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CGLockRacer
CGLockRacer GRM+ Memberand Reader
7/21/09 12:59 p.m.

In Ann Arbor today, I saw a VW I've never seen before. At first I thought it was a Ghia, but the front wasn't quite right. The rear looked like a mini Covair. No pics unfortunately, but does anyone know what it is?

The Brown Stig
The Brown Stig GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
7/21/09 1:00 p.m.

... Maybe it was a Karmann Miranda?

Per Schroeder
Per Schroeder Technical Editor/Advertising Director
7/21/09 1:03 p.m.

Type III?

Type IV?

Ooh..I know, Type III Karman Ghia.

Tim Baxter
Tim Baxter Online Editor
7/21/09 1:05 p.m.

There were also some special-bodied VWs of that era with corvair-like rear ends, but the name is escaping me. Horch maybe?

Although I think Per's right, it's probably a Type 3 Ghia:

ratghia
ratghia Reader
7/21/09 1:05 p.m.

If it looked like a corvair it was a type 34 also know as a type 3 Karmann Ghia.

Is this it

slantvaliant
slantvaliant Reader
7/21/09 1:08 p.m.

Maybe a Type 34 Karmann Ghia?

slantvaliant
slantvaliant Reader
7/21/09 1:09 p.m.

Y'all are quicker than I am.

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
7/21/09 1:21 p.m.

pretty car.. not sure they were ever officially imported. Much like the Type 3 notch

bludroptop
bludroptop Dork
7/21/09 1:31 p.m.

My favorite VW! They had the type-III motor, some with twin solex carbs. They were not officially imported. My dad had a chance to buy an immaculate '64 with 13k miles in 1976 for $4000, but he went for a new Rabbit instead.

I want to say that there were a handful of coach-built cabriolets that never made it past pre-production. Some amazingly small number, like 3.

Edit: Wikipedia says 17 cabrios were made.

Linky to Wiki page

ratghia
ratghia Reader
7/21/09 1:35 p.m.

The type 34 was never imported to the states because vw didn't think they would be able to keep up with demand. The ones that are here came from a dealer exchange program, tourist delivery, or were imported by a owner or buyer.

CGLockRacer
CGLockRacer GRM+ Memberand Reader
7/21/09 2:05 p.m.

Thats it! Thanks!

914Driver
914Driver SuperDork
7/21/09 2:08 p.m.

Fugzamattawidyou? That's a Karmann Miranda if I ever saw one !!

slantvaliant
slantvaliant Reader
7/21/09 2:20 p.m.

I saw a few around Wichita Falls, Texas in the '70's.
Likely brought in by USAF folks returning from Germany, or by the Luftwaffe detachment there.

The Brown Stig
The Brown Stig GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
7/21/09 2:30 p.m.
914Driver wrote: Fugzamattawitchew? That's a Karmann Miranda if I ever saw one !!

You and I are apparently the only ones old enough.

ratghia
ratghia Reader
7/21/09 3:53 p.m.
bludroptop wrote: Edit: Wikipedia says 17 cabrios were made.

I believe that the cabrios are in the vw museum at Wolfsburg.

bludroptop
bludroptop Dork
7/21/09 4:19 p.m.
ratghia wrote: I believe that the cabrios are in the vw museum at Wolfsburg.

All of them? This is all long-forgotten VW lore for me, but I seem to recall that a few got out.

mel_horn
mel_horn HalfDork
7/21/09 4:35 p.m.

I remember seeing one in Lebanon PA when I was in high school (late '60s), and one came in to the dealership I worked at in '69 or '70.

ratghia
ratghia Reader
7/21/09 4:45 p.m.

I know that there are a few there and that they never got sold to the public. I don't know what happened to the rest but I do know that several people have made cabrio replicas.

randyvr6
randyvr6 New Reader
7/21/09 11:14 p.m.

Was the one you saw silver? It is a Type 34 Karmann Ghia.

If so I know the owner who is from Tecumseh; about 20 minutes from Ann Arbor.

friedgreencorrado
friedgreencorrado HalfDork
7/21/09 11:35 p.m.
The Brown Stig wrote:
914Driver wrote: Fugzamattawitchew? That's a Karmann Miranda if I ever saw one !!
You and I are apparently the only ones old enough.

I never thought I'd stand up for this kind of challenge..

I'm not that old of course, I only knew who she is because of these things:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037457/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039839/

The Brown Stig
The Brown Stig GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
7/22/09 7:27 a.m.
randyvr6 wrote: Was the one you saw silver? It is a Type 34 Karmann Ghia. If so I know the owner who is from Tecumseh; about 20 minutes from Ann Arbor.

And if it is red the owners name is Shep, he used to work here.

CGLockRacer
CGLockRacer GRM+ Memberand Reader
7/22/09 7:47 p.m.
randyvr6 wrote: Was the one you saw silver? It is a Type 34 Karmann Ghia. If so I know the owner who is from Tecumseh; about 20 minutes from Ann Arbor.

Yeah, it was. Also had VW logo covers on the inner lights. I live 5 min. from Tecumseh. Sweet car too, I've never seen one.

randyvr6
randyvr6 New Reader
7/23/09 11:05 a.m.
CGLockRacer wrote:
randyvr6 wrote: Was the one you saw silver? It is a Type 34 Karmann Ghia. If so I know the owner who is from Tecumseh; about 20 minutes from Ann Arbor.
Yeah, it was. Also had VW logo covers on the inner lights. I live 5 min. from Tecumseh. Sweet car too, I've never seen one.

That's the one. The guys name is Bob. He has a sweet early VW bus as well.

There is a huge car show every September in Clinton for their Fall Festival; he usually brings both of them there. He has also had them at the big car show held at the ididit business in Tecumseh every fall. I found a picture of them from last year posted below

I live in Somerset just 6 miles west of MIS down US12.

MiatarPowar
MiatarPowar HalfDork
7/24/09 10:24 a.m.

That bus.... Oh my.

jpod999
jpod999 Reader
8/30/09 9:55 p.m.

Sorry to bring an old thread back up but I thought it necessary. Saw one today that was converted to electric. I think. It had electric badges all over it and a gauge inside that showed how much power was in the batteries.

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