eBay Find of the Week: 1967 Karmann Ghia coupe

1967 Karmann Ghia coupe

Much ink has been spilled over the Volkswagen Beetle.  Their iconic looks, simple mechanicals, and available parts make them great collector cars for those new to the hobby and experienced collectors alike.  But with more than 21 million Beetles built, perhaps they’re a bit too common for more discerning tastes.

This weeks’ eBay find, a 1967 Karmann Ghia coupe, shares its mechanical bits with the Type 1 VW Beetle but in a more elegant, lower, sportier Italian-styled body.  (That sportiness is for looks only, as it offers no performance improvement over the VW sedan.) Not nearly as many buyers lined up for the more expensive and less practical 2+2 coupe compared to the Beetle, but they aren’t exceedingly rare. Nearly 450,000 Karmann Ghias were built between 1955 and 1974, so they are still common enough that parts availability and certainly mechanical components should be readily available.

This listing caught our attention because of the car’s apparent originality. It’s located in San Francisco, naturally, as these quickly turned to dust in less hospitable climates. The odometer says 61,000 miles, but the owner says this isn’t necessarily accurate.  He also claims the car is very original except for an eight-year-old repaint in its original black.  We also noticed an aftermarket stereo with speaker holes added to the rear tray, but that can be overlooked.  The photos point out some paint flaws but also a rust-free undercarriage.  The slightly faded original bumpers and badges either give the car a bit of honest patina or a weekend project for the next owner, depending on your perspective.

The Buy-It-Now price of $13,500 is very close to Hagerty’s #3 (good) average value of $13,900.  The Hagerty Price Guide gives the Karmann Ghia coupe about a 30-percent boost in value over a more common Beetle sedan, but Ghias still offer a lot of style for the price.