Straight from the bargain basement department is this 3-car VW collection located in Fairfax County, Virginia. Consisting of ’65 and ’67 Karmann Ghias and a ’67 Beetle, they are listed here on Craigslist with an asking price of $2,100 for all three. Thanks to Adam C for the find!
The person who placed the ad indicates they are “listing this for my relatives who are the owners. ” As is often the case in these situations, there’s not a whole lot of detail either in the photos or the description. What is clear is both Ghias are projects. Both hardtops, it’s further stated that both have been stored outside (but covered) for the past 10 years. Unfortunately, these covers weren’t completely removed for the photos, so there’s not a whole lot to go on.
Beyond the rust and missing parts seen in these photos, we learn that the motor in the ’65 was rebuilt before it was parked (both ran when parked!). The seller goes on to say that while both Ghias could conceivably be started and driven, neither are road-worthy. That’s likely an understatement. There are no underhood photos.
This single blurry interior pic provides little detail, but if you squint hard enough it appears relatively complete at least. That rusty-looking crust around the mirror isn’t a great sign, however. There are no photos at all of the ’67 Beetle, but it is said it is rusty and has no title. Basically a parts car.
Although sales never approached that of the Beetle, Karmann Ghias were always popular in the US and their design changed little during its 19-year run. A near-perfect blend of American and European styling, the car’s origins were in the 1953 Chrysler D’Elegance concept car. Virgil Exner was said to have not minded the plagiarism, and Ghia sent the first Karmann-Ghia imported into the state of Michigan to Exner as a token of their appreciation.
So back to this collection, these three VW’s at parts-car prices appear to have some potential for enthusiasts willing to put in some work. Their simplicity, lightweight, and plentiful parts supply makes them fun starter projects. Whether both are restorable, or they are best combined into one car, is a bit hard to tell from just the photos. Interested buyers would benefit from being in the vicinity of the cars, as the seller wants all three removed from the property within a week of purchase. Is Virginia for VW Lovers?
Already gone, no surprise.
Quite the bargain…1940’s-50’s VW models have already obtained a respectable place in the collectors market. However, the 1960’s models are still relatively affordable and gaining steady momentum as we speak. This was a good buy for someone that pounced on this trio.
You know it’s CL ad when sellers couldn’t possibly be bothered to pull the covers completely off.
Well, what do you know! I made Barn Finds! This was my CL post from last month. I listed the cars for my wife’s family. The Ghias are back on the market. Sorry for the pics, Mike; it was starting to rain and I didn’t have a lot of time to get a decent set of good pictures. I live in WV; the cars are in VA. There have been quite a few interested buyers but no money has changed hands yet. There is also a shed nearby containing two 1970’s Stingrays. They are also selling a mint 1978 Cadillac Coupe Deville (also listed on CL) with 22k miles on it. White/white vinyl/red leather. Nicely optioned with a factory DELCO CB radio and in awesome original condition. I think it still even has the OEM tires on it. They are aging and her husband is in a constant-care facility, so they’re wanting to sell the cars to cover the expense. (At this point the Vettes are NOT for sale.) Cheers!
They haven’t sold yet. The ad was just reposted.
For the record, here is the working URL for the link to CL referenced above in the article:
https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/d/revised-pix-added-barn-find-2/6720593993.html?lang=en&cc=us