1974 VolkswagenKarmann Ghia Convertible

The Karmann Ghia was one of the most beautiful cars ever mass-produced. It’s basically a Beetle with an Italian sports car body. Volkswagen ultimately built about 400,000 Karmann Ghias from 1955 to 1974. My grandfather owned a red Karmann Ghia convertible in the 1970s. Growing up, my mom would fondly reminisce over her times working on that car with my grandfather. Unfortunately, after several years as a dutiful family car, they had to get rid of it because it rusted out.

My grandfather drove the 1967 VW Karmann Ghia in the photo. My mom drove the white Ford Mustang parked behind it.

After buying a Beetle and a Bus, I wanted to round out my burgeoning collection with my own Karmann Ghia. Eventually, I found this 1974 KG convertible for $4500 out in the hills of eastern Tennessee. The car was in rougher shape than I hoped, but the engine and transmission ran smoothly. During the test drive, I remember the speedometer was broken but I could feel when to shift gears based on the sound of the revs. I hauled it 8 hours home on a U-Haul truck trailer with my friend “Old Man Jim.”

I did a lot of work on this old car. I replaced the whole brake system, the clutch, and the front suspension. I installed missing emblems like the VW nose badge and the “Karmann Ghia” script on the engine bay lid. I had Volkzbitz refurbish the 34 PICT 3 carburetor. I mitigated rust in the trunk and the gas tank. I replaced the steering shaft because it was bent.

I also renovated the interior. When I bought the car, it had no carpet and no back bench. I built a very sturdy wooden bench, added panels for the side, and installed a carpet kit. I installed new seatbelts for “safety.” I restored the steering wheel with a fresh leather wraps secured with baseball stitching. The car looked much better with the new interior.

Unfortunately, the car needed more love that I could give it. It desperately needed serious body work. The rust was deep and pervasive. The floor pans were not standard. I also smashed the nose into a post due to bad brakes. (It turned out that the nose had been dented before.) I decided to sell it in 2025. The buyer bought it to become a project car with his son, so I knew it went to a good home.

The last big memory I had with this Karmann Ghia was Volksfest in Raleigh, NC in February 2025. I entered it into the show – not in the hopes to win any prize, but for the pride I had in my workmanship. Most of the VWs on display were show queens. Mine was one of the few cars that actually drove into the venue on its own power, rather than being rolled in from a trailer. One of my favorite parts of the event was that folks came up to me to ask for my advice about the work I did on the car, specifically for the interior. Many of my friends also showed up to support me and to have a good time. After so many difficulties and failures with my old cars, entering this vehicle into Volksfest was a personal moment of victory. I succeeded, and I did it with style.