Ghia 450SS

[250gto boy]

I found this car while looking through a book of old super cars and it struck my eye as a very American looking car. Only forty were made and it's more of a muscle car than anything else. It was made as a suggestion from an LA businessman.
Top Speed: 125 mph
0-60: 8.5 sec
273 c.i. V8
235 HP

[Dino Scuderia]

It was inspired by Fiat 230S.

[henk4]

It was inspired by Fiat 230S.

not really inspired, there was a 2300 cc version based on 2300S mechanicals, and the standard coupe was also done by Ghia. This is just another version.

[250gto boy]

The one place this car is lacking anything is in the power department. They could do some wonders with a 396 or 427.

[Magnum9987]

The one place this car is lacking anything is in the power department. They could do some wonders with a 396 or 427.

That 273 was already shoehorned in, a 327, let alone a 396 or 427, could barely fit.

[henk4]

That 273 was already shoehorned in, a 327, let alone a 396 or 427, could barely fit.

here is the 2300 protoptype, plus engine bay, and 450 SS, shown at Pebble Beach some years ago.

[250gto boy]

That 273 was already shoehorned in, a 327, let alone a 396 or 427, could barely fit.
That's my fault. I didn't realize that they crammed it in. Then perhaps they should have made a larger engine bay to accommodate a 327.

[Magnum9987]

@Henk; Height wise, yes, a a 396 or 427 could probably fit in the car with the right choice of manifold and carb, but those motors are much too wide for that engine bay. Yes, the car could be widened but, it wasn't.

@GTO Boy; Well, we'll never know.

[Dino Scuderia]

Ironically the ex Johnny Carson 450S was at the Atlanta Caffeine and Octane event this morning. It has a 340 cubic inch Chrysler v8 and is a 100 point car.

[Mike Gulett]

I found this car while looking through a book of old super cars and it struck my eye as a very American looking car. Only forty were made and it's more of a muscle car than anything else. It was made as a suggestion from an LA businessman.
Top Speed: 125 mph
0-60: 8.5 sec
273 c.i. V8
235 HP

This car is an Italian design by Giorgetto Giugiaro when he was at Ghia and it is powered by Chrysler. Burt Sugarman (a Hollywood movie producer), saw a Ghia-bodied Fiat on the cover of Road & Track magazine in 1965 and he called Ghia and wanted them to make something special for him.

Only 52 were made and they all were sold through a dealer in Beverly Hills in 1966 and 1967.

[dog ear]

I remember when the Ghia 450SS was introduced. It was obvious that it was styled after the earlier (1965) Fiat 230/S. I read about it in the magazines at the time. When the 1970 Fairlane Cobra and Torino GT hit the streets, I instantly seen styling cues that also resembled the (two) earlier European models. Take a look at the front end of all three and see if you can see the same similarities that I saw way back in 1970.

There were other American and European exotics with similar styling cues produced through the years. I will post some soon and see what you all think if there is any interest.