Premium

Dual-Ghia 400 - Dual study program

Name: Dual-Ghia 400 Superdart 1957
Brand: Dual-Ghia

This article was auto-translated. We apologize if some words are confusing or simply amusing. Would you like to help us improve?

Created on January 23, 2023

Text:

Paul Krüger

Photos:

Bonhams

RM Sotheby's

Archiv

Bonhams

RM Sotheby's

Archiv

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - a symbiosis of spaceship, speedboat and razor

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - the rear looks particularly dramatic from this perspective

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - rounded front and sharp-edged rear

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - the all-round chrome trim can also be found on Exner's Firearrow prototypes

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - inspired by Virgil Exner, but not an Exner design

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - Headlights and radiator grille in the bumper

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - radiator grille like an electric shaver

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - Ghia signet on the front mudguard

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - partially covered tires in 9.00-14 format

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - simple, yet exalted rear end

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - "Forward Look" tail fins

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - black and white interior in original condition

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - single seats in the rear

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - standard Chrysler instruments, but arranged differently

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - speedometer up to 150 miles per hour. A standard 300 C was already capable of 134

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - Radio with integrated record player

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - Chrysler only offered "Highway Hi-Fi" in 1956 and 1957

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - "Highway Hi-Fi" required special records for 16 2:3 revolutions per minute

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - Ashtray and electric windows

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with 390 SAE hp

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - type plate with chassis number 202

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - The hood is a dummy

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - the (rounded up) engine power on the tail fin

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - the further development of the Chrysler Dart from 1956

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - the pushbuttons for the automatic transmission on the left above the radio

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 (1957) - the "Superdart" in a historic photo, presumably in front of the first owner's house

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 "Superdart" (1957) - at the 1957 Turin Motor Show

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 400 "Superdart" (1957) - on the roadside, presumably in front of the house of the first owner Alex Freeman

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chrysler New Yorker 2-Door Hardtop (1957) - top model with twin headlights and extra-wide trim strip

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chrysler Windsor (1957) - Frame with the new torsion bar suspension "Torsion Aire"

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chrysler Dart (1956) - with Ghia bodywork. The press release described it as a "racing boat on wheels"

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ghia Dart II (1958) - Convertible version of the 1956 Dart

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ghia Dart II (1958) - on Chrysler 300 chassis, 1958 Turin Motor Show

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ghia Dart II (1958) - at the 1958 Turin Salon

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chrysler Dart "Diablo" (1956) - Interior with strikingly angular steering wheel

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chrysler Dart "Diablo" (1956) - heavily modified version of the study with Ghia bodywork

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chrysler Dart "Diablo" (1956) - rear with shortened fins and modified tail lights

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia Convertible (1958) - as lot 010 at the Bonhams auction in Quail Lodge on August 18, 2017

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chrysler Dodge Firearrow Sport Coupé (1954) - with characterful front design

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 375 (1957) - sports coupé based on the Chrysler 300

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dual-Ghia 375 (1957) - at the Turin Salon

You have only

1 out of 51

images seen in high resolution

Summary

You couldn't get much more exclusive than the Dual-Ghia 400 in 1957, as the car was not only a one-off with Italian bodywork, but also looked like a car of the future from the next millennium. A year earlier, Chrysler had presented the Dart, the visual role model, which was not only to cause amazement among the public, but also to provide new insights for the engineers. This article tells the story of the two fraternal twins, showing the Dart in historical photos and the Dual-Ghia in current images.

This article contains the following chapters

Chrysler and Ghia
Two prototypes, two one-offs
One change of ownership in 64 years
Demonized
85,000 miles above the sea

Estimated reading time: 10min

Preview (beginning of the article)

This article actually promised to be a rewarding task for an afternoon. A unique piece whose history is well known and which has only had two owners in 65 years - what else is there to research and discover? Quickly read through everything you know, write it down in your own words and that's it. You could make it so easy for yourself. But as a conscientious journalist, you naturally want to know a little more. So you rummage through old magazines and obscure websites for days on end, only to come to the conclusion that there is nothing new to find out about the Dual-Ghia 400. However, some historical inconsistencies emerged in the Ghia-bodied and Chrysler-based relatives, so that the article now has nothing to do with the original "main character" for the most part. But first things first.

Welcome to Zwischengas!