Just back from Monterey car week and suffering from serious sensory overload.
There are always a few cars there that leave everyone scratching their heads and this was one of them. Yeah, sure, there's a lot very familiar looking about it, but just what is it?
A pair of Marty Gryzynkowockynyk signature string-back driving gloves to the first right answer.
Click photos for more detail.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Hebmuller?
I think that is a coach designed & built by a designer named Rometsch. Probably a 1955-1957 model. Rometsch used VW components for his cars, until VW stopped selling him those components. VW then came up with the Karmann Ghia as a competitor to Rometsch.
I've seen a couple at VW Treffen events in SoCal. 
Nope, neither a Hebmüller nor a Rometsch, though this was from a similar source. But it wasn't a one-off. Apparently, there was a limited production run.
According to Wikipedia (which is never wrong), the Karmann Ghia did this one in, too.
Did I say 'Rometsch'? I meant Dannenhauer & Stauss.
Maybe a 1953 Dannenhauer & Stauss Cabriolet.
An easy mistake, Jim. I'm always confusing the two, myself. And to think that most people would have to Google the list of Monterey cars online to discover that obscure Stuttgart coachbuilder of the fifties!
Where shall I send the driving gloves?
But wait - first I have to get Marty to part with a pair!
I was going to guess Denzel.
Stunning !
Sacto Mitch posted:
Just back from Monterey car week and suffering from serious sensory overload.
There are always a few cars there that leave everyone scratching their heads and this was one of them. Yeah, sure, there's a lot very familiar looking about it, but just what is it?
A pair of Marty Gryzynkowockynyk signature string-back driving gloves to the first right answer.
Click photos for more detail.
We were there and enjoyed the car show too and I had never seen a car like this before. I thought it was an early pre-A at first.
I actually knew this one!
Interesting grill on the engine lid and rear fenders. I wonder if those would fit a regular 356. or K Ghia to fit bigger wheels ...... 
Heck.... And I was gonna say a Borgward Isabela derivative (even though I prob'ly knew it wasn't) simply because of the cool name (and being a defunked German car maker). It even had a swing-arm rear suspension and (gasp!) hydraulic clutch!
A casual friend in high school somehow got a Borgward Isabella given to him by an aunt who gave up driving after owning it (that might say a lot....)
He took an unbelievable amount of ribbing for it (yeah, Borgward - sounds like you're snorting and coughing at the same time. and whats the top end? Like, 80?) but he kept it through college and never put a dime into it and then sold it to another unsuspecting student.
Borgward - "Bigger than an Opal and smaller than a Mercedes"
Not much of a sales pitch, was it?
The Borgward was kinda like a Volvo - only less exciting.
The Borgward Coupe was actually quite attractive and had a roof line similar to a Karmann Ghia. Apparently Frau Borgward was smitten with the KG but Herr Borgward just couldn't stand the idea of her driving around in someone else's product, so he had the Coupe designed. May or may not be true, but it makes a good story.
There, now that's something you know.
When I was in the Navy, four of us hung out together. The best and most reliable car we had between us was a Borgward Isabella Sea. Wag. That car took us everywhere and never let us down. We all thought it was pretty innovative that it had four on the tree instead of on the floor. It took third gear to get all the way over the Grape Vine on our way to Sequoia Nat Park for a week end. Four of us with no camping gear but plenty of beer.
That was back when ships were wood and men were steel Ha Ha ha ..........Bruce
ah memories,pearl harbor,69-70, 60 VW bug,4 of us squeezed in, beer, sangria wine,hot dogs, big can of beans we got from the ships Chief Commisary guy,slept on beach at Bellows AFB,their were big parachutes hanging from trees,fire in middle,packed with different service guys,right on beach,lots of smoking options there, everyone shared,porta potties, 1 shower sort of,,good ol times,,yeah, young and dumb...none of us had bone spurs:}}}}we missed U donald..
Damn that's a nice looking car, minus all the chrome and sharp edges. Is the hardtop removable, looks like it.
Art posted:... Is the hardtop removable, looks like it...
Judging from this video, the designers did not intend that the roof come off.
But it was crafted in the 1950's, so given enough road salt and time, all things are possible.
There was a convertable Isabella at Iron Stone concours 3 years ago. only one I've ever seen. Almost bought a coupe in '73 but pre internet i didn't think I'd ever find parts
I thought it was a ‘52 Pontiac. I could tell by the tail lights
