Airkooled Kustoms recently completed the restoration of a classic 1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia for a couple celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary – and it made the cover of VolksAmerica.
Airkooled Kustoms, an auto shop specializing in Volkswagen and Porsche restoration, announced the recent completion of a1969 Karmann Ghia project. The Hazel Green, Alabama shop restored the classic Volkswagen for Margo and Brian Curran, a couple celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.
More details can be found here.
The project began when the couple decided to purchase a 1969 VW Karmann Ghia to celebrate the special occasion in style; the car would remind Margo of her beloved uncle, who drove one when she was little, and the durability of a classic Ghia would symbolize the couple’s faithfulness and love.
The Ghia they purchased based on an advertisement turned out, upon inspection, to be in a very poor condition, with plastic zip-ties holding the frame together.
Airkooled Kustoms helped the couple find a better 1969 Ghia, which happened to be just yards from the shop. Margo and Brian decided to go for it, and the shop began the full restoration project.
According to the VolksAmerica Magazine, which featured the story in its Spring 2019 edition, the restoration process was extensive: “Transforming this ride from one that was unsafe at any speed - or even standing still - into a reliable and gorgeous brand new, very old car began with a swap out. The 1969 core took on a disk brake upgrade, an upgraded suspension package with rear sway bar, and a 3” narrowed beam.”
The color was also unique, with Eric “Spook” LeClair, shop owner and vintage Karmann Ghia specialist, actually naming it twice during the process: “Then it got a kustom paint job, a tri-stage double ice white jaw-dropper Spook named Snow Blind while he was working on it, and renamed it Whipped Cream once he was done. In the sunlight, you’d understand how this color inspired so many names.”
The engine was also replaced with a 1776 cc with a Stage 2 transmission from Aircooled Werks of East Ridge, TN.
After the restoration, the Ghia got the name Storm, like the popular X-Men character.
Interested parties can find more information by visiting the above-mentioned website.
