Barry's 1970 Karmann Ghia

My Karmann Ghia was "Born" in 1970 (one of 6,398) at the Karmann Coachworks in Osnabrock Germany.

To fully appreciate a Karmann Ghia you must first now some of it's history

From Wikipedia:

The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia is a 2+2 coupe and convertible marketed from 1955 to 1974 by Volkswagen – combining the chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1 (Beetle), styling by Luigi Segre of the Italian carrozzeria Ghia, and hand-built bodywork by German coach-builder Karmann.

Production doubled soon after its introduction becoming the car most-imported into the U.S. American industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague selected the Type 14 for his list of the world's most beautifully designed products. The Karmann Ghia was internally designated the Type 14. Volkswagen later introduced a variant in 1961, the Type 34 – featuring angular bodywork and based on the newly introduced Type 3 platform. Over 445,000[3] Karmann Ghias were produced in Germany over the car's production life – not including the Type 34 variant. Karmann Brazil produced 41,600 cars locally for South America between 1962 and 1975,

History

The Type 14 debuted at the October 1953 Paris Auto Show as a styling concept created for Ghia by Luigi Segre.

In the early 1950s, Volkswagen was producing its economy car, the Type 1 (Beetle). With an increase in post-war standards of living, executives at Volkswagen proposed adding a halo car to its model range, contracting with German coachbuilder Karmann for its manufacture. Karmann in turn contracted the Italian firm Ghia, who adapted styling themes previously explored for Chrysler and Studebaker to a Beetle floorpan widened by 12 in (300 mm).

In contrast to the Beetle's machine welded-body with bolt-on fenders, the Karmann Ghia's body panels were butt-welded, hand-shaped and smoothed with English pewter in a time-consuming process commensurate with higher-end manufacturers – and resulting in the Karmann Ghia's higher price.

The design and prototype were well-received by Volkswagen executives, and in August 1955[3] the first Type 14 was manufactured in Osnabrück, Germany. Public reaction to the Type 14 exceeded expectations, with over 10,000 sold in the first year.

The Type 14 was marketed as a practical and stylish 2+2 rather than as a true sports car. As they shared engines, the Type 14's engine displacement grew concurrently with the Type 1 (Beetle), ultimately arriving at a displacement of 1584 cc, producing 60 hp (45 kW).

In August 1957, Volkswagen introduced a convertible version of the Karmann Ghia. Exterior changes in 1961 included wider and finned front grilles, taller and more rounded rear taillights and headlights relocated to a higher position – with previous models and their lower headlight placement called lowlights. The Italian designer Sergio Sartorelli, designer of Type 34, oversaw the various restylings of Type 14.

In 1970, larger taillights integrated the reversing lights and larger wrap-around turn signals. Still larger and wider taillights increased side visibility and at the same time large square-section bumpers replaced the smooth round originals. For the USA model only, 1973 modifications mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) included energy-absorbing bumpers. A carpeted package shelf replaced the rear seat.

1. The origins of the Karmann Ghia
2. Sculpting A Karmann Ghia
3. Production by PRODUCTION year

Origins of the Karmann Ghia
-By Brandon Traynham
as found on Karmann Ghia World.

By the late 1940's and early 1950's, people around the world had pretty much recovered from World War II. As many of these people began to prosper again, they started to demand better, more elegant, and more entertaining things for their money. Unfortunately, at this time, the world automotive market was dominated by rather bland, but functional cars. Most automotive manufacturers, Volkswagen included, felt the need to come out with a "flagship car" to bolster their image. Witness the Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet Corvette, and of course, the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. The story behind the development of the Karmann Ghia is an interesting one.

Volkswagen, in the early 1950's, was facing the prospect of selling a small line of "ugly" cars (the Beetle and the Bus) to a more demanding car buying public. VW executives felt it was necessary to introduce an "image" car to reach this new market. Several other car companies were in the same situation, most notably, Chrysler. Chrysler contracted with the Italian styling and coach building firm of Ghia to build a series of "dream" cars. While Chrysler produced some of these dream cars, one car they did not produce would eventually become, you guessed it, the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. While Chrysler worked with Ghia, Volkswagen contracted with the German coach builder, Karmann to build their "image" car. Karmann, in need of a design, approached Ghia and somehow the old Chrysler design surfaced and was modified to fit the Beetle floorpan. The VW executives liked what they saw and by August of 1955, the first Volkswagen Karmann Ghias rolled off assembly line in Osnabruck, German as 1956 models.

The automotive and the public instantly fell in love with the beautiful design and hand crafted workmanship, but not the performance. For the Karmann Ghia, Volkswagen decided to use the same 36 hp.. flat four engine that was being used in the Beetle at the time. While the looks and craftsmanship made for a "sporty" car, the small engine did not make a "sports" car. The power was adequate and the suspension was good for the era. These two factors combined with the Karmann Ghia's great looks made for a fairly good selling car, totaling over 10,000 the first year. When the convertible came out a couple of years later in 1958, sales jumped to around 18,000 cars per year. Sales climbed steadily until the late 1960's when they peaked in the neighborhood of 33,000 cars a year. The Karmann Ghia was last produced in 1974 to make way for the new VW Sirocco. Only 365,912 coupes and 79,326 convertibles were produced which make the Karmann Ghia a fairly rare car considering it was produced for nearly 20 years.

It's interesting to note that only a couple of years after the Karmann Ghia was introduced, Volkswagen refocused its efforts on the Beetle. The VW executives felt the Beetle had enough "image" of its own and that the company would be most successful if it continued to sell the Beetle by the millions. During the same time period, several other "image" cars debuted, including the before mentioned Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Thunderbird. These cars were indeed true sports cars and in an effort to maintain sales in light of this competition, VW embarked on a unique advertising campaign. Volkswagen tried to convince consumers to focus on the beauty of the Karmann Ghia and ignore the engine (or lack thereof!). Some ads were quite funny. For instance, in one television commercial, they showed a Karmann Ghia racing toward a huge sheet of paper as to rip through it, only to bounce off of it! In some print ads, VW had the nerve to put a Ghia in the same picture as a Maserati and Lamborghini and then tell you that even though the Ghia isn't as fast, it sure costs a lot less!

Today, the Karmann Ghia is one of the most sought after air-cooled Volkswagens, especially the convertibles. Appraised values of nice coupes typically run from $3,000 to $6,000 for coupes and $7,000 to $10,000 for convertibles. I've even seen some advertised for as much as $15,000! Not bad for a car that originally sold for around $3,000. Most parts are readily available, especially the mechanical parts, and are quite reasonably priced. It is quite possible to restore an old Karmann Ghia to its original beauty and add a larger engine and better suspension to come up with a "true" sports car. The biggest drawback to restoring a Ghia is that they tend to rust considerably more than other Volkswagens. This is probably due to their unibody construction the fact that they were hand built. Fortunately, there are plenty of after market body parts available and when restored by a capable body shop they can look just as good or better than original.

The Karmann Ghia has a graceful, timeless design that, in 1969, was named one of the most beautifully designed products in the world. In June of 1972, Car and Driver magazine put the Karmann Ghia into world class status by comparing it to the ever classic Porsche Speedster. The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia is truly a special car. It is beautiful and timeless in design and it wonderfully affordable, reliable, and fun to drive!

Compiled by Brandon Traynham

NOTE: I'd like to thank House of Ghia for publishing its excellent publications on this topic. I'd also like to thank Classic Motorbooks with their outstanding books, several publishing companies for their magazines (such as Car and Driver) and several individuals (too many to list!) for providing me with much of the information to write this document.

Styled for Success
Karmann-Ghia, VW's Carrera for the Common Man and Woman
From the March, 2009 issue of VW Trends
By Cliff Leppke
Photography by Cliff Leppke

One prominent advertising character of the late 1920s was Fisher's Body Girl. GM's "Body by Fisher" became a euphemism for "well-formed" ladies. The girls and Fisher's carriage logo became emblems of desire that elided the realities of mass production.

By the late '50s, Fisher's finned auto bodies were shown rocketing through space. Americans learned however, that on the terra firma these jet-age fetishes were caskets. In 1957, Industrial Design claimed ill-conceived bodies by Fisher "die young." The car that ID thought would endure because it looked "elegant, fast, and expensive," was the compact, unexaggerated "Ghia VW."

ID's words proved prophetic; VW's Ghia outlived its contemporaries--due to sound styling and careful construction. Unlike most affordable postwar cars, the smart-looking Ghia was coachbuilt by Karmann GMBH.

Karmann: Europe's Automotive Couture House
Karmann was established in 1901, when Wilhelm Karmann took over Christian Klages' 27-year-old coachbuilding shop. In 1902, the firm built its first car body. By WWI, Karmann employed 50 people, who built bodies for chassis supplied by automobile makers.

During 1924, Wilhelm Karmann traveled to the United States, where he learned steel bodywork and spray painting methods. These new techniques were adopted and Karmann began series production of car bodies.

The Depression however, proved difficult; Karmann's best customers folded. Yet, an arrangement with Adler proved beneficial because Karmann built Adler's Trumpf--a successful 1930s engineering marvel. Karmann also built Adler's fine convertible tops. These well-made weatherproof tops won several Concours d' Elegance.

In 1949, Karmann resumed coachbuilding when VW's executive director Heinz Nordhoff ordered 1000 four-seater Beetle cabriolets. Karmann's signature multi-layered insulated top--albeit bulky--was four-season friendly.

Karmann's topless Beetle attracted actress Brigitte Bardot and designer Pierre Cardin. They were open-air Bug enthusiasts. When production ended in January 1980, Karmann produced more than 330,000 Beetle convertibles.

Instead of ephemeral paper glamour girls for promotion, it manufactured something that was timeless-VW's Karmann-Ghia. This remarkable motorized billboard proclaimed Karmann's body-building prowess worldwide.

It worked. Soon, according to Alex Walordy (Car and Driver, January, 1962), "When a naked chassis needs to be clothed, motor moguls who care usually say, 'have Karmann make the body.'"

Origins of VW's Chic Car
The Ghia's design is shrouded in controversy. At least two designers have said they penned its compelling shape and the car's gestation was secretive: Virgil Exner and Mario Boano.

Some writers agree. Peter Vack's Volkswagen Buyer's Guide says, "It seems that a good deal Graham Robson's Volkswagen Chronicle, claims, "whether [the Karmann-Ghia] was a copy of Exner's D'Elegance [sic] concept is less certain...Nonetheless, the cars had obvious similarities." Robson is probably incorrect when he says, "Ghia added two front 'nostril' grills for effect." Ghia's original prototype didn't have grills. Thus, it's possible that Karmann created them.

Automotive historian Jan Norbye set the record straight. In VW Treasures by Karmann, Norbye--who interviewed designers and checked documents--suggests that the inspiration for the car came from Mario Boano's (who worked for several Italian coachbuilding firms and bought Carozzeria Ghia in 1944) creative mind.

Norbye's evidence is powerful. Several Boano-designed cars foreshadowed VW's Ghia. These include the Alfa Romeo 6C2500 S Convertible (1949), the Lancia Aurelia limousine (1950), and the Gioiello/Fiat coupe (1949). It's more likely that the sultry VW's pint-sized Chrysler d'Elegance-look was Boano's rather than Exner's.

Nevertheless, the plot thickens. Ghia built Chrysler's show car in 1953. Then, it built about 400 d'Elegance-like GS-1s for Charles Ladouche's Societe France Motors. This Paris firm imported Chryslers and VWs too.

Meanwhile, Ghia, whose commercial director, Luigi Serge bought a Beetle from Ladouche. Within five months, Ghia built a prototype on this Beetle's chassis. Then in the fall of 1953, Ghia presented their VW to Dr. Karmann.

Later that year, the vehicle was secretly delivered to Osnabruck. During November 1953, Karmann presented the voluptuous coupe to Dr. Feuereisen--VW's vice president--and Nordhoff. According to Norbye, Feuereisen's reaction was visceral: "Now that has class!" Nordhoff's response was more reserved when stating that it was "a very beautiful car, but much too expensive." Dr. Karmann then questioned, "how can you say that? I have not even told you what it costs."

Dr. Karmann made an excellent offerand Nordhoff sealed the deal. Karmann would build it and VW would sell it. Modifying the Beetle's platform and testing the prototype commenced. Later, production tooling was ordered. In June 1955, the first unnamed Karmann coupe was born.

A Sight for Sore Eyes
During July 1955, VW introduced the sensuous auto to the European press. The coupe's press preview, claims Dr. Karmann, "was a world sensation," but the car "still did not have a name." Italian monikers were considered. Eventually, Dr. Karmann suggested Karmann-Ghia--a delicious sounding name that everyone liked.

Two months later, VW's new coupe appeared at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It received accolades for its "purity of line and perfection of proportion that almost takes one's breath away." (Autosport, February 15, 1957)

It was luxuriously aerodynamic without cliches. Indeed, American industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague selected a Karmann-Ghia for his list of the world's most beautifully designed products.

Americans got their first glimpse of VW's Italian beauty in late 1956 when Science and Mechanics (October, 1956) tested an early model. Austrailia's Wheels' (April, 1957) "Ghia-Karmann [sic] versus the Volkswagen" comparison revealed that "Ghia looks better, handles better, outshines the Volkswagen on the road," while America's Road and Track (April, 1956) was less sanguine when stating, "the overall performance improvement, we feel, is negligible. For nearly 1000 dollars more than the sedan, then, the customer is acquiring a very pretty body."

Science and Mechanics said, "the ladies asked for this one." Yet, an editor's wife disagreed. Her sidebar said this might be correct "were it not for the fact that every Ghia I have seen...was being driven by a man!" Nevertheless, she and 485,983 (Karmann's official production total) future owners were "sold on the Ghia's looks."

What is It?
VW's glamour car puzzled reviewers. In fact, many got the name wrong! Road and Track in its first two Ghia articles called it the Ghia Karmann--as did Modern Motor, Science and Mechanics and Wheels. Journalists had a point. Even though the 1956 Ghia erased 10.8 seconds off the 1956 Beetle's 0-60mph in 45-second time, bested the Beetle's top speed by four-mph at 71 and had a front stabilizer shaft (which reduced side-sway in sharp turns), it was more tortoise than hare. And the back seat was "not improved" whined another reviewer.

Nonetheless, although the Karmann-Ghia never excelled as a performance car, it did performatively succeed. The car became a contemporary classic and it democratized automotive fashion; it had "sensible richness." The Ghia was to "automobility" what Christian Dior's New Look was to fashion--a version of automotive haute couture.

The similarity between Karmann, Ghia and Dior wasn't accidental. These "fashion" houses symbolized postwar affluence with sculpted elegance and fine craftsmanship. There was one significant difference--"dynamic obsolescence." Dior's fashions were like GM's autoerotic Motoramas. GM's extravaganzas--you could look but not touch-were big-budget versions of cheaper Hugh Hefner-like creations meant to "distract men from the anxieties of the atomic age." Dior, GM and the press spun a frenzied series of fashion trends each meant to draw consumers into an unending chain of commodity consumption. VW's Karmann-Ghia, however, wasn't about chrome, 44-D cups, rocket launchers or push-button symbols of primal lust. Instead, it eschewed faddish exterior design and mechanical novelties for styling sanity and mechanical simplicity. It offered good design in an age of shoddily built insolent chariots. VW, true to form, avoided hyperbolic promotional stunts. Without fanfare, the Ghia slipped into VW's Bauhaus-like showrooms.

Quiet worked. Ghia buyers, during the 1950s, exceeded supply. One reason was that the Ghia's seamless shape required a lot of hand labor. After molding this automotive confection, cotton-mittened hands caressed the Ghia's nude shimmering, discolored body searching for blemishes.

Once the body passed inspections, it was submerged into a zinc phosphate primer, then it was wet sanded. Following that came the initial coat of paint and hand sanding, and this was repeated until the fourth coat. To achieve a nearly flawless finish, Karmann's paint booth used a dust removing curtain of water.

Ghia production increased during 1962, when Karmann developed techniques that replaced some handcrafted methods. This lowered the 1962 Ghia's U.S. price: $ 135 for a coupe, $ 200 for a convertible.

Road and Track (January, 1962) predicted that "you'll see a lot more Ghias simply because more are being made and the car will receive a greater share of VW's...advertising budget." The magazine's forecast proved correct. The anti-hotrod Ghia moved from 2,452 (1956) to 9,300 units (1961), then toward first place in two-seater sales--38, 825 in 1970.

Beauty is More than Skin-Deep
VW's coupe was technologically advanced. All of the car's windows were curved--even the side glass. Moreover, the door and side-quarter windows were frameless. Finally, the car's low profile and carved out-of-soap shape required sophisticated production techniques.

The packaging was also unique. By putting a coachbuilt body on a Beetle chassis, VW found a niche for an exotic-looking economy car. Eventually, other automobile manufacturers borrowed VW's recipe.

Even the ads were different. Although early sales literature used artful illustrations, during the '60s, VW's ad agency--Doyle, Dane and Bernbach--discarded tradition. They turned lampooning "normal" advertising into a sport.

The agency's soft-sell ads were hip. Instead of herds of horses or scantily clad women , an early Ghia ad admitted, "This ad is six years late." It was a thinly veiled attack on planned obsolescence and false advertising claims. For instance, its copy faux confessed that what the car people thought was an Alfa Romeo or a Ferrari was "Brace yourself...a Volkswagen." It warned, "Sorry we can't do anything about strangers who think it's a $ 5,000 car. You may still find bellboys... expecting bigger tips. But nothing's very perfect is it?"

Another ad's cutline below a Ghia with racing stripes admitted, "You'd lose." But, "it might comfort you to know, you'd be driving the best-made loser on the block." VW even suggested the Ghia was "for people who can't stand the sight of a Volkswagen." Then, it revealed that the photogenic car shown was a fancy wrapper; it covered the Beetle's "strictly functional chassis." Its beauty was "more than skin deep."

In an era of dueling muscle cars, an ad mocked racy cars and their owners. Its cutline asked, "Can you spot the druggist from Toledo." Photographs of viral well-attired men with their equally fancy European sports cars are shown. One "playboy," however, was an impostor who drove an ordinary Karmann-Ghia.

Finally, there was a TV spot that spoofed the Shell's Platformate commercial. In this ad, the Karmann-Ghia is shown heading toward a paper barrier. When the car hits it, the barrier merely budges and then car bounces backward. A voice-over says, "The Karmann-Ghia is the most economical sports car you can buy...It's just not the most powerful." Rosser Reeves, the assertive advertising man who pushed "unique selling propositions" had a coronary.

Too Much of a Good Thing?
The Ghia received few exterior changes during its production run. Various modifications to the signal lights and bumpers followed headlight modifications. The most notable was the addition of bigger bumpers and larger rear signal lights in 1972. Like the Beetle, the most significant chassis improvement came in 1969 when a new rear suspension was introduced. And like the Beetle, engine displacement increased from 1200cc to 1600cc.

While these alterations improved the car, they never transformed its tame image. That was problematic. After Woodstock, the coupe's price escalated from $ 2,399 in 1970 to $ 3,475 in 1974. Likewise, the convertible's price climbed a whopping $ 1,326 to $ 3,935 in 1974. The 1974 Ghia--eclipsed by competitive offerings--was quietly laid to rest. A new front-drive Karmann-built, Italian-designed VW Scirocco coupe replaced it. Like the Ghia, the Scirocco won acclaim for its styling, practicality and contrarily its sports-car demeanor.

Timeline
NOTE: VW's model year begins in August. VW made changes during production runs. U.S. delivered VWs are "export" models. Often, they have deluxe trim, the largest available engines and up-to-date suspensions. However, european consumers had a choice of engines and suspensions.

1950 Unknown to Karmann or VW, Carozzeria Ghia's owner Mario Boano designs a VW coupe. The "paper car" refines previous Ghia styling ideas. Ghia tries building the car but VW won't supply a chassis. Meanwhile, Karmann and VW discuss building a Beetle-based sports convertible. VW's management rejects Karmann's styling concepts.

1951 Dr. Karmann shares the VW sports car idea with Carozzeria Ghia's commercial director Luigi Serge. Ghia, during this year, decides to build an Exner-designed body on a Chrysler chassis.

1952 Ghia builds first in a series of Chrysler show cars or Styling Specials.

1953 Early in the year, Mario Boano's son Gian fetches a VW Beetle from Charles Ladouche, the French importer of Volkswagen and Chrysler cars. Within five months, Ghia's Turin, Italy facilities complete a prototype. By late summer, Serge presents this coupe to Dr. Karmann.

1954 Karmann's body engineering team designs body tooling and modifies VW chassis. Only four or five test cars were built. Since the coupe's fenders were welded into the body shell and that shell used many small pressings, there were nearly 140 inches of welds on the outer skin. Many stampings were water-cooled to prevent distortion. A convertible prototype is built.

1955 On July 14th, Karmann offers the press preview of the nameless VW coupe. VW decides to call the lithe coupe the Karmann-Ghia. On September 14th, the car is officially introduced at the Frankfurt auto show. The Karmann-built coupe differed slightly from Ghia's prototype. Changes included twin nostril-type front apron vents, curved side glass, full-width bumpers, wider chromes strips around the windows, relocated front signal lamps, revised rear deck louvers and a repositioned Ghia fender badge.

1956 Karmann Ghias available in the U.S. Price: $2,395. Zero-60 time is 34.2 seconds.

1957 August--Karmann-Ghia convertible production begins. Fuel gauge and elaborate Ghia-only horn ring introduced. Vinyl replaces cloth door panels. Roller accelerator wheel replaced with treadle pedal.

1957 September--Convertible model's official introduction at Frankfurt's international motor show. The U.S. price is $2,725 and deliveries begin in 1958. Various body reinforcements compensate for the topless car's reduced body rigidity. All U.S. bound Ghias get plumber's delight bumper overrider tubes.

1958 August--Door hinges get multi-position check straps.

1959 April--Revised windows and winding mechanisms.

1959 August--Karmann-Ghia loses the voluptuous front fender dip; headlights are raised two inches and the wheel arch openings are reshaped. Front nostrils are replaced by perky multi-louvered intakes. The quarter windows pop out and there are larger rear lamps. Padded dash with grab handle. Side trim length is changed. Driver's door arm rest added. Special Ghia horn ring replaced by semi-circular Beetle ring. Steering wheel is dished.

1960 March--Steering damper added.

1960 August--New 40-hp 1200cc engine with fully synchronized four-speed transmission. New carburetor with automatic electric choke. Flatter gas tank increases trunk room. Last year for fuel reserve lever.

1961 August--Seat belt anchor provisions installed. Revised front VW emblem. Price reduced: $2,295 coupe, $2,495 convertible. Worm-and-roller steering gear improves precision.

1962 August--Smaller Ghia script from Type III Ghia and the Volkswagen name installed on rear deck lid.

1963 August--Fresh air heating system. Semi-circular horn ring dropped. Type III interior door lock controls installed. Exterior door handles and latch assemblies changed.

1964 April--Convertible top changed. Sheet metal pressings replace castings. Various changes through mid-1965 reduce the top's bulk.

1964 April--Two levers near parking brake handle replace former heater knob. Sun visors now swivel sideways. Side trim and interior light revised. Basket-weave vinyl seat covers.

1965 August--Larger 1300cc engine with Solex 30 PICT carburetor improves acceleration; new ball-joint front suspension increases steering precision and the semi-circular horn ring returns. Flat hub caps grace vented wheels. The battery is moved to left side of engine compartment and the air cleaner is now on the right. An ash tray is now mounted below the dashboard that sports plastic chrome trim. Swan-like, fender-mounted, rear-view mirror replaced by door-mounted break-away design. Front lid drain tubes added.

1966 August--Type III-inspired 1500cc engine, rear "z" bar, wider rear track and "softer" rear "spring" rate. Front disc brakes. Four bolt wheels. Dual brake circuits. Final drive ratio lowers engine rpm for relaxed cruising. Twelve-volt electric system. Faux-wood dash fascia (mask) with dashboard knee pads sports mini Ghia script. Large speedometer flanked by smaller gauges. Round, dash-mounted, fresh-air control knobs replace former levers below dash. Door locks now have buttons on door tops.

1967 August--Rear side reflectors. Gas filler moved to right front fender--a safety feature. It has a nifty paint protecting rubber flap. Automatic Stick-Shift with new multi-jointed rear suspension. Mirror-shaft mounted interior lamp. Seat backs taller. Trunk release moved inside lockable glove compartment. Front shoulder straps standard. Air conditioning is an option. Trigger-style exterior door handles. Column-mounted ignition switch

1968 August--Manual transmission model's swing axles replaced by new multi-jointed rear suspension (IRS)--improves handling. Separate headrests on front seat backs. Electric rear window defroster. Convertible gets glass rear window. Gas filler on right fender's top has remote release. Locking steering column.

1969 August--Larger front and rear signal lamps. Rear lamps include back-up light. Relocated and redesigned rear reflectors, 1600cc single-port engine. Beginning during the 1970 model year there were throttle positioners--either vacuum operated or dashpots installed to reduce emissions. Air intake preheating system thermostatically controlled by engine's thermostat. Evaporative emissions system installed on California cars; this eventually becomes standard on all U.S. models. Detachable rear lid drain tray with tubes.

1970 August--1600cc dual-port engine with Solex 34 PICT-3 carburetor. Thermostatically controlled air preheating system has separate thermostat on air cleaner assembly. Door locks revert to earlier style. Larger defroster outlets. Felt-style carpeting.

1971 August--Single blade sturdier bumpers, Type III rear tail lamps. Four-spoke collapsible steering wheel. Dashboard fascia and window sills covered by pebble-grain plastic. Inertia-locking, single-tab seat and shoulder belts. Instrument cluster redesigned. Fuel, speed and time are now indicated within two tunnel-like round dials. Revised vacuum-controlled intake air preheating system. Right stalk on steering column operates wipers. Fresh-air control knobs moved. Door window seals changed and window scrapers revised. Seat covers changed. Engine's compression ratio dropped from 7.7 to 7.3.

1972 August--Reinforced front bumper meets new U.S. standards. Alternator introduced during 1973 model year. Fuel pump body and push rod changed. Girling front brake calipers installed. New cylinder head alloy. Engine and transaxle mounts improved. Fasten seat belt warning system. Parking brake warning lamp. Rear "emergency seat" eliminated. Exhaust gas recirculation on California models.

1973 August--Rear bumper extended. Meets new bumper standard. EGR on all vehicles. California cars get Solex 34 PICT-4 carburetors and twin-tube intake manifold preheating system. Seat belt starter interlock. Small lamp beneath dash illuminates heater controls. Brake light and fasten seat belt lamp now placed together at the dash's center. VW Owner Security Blanket with Computer Analysis (12-month or 20,000-miles basic warranty) provides free "substitute transportation." VW claims a 0-60mph time of 18.5sec, top speed 90mph.

1973 Dec. 21--European Type I Ghia production halts, but U.S. export production continues.

1974 June 21,Karmann-Ghia production halts. Coupe's price: $3,475. A Motorola-built AM radio with stereo eight-track player is a popular option.

Sculpting a Karmann Ghia

The following excerpt from a 1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia sales brochure (33-14-96020) details the "hand sculpted" craftsmanship and attention to detail that went into the production of each and every Karmann Ghia.

"Sports cars have racy, hand-finished bodies.
So does the Karmann Ghia.
If you want a racy, hand-finished body,
you go to a racy, hand-finished body designer.
Which we did: the Ghia Studios of Turin, Italy.

The Ghia design was, as you can see, quite beautiful. And, like most quite beautiful designs, impractical. With all its subtle curves and intricate lines, the Karmann Ghia couldn't be produced on a conventional mass production line. So it's made instead on an unconventional, limited production line. At the Karmann Coachworks in Osnabruck, Germany. Where, a century ago, artisans made coaches for European nobility. Before coaches had engines in them. Here, at a maddeningly slow pace, Ghia's ideas take shape.

To make sure they take exactly the shape Ghia had in mind, Karmann employs 16 sculptors
The sculptors' job is to create the graceful, sloping lines that machines can't. At the corners of the windshield, for example. Or the gentle curve of the rear. Using molten pewter and a beech wood tool, the sculptors fidget with the body until it's right. (Which is one reason why, on a good day, only 120 Karmann Ghias leave the factory.)

When the sculptors aren't sculpting, Karmann's other coachmakers are coachmaking. To create the intricate curves around the headlights, for example, they make each front fender in two parts and then weld them together. By hand. Then they shape each fender. By hand. Then they weld each fender to the body. By hand. After the body is sculpted and formed, Karmann's coachmakers start to finish it. The finish consists of five coats of anti-corrosives, primers and paint. With lots of rubbing and sanding in between.

But even after it's finished, it's still not finished. To make absolutely sure everything went the way Ghia wanted, every body is inspected by Karmann's ingenious quality control system. Fussy men with sensitive fingers. Karmann has 240 such inspectors, and their job is to nit-pick. Wearing mittens, they run their hands along the finished bodies. If there are any nits left, the inspectors will pick them.

And to make sure the 240 Karmann inspectors don't miss anything, Volkswagen keeps 16 of its own inspectors around. Their job: to inspect the Karmann inspectors. That, in brief, is what a body has to go through before it gets racy and hand-finished enough for the Karmann Ghia. With all the fussing and fidgeting, it has to be one of the worst ways imaginable to get rich quick in the automobile business. But then, if it weren't for the fussing and fidgeting, it wouldn't be a Karmann Ghia."

Here is a table detailing calandar year production and chassis number table for all those Ghias out there.
Special thanks to Frank Williamson for the information!