1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia |

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1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£8,163

Mileage~8,653
TransmissionManual
Engine1.6L
LocationDroitwich

SOLD

1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Glynn Parry

Professional Consigner

An attractive and popular classic - it still makes a huge amount of sense over six decades later.

Built by Volkswagen, the Karmann Ghia was styled by the famous Ghia Italian design house, one of the most influential Italian styling vehicle designers, and German coach-building house; Karmann. The Type 14 Karmann Ghia (1956-1974) was available initially as a coupe, such as the model seen in the listing. With public reaction to the Type 14 exceeding expectations, more than 10,000 were sold in its first production year. The car combined the chassis and mechanical elements of the Type 1 and Type 3 VW Beetle with hand shaped and built bodywork, resulting in a time consuming process usually practised by higher-end manufacturers.

The 1970 model brought with it a bigger engine, larger rear lights, front turn signals and a new carburettor to the car. This car has benefitted from some recent recommission work with the carburettor being stripped, blasted and cleaned, new engine fuel pipes, fuel tank, and brake hoses. The rocker cover gasket was also replaced at the same time, along with new wiring also costing over ~£1,300 in January 2023.

This listing was written from information supplied by Glynn after meeting Martin the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

The Ghia has a lovely design, and hardy mechanics, this car just needs to go to an enthusiast now!

As a fan of unique cars, the Karmann Ghia really stood out for Martin when he first saw it, and something different to the American Muscle cars he is more familiar with. "I love the way the VW looks, I'd not seen a car that stood out for me as something really different like the Ghia does". Martin has spent some recent expenditure on getting the car running again, his initial intention was very much to complete a further renovation on the car, but time has got the better of him.

He has had this car for ~5.5 years, with the car having not really been used much over the past 4. With some other project cars he has in his collection, this car is coming up for sale so he can focus on completing those. Martin will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

Martin

Vehicle Owner

Martin saved £1,440* when they
sold their VW with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Now finished in purple, this car actually gives off a swinging 60s feel!

Wheels and Tyres

Fitted with 15" cream steel wheels on all corners, the VW hub caps have also been painted and don't show any major concerns on their condition.

With the tyres, the tread and condition shows well on front 145/65 Event Futurum GP tyres. The 165/80 Maxxis Victra 510 rears display a date code of 1414 (2014 dated) also showing with a good amount of tread. Take a look over the exterior gallery section for a close up view of the wheels and tyres on the VW.

Bodywork

The bodywork on this car is generally good, but there are some areas that need some attention, most notable the offside A pillar and rear wheel arch. In addition to this, with the car being stored under cover, there are some smaller areas where chips in the paint have some light corrosion to them as pictured.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The purple metallic paint finish really stands out, especially contrasted against the cream and chrome of the rest of the exterior. The finish is respectable having been resprayed at some point in its life and previously believed to have been yellow, but again with the car having been stored under cover over time, it would benefit from some attention.

Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves. The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass looks good around the car and is in line with the age and mileage, appearing free from major chips, cracks or delamination. The chrome trim on the whole looks good but when looking over the lower trim sections especially on the front bumper trim and light surrounds, these are in need of refurbishment.

Take a look through the exterior gallery and review video, we take you across all the areas of the car as if you were standing there for yourself. This way, you can see in greater detail what a lovely looking car the Karmann really is.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Classic minimalist styling in the cabin, with some modified elements to this 70s VW.

Seats and Carpets

Finished in black leather, this car has been fitted with Recaro seats that show in a respectable condition given the age of the car. There are signs of wear on the seat bolster edges, particularly on the driver’s seat edge closest to the seatbelt side. Overall the seats were comfortable and held the driver in place well whilst on the road. The backs of the seats showed well along with the rear seat section also.

The carpets showed well without major wear or concern, likely items replaced by a previous owner. Looking underneath the carpets there were some signs of wear to the flooring but given the age of the car, this didn't present a problem on initial inspection.

Dashboard

The top of the dash showed in a fair condition, there were no major signs of wear, and showed without cracking or splitting. The dash has a Karmann Ghia badge which showed nicely on the centre section above the stereo.

The instruments are all nice and clean showing no signs of fogging or display issues. The odometer reports ~8,653 miles at the time of our visit. Our interior gallery section takes you over some closer images of the Karmann Ghia dashboard, head over and see the interior in finer detail.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

What looks to be the original Karmann 2 spoke steering wheel together with gear selector are both showing in with wear reflecting the age of the car. There are signs of wear on the gearstick and also the handbrake main handle and gaiter section shows in a good condition. Overall the cabin is reflective of the age and in-keeping with the heritage of the car.

We've captured high-resolution photos for you to review and appreciate the condition of the interior in our gallery section.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

With its air-cooled, flat-four engine, this car has had recent expenditure to get it running once again.

Engine and Gearbox

Starting up and idling nicely the engine didn't present us any major problems when we visited the car. The gearbox felt smooth and we didn't notice any harshness to the changes. We also didn't note any unusual noises coming from the engine or gearbox. The car has been off the road for ~4 years, and the recent ~£1,000+ bills include rebuild and set up of the carbs along with other fuelling relating elements.

Head over to the 'Mechanical Review' video for an overview of the engine, here you can see the car start up from cold and taken out on a short drive on the road.

Suspension and Brakes

The ride felt good whilst on the road and we noticed no knocks, bangs or untoward noises from the suspension whilst driving. The car performed well and gave us no major cause for concern. More recently a bit of fettling on the anti roll bar was actioned too, to stop a previous knocking sound.

Martin reports the brakes are working well and, as you would expect, given the age of the car we observed no issues with these whilst out on the road. Please view the mechanical review video and photographs to see close-up images from underneath the car.

The Drive

Out on the road we noted no troubling issues with the car, overall the journey was comfortable and steering was responsive. Changing through the gears the clutch felt good and predictive and the revs through the engine didn't pose a concern. The gearbox worked well, where we were able to take the Ghia up to its fourth and final gear it engaged without hesitation. Please note though, this is a car that hasn't been used in anger for some time, and so Martin is selling as a bit of a rolling resto.

To see the car in motion please take a look at the 'On the road' video in the link at the base of the listing.

Electrics and Other

An aftermarket Tevion bluetooth USB stereo system has been installed into the dash area along with aftermarket speakers installed in the rear of the car adjacent to the rear seats. The electrics appeared to be working as expected with the lights and dials working. We were unable to test the radio / stereo system.

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History and Paperwork

Coming to market from ~5.5 year ownership, this car has a keen reserve and is pitched as a rolling resto, having recently had ~£1,300 spent on some recommissioning work.

The Karmann Ghia underwent some investigation work with fuelling in Jan 2023 where the carburettor was stripped, blasted and cleaned to remove corrosion and dirt build up which was then setup and balanced. Engine fuel pipes were replaced and the fuel tank was removed and drained out along with new brake hoses and pipes fabricated and fitted. The rocker gasket was replaced and a wiring fault under the dash from the fuse to the headlight was also repaired. The overall cost of these works were over ~£1,300 to benefit the car and future owner. In February 2023 the carburettor was reset on the VW allowing the car to idle correctly and the ARB (anti-roll bar) was also adjusted to the correct location. In 2017 the car had some engine work with new crankshaft, new pistons, camshaft bearings and a new fuel pump and fuel push rods.

Martin will be more than happy to answer any questions you have about the car in the comments below.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house. Please note, the car may be in daily use, so the mileage may increase from that shown here - you can request an update check with us after you register your interest.