A man with virtually boundless vision and drive, Eugene Casaroll reinvented the car-delivery business by founding Auto Shippers, and his Dual Motors Corporation built fleets of twin-engine military vehicles for America and its World War II allies. Postwar, he diversified into automobile manufacturing and acquired production rights to the Ghia-built 1955 Dodge Firebomb show car, which he renamed the Dual-Ghia. Modified Dodge chassis were shipped from Dual Motors in Detroit to Ghia in Turin, Italy, where the bodies were handmade and fitted. Once back at the Dual facilities, 315/260 HP Dodge D-500 V-8 engines and Chrysler PowerFlite automatic transmissions were installed. Production ran from 1957 to 1958, with the original Virgil Exner-influenced design slightly modified under the watchful eyes of Paul Farago, Casaroll’s partner and Ghia’s American representative, who increased passenger and luggage space and specified the subtle tailfins. While total Dual-Ghia production is often quoted at 117 cars including prototypes and two coupes, marque experts believe 100 were built at most. Priced from $7,646, the glamorous Dual- Ghia cost $1,000 more than Cadillac’s Eldorado Biarritz, and the era’s top celebrities, including the legendary “Rat Pack,” adopted the Dual-Ghia as their favored car. While Casaroll intended to build as many as 150 cars per year, uncompromising quality generated losses on each one. According to experts, 32 examples remain today, with each closely tracked. None of the factory’s shipping or original ownership records survive; therefore, history on each specific car has often been collected orally and hand-recorded. Dual-Ghia production numbers began at 100, and this example, car No. 104, is one of the first of these wonderful coachbuilt luxury cars produced. Striking in Hazel Mist over Kalahari leather upholstery, Dual-Ghia 104 is well equipped with power brakes and steering, power windows lifts and a correct Town and Country pushbutton radio. Excellent details include proper diamond-pattern diamond hood and decklid insulation, the engine-turned instrument panel, original step plates with herringbone design, and correct, Ghia-specific spare tire hold-down. Steel wheels, mounting wide whitewall tires and correct 21-vane spinner hubcaps finish this dashing, early production Dual-Ghia.
