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Car Of The Day: October 11, 2010; Siku '66 Volkswagen 1500 Karmann Ghia Coupé (Type 34)
Topic Started: Oct 11 2010, 01:28 AM (678 Views)
Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
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Today's car of the day is Siku's 1966 Volkswagen 1500 Karmann Ghia Coupé (Type 34).

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Wikipedia
 
The Volkswagen Karmann Ghia is a 2+2 marketed from 1955 to 1974 by Volkswagen in coupe and convertible bodystyles — combining the chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1, evocative styling by the Italian carrozzeria Ghia, and hand-built bodywork by German coach-builder Karmann.

The combination proved instantly successful for VW; production doubled soon after its introduction, and the Type 14 became the most imported car in the U.S. American industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague selected the Type 14 for his list of the world's most beautifully designed products.

The Karmann Ghia was internally designated the Type 14. Volkswagen later introduced a variant in 1961, the Type 34 — featuring a less curvacious bodywork and based on the newly introduced Type 3 platform.

Over 445,000 Karmann Ghias were produced in Germany over the car's production life — not including the Type 34 variant. Karmann Brazil produced 41,600 cars locally for South America between 1962 and 1975.


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For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen 1500 Karmann Ghia (Type 34)

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Hard to believe this is the only model of this car in small scale. A classic Volkswagen, that is under-represented in 3" diecast? Believe it! This model was obtained in a trade with bangerkid45, who found it at the Hershey Matchbox show a few weeks ago. We both went past the table that had this little gem and never spotted it. On Jon's second pass through the room, he found it. It cost me a Treasure Hunt Mustang (the green '69) but it came home with me.

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Wikipedia
 
In 1961, Volkswagen introduced the VW 1500 Karmann Ghia Coupé, or Type 34, based on its new Type 3 platform, featuring Volkswagen's new 1500 engine, and styling by Italian engineer Sergio Sartorelli. Due to model confusion with the Type 14 1500 introduced in 1967, the Type 34 was known variously as the "Der Große Karmann" (the big Karmann) in Germany, "Razor's Edge Ghia" in the United Kingdom, or "European Ghia" (or "Type 3 Ghia" among enthusiasts) in the United States.

An electrically operated sliding steel sunroof was optional in 1963. The styling offered more interior and cargo room than the original Karmann Ghia.

Until it was replaced by the VW-Porsche 914, it was the most expensive and luxurious passenger car VW manufactured in the 1960s – back then you could have purchased two basic Beetles for the price of one Type 34 in many markets. The comparatively high price meant it never generated high demand, and only 42,505 (plus 17 prototype convertibles ) were built over the car's entire production life between 1962 and 1969 (roughly 5,000 a year). Today, the Type 34 is considered a semi-rare collectible.

Although the Type 34 was available in most countries, it was not offered officially in the USA – VW's largest and most important export market – another reason for its low sales numbers. Many still made their way to the USA (most via Canada), and the USA has the largest number of known Type 34s left in the world (400 of the total 1,500 to 2,000 or so remaining).

Like its Type 14 brother, the Type 34 was styled by the Italian design studio Ghia. There are some similar styling influences, but the Type 14 Ghia looks very different from the Type 34. The chassis is also a major difference between the cars: the Type 14 shares its chassis with a Beetle, whereas the Type 34 body is mounted on the Type 3 chassis and drive train (the same as in a Squareback/Notchback/Fastback) – all distinguished by a flattened "pancake" engine that provides a front and rear boot. The Type 34 is consequently mechanically the same as other Type 3s. All bodywork, interior, glass, bumpers, and most of the lenses are unique to the Type 34.

The Wilhelm Karmann factory assembly line which assembled the Type 34 also produced the Porsche 914 — the Type 34's replacement.


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james_autos
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Minivan
These vintage Sikus are like gold dust. There's so many out there that I want but obtaining them in reasonable condition for small money is near impossible :(
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Sak
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Ezekiel 25:17
A great find!

I saw a real one in Pennsylvania last year. In two-tone blue and white. Might very well have been the most beautiful air-cooled VW I've ever seen, with a charm that would knock your socks off. NOT offering it in the US market was a clear act of buffoonery.

There's a Corgi, in 'O', issued c. 1963...
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James
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Mr.Bowtie
Not much on European manufacturers, of cars not diecast, but this one scores 100 in the nostalgia department, and may actually get my vote as car of the week.

Love the way the headlites seem to actually work in the light.
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Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
Jeweled headlights and taillights and opening doors too- there's a lot of appeal to this casting. :thumbup:
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Sak
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Ezekiel 25:17
I think Siku pioneered jeweled headlights in the smaller scale...Impy followed suit.
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JustDavid
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SUV
Swifty-you made out! What a cool little car.
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Dean-o-mite
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Muscle Car
A neat casting of a car I can not get real excited about. The next generation is the only Karmann Ghia I can relate to. I am missing this one in my collection. Good score.

Dean
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ivantt
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New casting? Quick! Take it apart!
I had completely forgotten about this body style KG until I pulled up this CotD.
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