1963 Ford Falcon Clan by Ghia

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Online | September 16-25, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Here is another coachbuilt example of something American you wouldn’t expect to have landed in the hands of an Italian design house. Ford and Ghia have partnered on quite a few show cars over the years, and Ford has actually had a stake in Ghia since 1970. But in the 1950s, Ghia was Chrysler’s turf. That all started to change about the time that this fastback Falcon appeared in 1964.

The car was built on a 1963 Ford Falcon Sprint chassis. It retained the Sprint’s 164-horsepower, 4.3-liter (260ci) V8. Ghia added the fastback body style that RM correctly notes as sort of predicting the upcoming Plymouth Barracuda.

It’s a neat-looking thing, but it somehow makes the relatively ho-hum Falcon appear just as ho-hum, yet even more of the period. I would have totally believed this was a factory body style if I didn’t already know it was a one-off. It’s expected to fetch $40,000-$75,000 (in other words, they have no idea what it’s worth). Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $23,100.

1953 Alfa Romeo 1900C Sprint Supergioiello by Ghia

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monaco | May 14, 2016

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

This might look more like a coachbuilt classic than a rally car, but it turns out that it is both. The Alfa Romeo 1900C was the short wheelbase version of the 1900. The 1900 was built between 1950 and 1959 with the C having been introduced in 1951.

It is powered by a 1.9-liter straight-four making 100 horsepower. This car was bodied by Ghia and is one of 18 such examples built (and was apparently the final one). It was sold new in Spain and used extensively for rallying between 1954 and 1961. It actually ran in the 1955 Monte Carlo Rally with owner Gumersindo Garcia Fernandez at the wheel.

This car has spent most of its life in Spain and Portugal but was restored in Italy recently. It looks fantastic and the numbers on the door give away its racing past, even if those wire wheels don’t. It should sell for between $555,000-$660,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.