Inspired by the Virgil Exner-designed Dodge Firebomb and Firearrow show cars of the early 1950s, the Dual-Ghia was conceived by Eugene Casaroll, founder of Automobile Shippers, Inc., in Detroit. Casaroll purchased the design and production rights to the Firearrow concept from Chrysler and then hired respected Detroit designer and racer Paul Farago to produce with Italian coachbuilder Ghia of Turin a practical grand touring convertible. Based on a conventional Dodge chassis equipped with the racy D-500 315/230 HP V-8 engine and an automatic transmission, the Dual-Ghia featured a handsome hand-formed steel body and combined extraordinary quality and performance with the practicality of an American drivetrain. The Dual-Ghia was a hit particularly with the Hollywood set, attracting such stars as Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Eddie Fisher, Glenn Ford and Desi Arnaz. Production of these hand-assembled custom dream machines was initially planned at 150 per year, but it is believed only 117 were actually completed from 1956 through 1958.