Growing up near a VW dealership, I got some pretty good exposure to the brand during the seventies in my childhood and came to appreciate most of the company’s offerings at a fairly early age. And while I might have given a nod to their first-generation Scirocco as my favorite Volkswagen offering in the days gone by, the Karmann Ghia may have caught up for a tie as I’ve gotten older, and if you’ve been in the market for one of these unusual cars this 1968 model here on eBay is no less than a beauty. This one’s in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and it’s never traveled far from there as only 13,700 miles have been accumulated over the past 55 years. So far, bidding has reached $14,100 but it’ll take more than that for this VW to depart The Keystone State as the reserve hasn’t yet been reached.
There’s a good story that goes with this one, beginning with when the seller’s father acquired the car, and although we don’t get a timeline it must have been a while ago considering how much work has gone into it. Dear old dad purchased the Volkswagen from a co-worker after it had sat in his garage for years, undriven, which at that point only had 10,000 miles on the ticker.
Even with that low mileage, the 1.5-liter motor was pulled and given a complete rebuild to factory specs, with some dress-up pieces added to give it a better appearance when the rear compartment is opened. The same treatment was given to the manual transmission, as the seller states it was also totally gone through as was every other part on the car, with around 3,000 additional miles added to the VW under its present ownership.
A new paint job has been applied outside, and while it presents very well the owner does state that there are a few very minor nicks in the finish, but I’m sure not spotting anything that would keep me from enjoying this car just the way it is. The tires are all stated as brand new, with the seller claiming he wouldn’t hesitate to feel confident driving his Karmann Ghia anywhere.
One area that’s said to be original is the interior, which has held up exceptionally well to be over five decades old and in the kind of condition that seems to match the 13k claimed miles. There’s also been air conditioning added, always an excellent choice, with another positive being we get to see a couple of photos from the underside, which seem to reflect the statement that the undercarriage is like new. I’m not seeing much here to find fault with, just curious how high the price will have to climb before that reserve disappears. What are your thoughts on this 1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia?
What’s not to like? Maybe the price, depending how high it goes. If you can afford it’s worth it!
I have to ask why 13K mile car would need a a paint job, engine overhaul and transmission overhaul. Doesn’t make sense!
I have a ’67 VW that I bought from the original owner (have Kraftfahrzeugbrief to prove it) in Germany over 45 years ago. The car had about 12K when I bought it and was (as expected) prefect and original in every respect.
We’ve now babied it and basically driven it on sunny Sundays to car shows, etc. It has 29K kilometers (~18K miles) since new.
It is still 100% original [original paint, original engine trans, brakes, interior, trim, EVERYTHING]. Nothing has been rebuilt and nothing needs to be rebuilt nor should need it with only 18K miles.
Even the five tires that are on it are 57 year old originals.
So, why should this 13K mile Ghia need rebuilds and repaint? Doesn’t make sense.
57 year old tires????
Hi Chris,Wanna sell?
One factor that came to mind on the repaint may possibly be the climate the car has been in, as I noticed on the original eBay photo a few small areas in the crevices around the engine compartment are showing what looks like just a bit of surface rust, and if you look carefully where the hinges attach to the panel covering the engine there may be a little bit of surface marking there as well, though not much. One theory is that perhaps areas similar to this formed on the outside, and maybe for that reason, the body got repainted but not the areas on the inside. Or maybe during the long period of storage things got rubbed up against the exterior, could have been a tight squeeze wherever it was parked.
Here’s the original uncropped photo from eBay:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/B~QAAOSw26FlFKbi/s-l1600.jpg
Some good news on this one is that the seller provides his name and phone/text number in the eBay ad body and invites questions, so those interested in pursuing this Ghia should be able to have any questions answered right from the source.
Chris, that is totally cool to have owned your ’67 VW for 45 years and it’s still all original and going so strong! Bet it gets plenty of attention on those sunny Sundays.
Yes, it was love at first sight (since we’d had several VWs prior to this one and a couple that we obtained after this one). The fact at it was so perfect, and from the original owner and with the original Kraftfahrzeugbrief, and the unique cloth interior available only in Germany (not for exports) and the bumpers with no overriders, the Euro headlamps, etc, etc., it just made it a keeper. We’ve carried on that same tradition of care that the original did. We’re getting up in age now and use it less and less each year so it may be time to send it to the next caretaker… Wish we knew what the value of something like this is.
Let’s see, is it cool enough to go for a drive? If one turns on the AC, one doesn’t drive too far, too fast.
Ha! The compressor is almost as big as the engine.
Compressor is also a 5 piston “rotary” with very little pull on the engine.
What a beautiful Ghia! Oh to have the money to bid! This would fit perfectly in our little winter homes 2 car garage, AND it has A/C!!! Someone is going to be very happy.
Nice Karmann, but I agree with Chris on this one. WHY go through a car that thoroughly when it only has 13k?? Makes ZERO sense to this Airhead. I learned to drive in a ’69 Beetle and have owned so many VDubs over the years that I know this much, Aircooled and A/C DO NOT MIX! I knew a VW Mechanic in San Antonio who said that he would NOT install them because they put too much strain on the engine! Maybe the AC Killed the original one and that’s why it had to have all the work?? I own VW Things now and there was one a week ago that claimed to be all original but WAS NOT bc the 2nd owner had changed many things in the years they owned the car. So really, these cars are worth what the next person is willing to pay for them, but you can’t say a car is a survivor or only has this many miles unless it has had nothing done to it except regular maintenance like Chris’ German Beetle that still sports the Original Tires! I’d like to see that VDub for sure! Too nice for this old Thinger. I’ll just stick with my VW Jeep that sits on a Karmann pan and drive it like I stole it! GLWTS
Duh; because it was sitting for decades, and if he was anything like a neighbour down our street, he wanted it to be perfect, in true Teutonic fashion.
He KNOWS it is reliable; no surprises.
It’
s like saying, after years in storage, “it was serviced a week before it was parked; why would you want to do it so soon?”
My best friend in college had one and it was the best for road trips to New Orleans. Terrible for making out in.
It always cracks me up to see these old air cooled VWs chuffing along with fire spitting out between the heads and jugs. The no gasket metal to metal seal with 4 studs per cylinder approach limited the compression ratio, which in turn limited gas mileage. Never lift with a swing axle car.
Perhaps it has 13K miles since it was restored.
Or, it has 113K because the 5-digit speedo rolled over once?
I had a ’63 Ghia that my grandpaw bought new and taught me to drive when I was nine. (My father was not pleased.) It was a great car except for the 6-volt system, which by ’68, was updated to 12 volts. And this one has more ponies than the 40 horse sewing machine in mine. I enjoyed it right up to the day it was nearly cut in half, broadsided by a ’68 Elektra that she drove home with a minor disfigure to the grille after the wreck. I prefer a little more tonnage around myself now.
The heater tubes on my brother’s $100 KG were rotted out.
Sooo…. he warmed the car with a camping alcohol wick heater called a Heat Pal placed on the seat/shelf behind the driver.
It was sort of a very large Zippo lighter. About the size of a four gallon pail with a shallow cylinder at the bottom full of felt. There was a big wick, then a vented lid at the top. Adequate for a big tent.
It heated well in that KG. The car was too drafty to worry about CO, and we were at a “What, me worry?” age anyway.
One snowy night he parked it and left the heater to run out. The falling snow melted and froze and there was a beautiful inch of crystal clear ice on the car down to the ground the next day. And we couldn’t get at the heater to use to thaw the car.
In retrospect, keeping a 🔥 in a car seems foolish.
Ha ha ha LCL. Had the exact set up in my 58 bug. My safety mounting system was a piece of plywood that the heater pal was screwed to that I slid between the back and bottom of the rear seat. Nothing like having an open flame for making things cozy on a dark winter road. Fumes made for open window motoring at times to clear the the air. No wonder I got no dates. It made for a long cold winter but I wasn’t getting stuck like my buddies in their warm Mustangs and GTOs.
We should have put mica windows in the heater to let the flickering light out.
It’s pretty obvious that the deck lid doesn’t match the rest of the car. I agree that it shouldn’t have needed all that work, but maybe it still has original miles, after being neglected. Nice car. Good luck.
This little engine only produced 53 horsepower. So with the air conditioner was the horsepower output only 35 or 40 horsepower? That’s beginner motorcycle horsepower.
I’ve heard Karmen Ghias referred to as a poor man’s Porsche. However, I have never heard of anyone calling a Porsche a rich man’s Karmen Ghia.
Practically impeccable! I predict bids may go a bit higher before it’s done.
I’ve owned four beetles. Air conditioning is NOT a welcome addition. These engines run hot enough already. Just roll down the front windows, pop open the back ones, and sweat. Also, The Ghia is not a good car to have if one has problems with claustrophobia or is tall. The beetle gives more than enough headroom for almost everyone. The Ghia not very much. Forcing an adult to ride in the back seat is an excellent punishment even for a short trip to the grocery store.
Heard that, Robert … our pastor had one back in the ’60s … he was about 6′ tall and his waist was larger than his inseam … he also had a ’65 Chevy wagon for the family but the Ghia was his … he looked like a spider in a thimble and I swear the car listed to port as he drove away, sweating in the muggy Louisiana heat with no AC …
But for 1968, in comparison to my ’69 Camaro, for example, it did corners flatter, it was tighter all around, it was better in snow, and repairs were not expensive. Yes, valve job every 40,000 miles, and, in New England they rusted out, but driven only in summer (convertible version) it was fun, and before global warning, you really did not need AC in New England in the summer.
glad 2C these whenever they come up (C my smile?). These, the 850, miaita, del Sol, figaro, etc. Inexpensise, ‘stylish/sporty’, basic. Just not enuff consumer ‘power’ (wages = product costs) in the mix right now?
Sad
the market flexed a bit and we’ve usually had some good cars @ that price point. Here’s one. C the pride in care? Most mericans who’d have these would do like wise, those in the middle? buy an ‘appliance’, dont really care for it, and certainly the joy of tinkering (almost every wk end) is not seen here.