1979 Ford Ghia Probe I Prototype Lost in Fire After Monterey Car Week
A one-of-one styling exercise, the sharp and faceted 1979 Ford Ghia Probe I prototype, was burned in a fire shortly after leaving the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance brings out amazing and unique vehicles from around the world that showcase fabulous design and breakthrough engineering. One of the featured classes at this year’s Concours was Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars and Prototypes. Among them was the 1979 Ford Ghia Probe I prototype designed by Ford’s Don F. Kopka in partnership with Carrozzeria Ghia, which Ford had taken over at the start of the decade. Built on Ford’s much-loved Fox-body platform and powered by a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder, the sculpted steel and glass car was an aerodynamically sleek and aesthetically pleasing look at the future of the automobile.
We were just leaving Pebble Beach on Sunday evening when we caught sight of the fire, with the Super Duty tow rig and trailer pulled off on the first exit past 17-Mile Drive on Highway 1 North. As the video above shows, the trailer was almost totally engulfed in flames. According to a post from the car’s owners, the pickup truck driver was able to escape uninjured and they, along with California Highway Patrol first responders, were able to keep the raging fire from spreading too far into the surrounding forest before further firefighting help was deployed. When we spotted it, just a bit of dry needles had sparked in a small arc surrounding the trailer.
We discovered the identity of the burned car this morning by way of a Facebook post from the Scott Grundfor Company, the restoration shop that has owned the Ghia Probe since it left Ford’s collection:
It is with utter sadness and a heavy heart that we have lost our 1979 Ford Ghia Probe I Prototype in an accident on the highway late in the day on Sunday after showing the car at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. We are a family oriented company, and it feels like we have lost a member of our family today. We are incredibly grateful that our team member driving the trailer at the time this accident occurred was unharmed, and his immediate action prevented this tragic loss of our car from spreading to local foliage and of course to other people who were driving on the highway in Monterey at the time.
Scott and myself (Drew) have been lucky stewards of this work of art and peice of automotive history for over 20 years, as we are the grateful seconds owners, Ford Motor Company having been the first. GRATEFUL GRATEFUL GRATEFUL today. Grateful that that nobody was hurt, especially grateful to our team member and by extension family member Jackson who reacted quickly and bravely to mitigate further damages…and eternally grateful to have had the two plus decades of time with the Probe I. We are forever lucky to be a part of this car’s history, however tragic this event was, and we will bring what remains of the car home to Arroyo Grande so the car can remain next to the Ghia/Ford bodied prototypes in our collection.
facebook.com/scottgrundforcompany
It’s always hard to see a beautiful car get destroyed, especially when it’s a one-off such as this 1979 Ford Ghia Probe I. On the other hand, many show cars only get a brief moment in the spotlight and are never seen again, and Scott Grunford Company got to display this car on one of the greatest stages possible.
Any loss is a pain for the owner. I feel for them. But this is a car that was largely forgotten. Not like losing Project X.
Wonder if they had Hagerty?
Any word on what actually happened? As in what caused the accident?
Sad to see a one of a kind car like this go. Thankfully no one was hurt.
I’ve known of this car since it starred in the magazine pages in 1979, and I was dazzled by seeing it on the fairway on Sunday, and spent some extra time looking at its details. How very, very sad. My most heartfelt condolences to the owners. Perhaps Ford will decide to recreate it. I hope so.