[Coops]

Got my self a classic 1969 Ghibli 4.7. It needs a bit of work but I did say I wanted to be more involved with my car. Okay, so the steering wheel is on the wrong side but that should come in handy when I'm touring the continent...well, that's what I told the wife.

It's currently having a little bodywork done so at least I will be starting off with a sound base on which to polish my rusty mechanical skills.

I've started thinking about certain improvements I could make and one of those is to replace the somewhat crappy aftermarket radio it has installed. Can any of you tell me what the original equipment item would have been for my car? I have found some sites that restore old period radios for reasonable money. I like the look of the original Becker Mexico and Europa models but I believe they were more commonly found in Mercedes of that period. The modern interpretion of the Mexico with SatNav etc looks very nice but very expensive.

I'll be going to the Classic car show at the NEC in Birmingham in November so maybe I can try and find something there if i know what I should be looking for.

I'd appreciate any help.

Cheers.

 

[BigFoot]

Congratulations

 

[Boxer]

Is this the car ?

1969 Ghibli 4700 Coupe V8

This superb car was imported from Geneva by the current motoring writer owner in 1988.

Manufactured in 1969, it is a left-hand drive model with a manual five-speed gearbox and has only covered 88,000 Kms (55,000 miles)

This car has been totally refurbished by specialist companies and is finished in metallic silver with red hide trim

The car has been maintained by a leading classic car company and is in superb condition

It is recognised as a historic car and does not need road fund tax

The current MOT runs until 2008

The car can be seen and driven by appointment in Nottingham

For further details please contact John Ball:

 

[Coops]

Yep, that's the one. Did you have a look at it yourself?

 

[Boxer]

Yep, that's the one. Did you have a look at it yourself?

I was very tempted to but never found the time to go up and see it. Looked like a very nice Ghilbi at a fair price.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Coops]

I was very tempted to but never found the time to go up and see it. Looked like a very nice Ghilbi at a fair price.

Good luck and have fun.

I think the price was probably on the high side of 'fair' but they seem to come up for sale so rarely at the moment that I figured I might as well just jump in. By the time it gets back from the the body shop I'll be a couple of grand lighter in the wallet and the water pump needs a rebuild too but thankfully the engine is in good shape. Should make a good usable car thereafter.

i can't wait to get it back now. I'll post some pics when it's done.

B.T.W. did you see the red 69 4.7 auto on Ebay recently? I read in Classic & Sportscar that it got picked up by a dealer fro around £17.5k

 

[italiancars]

Expect a jump in Ghibli prices in the next few months, as they tend to follow Daytona prices and they have in the past few months moved over the 300K dollar mark.

 

[shrimpscampi]

I may be late...but kudos to you.

 

[Vincenzo]

Okay, so the steering wheel is on the wrong side but that should come in handy when I'm touring the continent...well, that's what I told the wife.

I'd say that's the only proper side for a steering wheel.

Congrats!

 

[Coops]

Maybe your right (or left), maybe it's time we moved over to the other side of the street (so to speak). If it was properley co-ordinated we could do it overnight I reckon. Didn't they try that somewhere once; changed the street signs, and everything, or maybe I dreamt it.

Anyhoo, it could have all kinds of benefits: more cars for us to choose from for a start. The price of new cars would come down coz they wouldn't have to make them specially for us (and South Africa and I think perhaps Japan too), and the value of my Ghibli would increase overnight too......Bonus!

Maybe if I start things off then everyone else will follow. i'll give it a try this weekend and let you know how it went.

 

[italiancars]

Maybe your right (or left), maybe it's time we moved over to the other side of the street (so to speak). If it was properley co-ordinated we could do it overnight I reckon. Didn't they try that somewhere once; changed the street signs, and everything, or maybe I dreamt it.

Anyhoo, it could have all kinds of benefits: more cars for us to choose from for a start. The price of new cars would come down coz they wouldn't have to make them specially for us (and South Africa and I think perhaps Japan too), and the value of my Ghibli would increase overnight too......Bonus!

Maybe if I start things off then everyone else will follow. i'll give it a try this weekend and let you know how it went.

If the Brits are anything like their American cousins, it isn't going to happen. The Gov't tried to force convert the country to Metric measurements. It was an absolute failure. Today the only things that are measured by metric are large bottles of soda and alcohol. Smaller bottles are not measured by metric.

Another attempt was to introduce a 2 dollar bill and single dollar coins. Both have failed.

The only thing that will happen if the UK goes to LHD would be an increase in insurance payouts.

 

[Peconga]

Maybe your right (or left), maybe it's time we moved over to the other side of the street (so to speak). If it was properley co-ordinated we could do it overnight I reckon. Didn't they try that somewhere once; changed the street signs, and everything, or maybe I dreamt it.

Sweden, back in 1967. I wasn't personally there to witness it, but being Swedes I'm sure they were all very polite about it.

While Googling the exact date, I also ran across this little gem of an article "Which Side of the Road Do They Drive On (and Why)" at http://www.brianlucas.ca/roadside/ which is guaranteed to pleasantly suck a few more minutes out of your life.

Cheers!

 

[Peconga]

P.S. Congratulations on your Ghibli! It sounds like you got yourself a winner.

 

[Coops]

Sweden, back in 1967. I wasn't personally there to witness it, but being Swedes I'm sure they were all very polite about it.

While Googling the exact date, I also ran across this little gem of an article "Which Side of the Road Do They Drive On (and Why)" at http://www.brianlucas.ca/roadside/ which is guaranteed to pleasantly suck a few more minutes out of your life.

Cheers!

Hey thanks for proving I'm not insane.
I never realised I had Arthur and Lancelot to thank for the side of the road I drive on. I rather like the sound out that: punting peasants into the ditch. And caravans. And cyclists. In fact, forget left or right, why not just have a Maserati lane.

Might know it would take an organised race like the Swedes to pull that off overnight. It had to be them or the East Berliners.