1966 Karmann Ghia
- Thursday, 9 October 2008
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John McCouch's 1966 Karmann Ghia
When you sit back and think about it, if you had to come up with a shortlist of the best looking cars of all time, the Karmann Ghia would be way up there. The Italian-styled car is just so gorgeous you can't help but adore it. But then we don't often sit back and think about this fact as we're used to seeing them at every VW show we visit! But when was the last time you saw one on the street? Probably not this week, last week or even last month, unless there's one local to you that you often see in your area. The fact is, they are an uncommon sight on the street, and for good reason...
In this country, the Karmann Ghia was sold from the late Fifties to 1974 but, due to its high purchase price it was never a big seller, more a steady seller. The fact we use salt on our roads during winter was the largest factor in many Karmann Ghias heading off to an early grave. The complex coachbuilt steel bodies hid numerous rust traps and if left to fester, the rot took hold! This is why it's rare that you'll see a right-hand drive KG, and if you do it's sure to be no stranger to a welding torch. If you're happy with a left-hooker, there are plenty of cars out there thanks to the many hundreds if not thousands of imports from the dry states of America. Finding a rot-free right-hand drive car is a much harder task though. John McCouch, who hails from Portishead, Bristol and has had a long-term passion for VWs, told us: "I always liked the shape of the Beetle and one day spotted a copy of VolksWorld back in the early Nineties in a local newsagent. I always remember the yellow Resto Cal on the front cover with cream sides with standard wheels sitting nice and low."
As is often the case, that copy of the mag was the catalyst that turned John from admirer to owner. But it didn't take 17 years for him to become an owner, as he had his show-worthy '73 Beetle on display at the very first VolksWorld Show at Sandown Park. This year, at 38 years old, he was back at Sandown with his latest car, this lovely KG Coupé. And this is where we come back to the bit about finding a rot-free right-hooker! John had been into VWs long enough to know that this sort of car is not something you pass by if you stumble on it! He bought it back in March 2001 from a vintage Porsche dealer. He told us, "It was parked up next to 356s and 911s but to me the Karmann still had the edge on looks." In fact, the shape of the Karmann Ghia is what John likes most about it. "The body looks great from any angle," he says. And we're sure, like us, you agree with him on that one. If you don't, well sorry, but you must have had a taste bypass!
For the full story check out the November 2008 issue of VolksWorld magazine. On sale on 03 October and then available through back issues.
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