Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Economy, Minivans/MPVs, Trucks/Pickups, Wagons/Estates, Etc., Volkswagen
2007 Michigan Vintage VW festival: All the air cooling you can stand
Click on the Karmann Ghia Cabriolet for huge high-res gallery of VeeDubs
If you're a fan of air-cooled VeeDubs, Ypsilant's Riverside Park was the place to be on Sunday. Perfect spring weather greeted at least a couple of hundred rear-engined Wolfsburg machines. The 2007 Michigan Vintage Volkswagen Festival saluted the fiftieth anniversary of the Karmann Ghia Cabriolet of which there were many shining and some not so shining examples.
Pretty much all the variations of the Type 1 (aka the Beetle), Type 2 (the MicroBus) and Type 3 (the 1960s sedans, coupes and wagons) VeeDubs were on hand along with a bunch of vendors selling all manner of parts. There were at least three Love Bugs on display including a convertible, several Things, Dune Buggies and Westfalia campers. One owner brought his perfectly original 1958 Beetle complete with skis on the back. Also present was a rare, fully restored Type III Karman Ghia coupe, and a MicroBus that had most of it's mid-section removed, but had a really cool looking bamboo interior. None of these cars would come close to passing muster in the modern automotive world, but it's good to see so many owners who still appreciate them and keep them running.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
zach 1:29PM (5/14/2007)
The chopped bus is absolutely hysterical. I'm pretty sure I'd crash into something if i ever saw that on the road.
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Jared 2:03PM (5/14/2007)
I've seen that chopped bus at the St. Ignace car show north of the Mackinac Bridge. That day, it had a 2 ft joint hanging out of its mouth..er, bumper.
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roadside observer 2:18PM (5/14/2007)
The Karmann Ghia was ugly when it came out, and age has not improved it.
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Peter 3:01PM (5/14/2007)
The Ghia is sex on wheels, and age only makes them hotter. It's a shame VW can't make something that stylish these days.
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toneroo 3:44PM (5/14/2007)
Would it be possible for you guys to label some of the pictures? I'm no VW afficionado and it would be nice to know what I'm looking at (rather than, oh there another Karmann Ghia).
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RidinLow 8:21PM (5/14/2007)
Thanks for posting those pictures! Sure brings back a lot of memories from growing up in LA. You never see any of those things anymore on the road, especially in NJ.
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Barney 9:32PM (5/14/2007)
Fantastic pictures. I'm glad you got the type III squareback in. It was my favorite car. I had also owned a 1958 single cab pickup. (THat was my first vehicle) The beetle and van became very versatile vehicles and could be found everywhere on earth. The commercials were funny as well. They were being sold as an economical & inexpensive car and they were.
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C. McFeeny 8:15AM (5/15/2007)
My wife and I went to that show. We're in the market for a Karmann Ghia restoration project. It was nice to see so many great examples of what you can do with enough time and money. It's too bad VW doesn't have the sense of style to put out something as cool as the KG anymore. Well, I suppose if they did they'd price it north of 30k anyhow. The great thing about the KG back in the day is that it could be had for around 1.8k.
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Ashraf Manji 10:09PM (6/20/2007)
Hello: Are you still looking for a Ghia restoration project? I have 1971 Silver colored coupe that might work for you. It is in Evanston, IL. Write or call if interested. (847) 869-2392. Ashraf