OP The add on Back up lights make it a '67
Spotted; Early Karmann Ghia
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Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Glad to see it out and about, instead of sitting in someone’s garage.
when you said early Karmann Ghia, I thought it was going to be a 58 or 59!
Judging by the later 4 lug wheel style, it is could be 67-69. 1969 and maybe 68 had reflectors on the rear fender but they could have been removed by now.
They are neat cars. I think rust and unfinished projects took care of a lot of them.
KG's didn't get reverse lights integrated into the tail light lens until 1970.
Judging by the later 4 lug wheel style, it is could be 67-69. 1969 and maybe 68 had reflectors on the rear fender but they could have been removed by now.
They are neat cars. I think rust and unfinished projects took care of a lot of them.
KG's didn't get reverse lights integrated into the tail light lens until 1970.
Different motor- more of a pancake
Wrong. The Type 1 Karmann Ghia in the picture has the same upright style engine as a Beetle.
There was a Type 3 Karmann Ghia with the "pancake" engine like the other Type 3 cars (Squareback, Notchback, Fastback). They bodies of the Type 3 Ghias look very different.
Correct! The Type 34 (Type III) was never imported into the United States. The Type I, also known as the Type 14 was what we got in the USA. And yes, it had the same engine as the Beetle.
They are pretty cars though.
I just learned something about VW motors from this thread; Pancake! Thanks.
On a related note, I was visiting a friend's shop and saw he had a VW Squareback on the lift, it appeared stock. Got close and something didn't look quite right, it had a massaged 911(964) motor and gearbox. I bet that has surprised some folks over the years!
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Some VW enthusiasts will try a fit a Type 4 engine into various rear engine VWs. The Type 4 engines were used in VW 411, VW 412 and Porsche 914.
It is a '67, my brother had a '66 and I had a '67. 66 ws the first yr for the ball joint front end. flat hub caps. 67 was the first yr for front disc brakes and 12V system. 68 were the 4 lug wheels and the 5mph bumpers Other than the '67 Ghia and a bus or 3, I had about 20 bugs over a 20 yr period
Ghias, unlike Bugs, still had the "old" style overrider bumpers through 69. Then 70 and 71 Ghias had overrider bumpers as well, but the overrider did not wrap around the rear to the side of the body as with the earlier ones.
The Ghia in the photo has the 68 and later door handle, rather than the earlier pushbutton style.
I've had a few Ghias over the years and hate that I didn't keep one. Even though the suspension and steering is like the Bug, they drive better. I guess the lower center of gravity has something to do with it.
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double posted for some reason sorry,
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Yes the OP post car looks amazing but the stripes and whitewalls look terrible.
It seems like a lot of times I noticed these nearly pefect restos with stupid alterations that don't make sense at all.
It seems like a lot of times I noticed these nearly pefect restos with stupid alterations that don't make sense at all.
agree, odd that the rest of the car was completely stock as far as I could tell.
I once saw a type 3 for sale in the 70’s. It was in nice shape and something like $500. They must have gotten it in somehow. This was in Missouri in a small town. Not very nice looking at all. I looked at it for a long time, it wasn’t selling. Too much money. 
I don't think that is a Mk I Karmann Ghia in the picture, the old fashioned white walls are throwing you off.
Obviously DrTyler knows more about KGs than I do. I based my opinion that the KGs had a pancake motor purely on their appearance. I remember while working at a gas station and checking the oil on one, the engine appeared to be much lower in the car than a Beetle did. I stand corrected and hope that I have extinguished any flames before they start. What are the years for each of the various versions of the KG that were imported to the US? There are the low headlight ones, the ones without the reversing lights, the ones with beam bumpers. Personally, I like the 74 year models very much, and could never hope to afford one of the ones from the 50s.
I had a '69 that I drove for a few years in college. Slow (1/4 mile was quicker than 0-60), but fun to drive. While working a night shift at the Ypsilanti Ford plant, I came out to find the parking lot flooded in about 14" of water. I waded out to the Ghia. The exhaust pipes were under water and there were a couple inches of water inside the cabin. It started up with the exhaust blowing bubbles. I drove it back to my apartment with the water sloshing around my feet. I pulled the drain plugs to let the water out, removed the floor mats to dry and let it air out for a few days. No lasting effect. Loved that car.
P.S. It also had an after-market heater mounted on top of the gas tank that drew gasoline from tank. The gas was ignited by a spark (or glow?) plug. Instant heat in the dead of winter, but probably really dangerous in a front end collision. 
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