JellyBean Style: 1983 Ford Probe IV Concept Car By Ghia

If you grew up in the 80s reading Car & Track or Road & Driver, you might have thought that in the future we would be driving aerodynamic jelly beans on wheels. Today, we’ve got a chance for you to live that future, or at least sit in your garage pretending that you are in the future. This concept Probe might look like a car, but it is a composite body over a wood structure with no engine/transmission and no functioning steering – pretty much the greenest car ever if you think about it. Still, if you want a museum-grade conversation piece that screams Ford’s early-80s obsession with aerodynamics and “tomorrow,” this is about as rare and historically cool as it gets without buying an actual show car straight off an auto show turntable. Find this 1983 Ford Probe IV Concept Car By Ghia offered for undisclosed price in Spring, TX via faceprobe conceplace.

From the seller:

Ford PROBE IV concept
$11,111
Listed 3 weeks ago in Spring, TX
Details
Condition
New
Accepting offers. Otherwise going to auction.

1983 Ford Probe IV Concept Car by Ghia

Chassis 001 – Wind Tunnel Prototype

Offered for sale is an exceptionally rare and historically significant 1983 Ford Probe IV Concept Car by Ghia, Chassis 001. This is the first Probe IV built and served as the wind tunnel and development prototype. Long believed lost, this one-of-a-kind display vehicle has now resurfaced and is available for acquisition.

The sister car, Chassis 002, sold for approximately $125,000 in 2022 and is currently displayed at the Petersen Automotive Museum in California.

Historical Significance
• First Probe IV constructed by Ghia for Ford
• Wind tunnel testing and aerodynamic development prototype
• One of only two Probe IV concept cars known to exist
• Important artifact from Ford’s advanced design and aerodynamics program of the early 1980s

Construction & Features
• Composite fiber body mounted on a wood structural chassis with steel subframes for wheel assemblies
• Manual-adjustable front and rear suspension for testing purposes
• Active front splitter, electrically actuated
• Front and rear lighting assemblies wired, including center console lighting (non-tested)
• Unique two-piece wheels with custom tires made specifically for the Probe IV
• Tires hold air but have leaking valve stems
• Fully realized interior, closely matching Chassis 002
• Display-only vehicle (no engine or functional steering)
• Wheels can be manually positioned for loading or display

Condition & Known Issues

This vehicle was used as a display piece in the early 2000s and shows age-related wear consistent with long-term exhibition:
• Missing one front right wheel cover
• Rear passenger wheel cover is present (not pictured)
• Front left wheel cover does not stay secured and will require repair or fabrication of mounting retainers
• Rear roof glass area has slightly collapsed, preventing proper reinstallation of the rear window
• Center console gear selector plate is broken
• Missing the rare, custom side mirrors
• Doors and rear hatch are non-functional (display configuration)
• No engine or drivetrain (as originally built)

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