The Dual-Ghia was inspired by Chrysler’s Firearrow series of show cars and was based on Chrysler’s Virgil Exner-designed and Ghia-built Firearrow IV of 1954. That design was purchased by Detroit-area businessman Gene Casaroll, tweaked by US Ghia representative Paul Farago, and introduced as the Dodge Firebomb at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show. The car entered production in 1956 as the Dual-Ghia and featured bodywork that was crafted by Ghia in Italy, while final assembly was completed by Casaroll’s…
The Dual-Ghia was inspired by Chrysler’s Firearrow series of show cars and was based on Chrysler’s Virgil Exner-designed and Ghia-built Firearrow IV of 1954. That design was purchased by Detroit-area businessman Gene Casaroll, tweaked by US Ghia representative Paul Farago, and introduced as the Dodge Firebomb at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show. The car entered production in 1956 as the Dual-Ghia and featured bodywork that was crafted by Ghia in Italy, while final assembly was completed by Casaroll’s Dual Motors Corporation in Michigan.
This is a re-list after the vehicle was previously sold on BaT in July 2023 and the sale was not completed due to an error in the listing stating that the seats are upholstered in leather when they are in fact vinyl. BaT sincerely regrets the error, and the winner’s buyer’s fee was refunded.
This example was delivered from the factory in black and was repainted during the refurbishment. Equipment includes chrome bumpers with overriders, fender vents, a retractable antenna, a wraparound windscreen, a manually operated black soft top, Ghia quarter panel badges, vertical tail fins, and dual-bullet tail lights. Areas of paint loss on the front valance and passenger door jamb can be seen in the gallery.
The 15″ painted steel wheels wear chrome Dual-Ghia-branded hubcaps. The wheels were refinished and mounted with 670R15 American Classic whitewall radial tires in June 2023. A spare wheel with a Michelin tire is stowed in the trunk. The Dual-Ghia rides on a shortened Dodge passenger car chassis with a 115″ wheelbase and features a front suspension with unequal-length A-arms and coil springs, while the live rear axle rides on semi-elliptical leaf springs. Stopping power is provided by power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes.
The cockpit features bucket seats and a rear bench trimmed in green vinyl with a matching top boot and door panels. Black carpets line the floors, and equipment includes power windows, a retro-style cassette player, an under-dash air conditioning unit, a cigar lighter, a locking glovebox, plexiglass sun visors, and an engraved plaque on the glovebox door that notes that the car was built for Dr. Lewis A. Vadheim.
The green steering wheel features a chrome horn ring, and it frames an engine-turned instrument panel housing a 120-mph speedometer, a 6k-rpm tachometer, a clock, and auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer was reset during the refurbishment in 2001 and currently shows 1,900 miles. Total mileage is unknown.
The 315ci Dodge Red Ram V8 was rebuilt during the refurbishment, and it features polyspherical combustion chambers, five main bearings, and a Carter four-barrel carburetor. Output was factory rated at 230 horsepower at 4,300 rpm. The car is titled by its engine number D633106603, which can be seen in the gallery.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via a two-speed PowerFlite automatic transmission.
The chassis plate showing serial number 166 can be seen above.