1961 Volkswagen KARMANN-GHIA

It was the most gorgeous example I’d ever seen,’ says the Karmann Ghia’s previous owner. ‘It was an ‘eat your dinner of it’ car. Further to the diminutive Volkswagen’s appearance, he was equally impressed with its huge and thorough history file; ‘so many hundreds of man hours of work.’

‘All the upgrades and servicing have all been done by the ‘right’ people,’ he adds, ‘such as Karmann Konnection and Cool Air’. Those upgrades include taking the 1.6-litre engine to a far more ‘useful’ 1.9. ‘It was a VW-specified and approved upgrade, as were improvements to the suspension - which have made a significant difference to the ride’.The Ghia had a good start in life, being exported to the car and classic-friendly climate of Los Angeles. And much later, it had another boost to its potential longevity due to the careful restoration of its previous owner. ‘He made a painstaking restoration over some five or six years, he did a lot of the work himself.’

We auctioned this car much earlier this year, but the new owner has had a change of lifestyle (he partly works abroad). As a result, although he thoroughly enjoyed looking at it, he has hardly driven any miles in this VW. Last month he bought the Mini Works Cooper we offered and has already decided that fits his needs far better. So we are delighted to offer the Karmann Ghia again on his behalf.

Overall this is a very good-looking car. Although the black and vintage white colour scheme is not original (check out the car’s VW Museum certificate), it has a very authentic feel. Separation between the two colours is excellent and the car retains a good gloss, having been repainted some six or more years ago. (When not in use, the VW is in temperature-controlled storage). Being very critical, if you’re up close, you can see a slight ‘orange-peel’ effect in the paintwork here and there, but, unless you are a total perfectionist (read nut-job), it’s not something you would repaint the car for. There is a crack and staining appearing atop the front near-side headlight and a little bit of bubbling on the boot lip. The bottom of the doors look good and seams appear sound.

Karmann Ghias can get a hard to define ‘sag’ to them, but this example sits up smartly with panels that fit closely - including both lids, which probably sit a little better than they did when they were new.

These cars also have more chrome on them than you might imagine - some of it quite delicate. The brightwork is largely excellent - no bends in the bumper rails or side strips (which move from wings to doors without a ‘step’) and no pitting to the chrome itself. Door handles, locks and mirrors are bright and firmly mounted and that Karmann Ghia badge on the boot lid is looking sharp. Those gleaming five-spoke Fuchs-style alloys (okay, not totally ‘standard’) are in great shape and their Khumo tyres look to have plenty of life left on them.

As David says, the interior ‘shouldn’t’ be leather, but the full two-tone white and red/maroon retrim suits the car so well it’s hard to take exception. The execution of the seat and door cards recovering - as well as the carpets - is excellent. The white piping is crisp and sets the edges off perfectly. There is no patina to the leather, which looks almost new. Likewise, the contrasting grey carpet is clean and crisply edged. The material looks very durable too. One small criticism would be the rear parcel shelf fabric which tucks in behind the seats isn’t quite finished to the standards set withing the remainder of the cabin. The roof headlining, while smartly stitched and very clean, does look slightly ‘baggy’ around some edges.

Looking into nooks and crannies - door cavities, struts and hinges, the glove box - it’s nice to see that the careful painting and cleanliness extends into these areas too. (Notice the clean screws and general shininess of the rear view mirror mechanism). The black leather dash top shows no signs of fading or cracks. Below it, the instrumentation is present and correct and all controls/dials function as they should. It’s nice to see the proper period (working) radio as well, with knobs that look just vintage enough.

Sill plates, door pockets and furniture, catches and belts all look virtually new, while edges (of all surfaces/materials) remain unscuffed. One small fault that the pictures can’t show is that the driver’s seat isn’t clamping to the rails securely, so there is a tendency to jolt backwards when you go for the brake or clutch. Not a hard fix. 

Altogether, a great ambience.

As with any classic, it’s when you start to delve deeper and peer into the shadows that you really start to see how a car has been maintained. And a close inspection brings even greater confidence in this VW.

The black underside/undersealing of the car is in very good condition, with no damage or significant rust. There is the slightest small trace of surface corrosion on the underside seams and edges - suspension arms - but all components look strong and well-maintained. You’ll also notice that the (slightly lowered) front suspension has a new cross-member. Dampers, brake components and hoses all look to be in excellent shape; no leaks, grime or perished pipes.

Moving up into the engine bay (rear of course), you’ll see that the motor is a little gem; no signs of leaks, and it definitely passes the clean screw-head/bolt thread test. Belts and hoses look clean and supple, the battery firmly secured, and the heat shielding behind the motor retains its shape and position. It certainly doesn't look like it’s had to tackle any extreme temperature surges. While you’re down there, you’ll notice a few more important upgrades; a separate oil cooler and electric fan, plus many internal parts have been replaced or refurbished, including the carburettors.

Looking around both the front and rear cavities, you’ll see some quite delicate welds/stamping along internal edges (engine bay lid) but these look clean and rust-free. The rubbers surrounding the cavities also look to be in good health and are pressed firmly into place. Okay, a few chips around bonnet/boot catches, but note how clean the catches and hinges are. It should also be noted that a new battery was recently fitted by the current owner.

One of the many reassuring aspects of this car is the huge history file with its catalogue of invoices and bills, so many of them, as David points out, from the ‘right addresses’ - marque specialists such as Karmann Konnection, Cool Air and House of Ghia. (Also notice some of the comments as to component condition on the invoices) Still more are ‘missing’ so to speak (especially labour and for rare parts found at autojumbles) as the owner did much of the work himself.

Even so, all the major restorations/improvements/upgrades are listed in the file; the engine enlargement, interior trim and suspension lowering/refurb. On top of that, there is the certificate of authenticity from the Volkswagen Museum, vouching for the vehicle’s identity and that it was a US-imported car. There’s a lot here to put any enthusiast’s mind at rest.

For us, this is one of those cars that ticks all the boxes; condition, colour(s), provenance, service history etc. Its had a spot-on restoration and properly-done upgrades that make it more appealing and more usable. It doesn’t really get any better than that. We would expect this rather tasty example to command a value of between £16,500 and £21,000. So why not load up your surf boards, grab your best pair of speedos and head straight to the coast to make the most of a fine British summer.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon, 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’.