1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

On its second UK owner, the previous owner imported the car from the US in 2019, where it had had a restoration at some point. When, where and to what extent this restoration was carried out is unknown.

As you can see from the photos, the car presents very well in its fetching green/cream two tone scheme, one that we think suits this car well. We are not sure if this is a factory colour however, or a colour change during its restoration.

It’s a 1969 car, meaning it is MOT exempt, and the car has not had an MOT certificate since being in the UK.

Overall, the Ghia is in very good condition with the cream and green two-tone paint holding up well including the separation between the two colours, albeit with a few bits of wear and the odd filled in chip here and there (see photo gallery). The chromework is in good condition too, with no obvious pitting or denting, along with the chrome wheel caps and rims which are also in good, solid condition from what we can see.

Panel gaps around the car are tight and uniform and doors, boot, and bonnet open and close with a satisfying ease. The doors don’t hold open, but they are clean and in very good condition with a lack of any sign of corrosion in fact the bodywork is showing no signs of corrosion anywhere, as we have tried our best to showcase.

A very pleasing car to look at aesthetically, all the signs are there that this car has been looked after in its time, retaining its classic appeal, and commanding a kerbside presence even in 2023.

Inside is just as simple and effective as the exterior, with the green theme continuing to the trim where green leather and lighter green fabric centres adorn the seating, a green carpet, and a matching headlining.

The dash is a nice feature, seemingly with a wood veneer which has a rip or two along the length of it. There is also a little tear on the outside seat bolster of the driver’s seat which looks like it might benefit from a repair sometime soon.

The speedo is accompanied with a fuel gauge and a clock, adding to the wonderful simplicity of 1960s motoring, whilst reading 88,161 miles. We of course can’t say if these are total miles from the car’s initial registration or from the restoration.

The floor pan of the Karmann is coated in an underseal which has most certainly been helped by a warmer climate of a US sunshine state, although it’s not known for certain which state the Ghia travelled from.

The underside is in super condition with only a minimal amount of surface corrosion here and there, with the rear exhaust box showing some small areas of surface corrosion as it pokes out from beneath the rear bumper.

Just above the hanging exhaust sits the 1600cc air cooled, flat four engine which shows some good signs of being well maintained. The bay is very clean without being ‘too clean’, with no signs of leaks or anything obviously wrong, evidenced by the way the engine eagerly fired into life and idled well.

The whole car has a distinctive ‘original’ feel to it which extends to the mechanicals, with no uprated modifications obviously showing. The car was moved by the current owner in the driveway for us to photograph the car, with several starts and low speed manoeuvres. There were no unwanted noises from the engine or suspension and the tyres showed to hold their air well, along with having plenty of tread left despite the age of the tyres being unknown.

There isn’t a bursting history file present with the car and everything that is in the file has been photographed below. A V5 and a few receipts from the previous owner is all the car is presented with. The Karmann also comes with one set of keys.

The air-cooled VW fan base is a large and well established one, with the Karmann Ghia being held in high regard. The Ghia really does command admiring glances from all ages, maintaining its long-held kerb appeal.

From what we saw during our brief time with the car on the photoshoot, there are signs of the Karmann having been looked after during its last few years and whilst this example doesn’t have a well-documented history, we’re sure it will have a fine future with its next owner. We estimate that it’ll fetch between £12,000-£16,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Cardiff. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.