When Bob Frumpkin drove up in his 1954 Chrysler Ghia GS1 Special, at the Marina in Santa Monica, California, where we had agreed to meet, office workers and the boatyard crew came out to have a look. Several of them took out their cell phones and grabbed snapshots, stepping in front of Vintage Roadcar photographer David Gooley to do so. It didn’t take long for us to realize we needed a more secluded spot for our photo shoot. We decided to head to another location, so Bob tossed me the keys.
Photo: David Gooley
I open the big, broad driver’s side door and climb into the low bucket seat. I give the key a twist and the engine comes to life instantly. It is then I realize that under this stunningly beautiful Italian/American bodywork beats the stout heart of a Chrysler New Yorker. And, in 1954, that would have been the best of both worlds. Chrysler was known for great engineering, and the Italians have been the designers of the world since Roman times.
