Ghia 1500 GT project: Some assembly required

Searching for cars online is a deep black hole that can quickly eat up a full afternoon. A consolation though, is the fact that internet window shopping is free. If you fall in love with a project you find, though, you might be in for months of hard work turning a dilapidated project into the completed car you have envisioned. Could this 1966 Ghia 1500 GT coupe be worth its $12,000 buy-it-now price?

The Ghia 1500 GT is a unique steel-bodied European coupe, not to be confused with the Karmann Ghia from Volkswagen. Once you lay eyes on one, you would never confuse the two, with the 1500 GT packing a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine under a long and low hood. The roofline takes a smooth dive from the rear of the passenger doors to very tail of the car, creating a slippery silhouette.

The good news is this example on eBay has all the great looks described above. The bad news is that it needs a lot of assembly and restoration before anyone will enjoy driving it. The body was painted 25 years ago but hasn’t seen much attention since.  According to the description, the suspension was upgraded to Alfa Romeo parts, including a limited-slip rear axle and disc brakes.

The engine compartment got the Alfa treatment as well, with a 1.6-liter Alfa Romeo engine swap. However, neither the original engine nor the Alfa powerplant is included with the car, so you are on your own there. It could be a great opportunity to drop in a hot rod engine; with just 2200 pounds of car to move, you wouldn’t need a mountain of power to have a quick car.

The ad says it right up front: bravery is necessary to tackle this project (but stupidity might go just as far to start). Once completed, it could be a unique and sporting little coupe. Getting there will likely be a long battle, either way. Do you think you have what it takes to see this one through to the end? Let us know in the Hagerty Forums below.