Complete photos, videos, and inspection report available at
www.ClassicPromenade.com. Classic Promenade is pleased to offer on
behalf of its Southern California owner this stunning 1953 Chrysler
Special Ghia. Having been owned by our friend and client for the
past 41 years, this has been a significant feature of his
collection of important motorcars. This is one of about 16 Chrysler
Special coupes that were hand-built in Torino, Italy by Carrozzeria
Ghia (production of these hand-built cars are not well documented).
These Chrysler Specials were show stoppers at the time of their
introduction and were reserved for celebrities the world over. This
Chrysler Ghia has never been restored and has been incredibly well
preserved by its owner, having amassed a total of 58,000 km (33,000
miles). This Ghia was sold new in 1953 to the famous jockey Johnny
Longden by France Motors in Paris. Records indicate that by
September 1953 Mr. Longden booked passage of the Ghia on board the
SS Liberte. He then registered it to his residential address in
Arcadia, California. Later in the 1950s, it was owned by a woman in
the affluent neighborhood of San Marino, California. Under her
ownership, the Ghia had received supplemental bumpers to protect
the hand formed front and rear end features of the car for her
suburban use. Holes are still present where these additional
bumpers had been mounted. By 1960, the Ghia was acquired by a
well-known Chrysler collector and authority, Robert Frumkin of Los
Angeles. Mr. Frumkin received a handwritten letter from Mr. Longden
confirming the Ghias provenance as well as the original color
combination of gray over maroon. Mr. Frumkin retained ownership of
the Ghia for two decades. In 1979, this Ghia was acquired by our
friend and client. He has a wonderful collection of largely
preserved cars that he has enjoyed for decades. This Ghia has
rarely ever been seen in public. The livery of this Ghia is in an
elegant Dove Gray. The paint has a patina of originality, but it
was presumably repainted long ago. The chrome and stainless are all
original and show well for 67 years of age. We love the smooth and
sexy lines that are timeless. It is a truly impressive car no
matter what angle its viewed from. The interior is also very
original, with the maroon leather seats and carpet having been
redone at some point. The rest of the interior appears to be in
overall nice condition. The interior is absolutely stunning in its
design and execution. The heart of the engine compartment is the
venerable Chrysler 331 CID hemi V8. The engine fires up willingly
and sounds terrific through the dual exhausts. The motor has a 1954
4-barrel carburetor, though the original carburetor is also
included. The Ghia has the Fluid-Matic automatic transmission that
is smooth and confident. This car also has a new power brake
booster, but it has not been installed. Sitting behind the wheel is
quite a thrill. It is obvious that this car was a design statement.
This Ghia is a largely original car that has been maintained in its
present form for the past four decades. Whether kept as a
preservation example or used as the basis of an easy restoration,
this is an incredibly rare opportunity to acquire an iconic
motorcar. For more details and information, please call or text
Harry Clark at 1.602.245.7200 or email us at
[email protected] . The Ghia remains with its owner in the
Los Angeles area.