Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14 1500 restored orig. Cardboard letter (1969)

Vehicle description

At the end of 1953, Wilhelm Karmann had achieved his goal of building an elegant sports car based on the VW Beetle. The Volkswagen Group gave the green light, which is why nothing stood in the way of further development work. In the summer of 1955, Karmann was finally able to present the production-ready version of the new Karmann-Ghia (Type 14). Since the mechanics of the Karmann-Ghia were identical to those of the VW Beetle, the two-seater benefited in principle from all the improvements of its starting point. Changes to the front or rear axle were adopted as well as modified steering or a modified transmission ratio. In the spring of 1974, the German production of the Karmann-Ghia ends.

The VW Karmann-Ghia (Type 14) 1500 offered in this auction is a 3rd-owned coupé from the year of construction 1969. This VW with the chassis number was registered for the first time 149431693 in Germany, 1st owner was a master baker, then the VW came into the hands of a driving school teacher and the current owner bought the car from this driving school teacher in 1990. According to the seller, an exact history of the Karmann-Ghia is not available, but the original cardboard letter has still been preserved. In addition to 2 vehicle keys, this VW already has an H-approval, the TÜV is done by the current owner before the handover. Worth mentioning are the given matching numbers. It is particularly noteworthy that the Karmann was mothballed dry after the restoration of the body and was completed in 2021.

20 years ago, a complete restoration of the body of this Karmann-Ghia 1500 took place, in 2021 the car was then completely rebuilt – according to the seller, the material invoices alone amounted to 15,000 €. In the course of a master craftsman's examination of a painter, a complete repainting of this car in two-color design was carried out. Now the exterior of this VW shows itself in extremely good condition, the dark green body paint harmonizes very well with the beige roof. Gross damage to the outer skin of this Karmann-Ghia or even corrosion points cannot be removed from the car. The seller can completely rule out an accident.

The whitewall tyres have only been around for a year and a half – they are therefore still in very good shape. The aluminum rims of the VW are silver and fit well into the overall appearance of the Type 14. A year and a half ago, the brakes were new, in the area of the chassis no deficits can be removed.

White leather can be discovered in the impeccably preserved interior of this VW Karmann-Ghia from 1969: the white full leather seats, the black footwell carpet, the white dashboard, the black 2-spoke steering wheel, the black gear lever and the beige headliner are in complaint-free condition. According to the seller, the genuine leather materials in this interior were made especially for this vehicle and it should correspond in color to the original. Except for a contemporary radio and a few fittings and controls, the interior of this VW has no equipment features, but everything that is available also has a flawless function.

In the speedometer, the 5-digit speedometer with a mileage of 58,290 kilometers can be detected. Although this mileage cannot be proven beyond doubt, the VW Karmann-Ghia does not seem to have reeled off too many kilometers in its vehicle life due to its all-round healthy substance.

The engine compartment of the VW is extremely clean: Here, a 1.5-liter engine delivers 44 hp – this power is transmitted to the rear axle via a 4-speed manual transmission. Following the complete engine overhaul of the boxer engine one and a half years ago, a great service took place, defects in the technology are not known according to the seller. The gearbox has been resealed.

On the underside of this VW you can see well what effort has been made to restore the Karmann-Ghia: Among other things, all axles as well as the tank and various rubber bearings were new. Although the Karmann-Ghia is derived from the Beetle, the Karmann-Ghia is a much more complex vehicle compared to this. Above all, the silhouette causes quite a stir in today's road traffic. In about 300 hours of work, the Karmann-Ghia offered here for auction, so that he can present himself in this state as he stands today. Not only the body was revised, but also the entire technology underwent an overhaul – mostly original parts were used. Now this Karmann-Ghia 1500 is in a condition that a future owner can probably drive with a clear conscience for decades to come.

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