1973 Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia

Brief History of the Karmann GhiaOf all the variants and models of the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, the Type 14 is the most well-known of them all. First introduced in Europe in 1955 and in the US as a coupe in 1956 (convertibles arrived in 1958), the Type 14 Karmann Ghia featured sleek body lines and the familiar rear-mounted, air-cooled flat-four engines found in Beetles. Roughly 450,000 cars were produced over its production life with only 80,000 convertibles. Styling choices were made in Italy at the famous Ghia Studios, which at the time was known for working on exotic Italian sports cars. The design choices for both the interior and exterior went mostly unchanged throughout the years, with some changes being caused by new transportation regulations in the 60s & 70s. Taillights, turn signals, hazard lights, and parking lights are among the most noticeable cosmetic differences between the model years. The Ghia was created out of the desire to produce a sport-bodied car atop a reliable and tested chassis, which Volkswagen already had in the Beetle. Although the suspension was virtually the same as the Beetle, the sleek, low body gave the car a good ride and slightly better performance, but it was never advertised as an all-out sports car.Specifications1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible67,746 miles shown, TMU1600 Dual-Port with newer carb, coil, and distributorRecent in-house valve adjustment as well as dwell and timing setRecent oil change4-speed manual transmissionGauges work well and are in good conditionOlder orange repaint in fair condition with a slight patinaOriginal upholstery and headliner in fair conditionAftermarket black carpet to match the black interiorNewer black replacement topAftermarket chrome wheelsSolid floors and sills with minor evidence of repairs12V generator for bright lights and a quick startInspection and servicing done by CCCMost