Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 34 Razor Edge Goes For a Drive
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 พ.ค. 2021
- In 1961 VW launched a new version of the Karmann Ghia, and it was very different to the original.
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You forgot to mention one of the most important things with the Karmann-made bodies, the fact they're all seam-welded and with no visible seams, the entire body looks like a single entity. Imagine doing all that sanding and hand welding on every individual body! Remarkable craftsmanship.
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Not to mention expensive. I understand that price was a factor in making this car unpopular. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful car.
@@poatina4698 Part of the cost was because they were intensively hand-built. Hard to do body repairs on them because the body had been massaged into a single unit.
@@poatina4698 I get your point about special workmanship making this car dearer to produce. BUT the Americans had all sorts of ambitious body shapes. So did this REALLY cost so much to produce? Or did they also charge more to get production costs back? And it's called the Razor-Edge because of the not really "sharp" creases along the bodywork. BUT the Hillman Imp, and the NSU Print ALSO had "razor edge" creases, and WERENT expensive! Perhaps their razor edges were not continuously seam welded, just spot-welded! Does anybody know?
@@nygelmiller5293 they made vehicles in much higher numbers though, and generally people there have more disposable income, they're perhaps prepared to pay more initially
@@nygelmiller5293 it's not the razor edges or body lines where the welding happens.
now why can't we have cars as stylish as this nowadays
Pedestrian safety regulations but also designer laziness
@@wrongcheese don’t forget the financial part. Everything has to be made as cheap as possible.
Aerodynamics. Petrol is far more expensive now than it was in the 1970’s.
Safety regulations and aerodynamic mandates to meet efficiency quotas. Anything else isn't true.
@@timonsolus Adjusted for inflation, gas costs about the same today that it did back then. We just collectively have a desire to be as efficient as possible. That's why even modern muscle cars absolutely trounce their 1960s/70s ancestors when it comes to fuel economy and performance.
Not often a car comes along that I've never seen at least picture of before, this is definitely one!
What a gorgeous car! Credit to the owners a beautiful classic clearly used yet looks almost concours condition in the video.
it seems impressively usable with all that trunk space
@@fritzkuhne2055 because I used to own one in the 80' and 90's, and although the trunks look a bit shallow for suitcases, if you get the older ones, they aren,t as THICK as some of them now.I got a large and a medium one in the front, and a matching smaller one in the back! You just have to push the suitcase at the back RIGHT IN, because, in keeping with the car styles then, the trunk lid does slope down a bit, towards the end of the car! However, that does leave some room in the rear of the BOOT for odds and ends! Concerning these things, it used to be the fashion, to have small suitcase-style picknick cases. I still actually still have mine, in cream with Black dots on it.This matches the rooflining exactly! What a co-incidence! And this fits the storage area under the rear shelf EXACTLY! Since I no longer have the car (back problems now mean I can't ride in cars with low seats), I Want to sell this picknick set - so if someone wants it, can they give me a ring, on 07757-086885) Nygel
I used to have on of these in the 80's and 90's, but as I've got older, back troubles have set in, and I found driving LOW cars causes me problems. So that's the end of any such cars for me! But as it has always been my favourite car of all time, I'm so glad I DID have one. Recently I've therefore been gutted not to have one anymore, but such videos have come to the rescue , because having the camera in the car, really makes me feel I'm going for a ride in one again so I feel alright again!
I was actually wondering how you would top that Cord... well I'm no longer wondering!
Adore the flyover shots, please do that with every car, it gives such a different aspect to the styling :)
I try to do them when I can but have to operate in the law and cant fly everywhere
What a fun, whacky little car. It really looks Renault Dauphine at the front and very Corvair at the back! Not that that is a bad thing!. Great video Matt
I rememeber doing a Dauphine vs Type 14 shoot for a magazine years ago, but this is closer in looks
What an astonishingly beautiful car! Matt, I’m amazed you weren’t more nostalgic of the Type 34 having been the family car during your childhood. Yellow Datsun models from the 70’s were my parents cars of choice; fake embossed stitching still haunts me! If I was taken around in a Type 34 as a kid, you’d not stop me gushing about it!
Its all good memories of these cars but I wanted it to be about the car not me!
for me its the sound and smell of a 4 cylinder nissan from the 80´s. teleports my into better times ;D
Well I think you just changed my mind about the later Karmann Ghia, they are beautiful! And you always have to admire the quality of the Beetle and its predecessors, compared to other cars from the era!
The best looking of all the VWs! Always loved these - great video as always
To Nick Wills. So glad for your praise of whst has been my favourite car of all time! I was 9 years old when this came out, and fell in love with it immediately! I didn't fall in love with HUMANS till later! (First things first! )
This design is up there, with the Volvo P1800 - stunning simplicity 👍👍👍
I must say you really have STYLE to notice this! Do you think you have missed 2 more? How about the E-type Jaguar, or the early Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with the bar down the centre of the rear window? What do you think?
This has to be your best one yet, ok I'm biased as I do love old air cooled VW's.
RHD, sunroof and all those extras on it just make it absolutely amazing to me..
10 out of 10 Matt..
I worked at a VW dealer (Wikkie) in Philadelphia when these were new. I only saw 1 in our service bay, it was a gray market car, we did not sell them . I have always wanted one. VW made some interesting cars in Brazil that never made it to the USA.
A beautiful rare car! I’m a air cooled nut, had my 1200 ‘69 bug for a long time. Pedal offset is due to using the beetle floor setup which was narrower. Ghia has the same problem. Great vid! Keep them coming Matt! Perfect mix of tinkering, projects and test drives 😎😇
That T34 is in exceptional condition. We have a 1965 1500S notchback here in Sydney, and we own a 1961 Karmann cabrio beetle. Love the colour on that one. Nice one Matt!
That’s brilliant
Yes! Major props to the owner for keeping this beauty in such immaculate condition
You keep finding these gems. This is a new one to me. Great video 👍
This is a great video, so much attention to detail. Excellent job, Matt. 🙂
That is sheer perfection in car design. Absolutely wonderful.
Gorgeous, rare, beautiful example. My Mum had a 1965 1500 notchback that had the same sort of engine cover and a few other bits that I recognise on this car. Takes this era of VW to a new level.
They were so good back then
Love a flat four. Not seen a razor edge before. Very interesting!
I bought two of these off an American airman based near London, in about 1976, they were both on Californian plates, one was a tatty non runner and the other was not too bad. I twice got stopped by the police just to ask what it was. Absolute rust bucket with lethal handling, but looked very cool
This was manufactured when VW produced well made and stylish cars. VW at this time were a bit more expensive than the competition. This extra expense was worth it due to the build quality. VW today are a joke with their boring designs and supposed "quality". (Not to mention the ongoing diesel gate.) This is a lovely car thanks for the review.
My uncle had one that he brought back from Germany. According to Wikipedia, there now are more Type 34 Ghias in the USA than any other country, despite them never having been marketed here. I guess they had their fans here. It's amazing how much Corvair influence there is in the design of not just the 34, but the Imp and the 2002 as well. Seems a shame GM never seriously tried to build or market Corvairs over there; they might have been better received than they were here.
..lovely review!..a mate of mine used to have one of these back in the 90s (not sure if he still has it tho)..it was red with a withe roof non sunroof model and it sat on ats alloy wheels..remember sitting in it I felt great that glass area wrapping around you..just stunning 1960s feeling😎..btw love old ac vw’s..I’m into them for almost 30 years👍
My British friends you should definitely make calling a frunk a froot as part of your vernacular hahaha
A lot of us already do. :)
As a kid, I thought this was the older model because it just seemed less streamlined and cohesive. In the 70's, the wife of the minister of our church drove a convertible type 34 which they must have found very cheap because they didn't have much in the way of disposable cash. I was in it a couple of times on summer afternoons with the top down. I love the original, never warmed up to this one. The interior of the type 34 is way nicer, but it's hard to beat the borrowed Ghia design of the original.
11:25 That "R" at the left end of the fuel gauge is such a classic VW feature, probably intended to wean those who were used to a "Reserve" fuel tank lever.
The Type 34 Karmann-Ghia was never intended nor marketed as a sports car. It was arguebly the most beautiful Volkswagen ever, designed and built in the best tradition of Gran Turismo cars.
My neighbour owned one of these. He never touched the steering wheel with his bare hands, he always wore those strange fingerless gloves typical in trhe 1960s.
spring back driving gloves?
I love your reviews of interesting and unusual cars, giving your viewers a chance to have a taste of vehicles we otherwise couldn't. Please keep up the good work.
You've done it again, another glorious vehicle!
Actually, the styling by Ghia reminds me of the 1961 Dodge Dart, you would have to look that up. Rear styling is familiar yet unique, I cannot find another vehicle in my brain that has similar styling.
And that engine! Very VW! It's sound, the gear whine, I can see how this can take one back to their childhood! And I must say I do love that wind noise, it sounds so familiar, something I grew up with as a child here in the US. And how lucky you were to have parents to have owned a vehicle like this!
Bravo Matt!
Ive actually ridden in a Dodge Dart, (with purple velour button back seats someone had added), those round tail lights and fins got around!
I’ve long admired this model, and this is really an outstanding example. Thanks for taking us along!
Never heard of that model before. Very cool! 😃👍
Almost has a bit of Facel Vega roofline in there as well!
Hi Matt,nice looking car, brilliant drive,it's different lights back and front, who could never forget that Volkswagen sound.
What an absolutely beautiful car. Thankyou for showing us 🙂
A favourite of mine and I’ve always loved the styling of these over the more common K Ghia
This is the first time I've seen this version, it's beautiful 😍
These are beautiful cars, and it's a stunning restoration too. I love the colour combinations inside and out. It is a shame the Ghia never received the performance they looked capable of. Easily remedied these days though, if you can find one!
To Mathew Brown. In those days, various firms prided themselves on producing a stunning sports car body, on a family car's running gear! Like making Cindetella's pumpkin into her coach! But that's it - today OUR generation WOULD make them fast as well! The fastest version in the world does 150 m.p.h.!
This car changes my opinion of Karmann Ghia VWs completely. It reminds me of so many well built German products of the fifties and sixties. Excellent mechanical quality and ingenuity. One day I will be able to change gears as smooth as Matt. One day.
This car is beautiful. Great review as ever Matt.
Absolutely bloody brilliant, gorgeous Car great review Matt 👌👍
Great! Thank you. I'm old enough to remember this VW from the days when they were new and very exclusive!
What a beautiful car, great run through. Regards AJ
Best VW Volkswagen ever had built. The styling and roominess is perfect. Can't beat a TypeIII and this is the king of them all.
Headlights and headlamps in one.
Headlighmpes 🤣🤣
Great review as always Matt, keep them coming 👍🏻👌🏻
This type reminds me of Chevrolet Corvair, in America. Chevrolet Corvair was released in 1960s as well
Thanks for posting this. I have a 65 Type34 in my garage that's almost stripped down for a restoration. It's a slow and tedious job to bring these cars back from the dead. Costly as well as the parts are difficult to locate and when you do find them, they're expensive compared to other more common VW's.
Thank you furious for reviewing cars that never made it over here to Canada...always learning from you mate
I owned a 1963 VW Notchback if you ever get the chance to drive I would love to see it such a fun fast car.
Good video! We have one as a long term project.
Stunning car.
The front end with those headlamps reminds me a little of the Renault 8, also rear engined I believe.
What is missing in performance is certainly made up for with style both inside and out.
That has to be my all time favourite VW, what a beauty! Great review as always: effortlessly entertaining!
To Diecast Enthusiast. ANOTHER one who said it is their undisputed favourite - just like me! Always WAS my favourite and always WILL be!
Since my childhood, for me the Type 34 is the best looking Volkswagen ever!
4:44 Interesting way to feed the cooling air through the top of the rear lid to the back of the rear storage and down. No ugly air vents on the sides.
Great video, bringing the more appreciation to the beautiful T34. I am restoring one at the moment.
Wow, just wow. What a beautiful machine. 👍🏼
Surely that must be your next mission, buy back your old family car ?
What special memories 😯
Im not sure I could afford it!
@@furiousdriving
I'd sell my soul to buy back my childhood car. Was a two tone blue and white 1959 Hillman minx.
Sadly scrapped in around 1974
Remember helping to start it with the starting handle !
Can't put a value on memories.
What a beutiful looking car. Had a Beetle in the 1970s. Family comittments you know. Would love to have one.
Lovely test on a lovely car. These cars were so unloved for many years, but a decent one is hard to find these days, but when you do find one - dig deep into your pocket.
One of the best driving classic VWs!
I remember seeing one here in New Zealand in my youth (many decades before Google) and being totally perplexed by the Karmann Ghia badge on it.
are there even any left in NZ at this point
@@fritzkuhne2055 I’ve seen two in my lifetime. Possibly rusted away or re-exported by now. There were certainly more Type 1 KGs around.
@@fritzkuhne2055 Last one I saw here was in the 70's.
From the era when VWs were really durable... The shallow front booth is because of the front suspension design. If memory serves me right VW changed this to a McPherson layout with the VW 1302, many years later.
15:43 As all rear motor VWs this car always had an independent rear suspension. That was no option (and there was technically no way around - a live axle and a rear engine do not really match). This car would have deserved at least 75hp and it is not really understandable that VW did not do this, as Porsche showed how to get this power out of a very similar engine. Anyway, that it was not a sales success is clear when you have a look at the price.
A small window into a bygone world.
I covered Some 90 000 KM’s in a 1972 vw beetle back in Johannesburg in the early 90’s when leaning to fly.
Fond memories of the aircooled vw.
Ps You should buy the Volvo 122 wagon you reviewed not long ago.
We are the proud custodians of the last months production 245 polar estates ( May 1993).
The 122 you reviewed is a keeper.
Pls continue to make videos.
They’re a breath of fresh air.
What a nice car, especially with your childhood memories about it. Maybe do a video on your parents cars one day 👍😄
If I can find all the old photos!
@@furiousdriving or similar from the web 😁
That is beautiful. I actually prefer this look of karmann ghia. Tbh after watching this video I really want one 😍
Very few cars have very unusual proportions, and manage to look good at the same time. This one does, and exceptionally so! I find it extremely pretty. Very, very desirable car!
beautiful colour steering wheel, and carpets!
Such a pretty and elegant car! Great video Matt, love the t-shirt.
haha thanks, Im going to have to wrap the wing red once its painted
The best looking air-cooled vw.
When I was 15 - I'm 53 now - I'd already read a great deal about early Volkswagen's, and was always at some local scrap yard or other. One day I was lucky enough to find a razor edge Karmann type 34, all be it destined for the crusher. I was still at school and had no money to feed my passion, so I desperately nagged the scrapyard to save it, even rushing off and bringing back the book that proved how rare the car was.
Not only did they rescue the car - looking back now they obviously realised they could make an easy profit - they makeshift restored it within a couple of months, advertised, and then sold it on - they should've paid me a commission.
These are so rare now, imagine if it were possible that the car that I saved was the car being road tested here at Furious Driving? I have no idea what the registration was, but the car I rescued was in a scrapyard in Leicester in 1983. Just a thought ...
Well done saving that! I dont think it would be this one as it was in London all its life, but it would be good to know if thats still around
This car looks like it was maintained and cherished its whole life.
@@altaclipper ... the right car, for the right person under the best circumstances, and some miracle's can and do happen. As a case in point, a Volkswagen can be such a car because of the number of rare parts the passed pay forward at reasonable price, what with so many of them having dissolved where they've stood.
I've built both a one year only '67, and several Karmann body cars along the way that were seen to be uneconomic rebuilds at the time. They are now considered totally viable rebuilds in the present, even if they have no floor or bulkhead - I rolled a rebuilt chassis under all of mine as a case in point.
You couldn't have told any of them apart from a well preserved car with minor patina because of the way in which they were originally constructed.
I had hoped that this very car was the one that began my journey of "what if" at my formative age of fifteen, since the registration feels so familiar. But memory is a fluid thing, and if I'm told this car has never been out of a London based ownership, then as Kurt Vonnegut used to say, "and so it goes ..."
Im very into my vdubs i own a type 3 squareback with a poptop and a alfa romao powerd vw beetle myself. This is a good review
My favorite air-cooled VW. If I had one (and I'm sure I never will), I'd be tempted to build a 75-80 HP engine to drop in there. What a hoot it would be! I'd preserve the original engine, of course. Such a cool car.
What a beauty, this car is a real credit to it's owner. I love it!
Overall peak car design: Sixies, Italy. Case closed. IMO!
I was never crazy about these but you've (almost) persuaded me. Aren't the windows frameless? Lancia did pillarless.
They are frameless, but the doors, technically, are also pillarless!
The rear side widows are pillarless, as well! But there's a problem with it! They are held in place ONLY by "hinges" that are slim rubber blocks at the FRONT edge of the window, and this then slots into a slim pillar in front. After even only occasional use, the rubber hinges can come out of the pillar, and the window CAN DROP OUT, hanging on only by the chrome attachment button that goes through the back part of the window, and attaches onto the opening catch inside!(If you can picture what I mean!)
Excellent review 👍🏼
In the early 60’s my then Headmistress at infant school was a certain Miss Mougaleski (cannot spell) she had a baby blue VW Karman Ghia (14)
I was in awe as a 5-6 year old
Love to see a review on a VW 411 OR 412
I have only seen a handful of those in my lifetime. A couple, I spotted while I was stationed in Germany, but the rest were ones I saw on the streets of America, presumably imported by returning G.I.s. I wish VW had decided to bring those to these shores.
Stunning car and I am not a huge VW fan and I never knew this version existed
What an immaculate car! Lovely. 😊
Love the fact your family had one....I knew you had to have VW in your veins.
That is a beautiful car inside and out.
Still a great looking car! Amazingly practical too!
Very very beautiful and nice! Greetings from Pretoria South Africa.
What an beautiful car!❤️.
My absolute favourite car - beautiful!
What a beautiful car, not sure my size 12 feet would enjoy the pedal box, but I would love to see one in the flesh.
Ive got size 11 and it was OK with fairly narrow boots, but Doc Martens wouldn't work!
A beauty! Hadn’t thought they were built as a premium car, but that is classy. Like your boots, too. Are they Aussi Blunneys?
Today in the age of electric boredom and safety-over-beauty design, these classic cars are a delight for my eyes, they need to be preserved because they aren't made anymore, and specially these VW's, hey're history on Wheels
These cars remind me of a '64 Chevrolet Corvair. I'm currently looking for one to buy.
The car looks great, but that interior is gorgeous now why can't we have interiors like this instead of bland grey or black.🤩👍
Chap did the Fiat 126 as well. And the Maserati 5000GT prototype in 1961, which this quite closely resembles.
0:10 a very nice shot of how much the camber of the rear wheel changes even when driving straight on a flat surface. The original swing axle suspension was a really bad idea. The "IRS" suspension that followed (a semi-trailing arm variety) was not much better.
Beautiful car these are really rare in the states, corvairs are much more common here.
Lots and lots of Corvair influence in that body!
Oh Mr Richardson, yet another car to feature in The Champions in 1967! A 1964 version was used in the episode "The Search", looks very similar to this colour scheme too.
That would have been the CSP311 which ran from but 65-68 so must have been product placement from Nissan
@@furiousdriving , I thought we were talking about the Karmann Ghia rather than the Silvia, sir! The CSP311 wasn't imported officially to the UK, as far as I know. In The Champions, the car has a B registration.
@@RussEdgar445y7tlfj , that's right, two front numberplates! Driven by Penelope Horner's character in the episode "Someone Waiting", which was the last episode of The Persuaders to be broadcas.
It was also quite expensive when new, that did not help sales either...
Sencillamente hermoso un tesoro de la tecnología automotriz WV. Tengo 78 y tuve la oportunidad de manejar uno igual esos di eran autos merecen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Absolutely stunning 🤩