Its a Carmen Ghia... I know my VWs!

[Rafe Hollister]

My 56 P-Hawk was purchased a few months ago with no markings on it. So its fun when people either guess or 'know' what it is. Some people are curious and offer a guess, but others are confident they know what it is... misjudging their ignorance.
Here is list of what others think my car is: Alpha Romeo, 'that's a 60s Mercedes... I can tell by the grill', Avanti, Thunderbird, early Barracuda, Jaguar, Aston Martin, and Citroen. I can see a little reason for some of these.
And some people have never heard of a Studebaker, like the gal at the DMV. Or when I tell them its a Studebaker and they say, 'Oh, I remember, Chrysler made that model'.
But my favorite was the guy who swore up and down it was a Karmann Ghia. When I told him it was a Studebaker, he thought I was an idiot. He explained to me that he really knew his VWs and that what I had was a Karmann Ghia. I asked him where and what kind of engine a Carmen Ghia had. He said flat 4 in back. So I opened the trunk. The truth was still not setting in with him. So I opened the hood. He left shaking his head, still not quite convinced that maybe it was a modified VW.
People can be soo weird... but I love them!
I would like to hear if any of you have interesting ID stories.

Rafe Hollister

[gsx_martin]

The guy know his VWs???
I don`t know how this guy can think a Karman Ghia looks like a Studebaker ? They are totally different

[plee4139]

It's fine that you know your VWs, but even better if you spell it "Karmann," unless of course, you're referring to the opera.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

The guy know his VWs???
I don`t know how this guy can think a Karman Ghia looks like a Studebaker ? They are totally different

They are totally different, but I think they do share some concepts. Both are very sleek, aerodynamic, and pretty.
-Dwight

[Ron Dame]

This must have been in the late '70's I had a GT Hawk and stopped to get gas. An old man walked out from the garage bay, wiping his greasy hands on a greasy rag and asked "Iz that one of them Valv-o's?". You'd have thought a grease monkey of his generation would know about Studebakers, but he didn't.

[PackardV8]

It's fine that you know your VWs, but even better if you spell it "Karmann," unless of course, you're referring to the opera.

That's one a them Common Gears, ain't it?

jack vines

[Noxnabaker]

Chrysler was first on the Karmann but sadly withdraw from it so:

& since Chrysler & Studebaker shared designers at times I reckon some less interested people mix things up as time goes by & memories... eh... & so on...

[Andy R.]

Most memorable (common) misnomers with my family's GT Hawks:

"Is 'at one of them Ferr-air-is?" - Parents' honeymoon - GT on Blue Ridge Parkway - 1964
"That's a beautiful Thunderbird!" - Butler, OH - 1985
"It says 'TT', it's an old Audi!" - Mansfield, OH - 1999
"Ooooh, it's a Gran TORINO!" - San Francisco, CA - 2009*
"I don't know, Dad, but I think it's a Maserati." - Golden Gate Park, SF, CA - 2011

...but my favorite (from my friend's Jewish fiancé)
"Jeezus! That car is SICK!" - San Francisco - 2008

*Note "Starsky and Hutch" joke in profile pic.

Related favorite comment on my Champagne Gold/Red 1963 Daytona Wagonaire:
"Oh my God, that station wagon is GLAMOROUS!" - San Francisco Pride Week - 1995

As for the Karmann Ghia connection, they do have a smaller version of the "Loewy" mustaches.

[StudeRich]

The FIRST thing that came to my mind about the Karmann vs the Stude. is the SIZE, How could anybody in their right mind confuse that little Toy, Half the Size of a Hawk?

[Lark Hunter]

Who the heck is Carmen Ghia?

The Renault Floride/Caravelle is a better looking car than a Karmann anyway. Did I stray off topic?

[Rafe Hollister]

Oooh, Andy R... I'm gonna paint my Hawk like that! The Starsky & Hutch paint job makes any car look bitchin'!
Rafe

[Chris Pile]

One of our members was once asked if his GT Hawk was a Rolls Royce...
The guy had never heard of a Studebaker.

[plee4139]

Not going to change the car's name from "Carmen" to "Karmann?"

[bensherb]

Maybe he was thinking of the VW type 34, or Type 3 ghia, aka "razor". Still looks nothing like a Hawk, but is much closer in size being half again the size of the VW Type 14 "Karmann Ghia".


I've had MANY people ask what my GT is. Most over 50 had heard of Studebaker but but thought they only made "little boxy cars" (I've heard this many times). The younger people think it's a european car and have never heard of Studebaker. They usually think its a relatively new car too and are flabbergasted when I tell them it's 59 years old. I have been asked if it was a Maserati. I had one guy simply ask "is that supercharged?" when I said no, he was no longer interested.

[J_Cole]

It's fascinating to me how many cars the 53 Commanders/Champions have helped spawn to include Hillman Minx, Sunbeam Tigers, Alfa's, an Aston Martin by a special design house, the Citreon DS, ect ect ect. The car itself was inspired by the Porsche 356 and Stude/VW/Porsche were tied together for a few years in the 50's until DeLorean pulled the plug. People see S2D or Moira and are convinced it's an older Porsche (makes total sense), VW, Alfa, or simply have no idea. S2D doesn't have any markings minus a sticker in one of the windows and a license plate frame BUT it does have Mercedes logos inside on the horn, cigarette lighter, and rear parcel shelf. So I get a lot of "is that a Mercedes" questions, probably equal to the Porsche questions.

My favorite though is recently I took it to a car show and a car crazy 6-8 year old saw me and kept asking if it had a custom engine because it is loud. I told him it did then he was like that's a Studebaker isn't it? I know my cars and that's a Studebaker. I was floored. After inspecting the car and sitting in the drivers seat for a minute, he saw a little British sports car drove by and he yelled the make and model and how much he loved them and went to go look at it. The car hobby is indeed alive :-)