Photo: RM Sotheby's
When it comes to classic cars, many collectors are attracted by the exclusivity factor. And for what it’s worth, few old-timers are rarer than the oft-overlooked Ghia L 6.4. In the period from 1961 to 1963, Ghia made just 26 examples of the breed.
Most often associated with the Ford Motor Company, Ghia used to be one of the most prominent design companies and coachbuilders out there. But in stark contrast to Ghia’s relationship with FoMoCo, the awe-inspiring L 6.4 is an original design that hides Chrysler bits and bobs under the skin.
A fastback coupe built on a custom chassis, the “6.4” in L 6.4 refers to the 383 cu.in. Wedge V8. The naturally aspirated Mopar muscle accounts for 340 horsepower (SAE), which is plenty for a vehicle that saw the light of day in the early ‘60s. Ghia’s technical partnership with Chrysler also extended to the suspension and transmission.
Care to guess how much the L 6.4 was priced during its era? $13,500, which is astronomical even when compared to Chrysler’s best offerings. The car offered here, a.k.a. chassis number 0302, is the first production unit and it was originally owned by Peter Lawford. Yes, the brother-in-law to John F. Kennedy and a member of the “Rat Pack” supergroup of actors.
As per RM Sotheby’s, “the current owner acquired it in 2006, as an excellent original example that had been driven fewer than 40,000 miles, and oversaw a just completed, thorough three-year restoration.” Having been stripped to bare metal, the L 6.4 was refinished in black and complemented by an interior wrapped in Bentley-specification upholstery.
Offered with a fine collection of models and literature, including original advertising and factory brochures, chassis 0302 further boasts Rat Pack-specific modifications brought by George Barris. One of the highlights comes in the form of Cibie headlights. Last, but certainly not least, RM Sotheby’s explains that this particular L 6.4 has never before offered for public sale.
There’s no pre-auction estimate on chassis number 0302, though experts suggest that this bad boy is worth in excess of $500,000.
A fastback coupe built on a custom chassis, the “6.4” in L 6.4 refers to the 383 cu.in. Wedge V8. The naturally aspirated Mopar muscle accounts for 340 horsepower (SAE), which is plenty for a vehicle that saw the light of day in the early ‘60s. Ghia’s technical partnership with Chrysler also extended to the suspension and transmission.
Care to guess how much the L 6.4 was priced during its era? $13,500, which is astronomical even when compared to Chrysler’s best offerings. The car offered here, a.k.a. chassis number 0302, is the first production unit and it was originally owned by Peter Lawford. Yes, the brother-in-law to John F. Kennedy and a member of the “Rat Pack” supergroup of actors.
As per RM Sotheby’s, “the current owner acquired it in 2006, as an excellent original example that had been driven fewer than 40,000 miles, and oversaw a just completed, thorough three-year restoration.” Having been stripped to bare metal, the L 6.4 was refinished in black and complemented by an interior wrapped in Bentley-specification upholstery.
Offered with a fine collection of models and literature, including original advertising and factory brochures, chassis 0302 further boasts Rat Pack-specific modifications brought by George Barris. One of the highlights comes in the form of Cibie headlights. Last, but certainly not least, RM Sotheby’s explains that this particular L 6.4 has never before offered for public sale.
There’s no pre-auction estimate on chassis number 0302, though experts suggest that this bad boy is worth in excess of $500,000.
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