This 1958 Dual-Ghia is the 66th of approximately 115 convertible examples produced in collaboration between Italian coachbuilder Ghia and Dual Motors Corporation of Detroit, Michigan. Chassis #166 was used as a factory demonstration vehicle, reportedly with Dual-Ghia president Gene Casaroll’s wife in Phoenix, before it was purchased by the owner’s father in April 1958 on its manufacturer’s statement of origin directly from Dual-Ghia. A multi-year refurbishment was performed by Specialty Automotive Restorations of Pomona, California, and completed in 2001. The car is finished in black over green leather upholstery, and power comes from a 315ci Dodge Poly-head V8 paired with a two-speed PowerFlite automatic transmission. Features include a black convertible top, power-assisted front disc brakes, front bucket seats, power windows, air conditioning, and a retro-style cassette player. This Dual-Ghia is now offered on dealer consignment with an original sales invoice, correspondence between the seller’s father and Gene Casaroll, factory literature, spare parts, refurbishment photos and records, a history of the car written by the seller’s father, and a clean California title in the current owner’s name.
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 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 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 leather 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.
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.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via a two-speed PowerFlite automatic transmission.
The original sales invoice is dated April 14, 1958, and lists a total price of $6,200. Additional items accompanying the car include correspondence between the original owner and Dual Motors president Eugene Casaroll in addition to factory brochures, various magazines, leather Ghia and Dual-Ghia key fobs, spare parts, refurbishment photos, and a tally of the refurbishment work that totals over $84k.
