1971 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible |

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1971 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible

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

Sold Price

£13,250

Mileage~58,732
TransmissionManual
Engine1.5L
LocationEssex

SOLD

1971 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Dom Ginn

Professsional 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 vehicle designers, and the German coach-building house, Karmann. The Type 14 Karmann Ghia (1956-1974) was initially available as a coupé with the convertible, such as the model seen in the listing, coming a year later. 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 practiced by higher-end manufacturers.

This car comes to market from ~14 year ownership, where around 6 years ago, the vendor decided to start restoration of the vehicle. Unfortunately the restoration contractors closed their business during the pandemic, and so the project halted with the car needing re-assembly. This right hand drive convertible presents as an interesting proposition for a home restorer to re-assemble and enjoy, or for a new owner to commission finishing of the project.

This listing was written from information supplied by Dom after meeting Angela 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

There's just something about the style of the Karmann that I adore, beautiful lines and lovely 70's styling.

Angela has owned the car for ~14 years, buying it at auction as a restoration project, and nicknaming the car "Tallulah". She decided to start the restoration of the car around 6 years ago, to bring the car back to its former glory.

Sadly the restoration company closed during the pandemic, and so the car is unfinished with much of the work having been completed as can be seen, "I'm sad to see it go as I can see such great potential with it, I want it to go to a home where someone can really care for it and get it back up and running fully". Angela will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

Angela

Vehicle Owner

Angela saved £2,340* when they
sold their VW with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

With its captivating curves and unmistakable charm, this car will be turning heads wherever it goes when finished.

Wheels and Tyres

Fitted with 15" steel wheels on all corners, these have been painted in cream white. The condition shows a few marks on the wheels, particularly on the rear offside. The centre caps are in good condition across all four wheels.

Regarding the tyres, the tread and condition are good on the front Mabor General M5 GT examples. The rear tyres consist of a mix of Firestone F-560 and Mabor General M5 GT, also showing a good amount of tread. Take a closer look at the exterior gallery section for a detailed view of the wheels and tyres on the car.

Bodywork

The bodywork on this car is in great condition having been restored. The body was sandblasted, and rust was cut out with new metal welded in, before the car was primed for painting. You can see some in progress pictures of this in the "History and Paperwork" gallery. The front luggage section and engine bay look solid as expected, with gaps and shut lines looking good. The panel work is clean, with no evidence of dents and no observed issues on the sills or inner wings. Please note that the bonnet is not latched closed in the pictures, as some adjustment is required to enable it to operate with ease.

We have provided more detailed observations through our high-resolution images and videos, so please take the time to review all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer and to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The red metallic paint finish really stands out, especially contrasted against the cream and chrome of the rest of the exterior. The finish is good, having been resprayed as part of the restoration. The car was yellow when Angela purchased it as pictured, but the restorer did comment that it appears as if it was red earlier in its life. The car has been stored under cover, which has kept the majority of the paintwork in good condition with a nice lustre in the light. We noted on the passenger side that the paint showed a few minor marks when highlighted in the sun.

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 different angles to present the car as you would see it if you were standing there. Please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos of the car to form your own opinion 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 overall looks good, although it could benefit from some light restorative work to bring back its former glory.

The convertible roof frame was fixed as part of the restoration, but not completed. The inner section comes with the sale, but the car is requiring the outer section.

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

VIEW ALL

INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

A re-trimmed interior, this Karmann Ghia is begging to be finished and enjoyed back on the road.

Seats and Carpets

The seats have seen the benefit of a re-trim and are finished to a high standard with additional red "Karmann Ghia" stitched into the headrests. All of the seat coverings are in excellent condition in both the front and back of the car, with the seats retaining good firmness, repaired internally where required.

All new grey fitted and red trimmed removable carpets, with no notable damage or dampness observed as you'd expect for a restored example.

Dashboard

The metal dashboard retains much of its originality, and has been finished in the same red paint as the bodywork.

The dials, controls and finishing are of a good standard, with very little concern in their presentation, we of course could not test they were working. The door cards have been renewed but are not fitted.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The gearstick and steering wheel show small signs of wear, also seen on the handbrake. The gaiter section appears to be in good condition.

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

The 1.5L 4 cylinder is waiting to be re-assembled and back driving the car again.

Engine and Gearbox

As the car is being sold as part of an ongoing project, the engine and its components are supplied with the car, although these will not be fitted prior to the final sale. The block has been cleaned and re-assembled with crankshaft in place as part of the restoration. The original cylinder head had a crack and so a replacement comes with the car.

We could not of course verify the running condition of the engine and gearbox, with this being a project that requires finishing.

Suspension and Brakes

As part of the restoration, the steering and suspension were checked and said to be in good condition and so not replaced. A new brake pump comes with the car, and the brake lines were renewed as part of the work.

Due to the car not yet being ready for the road, we were unable to take the car for a road test and test the suspension or the brakes.

The Drive

Its humble roots can never be hidden, but the virtues of durability, simple mechanicals, and inexpensive running costs mean that a solid Karmann Ghia can be a very usable classic.

Electrics and Other

The headlamps and lenses look in good shape, with no damage noted. We were unable to test the electrical system due to the engine not being installed when we visited the car. As mentioned previously, the frame of the convertible roof has been restored, but the car does require an external hood.

VIEW ALL

History and Paperwork

Coming to market from ~14 year ownership, much of the hard work has been completed on this unfinished project, it presents as potentially a very interesting proposition for the right buyer.

The restoration on this car began ~6 years ago. Sadly the restoration company closed during the pandemic with the restoration unfinished but much of the hard work completed. You may note that the bonnet is slightly ajar in our photo's, this is due to the bonnet being slightly stiff when opening and closing this section during our visit. Angela 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, and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle. Please note, the seller has applied for a new V5 which is awaiting arrival.

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.

Key Details

ModelKarmann Ghia Convertible
TransmissionManual
Reg. Date08.04.1971
CC1,584
Mileage~58,732
ColourRed
Interior ColourWhite / Red
Interior TrimLeather
Chassis #1412281894
Engine #AS106392
RestoredYes
Engine RebuildYes
MOT ExemptYes
Road Tax ExemptYes
HPi ClearYes - Clear
Former Keepers6
Tyre TreadGood
Tyre BrandFirestone F-560 / Mabor General M5 GT
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Key FeatureHard work completed on unfinished project
Auction ID1811

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All Images

All Videos

Vehicle Sold

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Ask Questions

Seller : AngelaA Sale Date 28.03.2024

Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.

Member

barraldo1

Hello Angela
I await response about seeing the bumpers also do you have the fixings for the bumpers ?
Can you kindly advise where about can the car be viewed please I am currently abroad however can request a colleague to view depending on where your car is situated
Hear back soon
Kr
Barry

Author

AngelaA

Hello, apologies but I cannot see a question from you about the bumpers. There should be a picture of them included above as they were taken of all of the parts. We do have the fixings yes. Please email hello@tradeclassics.com with regards to arranging a viewing. Many thanks for your interest in Tallulah. Angela

Member

Jim B

Hi Angela what a lovely car you have presented albeit there is a mountain of work still required to get it on the road the way it should be, when finished it will be stunning and if I am successful I would be the proudest owner there is. My question is to do with the chrome work, am I correct that the bumpers have been painted, if so what colour and the side and other trims are they still in chrome. Thanks for your time.
Jim

Author

AngelaA

Hello Jim, the person restoring her painted them black after sandblasting and work to protect the metal from rust. They can be cleaned and re chromed. All other chrome parts you can see in the photos. Many thanks for your kind comments, Angela

Member

Westacre23

Hi Angela I live local to Terling and would like to view the vehicle before I bid. Could you also confirm that most of the car is there and what condition build wise the engine is in.
Thanks Richard.

Admin

Adam - Trade Classics

Hello Richard, thanks for your interest in Angela’s car. Yes we can help organise a viewing. As you haven’t bid / bought with us before we just need to go though a couple of quick checks, as we’ll be giving out Angela’s address of course. So please email hello@tradeclassics.com with some recent photo ID (passport ot DL) and a utility bill that matches the address on that ID. You’re already registered now, so just store your card too for validation via M y Account (no money will be taken). When we’ve done those couple of things we’ll get you booked… Read more »

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Vehicle Location

Essex

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