What you’re looking at is a rarity, not just by name, but by condition as well.
Posted a day ago on Marketplace in Stoughton, WI for $6,900, this 1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia has patina that I absolutely love, not only because it’s pretty much uniform on the outside, but because it makes this car a rare sweet spot of a Ghia that’s battered enough to tell tales but not rusty in all the wrong places.
My local Volkswagen guy once told me that a Karmann Ghia was the only Volkswagen he would never attempt to restore again. He told me that thanks to the Ghia’s one-piece shell, there are so many hidden pockets and crevasses and crannies that you could easily cut away a rusty panel only to find more rust underneath. That also means many of the serious problem areas on a Ghia can be hidden away under perfectly good-looking sheet metal. But with this car’s overall solid pan and running boards, hidden rust doesn’t look to be much of a worry here.
The seller explains that there’s been a complete mechanical refresh of this Ghia, including a rebuilt 1641 dual port engine with dual 34s, new front and rear suspension and brake components, new tires, a new gas tank, and new fuel lines throughout. In my book it’s ready to hit the road, but you’ll probably want to fix the non-working gauges and windshield wipers – or whip out your GPS speedometer app, shift by ear, and stop by O’Reilly for a bottle of Rain-X on your first road trip.
Now this Ghia ain’t for everyone – it’s been hit and bondo’d on both ends, the interior has some strange customization going on and probably needs some love, and the engine’s fresh with less than 50 miles on the rebuild, which means you’ll likely need to do some additional tinkering in the not-too-distant future. But for a mechanically sorted Ghia that’s patinated but not rusty, I feel like the asking price of $6,900 is very appealing. Add in that the seller’s had it since 1998 when The Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell in a Cell and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcers’ table, and it’s likely most of this car’s secrets have been laid bare in the detailed seller’s description.
All told, I’d rock it with pride as-is, right down to the zip tied license plate. You can just tell by looking at it that it’s lived a storied life, steadily puttering on even after front and rear end collisions, and eagerly awaiting whatever rock chips, door dings, and sun fading it’ll come across with a new owner making new memories behind its wheel.
I came across this Ghia thanks to the seller’s other offering, this authentic 1975 Volkswagen Type 181 from the German military with its own fascinating patina which was posted to Obscure Cars for Sale. Check out that group if you love oddball cars.
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