car.
The original plates fixed to the car when new have been retained. The black plates on the car now
have been on it since 1963.
The original headliner is in impressive condition.
Detail of the headrests.
The corderoy material used on the seats and panels here is original and in truly impressive shape.
This car has not seen many miles based on the wear on the drivers seat, and obviously amazing care.
The shifter , handbrake and heater knobs all feature wood accents and machined and polished aluminum.
These one off special details are what make this car truly something you will never see again.
The FCCA (Four Cylinder Club of America) Santa Barbara field day in 1960
Glockler Volkswagen badge on the ashtray.
Interior light.
Fantastic wood rim steering wheel.
The Speedpilot competition rally gauges...(faints on floor) so incredible.
Another FCCA badge from 1964
Take a peek down at the full array of VDO instruments below.
Events from as far back at 1958 when the car was pretty much brand new!!
No smoking during take off...love it!
1958!
The machine turned custom panel for the instruments...all period stuff.
Check out the first aid kit mounted below the dash.
Custom foot stop on the left...custom gas pedal and guards for the floor and tunnel.
Rubber on the sides is all original.
Passenger foot rest is another truly well built custom item.
Check out this trick metal pocket with pencil holder for your
maps and rules and calculation charts.
OK...lets pop outside again for a bit...look at the chrome trims on the engine vents.
And speaking of the engine...lets peek in here.
I see electronic ignition bits from back in the day.
The dipstick holder on the oil filter mount.
Extractor exhaust syster on the Porsche engine
Extra rubber trims on the bumper guards and neat overrider bar that stretched between the guards.
Underside of the engine lid is sprayed heavily with a sound deadener.
Trouble light mounted in here under the lid.
Awesome formed metal cover for the decklid latch...an amazing amount of time went into making this sort of thing!
Spark plug holder on the firewall.
Check out this awesome coil mount and bizarre coil!
The engine number comes up as a 1957 "S" engine.
Looking at the year of the car and the awards and everything...I believe this engine was put in the car
quite possibly when it was new, or at least very close to it.
The brakes on the car are from the same era as well.
Someone with a lot of time and money built this car back in the day and it being an early model
was probably quite the crowd pleaser at the events back in the day.
I would be very surprised if it did not get some sort of mention in one of the magazines of the day.
There are none with it currently, but I would love to see if anyone has some Small Car Journal books
or similar publications from the era...I bet it is in there somewhere.
Here is a good over view of the Porsche engine...
The engine room painted with the same heavy paint as the undercarriage.
You can see the Porsche brake drums peeking out through the wheels.
Side view mirror should clean up a bit.
Hood catch hook was plated back in the day.
The stone gaurds on the headlights....so cool.
Four Cylinder Club of America badge up front.
German ADAC badge up front too.
Le Cercle Concours badge.
Material fitted to the underside of the hood up front, painted the same white as the engine room and undercarriage.
Another custom metal latch cover up front.
Screwdriver holders.
Trouble light
Matching spare wheel and tire with metal strap to hold it in place.
Lead mallet for removing the knock off wheels."Check out the awesome racing fuel cap.
The tire pump and shovel were chrome plated.
Small parts cup for extra points and such.
Engraved plates all over the place.
Check out the oil can spout, the road flares, some white tow strap, the washer bottle, the tools...
Engine oil and fuel canisters... it is just so cool and so
untouched. The car has a fantastic originality to it.
All the modifications and all the accessories look like they have been with the car since day one.
The original owner was obviously fanatical beyond measure.
And that is what makes the car so special today.
There is not another car like this, equipped the way this one is...anywhere in the world!
The car is impressive and special in many many ways.
It is just recently out of hibernation and the current owner is in the process of
working out the storage issues and getting it fully operational again.
The engine does run, compression is good etc...owner will sort it all out so it is
fully roadworthy or will negotiate off the price for an as-is sale.
You may find other low light Ghias for sale out there in the world...but there are none like this!
Asking
$35,000 obo
For More Info...CALL
951-767-1600
or email oldbug@earthlink.net