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Posted by: blitZ Apr 8 2009, 03:02 PM

I heard today Karman Coachbuilder is filing bankrupcy. Hope they can survive.

http://www.autoobserver.com/2009/04/famed-german-coachbuilder-karmann-files-for-bankruptcy.html

Posted by: rick 918-S Apr 8 2009, 04:20 PM

Bankrupcy is not a death sentence but an opportunity.

Posted by: r_towle Apr 8 2009, 04:22 PM

I wonder if they still have any of the tooling and stamps for the older cars they produced???

Rich

Posted by: rick 918-S Apr 8 2009, 04:30 PM

Maybe they could raise a couple bucks and sell them off. There could be an opportunity for all there. Aftermarket parts from the factory dies.

Posted by: SirAndy Apr 8 2009, 04:41 PM

About 20 years ago, a guy in Germany bought all the tooling and stamps from Karmann for the Karmann Ghia and started a restoration business producing limited runs of sheet metal.
Andy

Posted by: DBCooper Apr 8 2009, 04:42 PM

Bankruptcy in Europe isn't just a time out like Chapter 11 here. Companies rarely come back.

I shouldn't say "rarely", just that it's a lot more difficult than here.

Posted by: sww914 Apr 8 2009, 09:32 PM

Those stamps and dies get worn out. The aftermarket body panels that are sold for normal passenger cars, Hondas, Toyotas, whatever, are made in Taiwan by companies that buy the worn out factory molds and stamp out parts in pretty much any thickness of metal that the buyer requests. Often they don't fit well at all. Odds are that any tooling that is still around is pretty hammered.

Posted by: LarryR Apr 8 2009, 10:32 PM

Their 912 (911) and 356 stuff would have huge value.

Posted by: maf914 Apr 9 2009, 11:41 AM

That makes me thing of the Heritage MGB restoration body shells made in England. I think they also make shells for the TR6. You by a new shell and transfer all of the mechanical bits. We need something like that for the 914.

Posted by: Drums66 Apr 9 2009, 02:43 PM

Pulls you out of a ditch.......with a few scratches!!