Lot details
Registration No: PRX408B
Chassis No: 0374101
Mot Expiry: June 2011

Carrozzeria Ghia SpA was established in Turin in 1915. The company's early claim to fame was crafting the aluminium body for the 1929 Mille Miglia-winning Alfa Romeo. Prior to being taken over by Ford in 1970, Ghia was responsible for many exotic designs as well as a number of complete models bearing its own name. The most successful of these was the shapely little 1500 GT, of which some 846 are thought to have been made between 1962 and 1967. The two-seater Coupe was based on a shortened Fiat 1500 C chassis and powered by a mildly tuned version of that car's 1500cc in-line, four cylinder engine. The unit was mated to a four speed manual gearbox. Suspension was independent by coil sprigs at the front and a leaf spring mounted live axle at the rear. The car rode on pretty Borrani wire wheels. Thanks to its slippery shape the 1500 GT was capable of around 110mph - an impressive speed for a 1500cc car of this period.

The left-hand drive 1500 GT on offer is a 1964 example with Red coachwork and a Black vinyl interior. It started life in California and was imported into the UK during the late 1980s. Apparently, for many years it formed part of the Filching Manor Motor Museum Collection. The Ghia, reputed to be the only 1500 GT in the UK, has subsequently been recommissioned and improved. Such work has included: recoring of the radiator and the fitting of a new clutch and electric fan. The vendor tells us that the performance generated by the twin-choke Weber-equipped engine is "lively", that the coachwork, paintwork and engine are "good" and the transmission and interior trim "very good". This rare and interesting car is MOT'd into June and taxed until the end of August 2011.