Cool Blue Ghiamonster: 1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14
The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14 was launched in 1955 as a 2+2 coupe with Type 1 Beetle mechanical parts and styling by Luigi Segre of Carrozzeria Ghia plus a coach-built bodywork from Karmann. The Type 14 was cheap and affordable for years, but with the recent astronomical price increases on all things aircooled (Porsches…Hippie Buses…Bicycles…etc) the Ghia has been pumped up by these nefarious market forces. However, today’s Ghia looks both scrumptious and affordable. Find this 1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14 offered for $9,900 in Piedmont, CA via craigslist.
From the seller:
1970 Karmin Ghia
condition: good
cylinders: 4 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: gas
odometer: 000000
paint color: blue
size: compact
title status: clean
transmission: manual
type: coupe
This car is is owned by my 94 year old father in law who no longer drives. He bought it in 2008 and has done some modest restoring. Runs and drives well. I can be reached at show contact info
if you have any questions.
See a better way to drive a car, man? tips@dailyturismo.com
This weekend, I was just at a VW dealership getting a used Kia Soul to be a cheap DD, when I told my wife I have to wonder why with all VW’s retro concepts, they aren’t making a new Karman Ghia. Seem it ought to be a hit.
If this had come up last week, I would have been sorely tempted into a highly inadvisable fly and drive instead. Why pay $10k for a (hopefully) reliable Kia when the same money would get a Karman Ghia with a quarter of the horsepower and four times the required maintenance?
Hmm… because you could take the ‘Ghia to Cars ‘n Coffee?
I owned 2 KG convertibles for many years. Finally stopped driving them — not because they broke down (they never did, ever) — but because I realized that if some nutjob drove into me with their newer car/truck/SUV, I’d be roadkill.
I sold them as they sat for more than twice what I paid for them. I was absolutely *shocked* at how much they’d gone up in value from 1995 to 2018.
Shocked.
-Stan
…who also bought a minty 1961 VW Cargo Microbus (California car, ZERO rust) back in 1985… for $400. Great work van. Never even changed the oil.
All it needed was a paint job, which I did with a paint roller and a quart of latex exterior (hey, I was both young AND stupid). I’ve regretted selling that puppy at least a thousand times. The last double double cargo door microbus I saw listed sold a few years ago for $30,000. And it was rusty. 🤦♂️
One reason they won’t be around again is that lovely. elegant, light roof used on many Ghia dream cars of the 1950s. When I was 17 I got sideways while flat out at maybe 75mph. The tires came off the rims which dug in Ann sent me airborne. So witnesses say, I was out for a couple days. No seat belt and I flew out the door, which was good because after the roof was below the top of the steering wheel. And have a 50 year old Polaroid as proof, somewhere.