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1958 Dual Ghia Super Dart 400 Prototype

The 1950s wave of success and optimism brought a flood of chrome trim and towering tailfins, along with platforms that continued to grow in size and lower in height. Cars of the future were being built on a regular basis, feeding the appetite of a modern public who was reaching for the stars, or rather, the moon. Chrysler Corporation had turned to Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin, Italy for many of their show cars. Most of these unique creations had little or no chance to see regular production, but they succeeded in birthing new design ideas as well as attracting customers into the showrooms.

1958 Dual Ghia Super Dart 400 Prototype photo
Coupe by Ghia
Chassis #: 202
View info and history
Auction entries : 1
While Dodge was unwilling to bring many of these concepts to production, an individual named Eugene Casaroll was convinced these were the future. Mr. Casaroll was an American-Italian businessman and a Detroit trucking magnate who acquired the rights to the design of the Dodge Firearrow show cars (Firearrow I, II, III, and IV and the nearly production-ready Firebomb), penned by Luigi Segre with influences by Virgil Exner. By 1957, his Dual Motors, named for the twin-engine trucks that the factory once produced, had a modified version of the Firearrow in production. It was given the name, Dual-Ghia, and was powered by a reliable Motor City-bred Dodge V-8 engine and wore hand-crafted bodywork by Italian carrozzeria Ghia, of Turin. The craftsmanship was endowed with exhaustive attention to detail and a luxurious interior, complete with front bucket seats and a dashboard with a full set of instruments that were set against engine-turned aluminum.

Casaroll was one of the first automakers to recognize and understand the value of social status and upper-class appeal, as he hand-chose his customers from a list of clamoring applicants. Among the list was Frank Sinatra, who was the brightest of all stars at the time, along with Peter Lawford and Eddie Fisher. Other customers included Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Joey Bishop. Production of the exclusive Dual Ghia lasted from 1956 and 1963 with approximately 100 built at a pricey $7,650 each. One journalist wrote, 'A Rolls-Royce is a Hollywood status symbol for those who can't get a Dual Ghia.'

When production of the Dual-Ghia Convertible ended, Gene Casaroll's partner, Paul Farago, launched a lavish new coupe, this time it was simply called a Ghia and to the initiated, the model number L6.4 signified that Chrysler's powerful 6.4 liter, or 383 CID, V-8 residing under the hood. The L6.4 was introduced in October of 1960 at the Paris Motor Show and its price tag was an outrageous $13,000, costing twice as much as a Cadillac Eldorado.

1958 Dual Ghia Super Dart 400 Prototype photo
Coupe by Ghia
Chassis #: 202
View info and history
Auction entries : 1
Before the Ghia L6.4, the company built a unique prototype for the 1957 Turin Auto Show - it was called the Super Dart 400. Unlike other Dual Ghias, it rested on a 1957 Chrysler 300 chassis and was equipped with a 392 cubic-inch Chrysler 'Hemi' V8 engine offering 400 horsepower. It was based on a Gilda styling study, had Virgil Exner influences, and was hand-built by Ghia. Among the list of luxurious amenities included factory air conditioning, four bucket seats, and a 'highway hi-fi' record player.

Following the Turin Auto Show, the Super Dart was brought to the United States by Dual Motors, Ghia's American counterpart, and exhibited at the New York Auto Show, where it was acquired by Alex Freeman of New Jersey. The car remained with Mr. Freeman until 1977. That same year, the car returned to the New York International Auto Show where it continued to draw a crowd.

The car was owned by the Kanter brothers until 2020 when it was purchased by John H. White for the Ramshead Automobile Collection. The Super Dart remained in its original and unrestored condition. It currently has around 49,000 miles on its odometer.


by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2022

1958 Dual Ghia Super Dart 400 Prototype Vehicle Profiles

1958 Dual Ghia Super Dart 400 Prototype vehicle information
Coupe

Coachwork: Ghia
Chassis #: 202

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