please identify this classic car off the TV

[A993LAD]

just watching an old documentary on TV which showed this car and I'd be grateful if anyone can identify it.

it seems to have a grill in the boot so I'm guessing rear engined.

I have tried running the reg number through the DVLA site but it doesn't seem to exist anymore

apologies for the photo quality which is literally a poor quality phone camera taking a picture of a very old documentary on my rubbish TV.

[Inbox]

Looks like a Volvo P1800.

[DickyC]

VW Karman Ghia.

[tr7v8]

Karmann Ghia, posh VW Beetle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Karmann_G...

[bnseven]

Looks like a Karmann Ghia to me

[Super Sonic]

Karmann Ghia coupe from VW.

[A993LAD]

Thanks. I should have worked that out.

Probably an unusual sight in Sussex streets in 1961 amongst all the British cars,

[coppice]

Ghia also made a bizarre one of Cobra , which after seeing in CAR in about 1970 I saw at Silverstone Classic. It's like the VW with a steroid habit-

[DickyC]

All the Ghia, no idea.

[reddiesel]

DickyC said:

All the Ghia, no idea.

[Riley Blue]

History of the design and production here:

https://www.californianclassics.co.uk/history-of-t...

[CanAm]

coppice said:

Ghia also made a bizarre one of Cobra , which after seeing in CAR in about 1970 I saw at Silverstone Classic. It's like the VW with a steroid habit-

Ghia didn't actually make this particular example themselves. The body was originally on a FIAT 8V chassis, and was found in a scrapyard by John Willment, who bought it, and put the body on a Cobra 427 chassis, creating this AC Ghia Supersonic, which was advertised for sale for quite a while by a well known Cobra specialist.

Edited by CanAm on Sunday 16th November 11:25

[Den Den]

I have to say it's a great looking machine.

[Riley Blue]

Den Den said:

I have to say it's a great looking machine.

Looks like a Karmann Ghia cabin grafted on to the bottom half of a much larger car.

[LarJammer]

The Fiat version is much better looking.

[LotusOmega375D]

My mate in Germany had a red Karmann Ghia as his first car. It had a sort of semi automatic gearbox: what looked like a manual gearstick, but I think only 2 pedals and 3 gears. He had a sporty exhaust fitted, but it was all show and no go. However it did lead him to a passionate affair with an older woman with a 911, who complimented his car whilst sitting in an Autobahn traffic jam…

[reddiesel]

CanAm said:

Ghia didn't actually make this particular example themselves. The body was originally on a FIAT 8V chassis, and was found in a scrapyard by John Willment, who bought it, and put the body on a Cobra 427 chassis, creating this AC Ghia Supersonic, which was advertised for sale for quite a while by a well known Cobra specialist.

Edited by CanAm on Sunday 16th November 11:25

Wasn't this with Rod Leach many years ago ?

Edited by reddiesel on Wednesday 19th November 16:18

[Yertis]

Riley Blue said:

Den Den said:

I have to say it's a great looking machine.

Looks like a Karmann Ghia cabin grafted on to the bottom half of a much larger car.

Yes it does, Mad Max: Thunder Road style

[CanAm]

reddiesel said:

CanAm said:

Ghia didn't actually make this particular example themselves. The body was originally on a FIAT 8V chassis, and was found in a scrapyard by John Willment, who bought it, and put the body on a Cobra 427 chassis, creating this AC Ghia Supersonic, which was advertised for sale for quite a while by a well known Cobra specialist.

Edited by CanAm on Sunday 16th November 11:25

Wasn't this with Rod Leach many years ago ?

Edited by reddiesel on Wednesday 19th November 16:18

That's the chappy! It was advertised in Motor Sport month after month.

[s m]

CanAm said:

reddiesel said:

CanAm said:

Ghia didn't actually make this particular example themselves. The body was originally on a FIAT 8V chassis, and was found in a scrapyard by John Willment, who bought it, and put the body on a Cobra 427 chassis, creating this AC Ghia Supersonic, which was advertised for sale for quite a while by a well known Cobra specialist.

Edited by CanAm on Sunday 16th November 11:25

Wasn't this with Rod Leach many years ago ?

Edited by reddiesel on Wednesday 19th November 16:18

That's the chappy! It was advertised in Motor Sport month after month.

A genuine bit of Nostalgia….