KGCNA has obtained permission in writing to publish copyrighted materials from both Volkswagen AG and Wilhelm Karmann GmbH. Please do not attempt to save a copy of materials from our site, as this may jeopardize our permission to use the materials.Thank you.
The French Karmann Ghia Club has a similar domain name. Find them at http://karmann-ghia.org/
1) THIS SUMMER is the 10th Anniversary of KGCNA!
You can find out about it at this page: https://KarmannGhia.org/50th_anniversary.html. Please also note that the 50th Anniversary Committee is seeking your volunteer assistance! You can contact Richard or Larry about it.
Membership in KGCNA is desired, but not required for membership on the e-list.
To sign-up and for more information, please follow this
link.
Soon, a more exhaustive list will be posted here.
Club dues are presently $25 per year for US addresses, and $40 for all others. Dues should be made payable to KGCNA, and must be in US funds only.
Note that we are interested in aiding the Karmann Ghia community through maintenance of a database. One of the most important uses of this data is helping to protect members from the ravages of Insurance Companies, who love to consider your pride and joy "just an old VW." To perform this service, we need to keep up to date with the market, and want to know your actual selling prices for Ghias you buy or sell, not just what you report to your Department of Motor Vehicles. Please provide, for all Ghias you can:
Meetings are held on the third Friday of every month, starting at approximately 7 PM. The location is Richard Troy's place, in Oakland. Map and Directions. There is no set ending time, and often the gathering begins much earlier. Enthusiasts will find the venue a delight as it's held at a workshop filled with Karmann Ghia things, and projects in various states of completion. Some folks bring dinner, and sometimes pizza is ordered... you're encouraged to bring what ever you like.
The Karmann Ghia Club of North America
4200 Park Blvd, #151
Oakland CA 94602
You may also contact any of the members of the Leadership, at their
various addresses, published below.
Richard has been an active Karmann Ghia enthusiast, and collector for over a decade. His collection is presently focused on the pre-60 Ghia, though over the years he has owned a good number of nearly all types and years of Karmann Ghia. He performs as many tasks as he can in his restoration and maintenance efforts, so it's hard to find something he hasn't done to his cars himself.
Richard's is meticulous and slow, but his approach to perfection shows. As a case in point, Richard has spent 8 years restoring 1991940, and completed it in the spring of '95. The vehicle was nice enough to be honored to represent Karmann at the Behring Auto Museum in Blackhawk, California in an exhibit on Carrozzeria Ghia, featuring the famed "Chrysler d'elegance" - The d'elegance is arguably the fore-runner of the Karmann Ghia. (There is some debate on the exact heritage, but there is no debate that the two designs are very closely related.)
Richard, in addition to his role as President, also authors several columns in the Karmann Chronicles, and is active in reproducing a number of rare parts for the Vintage Karmann Ghia.
His other automotive interests include the Porsche 356, and the Rometsch, and he is very active in Vintage Racing engines. In particular, Richard loves to play with Okrasa, Denzel, and early Porsche high performance engines. Amazingly, he is presently making reproduction parts for all three types! ("Ya gotta do, what ya gotta do when it comes to making these things work!") Oh yes, and he has a Judson super charger too, though it's just an aside. Richard plans on benchmarking each engine type in the same vehicle, for "apples to apples" comparisons of performance.
For his day job, Richard is a Computer Scientist. He recently founded Science Tools Corporation to commercialize the results of his research at the University of California at Berkeley. And, he is Co-Investigator of the OceanESIP project.
KGCNA needs a volunteer, preferably in the San Francisco Bay Area to
take on the role of Vice President. The role of VP is as fun and exciting
as you care to make it! A successful candidate should have good communication
skills, and strong interests in representing the club. Any current members
in good standing are eligible. Please contact Richard or Larry for more
information.
Larry Edson, Acting Editor
662 Hawthorne Av.408-379-4158 (PST)
SonOfEd@KarmannGhia.org
Larry, as editor, is obviously is one of the real work-horses of the organization, but never seems to be too busy to call up and say, "Hey! Did you see that Ghia in the paper for $200!" Larry owns a gaggle of Ghias - all type 3s... He's brave about saving them, and is a real hero when it comes to the lengths to which he will go...
Larry is also a family man and has two daughters. Larry is a Computer
Software Consultant, and has other outside interests. Mostly, he's into
music and is a part of a local choir, but he also loves to deliver balloons
and party favours for Valentines Day!
Bill and his wife Gene have been Vintage VW fans for some time.
They own a '69 Ghia convertible, and also own a "water-pumper" Porsche!
KGCNA presently is in need of a Regalia Coordinator, preferably in the San Francisco Bay Area, though not necessarily so. The role involves accepting orders for regalia items and filling them. Work with others in Leadership in placing orders for more Regalia items, and perhaps come up with new and creative ideas for new items. Occasionally, new ad copy for the Karmann Chronicles will be required. Any member of KGCNA in good standing is eligible for this position.
Any interested party is encouraged to contact Richard regarding this position.