A Short Lived Rarity

          Most people have never heard of a Dual-Ghia. And for good reason since the Detroit based car company lasted from only 1956 until 1958 and made a grand total of 117 cars.
          The idea of producing an exclusive car at an affordable price belonged to Eugene Casaroll. Casaroll created the Dual Motor Company with this plan in mind. To make it work he looked to noted Chrysler designer Virgil Exner's Firearrow show car. This was a car that Chrysler liked but not enough to send it into production.

          Exner's Firearrow was rather conservative looking and for Casaroll, that wouldn't work. He decided that his car needed a different, more European look. So he teamed up with famed Italian coach builder Carrozzeria Ghia to handle clothing his masterpiece.
          Ghia was noted for designing bodies for such auto makers as Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia as well as the famed Volkswagon Karmann Ghia. They would go on to team with Ford, first doing some concept cars and later becoming Ford's top of the line trim level for many of it's cars.

          What Casaroll eventually had was a Dodge frame and drive train that was transported to Italy to get its body. Beneath the hood sat a small block 315 cubic inch Dodge hemispherical-head short stroke V 8. Yes, it's a Hemi.
          Because of the cost involved in sending the car back and forth to Italy Casaroll soon realized that he wouldn't be able to make a go of it and the last of the Dual-Ghia cars was made in 1958. Of the 117 that were manufactured only 32 are known to still be running. This example was shown at a Concours event and is model number 37 of this short lived rarity.