Coupes with similar reactions

You can buy my Magnum GT replica of a Ferrari Dino. It has a new Suby engine and heat, and AC. It is a nice driver and turns heads everyplace it goes.

a Datsun 240Z  would be a neat driver

A 240Z is really nice (and a lot more car), but the Ghia will get the most attention of the 3 cars talked about so far, and will (by far) be the most “speedster-like” drive.

Whether that’s a good thing or not is for you to decide. I really prefer the lines of a Ghia to a 356 coupe, but I’m the SOC weirdo in that opinion.

Not a coupe but this Thing does it

I agree with you Stan.  Ghia's are very nice. The one Theron has (or had) was spectacular !  They have adequate room, fun to drive, dry, good C of G and very attractive lines viewed from any angle.   One may very well be my next project.......Bruce

I'm still stuck on this:

"I live in the northeast and have about 3 months out of the year that I get to drive my 356."

If you do, in fact, live in Westchester NY then I'm confused. I live about 45 minutes North of you on the other side of the Hudson river. I drive from late March into November. Realistically, it's late April to mid-October which is more than half the year.

If you don't live in Westchester, ignore my comments.

Nothing makes people smile more than a Speedster or Spyder. Maybe a Ghia or Bug(oval or split-window).

I'm with Stan Galat...had it down to a Ghia and 356. VW should have seriously considered bringing the Ghis back along with the "modern" bug.  A classic, and some very nice restorations.

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@West Chester Speedster (and @DannyP ) , I can see from your profile that it's West Chester, PA, a Philly suburb.

As a Philly (and South Jersey) native for the first 35 years of my life, I can tell you that a 2002 will NOT ring the same chimes. Starting in 1968, I drove 1600's and a 2002 until I left the east in 1982 and it was the ultimate invisible car. It may get some street cred from car dudes today, but the average guy at a gas station has no clue what it is (and isn't curious to find out.)

I think the Speedy's draw is that it's somehow 'cute' without being pretentious. It's not an E-Type Jaguar or a vintage Ferrari or something that was purchased to impress the proletariat. Most average folks have no idea what it is but are still curious. It's too small to be a real car. It's a jelly bean with wheels. They want to know if you push pedals to make it go. Or turn a windup key. You might as well have stepped out of a spaceship. They've got to hear what language you speak.

What hardtop has the same bizarro star appeal? I honestly don't know. Maybe one of these?

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Go for a Ghia.

I had two, and they were great cars.

Both were full time drivers, all year.

BMW Isetta

Wow, you live near Philly? That's pretty much mid-Atlantic. That's a good three hours south.

West Chester, PA. Only getting three months might be a slight exaggeration, I could probably drive it more but I have kids and always associate the 356 with driving my kids around to camps in the Summer. I think Mitch is on to something with the beauty of the Speedster without the pretentiousness of something like an E-Type. The Ghia definitely seems like the closest but a VW Thing with a hardtop gets you four doors and livable space to carry things. I feel like they definitely bring smiles to people that see them but with some sacrifice in driving comfort compared to even the much smaller Ghia.

Jimmy, The Magnum with the Subaru engine would be a great mix of comfort, reliability and dryness. That has to be a ton of fun.

Of all the examples so far, I'd love to find the positive vibes of the Ghia or Thing but with the driving fun and experience of the 240 or 280z.

Karmann Ghia's are excellent everyday cars.  They are watertight, uncomplicated and have a big, easily accessible engine bay.  While I love the look of the LowLight Ghia's, a 1969 is probably the best year to buy for a daily driver.  Why?  Because it is the only year with the smaller tail lights, early style bumpers and IRS.

Even better, put IRS in an LowLight!

Type 34 is an awesome Ghia IMO.   a 356 for shape has it hands down, but with a 911 front end the car is just in another league and a stock Ghia front end still is beam suspension.

@WNGD posted:

Not a coupe but this Thing does it

@WNGD the old G wagon 😍👍

The only car I've had that came close to the attention my Speedster gets was a Dune Buggy, back in the late 1960's when they were just appearing on the roads back East.

@IaM-Ray posted:

Type 34 is an awesome Ghia IMO.   a 356 for shape has it hands down, but with a 911 front end the car is just in another league and a stock Ghia front end still is beam suspension.

a Type 34 Ghia uses a Type 3 squareback - fastback chassis  with a beam front suspension , just not the same as a  type 1 bug front beam  , it does not have struts like a 911.

They just drive like a more "solid" car

Thanks for this, I didn’t know that the frond ends were different.  I take it a type 3 notchback must be better handling if it has a similar front end.  I always loved the notch but hated the dash.  In fact I got my permit in a fastback… no not in an elephant popcorn box  On the other hand… Hard to beat a 356 dash set up I would put it in any vw.

It's not a coupe but just as much fun and makes a great compliment to your other air-cooled toy... I've been struck by how universally loved the early split-window "Type 2" VW bus is. It's one of the most iconic designs ever. Everywhere I drive my single cab, people point me out to their friends, wave, give thumbs-up, and pose to take pictures when it's parked. It's constant and it never gets old. I went for a drive the other day with my buddies who also drive one and it was so fun how many people were losing their minds that there were 3 together. The stories people tell you about their escapades in their old bus are also entertaining.

The pickups are extremely useful for hauling (light stuff mostly) and as a workbench!

Mine is the one in front.