Here’s a cool 1963 Karmann Ghia coupe that certainly qualifies as a barn find. It was parked in a barn near Red Bluff, California, back in 1983 and spent more than 40 years sitting and gathering dust. The current owner tells us very little about the Ghia’s history, but based on the photos, it appears to be a promising restoration project.
I wonder if it’s been a California car all of its life? If it spent the past 40 years in a California barn, perhaps it spent its first 20 years on California streets, highways, and byways. Since it doesn’t appear to be a rust bucket, perhaps it did. The current owner has moved the Ghia from the barn, given it a wash job, and parked it in a garage next to a Bug Eye Sprite. I’m not sure if it’s still wearing the factory Ruby Red paint, but the Ghia’s paint is faded and I’m not seeing any body damage or major rust. The glass, lenses, chrome bumpers, and trim all appear to be in good shape.
The owner supplies several photos of the Ghia’s interior which is tired, a bit tattered, and will need replacing. Photos show a sagging headliner, ripped front bucket seats, and a warped black dash pad. The Ghia is also missing its radio and I like the white old-school VW steering wheel from this era. It reminds me of the Ruby Red ’65 Beetle that I learned to drive on. A photo is also included of the Ghia’s fold down rear “seat” that was a seat in theory, but was also described in sales literature as a jump seat, emergency seat, or a luggage space/storage area.
The rear engine compartment cleaned up pretty well and houses the Ghia’s 4-cylinder, 1192cc/40-horsepower air-cooled engine. I’m assuming the Ghia’s not running or stopping on its own power after sitting 40 years, and the mileage is listed as 68,839. The owner lists several new items that’s part of the sale including all exterior rubber, brake parts, wheel bearings, and a gas tank.
I’ve always liked Karmann Ghia’s. Sure, it’s just a VW Beetle in a sleek, Italian-styled body, so it’s not a true sports car, but it’s sporty looking nonetheless. Plus, you get the benefits of a car that’s economical and reliable – two things sports cars are not always known for. This ’63 Karmann Ghia project is currently located in Concord, California, and offered for sale here on craigslist with an asking price of $8,500. A special thanks to T.J. for spotting this cool coupe and send it our way. Even though it’ll need a full restoration, the asking price for this Ghia seems reasonable. Hagerty’s values a ’63 Karmann Ghia Coupe in #4 Fair Condition at $11,500.
Always thought these were good looking cars. If it isn’t rusty underneath and the price stays low you have something to work with. Last one I saw in person had a 2000 cc 180 hp engine in back which made it even more fun to drive. Lots of work ahead but rare to find something solid these days.
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I had a red ’63 Ghia just like this one. My grandfather bought it new and I got it ten years later. Great car until it was hit broadside by a ’68 Elektra. It was almost cut in half and they drove the Buick home. The six-volt system was a nuisance but it handled great with radials.
Love the Fuchs wheel on the driver’s front. I hope there are 4 of them … if genuine, might be worth 1/3 of the asking price!
Those are wheel covers. Notice no lug nuts. It’s not difficult to put real Fuchs on them but it it takes a little machine work to do it.
Given that the asking price was more than reasonable, I’d have to guess the listing has been deleted because it sold. Hardly surprising; it looked like a very solid starting point, and everything is available for them, including engine upgrades that would make it as reasonable a “sports car” as an MGB.