My third Ghia – and son Andy’s first
YEAR/MODEL: 1974 143 Coupe
VIN: 1442669687
ENGINE: 1584cc dual port, 60hp
PURCHASED: 11 April 2009
FROM: Carlo Krnjaja, Huntington Woods, MI
SOLD: 06 Jun 2011
TO: Cheryl Taylor Viers, Bellevue, MI
My wife and I have three kids; the third was a “late dividend”. For the older two, we happened to have an old Pontiac station wagon still in the household for them to drive, but after Aimee moved on to college, Andy was still only 13, so we got rid of it.
When Andy got his license, he immediately began petitioning for a car. He attended both Lakeview High School and the Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center and he had a part-time job at the local hardware store, so a car of his own was not an unreasonable request.
The first car we found for him was a 1977 Porsche 924. We knew it had certain ‘issues’ when we bought it but we never imagined it would be the nightmare that it became. We took it to a local shop where it stayed for over a year unrepaired (we are heading for small claims court). After several months, we gave up on it and started looking for a VW for him – something that he and I could keep running ourselves. With my past history, a Ghia seemed like the natural way to go.
So we began searching the Samba, Craigslist and eBay for a Ghia close by and in relatively good shape. Eventually, one came up on eBay in suburban Detroit and I began corresponding with the seller, first through eBay’s messaging system, and then via regular e-mail and phone. It was a ’74 yellow coupe with less than 100,000 miles.
We agreed on a price and the seller took the eBay listing down and concluded the transaction as a “local sale”. We sent a deposit on 4 April 2009 and arranged to pick the car up in Ann Arbor the following Saturday, 11 April 2009, meeting at my daughter’s house there.
The car seemed to be photographed from peculiar angles in the eBay ad and once we saw the car in person, it became evident why. She was a bit of a “Bondo Queen”. Still, overall, it was a pretty nice car and we accepted it and paid the agreed upon balance. It was purchased from a man named Carlo Krnjaja.
Carlo had told me that this was originally a California car, originally registered in Sacramento. That may very well have been true, but when I picked it up, I couldn’t help but notice the MSU Parking sticker from the ’75-’76 academic year! Once again, the seller's name was CARLO KRNJAJA of HUNTINGTON WOODS, MI!
But at least to ol’ Carlo’s credit, it made the 80+ mile drive back to Battle Creek without incident and has not failed once in the 17 months we’ve had it up until this writing. So, my son Andy drove it the remainder of his Senior year in high school and through the following summer.
In May of 2009, I found and joined the Good Volks air-cooled VW club with this car and have been an active member ever since.
In the Spring of 2010 the car received new carpet and a modern radio. It has also inherited the NEW 5.5” wide Chrome Wheels and NEW Kuhmo radials that came with the ’71 red coupe (Ghia #4).
It is also permanently wired for towing. I have also made minor improvements here and there but still have my eye out for that prized ’71 coupe in Adriatic Blue reminiscent of my ’66.
Despite being a mechanically sound car, this one was sold 6 Jun 2011 to Cheryl Taylor Viers, of Bellevue, MI. Hopefully, I will still see it around town from time to time!
