1958 Dual Ghia 400 prototype by Ghia, yellow car: trying to trace its history

I wasn't realizing that there was a big lemon yellow finned prototype of the Dual Ghia called the 400 until I came across it today at his website:

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10044/Dual-Ghia-400.aspx

. In a story by Don Sherman (probably the one who writes for Car & Driver) he said:

FRED KANTER deserves a lifetime pass to the New York auto show.

His first trip to the show, in 1958, was the pilgrimage of “a car-struck 13-year-old” from New Jersey, Mr. Kanter recalled in a recent interview.

“Shortly after a friend and I arrived by train from Morris Plains, I was transfixed by the Dual-Ghia 400 concept on display,” he said. “It was absolutely breathtaking, very imaginative and the most stunning car I’d ever seen.”

The car had been created as a design study by Ghia, the Italian coachbuilder, for Dual Motors, a limited-edition car builder in Detroit. Dual-Ghias gained visibility with celebrity owners like Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack pals.

Alex Freeman, a New Jersey machine shop owner who had come to the auto show in search of a family car, was also moved by the Dual-Ghia 400. All thoughts of shopping for a new Ford or Chevy were swept aside by Mr. Freeman’s realization that he “must have that car.” Hearing that, his wife shuffled the couple’s eight-year-old daughter to another display, explaining that daddy needed time by himself.

By the time Mrs. Freeman returned, her husband had convinced Gene Casaroll, president of Dual Motors, to sell the car on display for $15,000, at least twice the price of a new Cadillac. Delivery was postponed to let the car finish its tour of auto shows."

I was surprised Casaroll would sell it so cheap as then he would have to pay duties on importing the bodywork. Anybody know other prices this car sold for through the years before it became a million dollar car? It is amazing that there is a Chrysler prototype with this body style and a Ferrari with this body style as well.

The original of this car, the Dart, was designed under Virgil Exner in 1956 and built by Ghia.

The Dual Ghia 400 copied the Exner version - note that the Dual Ghia uses a Chrysler windshield and does not appear to be as chubby as the Dart. Also, the Dart's roof retracted into the trunk while the Dual Ghia's roof is stationary. The Dart later had the fins toned down, the car converted to a true convertible, and renamed Diablo.

The Ferrari would not be the first time Ghia used a Chrysler design for another company. The 1953 Chrysler d'Elegance was used for the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia coupe.

From left to right - Dual Ghia 400 - Chrysler Dart - Chrysler Diablo - Dual Ghia 6.4

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