1957 Dual Ghia Sports Car Convertible

Eugene Casaroll nearly single-handedly invented the car-delivery business with his Auto Shippers enterprise and his Dual Motors Corporation built fleets of twin-engine military vehicles during World War II. He later diversified into the high-end automobile manufacturing business, acquiring the production rights to the Virgil Exner-designed, Ghia-built Dodge Firebomb concept car of 1955 that he renamed 'Dual-Ghia.'

Dual Motors shipped modified Dodge chassis from Detroit to Torino, where Ghia fitted the chassis with handmade bodies. Upon completion, the cars were returned to the Dual facilities where the cars received their Dodge D-500 V-8 engines and PowerFlite automatic transmissions. The production lifespan was short, last from 1957 to 1958, with the original Virgil Exner design mostly intact, only receiving slight modifications.

Production totals for the Dual-Ghia are often quoted at 117 cars built, which included prototypes, with all but two being convertibles. Marque experts often state that less than 100 examples were built. Priced at $7,646, the Dual-Ghia was $1,000 more than Cadillac's Eldorado Biarritz convertible.

Mr. Casaroll had intended to build 150 cars per year. It is believed that 73 examples remain in existence today. It's hard to be certain since none of the factory's shipping or original ownership records survive.

Dual-Ghias were numbered starting from 100. This particular example is chassis number 197 which was one of the last of these luxurious cars produced. It was reportedly purchased new from the daughter of the owners of The Washington Post. Circa 1971-1972, the car was gifted to a man who worked for the owners of the Post when he moved away from Washington, DC. Marvin Gregory of Greenville, South Carolina, owned the Dual-Ghia during the 1970s, and it was titled in Mr. Gregory's name in 1978. The next known owner was Mark Bueker, also of Greenville, who in turn sold the car to Joe Morgan of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, in 2004 or 2005. A Concours-level restoration soon followed. In 2010, Mr. Morgan sold the vehicle to Michael Schudroff.

Mr. Schudroff was invited to enter the Dual-Ghia into the 2010 edition of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it earned an award. That year, it was also awarded the People's Choice award at the Fairfield County Concours d'Elegance in Connecticut, and it went on to be the official 'poster car' for the 2011 edition of the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance and Best in Show.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2014

Dual-Ghia production numbers began with 100. This particular example, chassis number 197, is one of the last cars built at the end of the production run. It is believed to have been purchased new for the daughter of the family who owned the Washington Post. In the early 1970s, it was gifted to an employee of the Post. The car would then find its way to Greenville, South Carolina where it was cared for by both Marvin Gregory, and then by Mark Bueker. In 2004, Mark Bueker would sell the Dual-Ghia to Joe Morgan of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. Mr. Morgan commissioned a nut-and-bolt restoration.

Shortly after the restoration was complete, the car was purchased by Michael and Bebe Schudroff of Greenwich, Connecticut. It was shown at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it won a Second Place award in the 'Class P: Ghia Styling.' That year, the Dual-Ghia was also awarded the People's Choice award at the Fairfield County, Connecticut Concours d'Elegance and would go on to be selected from over 250 entries as the official 'Poster Car' for the 2011 edition of the Greenwich, Connecticut Concours d'Elegance.