Gert Gehlhaar, #70

Gert's Ghia "Aircooled and cheap."

Gert Gehlhaar runs a 1964 Ghia in the Vintage Auto Racing Association in California, and is three time champion of his GP1 class.

Gert's Ghia is a 40-horse with a Judson supercharger, heavy front sway bar, rear camber compensator for his swing-axles, and is on Hoosier racing tires. The Judson bumps up the 1192cc's power to about sixty honest horses, about the same as a Porsche 356 Normal.

His car was specifically painted and designed and given the number 70 from the VW "You'd Lose" ad. "I have the original ad mounted and on the car when it is parked in the pits. I get lots of comments." Gert says.

Rocky Mountain Motorworks was his sponsor for several years until they were purchased by Mid-America Motorworks.

Gert emigrated to the U.S. from Germany in 1953 and served in the U.S. Air Force until retirement in 1984. A few years ago, Gert went to VARA's driving school and did his rookie season racing a 1926 Model-T Speedster in the Historic class. "I sure got the attention, but I decided that it was just not fast enough so I sold it and purchased a 1969 Zink C-4 Formula Vee. Now came the problem that I wanted to race while restoring the Formula Vee so I had to find another car, and I wanted air-cooled and cheap."

A friend sold Gert the 1964 Karmann Ghia because he was building up a Super Beetle for racing. So, Gert's vintage racing became serious with the '64 Ghia GP1 class.

"I have had so much fun with the Karmann Ghia that I have won the class championship three years in a row. After the completion of the Formula Vee, I raced it at several races, and decided that I really like driving the Karmann Ghia better and sold the Formula Vee."