1965 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

Description

To give the utilitarian Beetle some flash, VW contracted with Italian stylists at Ghia and the builders at Karmann to create a sporty 4-seat coupe that became the beloved Karmann-Ghia. This 1965 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia is restored just the way you'd do it yourself, nicely finished and with a few smart upgrades that make it worry-free summer fun you can drive any time.

Karmann-Ghia coupes are none too easy to find these days. Cabriolets, sure there are plenty of them, but the sporty coupe is arguably a purer design with far lower survival rates. This is actually a 1968 body on a 1965 chassis, but there's no downside to that because of the VW's awesome parts interchangeability. It's been thoroughly freshened, with good bodywork and gaps and a period bright blue paint job that suits the sleek little VW just fine. Details are what set the Karmann-Ghia apart from other cars of the period, from the tasteful little grilles up front to the wonderfully sleek greenhouse to the flared rear fenders that give it a substantial look; it's easy to forget there's a Beetle underneath. There's also plenty of chrome which is all in great shape, along with the bullet-shaped parking light lenses and Euro-spec front bumper that's a lot cleaner than the clumsy US unit. This might be the best-looking car you can buy for under $15,000.

The upright Beetle becomes the low-slung Karmann-Ghia pretty easily and the low-back buckets look very appropriate. Wearing new vinyl seat covers, they're comfortable and in great condition. There are also new carpets, door panels, and headliner, although the back seat is best used for children due to the sloping roofline. The instruments are a bit more interesting than the standard Beetle, offering a separate fuel gauge and a clock, and the 4-speed manual shifter should feel familiar if you've ever driven a rear-engined VW. There is no radio, but that means you can install anything you'd like without having to undo someone else's work. The rear seat folds down and actually gives you a huge cargo bay, which works in conjunction with a good-sized forward trunk, all of which are fully upholstered in black carpet, giving it a very finished look.

A freshly rebuilt 1600 cc air-cooled flat-four should be familiar to VW fans, and with dual carbs, it's a lively performer. The engine bay is nicely finished and it's obvious that the entire car was disassembled for the restoration. Things that a lot of cars omit, like the heater tubes and original Bosch ignition coil are still in place and it runs superbly. It also offers goodies like new brakes with a fresh master cylinder, a clean fuel tank, and a new clutch throwout bearing. From behind the wheel, it feels nimble with light control efforts despite manual steering and brakes and the experience is very different from the Beetle. Chrome wheels with standard VW hubcaps are just the right look and they carry recent Firestone radials all around.

From long-term ownership, this VW offers restoration receipts and photos to document the work, making it a safe buy and one of the biggest bangs for the buck in any of our showrooms. Call today!