The Dune Buggy: Origins and should you buy one?

Dunebuggys are fun little pieces of automotive history. Follow along with my discussion about their origins, construction, and if one is maybe right for you.

[@haroldbastow6385]

I’ve built 3 and I’m currently restoring #3 which sat idle while raising 6 kids. Built my 1st one at 19 in 1968. All were street legal and I used them as a daily driver from April to the end of October. This video inspires guys to return to their younger years. I’m excited as hell to get rolling again and so are my six kids. I’m 76 this year but a project like this keeps you moving. One word of advice, take care of yourself so you too play like kid in you senior years👍🏻

[@autochatter]

Good advice I'm glad you enjoyed my little vid!

[@4knanapapa]

I've had fiberglass buggy for over 35 years, it's a Glitter Bug body, very stout. We have put untold miles on it, am a auto tech, and after a day of working on the cars of today I find it relaxing to come home and work on my bug, its so simple in design and functional in use, it's just amazing, its never left us stranded as long as I have my multi tool I could make repairs to get home, just a magnificent fun vehicle to own.

[@autochatter]

Glitter bugs were great bodies!

[@derekmiller7798]

I've wanted a Buggy since I was a kid, I'm 46 now and have finally bought a GP1 on a '72 short chassis. I drove it 30 miles home on a cold and dark Scottish evening and can honestly say I haven't had as much fun in years! Lots still to do to get it tip top but they are unique little monsters, who needs a roof or heater anyway 😀

[@autochatter]

It's hard to describe how fun buggies are to someone who never experienced one. Cheers!

[@grahamharris205]

Worked for RH fiberglass in the 80s used to do the buggy , Madison , Porsche spider , and baja kits , I had the first baja in England on the front cover of Kit Car magazine 1984. Building one with my son he should have it finished this summer . Have fun with your buggy .

[@dandoyle9881]

What you need is an Eberspacher heater. I think it puts out 12,000 BTUs.

[@supertramp6011]

Always loved them too! Ultimate 70s icon. Greetings from the highlands! My dad used to have an old bay window Volkswagen transporter, that thing was unstoppable off road with snow chains fitted, stuffed full of oak logs for firewood!🤣🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💪

[@stephanefarnes6398]

I've had my bugle swb for 19 years! Best thing I ever spent money on, makes me smile every time I drive him, he's called the gremlin

[@azspeedbuggy]

great video. Hard to believe I didn't see this video a year ago. I've been a buggy guy since July 1975, and still today driving the same buggy and couple years ago, bought me an anniversary 2014 Manxter...more smiles per mile. Met Bruce Meyers the first and only time in Tucson, AZ on his 2013 sea to sea trip...thanks for sharing...

[@autochatter]

Hey..Thanks for watching and living that Buggy life!

[@TheRadioAteMyTV]

Somehow I landed up down the internet rabbit hole again, and this time it brought me to the history of the Dune Buggy. Looked on web pages and videos and this video is not just the gold standard for information, but what a lovely tribute to the creator of the buggy and the car itself. This was a lovely video!

[@autochatter]

Thank you very much! It's one of my earlier videos, but it's been my most successful so far.

[@TheRadioAteMyTV]

@@autochatter You and your viewers got lucky that such a fine example of your work gets the attention.

[@autochatter]

@@TheRadioAteMyTV Now I'm blushing LOL. Thank you again!

[@lavernbrock6115]

Great video. Very informative, and full of a lot of accurate information. I'm fortunate to not only own an original Manx (and. Tow'd that I'm working on restoring) I've completely restored and repainted it TWICE at Bruce Meyer's house. Lucky enough to live near him and consider him a friend over the last 10-15 years. He was a great man, who lived a very adventurous life. Our buggy adventures were always the best. Living in San Diego, my Manx is actually my daily driver. And as far as driving on the freeway, several years ago Bruce lead a group of dune buggies on a trip from San Diego, all the way across the country to North Carolina. We called it the Sea to Sea trip. I think we left with 17 buggies and several support vehicles, and over the course of a week or two we ended up with over 100 fiberglass buggies on the Outer Banks of No Carolina. One of many amazing trips (loved having Bruce ride in my buggy and tell me stories as we toured through the historical roads and beaches of Baja). Thanks for posting a great video

[@autochatter]

Thank you! It's funny you mentioned the trip to NC. I know the guy who helped put together the "Manx on the Banks" event then when you , Bruce and others went out there. You may recall his beautiful blue Manx he restored complete with a surfboard I think he made for it too. I'm from that area originally but I had car trouble and couldn't attend. I was disappointed because I wanted to see Bruce and Winnie and actually see a bunch of buggies and buggies people at once! I know you Can highway travel technically ( met a guy who drove to the Outer Banks from Canada)...Mine always had a weird shake over 55 I could never get out lol. I still kick myself for selling my first buggy that I didn't post pictures of. It was a real Manx and still in the original gelcoat big flake red paint with Crager rims. It was a Manx II.

[@lavernbrock6115]

@@autochatter I know the guy you're talking about. Vince. I actually got to ride with him in his buggy on the beach when I was out there. I've metal flaked my buggy (twice actually) with a lot of support from Vince (many emails and phone calls). I also got to see Vince when he came out for Bruce Meyers birthday-memorial buggy event. The buggy community is pretty great

[@autochatter]

@LaVern Brock Yeah he's awesome. Long live the buggy community! Small world huh? If I didn't have severed clutch cable on order then,we would have met.

[@kennethcooley3445]

A wonderful experience you have had. I'm looking for a Manx. A life long dream

[@autochatter]

@@kennethcooley3445 Agreed. I'm so jealous of him!

[@fastdude2002]

I have owned two fiberglass buggies and 3 rail buggies. I still own a Chenowth framed desert buggy I run in the California desert. It runs a built 2200 V.W. Engine 13:1 compression that runs 110 octane fuel. It has power, rack and pinion steering, disk brakes, steering brakes, oil coolers, 5 point harnesses, etc. it was built in the 1980s and it’s in great shape. I’ve owned it for about 15 years and run it every season. V.W.s make great off road vehicles.

[@autochatter]

Cool! The rail I had was a Chenowth too.....with a 1600dp.

[@duckdays9451]

My dad got his buggy in 1971 and I built one like it over 20 years ago and use it daily when not winter. I swapped the VW drivetrain for a 2.5 SOHC Subaru for a few reasons. It's a shortened pan and not twitchy and quite stable and regularly drives 85mph on the highway. The most fun is on twisty back roads though.

[@autochatter]

That's got to be so much fun with a Subie swap!

[@bradleyspear167]

I met Bruce Meyers and his wife, Winnie, a few times at the Twin Cities Volkswagen Club's Annual Bug-Ins in St. Louis Park, MN. Nice people.

[@autochatter]

I'm jealous!

[@bradleyspear167]

@@autochatter I bought a Meyers Manx AMT model kit a few years ago and asked Bruce to sign it. It's on my shelf, never to be opened.

[@flyonwall360]

When I was a kid growing up in upstate NY, I remember there was a place in town that converted Bugs into Buggies. It was a two stall garage with a flat roof. On one side of the building above one of the stalls, there was always a stack of fiberglass Buggy bodies. Back in the 70s, one could pick up a used Beatle for $50. By the time I was old enough to drive, the Buggy conversion shop was gone. The Dune Buggy always looked like so much fun.

[@autochatter]

Yeah..From what I've been told, alot of towns had at least one shop building them.

[@bloqk16]

WOW! Myself having been a 1967 VW Beetle owner; decades later a dune buggy owner, I AM VERY IMPRESSED with all that was covered in this video . . . "Auto Chatter" touched on all the points with owning/driving one, with one exception: _periodic oil changes._ The stock air-cooled four cylinder engine lacks an oil filter, so it means having to change the oil every 1K to 1.5K miles to prevent engine wear/oil burning. I did the 1K ~ 1.5K miles oil changes with my '67 Bug; which was using the quality engine oils available in the 1970s. After 100K-plus miles, it didn't burn oil. With regards to safety and fun with a dune buggy: I'd equate it to being a motorcycle that doesn't require the rider to have a sense of body-balance on two-wheels, as the four wheels provides solid stability with no need to balance oneself on the vehicle.

[@autochatter]

Thank you! I ran a upgraded oil pump with the spin off filter. Changed it annually because it wasn't a daily driver.

[@LeonMurphey]

I had a Green Metal Flake with slotted mags dune buggy back in the 70s😊, loved that car

[@autochatter]

Classic!!!.Love the big flake paint! I HAD A RED manx 2 in original.gel.coat red

[@kendanielson7204]

Had a manx clone in high school back in the 70's. So much fun. Now I'm in my late 60's and want another one. Maybe one of these days.

[@autochatter]

Yeah,I miss having one in the garage too.

[@jimsnipes1203]

In 1967 I bought a '57 Karmen Ghia for $175 while stationed at Ft. Sam Houston (it was all beat up). Army pay was $110 so that was a lot of money. Drove it to my folks home in L.A. and made it into a Manx clone Dune buggy while on my 30 day leave before Vietnam. After I got out of the Army I drove it several times from L.A. to San Francisco, who said it wasn't made for long trips? It would do 70 on the level with only 36hp (actually the exhaust system made it more than 40). That car was a lot of fun to drive!

[@autochatter]

A VW old timer told me years ago a ghia pan had to be modified to turn into a Manx.

[@jimsnipes1203]

@@autochatter You are right, I traded my Ghia pan and beat up body for an already shortened bug pan, he wanted tp make a full length rail buggy, saved me a bunch of welding.

[@autochatter]

@@jimsnipes1203 it all worked out lol

[@bluebear6570]

Whenever I hear the phrase "keep up with modern traffic", I see pictures of congested highways, with cars moving along with the pace of a snail. Any car - even a Model T, keeps up with that!

[@autochatter]

Yeah in that context, people on foot could hang with traffic lol.

[@johnnyjet3.1412]

I learned how to drive in Dad's '60 Karmann Ghia convertible! - everyone should learn how to drive in a car that requires you to double-clutch down! - MY first car was a '73 Thing! BOY that was Fun!

[@autochatter]

Yeah I imagine having a Thing as your first car would be!

[@elutheros]

I owned a Tow'd for 19 years and regret selling it. I've been searching for it occasionally online but don't know where it finally got parked. The last I heard a disc jockey in Washington D.C. may have owned it. It was a blast to cross the desert to work in Arizona, explore the mountain roads in east Tennessee, cruise the beach in North Carolina, etc.

[@autochatter]

Wow..A Tow'd in D.C. has to be a rare site!

[@kraggrobinson3387]

I had one as my first car in West Texas. Me and my buddies had a great time chasing jack rabbits in it. OH what fun

[@autochatter]

Sounds like it!

[@ImTHATguy...]

"Should you buy one?" Yes! I have some sweet muscle cars, but the wife and I have more fun cruising the dune buggy than anything else.

[@autochatter]

That's awesome! Both are fun for different reasons. its difficult to explain to someone how a fiberglass tub with likely under 100 hp can be such a blast!

[@emppowersportsandmarine6270]

Like many here, I lusted over Dune Buggies and Sand Rails as a kid growing up in 1980’s SoCal. I now have a 1972 Funco SS1 historic desert car, which I found in a North Idaho barn. One of my dream cars was just a two hour drive from my current home, so I had to go and buy it for Christmas 2019. These things are a hoot and also can make a good investment, if you buy the right ones. Early Myers, Funco, and Chenoweth cars have become highly collectible and there are vintage classes to race them. Same goes with Mickey Thompsons Challengers, which I believe two are currently for sale.

[@timking2822]

Exactly. Great summary of ownership. Mine is one of the most fun vehicles I've owned. Fast isn't always the most fun.

[@autochatter]

So true...Couldn't summarize it better than that.

[@JesusTorres-qr1gz]

Indeed they are, when they came out in the market I was around 17 years old, those buggies stole my heart, and I learned everything by heart, every chance that I get when I see one I get closer, ask permission to look it close, check every detail to learn something new, enjoy your toy, share it with your love ones, be safe, blessings to you and your family, from the endless summer paradise Puerto Rico Jesus Torres.

[@alan6832]

@@autochatter The 18 wheelers I drove were governed at 62 mph and I never once got run over!

[@autochatter]

@alan6832 LOL Hitting a 18 wheeler is gonna hurt alot more than a 1300lb dune buggy.

[@cgrscott]

I was impressed with the purple Beatle-based Dune Buggy that Kurt Russel drove playing the character, Dexter Riley, in Disney's "Now You See It Now You Don't." In some scenes the car looked like it had lot of power. I could not tell if it was souped up or if it just had a better power to weight ratio because of the fiberglass body. The movie made the classic Dune Buggy look attractive to own.

[@autochatter]

Haven't seen that movie actually, but for at least a half decade, Buggies in pop culture were big.

[@cgrscott]

@@autochatter It looks like Kurt Russell was driving a Meyers Manx Dune Buggy in the Disney film.

[@WildBillFlysRC]

We have a EMPI Sportster, it’s been in my wife’s family since the late 60’s . The pan is from a 1960 vw very fun machine

[@autochatter]

They have to be pretty rare nowdays.

[@timbyrnes3478]

Not bad at all! Bruce had mentioned that he was a beach bum and saw all the water pumpers on the beach getting stuck, but there was a guy in a vw chassis that just skated over the sand easily. He had an artistic background and went to design the Manx from and aesthetic rather than a practical eye. He also said that since he wasnt in the automotive industry, it didnt restrict him in what he designed. He also is credited with the fiberglass racing car bed from the 70s and the first fiberglass hot tubs from the 70s. Additionally, he was a survivor of the attack on his vessel in WWII in the Pacific. An exceptional man. My wife and I are one of the people that have driven our dune buggy from coast to coast. Was it difficult? Not really, but it was more fun than exhausting! All the thumbs up and photos being taken, and of course, the talks at fuel stops. We went with 5 other buggies to Big Bear California for the Big Bear Bash that the Manx Club holds annually. We followed Bruce in "New Manx" up the mountain and he never slowed down! What a great ride! Since then, we have organized many events and rides that encourage buggy ownership. The buggy community is family, and Bruce knew this. We are very blessed to have had his outlook on life changed by that trip to France!

[@autochatter]

Thank you! If I had the opportunity to pick your brain before making it, I'm sure it would have been a hour longer and more exciting!

[@michaelwayment8766]

My dune buggy is a combination of 1967-1969 VW chassis and engine and various parts. It's been great to rebuild and kept my son in High School (He could drive it his Senior year if he helped rebuild/weld and work on it.). He wanted to cover it in black rhino lining. So, it is not shiny like yours, but it still gets the looks and talking points. I loved your video and the tribute to Bruce Meyers.

[@autochatter]

Thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it!

[@sandraburkinshaw2875]

Great video! We have a Manx copy, a compromise reached in leu of the retirement touring motorcycle I wanted and my wife was afraid of. We go on trips up to 12 hours in a day. It has a 3.5 hour fuel range so a stretch and walk around is due and needed. Safe? No but a big step up from a bike and no vehicle is safe, safety is the job of the person behind the wheel! Great platform to view our wonderful country!

[@autochatter]

Thank you for the praise and I'm glad your enjoying your buggy! I'm not a safety nut by trade, just felt the need to inform those who may not know LOL. I kinda got into buggies as a "safer" alternative to a motorcycle myself.

[@enoz.j3506]

Loved the video,agree with most of what you say about bugs, my 1967 buggy is very comfortable,its got bucket seats which ive lowered,i suffer from a damaged back and have done several ,well over 120 mile round trips ,without any back pain. Ive had myn for many years and wont sell,just a great fun reliable easy to work on summer ride. I rebuilt the gearbox with new german parts as the syncros needed replacing,fitted electronic ignition,rewired etc. Mods ,1600 Dual port AS motor with Engle 100 cam,dual Dellorto carbs,flame thrower coil with Pertronix MK2 electronic ignition,spent a fair bit of time getting the carbs set up right,jets inlet trumpets,K&N filters. Take time to get linkage perfect, i do a carb balance every couple of years. Has straight through cannon stainless exhausts,loud but better looks and so easy for valve adjusting,which i do every few 1000 miles,this is very important,makes for a reliable engine,ive fitted smiths oil pressure, temp ,volts gauges on dash,not really necessary,but i like to know how engine is performing. Fitted adjustable swinger plates,these make ride height so easy to adjust. Has disc brake conversion on front, centerline spun aly wheels,with big cooper cobra tyres for that nice look.There are plenty of books on the subject. I love my buggy,especially when i feel down,i just go for a drive and feel good again. Thank you for upload.

[@autochatter]

You are welcome! Thank you for the story.

[@enoz.j3506]

@@autochatter No problem.Happy New Year to you and your family.

[@autochatter]

@@enoz.j3506 Same to you!

[@enoz.j3506]

@@autochatter TY.

[@barynovacek5982]

Great video. I have a JSC long body I built from a 67 bug over 30 years ago. I decide this year I needed to do a little winter project and am in the process of cleaning up and putting on a small blower to double my HP. I have always said my buggy gets the highest smiles per mile of any other car.

[@autochatter]

Winters a great time to upgrade!

[@skeetermcswagger0U812]

What a really great thorough video that doesn't pull any punches and doesn't blow any opinions out of proportion..... I'm not even interested in these size vehicles myself(@6'6"&270lbs) but I might start looking around to see what there is out there on the market just for shits and giggles. (I think I have to get the extended length version.)

[@autochatter]

Thank you! There was some buggy bodies where you didn't cut the frame length down....Like the newer Manxsters. I wouldn't reccomend a Miata like I have currently either. At 5' 11", I'm about at the limit LOL.

[@BobWwwaa]

It’s funny I came across your video because I was thinking about getting one of these I’m 71 years old and retired now and I just thought it would be fun open my eyes out I remember when I was a kid thank you for the great video👍👨🏻‍🦳👍

[@autochatter]

You are most welcome! Old cars are like time machines with the memories they can recapture.

[@BobWwwaa]

Yes that they do hold a lot of memories. My first vehicle was a 1936 Chevy pick up with the Kranks started in the front. My dad and I put a star on it cause he was afraid it was gonna spin me around because I didn’t weigh much at 16 those were the days, I bought it for 50 bucks from the farmer out of his Orange Grove Anaheim, California back before we had freeways👍🏻👨🏻‍🦳👍🏻

[@autochatter]

@Jack Harrison Thats cool! Thank you for sharing!

[@LeonMurphey]

Great video 😊 it took me down memory lane

[@autochatter]

@@LeonMurphey Thank you! It's one of my first ones.

[@vinceparke5740]

When I was young at a family picnic my uncles were jumping a dune buggy up off a twenty foot hill toward railroad tracks nearby. After the last time there was silence, and then I saw them pushing it around from the road into the driveway with the whole center folded upwards in the middle. NOW I know why. Lol

[@autochatter]

Yeah...not many cars would survive one leap like that lol.

[@vinceparke5740]

@@autochatter I would think it would break down. Did it bounce up? I don't know. But...evidently where it was welded together.

[@autochatter]

@Vince Parke It had to be funny to see it look like a pretzel lol.

[@vinceparke5740]

@@autochatter my uncles didn't seem too surprised. Funny.

[@immrnoidall]

WAYway back in my high school days [80's], my friend had a baha bug. We had a blast in that thing. The clutch went and he just kept driving it for at least a month starting it in first gear. Stop lights were interesting and your really had to plan your trips. lol. then the reverse died. WE would just park on an incline or just push it back we would all jump back in . start in first and head to the next teenage adventure. I remember that back dash . or whatever you call it was big enough to fit two 12 in woofers . So we ripped apart some house speaker and dropped them in. ahhh the good old days.

[@autochatter]

Baja bugs were great.A guy was close to selling me a 69 at one point with a 1776 engine.

[@mikeessner537]

Thank you for the video. I didn’t know the “thinned-mustache man’s” support of the VW platform. I’m in the process of purchasing a very rare 1971 Manx Towd. I’ve read 1000 total were built and about 300 are now road capable. My story. I originally wanted to build a Factory Five Mk4 Roadster as a “midlife” project. I ordered one earlier this year to be delivered this October. However, this Summer, while in Redondo, CA for work, I walked passed a car show on a Friday Night, which included multiple original and kit Cobras, as well as one Manx SR. The SR peaked my interest. Had never seen one. My understanding is that car is the first to have gullwing doors? I began to do all kinds of research into the vehicle. Learned about Bruce and The Buggy. Love the story. As a Northern California kid, I love the beach aspect of the buggy. What sold me on a Manx is both the affordability and off-road capability of the car, since I now live in a location with 1000s of miles of off-road opportunities. The Cobra would limit my “smiles per mile” to the road only. No bueno. I became so intrigued with the Manx story and capability of the “original” kit car (The Meyer’s Manx), I cancelled my Cobra order and began looking for the right Manx project for me. I went so far as to place a $100 deposit on the new fiberglass body to get in line. I am not interested in the electric version. As for the Towd, I didn’t know what a Towd was until later this Summer. I saw one in my research, learned it was Bruce’s first car he designed with its own tubular chassis and he was able to patent it. Of all Manx models, and I do really like the later designs, the Towd intrigued me the most. I kept circling around to it, it’s design, it’s story. Bruce crashed one in a Baja 1000 race and was stuck in it for hours until rescued. So, The Towd never really took off. Since I discovered The Towd, I’ve learned they’re extremely difficult to find for sale. There is only one for sale online currently for $34K. The price may have dropped a bit. But, wow! While visiting my Dad on occasion for the past 6 years in Arizona, I drove by the Towd I’ve now purchased in this man’s front drive not knowing what it was. I just thought that “buggy-thing” in his front yard looked cool and would be a fun project. Years ago, as I drove by the car, the current owner was on the front porch. I offered to buy his Towd from him. He immediately said not a chance. It was his baby. We’ve become acquaintances since. This November, having done my research on the Manx, cancelled the Cobra, as I was visiting my Dad, I drove by his house once again and realized what I’ve been looking at in his front yard is a well maintained Manx Towd! I was ecstatic. It just hasn’t run for 2 years. It is in great condition, otherwise. I immediately walked to his door and told him he “has to” sell me his Towd now I actually know what it is and the rich history behind it. As it turns out, he was ready to sell. I’ll pick it up next month and drive it home. I’m really happy with this purchase. I will be making modifications to it, including fuel injection, disc breaks, roll cage, stereo and shocks. I’m really fortunate to have come across this vehicle and I’ll treat it right until I pass it along to the next owner. The current owner owned it for over 40 years. Thanks again for the great story line of the venerable Manx! Cheers!

[@autochatter]

You are quite welcome and your lucky to find a Towd. I don't know if the SR was the first car built with scissor doors. The ones with square headlights are actually SR2s made by Karmen Coachworks? They bought the patent to make them or somthing after BF Meyers went out of business in the early 70s. Im planning on making a kit car episode in the future. Not sure if it will be VW based only or include things like the Cobra replicas too.

[@mikeessner537]

Yes! Scissor doors. I misspoke. I’ve since picked up my Tow’d and Tow’d it to the shop to get it running. The only noticeable things needing attention was a brake master cylinder replacement and alternator adjustment. It runs great and is in great condition otherwise. I definitely want to do some modifications to it in time. I’m waiting for the weather to improve before either towing or driving it 1K miles to my current home. With such a small cockpit, I’ll likely tow it. 😅 Thanks again for the great video!

[@autochatter]

@@mikeessner537 no problem! Thanks again!

[@verncampbell3096]

I found a buggy in Indiana behind a barn covered in snow, bought it for a song trailered it home did some research and found out it was a California Clipper. In the process of bringing it back to life. Can’t wait to drive it!!!

[@autochatter]

Nice! The red one I have photos of in the video was at a Barrett Jackson i attended .It may be a California Clipper too.

[@bloqk16]

A remarkable aspect of the original four-cylinder VW air-cooled engine, at least as they were in the 1960s, was the amount of maintenance neglect the engine could be subjected to, and it would still keep running, albeit not robustly. My insecurities in my younger years had me shying away from turning wrenches on engines, with the exception of doing oil-changes, so my '67 Beetle wasn't rigorously maintained, save for the oil changes. Case in point: One time I put around 24K miles on it between engine tune-ups, and the engine performance was passible. My brother, the car mechanic in the family, was stunned what he saw after removing the distributor cap: the center terminal contact to the distributor rotor had completely worn away, leaving only the coiled backing spring in the center terminal that was making contact with the rotor; yet, the engine still ran! Engine spark plug changes and engine valve adjustments were infrequent, but the engine ran. I got over 100K miles of life out of that engine. The car was banged-up from a collision with a reckless driver; the bodywork was put back into acceptable shape and it still ran. I had to sell the car to get a bigger vehicle for employment purposes. And I could not afford to hold onto the Beetle as a second vehicle. I never knew, and never heard of, a '60s era VW air-cooled four cylinder powered Beetle to just up-and-quit on the driver. But rather, the engine's performance would gradually get worse until one day, the engine would not start. But, for the engine to be running at speed and suddenly die? Never! An obscure problem with the '60s era Beetles, and this could explain the steering stability issues with the dune buggies: There's a steering damper that wears out, which can create steering wheel flutter/shuddering at speed when it is worn out. The factory original in my '67 Beetle wore out in six years.

[@autochatter]

Yeah..I replaced the steering dampner and everything else I could think of but still had a weird resonance at speed.

[@bobbellendovich6825]

When I asked VW mechanic why I had to synchronize the carburetors, adjust the valves, and check ignition-timing on my air-cooled so often, he responded by telling me Volkswagen air-cooled engines are actually high-maintenance engines; they can just take an incredible amount of abuse before they quit.

[@bobbellendovich6825]

@@autochatter put in some fresh German-made wheel bearings. They are yet another part that can look and feel okay, but can actually be way out-of-spec. I used to live where the last mile to my house I could turn the engine off on my VW van and listen to the chassis on a really smooth road and I had high-end Continental tires so they were very quiet, you could hear every little squeak and creak on the car, including the rotation of the bearings, but there were still a lot of road noise and it was a panel van so lots of vibration came from the body to create background noise. One night it's snowed and that last mile was on a bed of fresh fallen snow about 2 in which was like driving on Cotton and absorbed all the vibration the road normally pushed back with, and I heard that ever so slightest sound of old worn out front wheel bearings, the same bearings I had repacked and inspected and checked the play on at least a half a dozen times. Putting in fresh front wheel bearings and races on that old van almost felt like all new fresh steering parts, it was really interesting. Although some cars just vibrate at certain speeds for whatever reasons, I had a 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that vibrated at 62 miles per hour, no other speed did it vibrate at!!!

[@autochatter]

@Bob Bellendovich I never did switch put the wheel bearings with German ones. Everything else was new though. I sold the car a few years back now or I'd try it.

[@autochatter]

@Bob Bellendovich LOL..That actually makes sense.

[@coalcrackerchris]

I have a 1972 based vw sand rail modified to run in the Pennsylvania coal region. Sadly, I haven drove it for awhile due to broken suspention($$$). Used to tow it flat. Had lots of fun. Can't bring myself to sell it. One day I'll fix it

[@autochatter]

Ahh..a ""woods buggy".

[@MentorMoments]

I owned and built numerous dune buggies, but only one was an actual Manx body. They were the source of many wonderful memories.

[@autochatter]

Thank you!

[@charlesgraham9954]

back in the Mid to late 80s i live just outside of L.A. in a city where a gang was nuts about VWs. anyways mom had a 72 she got back in 77, my first VW was a 65 square-back, slammed but stock. sold it and got a 67 VW Bug that turned into a money pit. i bought the car but didn't drive it for 6 months because i didn't have enough money to build the engine i wanted, so i had to eat noodles and save. that 67 was the first car i ever wrench on every bolt on the vehicle. thank u for the vid, cuz it took me down my own memory-lane

[@autochatter]

No problem. I made it as a memory lane for myself too of sorts.

[@robertgallagher7734]

Had one on a shortened pan- Manx clone- 30 years ago. Now that my kids are grown would like to get another. Unsafe? Heck Yeah! Fun? H*LL YEAH!!!!

[@autochatter]

It's amazing how often the two go hand in hand lol

[@douglasrodrigues8361]

My first brand new car was a 1968 Bug purchased in September of 1967. $1,600 out the door.

[@autochatter]

About 14k today.

[@sandramoskwa]

I have a homebuilt rail buggy, welded up over a 74 beetle floor pan. It is very stiff and with 205-55-16 tires it really handles great. I have leather buckets from a Mercedes a nice real wood dash , 4 wheel disc brakes and it is fully street legal. I have owned it now 5 years and every year add new parts and make it better some way. I only have less than 3 K in it and it is very popular at car shows, like you said everybody wants to talk about a old beetle or dune buggy they owned or rode in. After owning a couple classic cars that really needed to be babied I found this to be much more fun to own and drive. I am near 70 and don’t see myself letting go of this vehicle for a long time to come.

[@autochatter]

Sounds like alot of fun!

[@bobvedder2451]

I had a '65 beetle in Germany that i bought for $150.00 drove for three years then sold it to another soldier for $150. The starter eventually went out and i didn't even try to get another, you only had to push the car about three feet then jump in and pop the clutch and off you go!

[@autochatter]

I remember a "small lemon" lot on base . I did the same with a Celica Supra and a shipmate who took me to the airport with it, drove it away when I got out.

[@arizwebfoot]

Buddies and I in Oregon built our first one in 1970 and had a ball on the Oregon Coast. However, we did it the "traditional" Oregon way. Straight VW body with the top cut off and roll cage put on. The cowling around the engine was cut off and we upgraded the hubs and brakes. We had so much fun and it was street legal in Oregon because it had fenders.

[@autochatter]

Kinda made a convertible Baja bug out of it lol.

[@renegadeflyer2]

One major downer with the buggy or any other home built car, is the insurance. They view the buggy as risky as the motor cycle. Basically you will be paying the same amount of money for insurance for your buggy as the biker in your town. It doesn't matter how much tubing that is around you. They don't have any crash test data, to rate its safety. As far as they are concerned, its not safe.

[@autochatter]

Not all insurance companies will cover kit cars. I used Grundy which did. Great classic car insurance company!

[@michaelannen4168]

I endoed my Manx in a Baltimore golf course and broke it in half with a friend, previous owner, aboard. The original 1961 seat belts worked. The roll bar put all the stress on the welded floor and broke the car in half. The hood and gas tank flew out. We lived but it was more dramatic than it sounds here.

[@autochatter]

Ouch! Rust or someone didn't weld it back well maybe?

[@michaelannen4168]

@@autochatter this was in the early 70's. Rust was not an issue. It came down hard upside down . The front end weight pushed the nose down and the engine pushed down the rear using the rollbar as a fulcrum

[@autochatter]

@@michaelannen4168 any accident you can walk away from lol

[@sandman93449dm]

When my daughter was 16 I got her a Baja Bug for her first car...we lived in Cali.....she was stoked. She headed straight to the Pismo Dunes...never saw her again LOL..

[@autochatter]

That's awesome! My daughter wanted a bug too..Shes got a Mazda but it is a 5 speed. Rare seeing a teen with a stickshift today.

[@bill4097]

I built a dune buggy called a "Mini Vette" back in 1970. It looked like a regular buggy but it had integrated sides, a rear end that looked like a 70's Corvette and an LT-1 style hood. I have never seen another one like it and didn't know who manufactured the body.

[@autochatter]

I've seen one..Yeah had that c3 Vetter/Opel GT thing going on.

[@calicojack928]

I've had my 64 Manx here in Adelaide Australia over 5 years now. They are great fun. I'll never sell it.

[@autochatter]

That's awesome!

[@michaelaldredge-greenwell1692]

I’ve always thought that each & every single Dune Buggy are so cute, cuddly, fun, sweet, beautiful, & adorable as heck!! I so dearly love them all❤️❤️❤️❤️. We have 5 in our huge garage. They’re soooo cute❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️!!!!

[@autochatter]

It's like a Pokémon collection to you eh? Enjoy them all!

[@michaelaldredge-greenwell1692]

@@autochatter totally a Pokémon collection😁😁!! 3 Meyers Manx in our collection

[@michaelaldredge-greenwell1692]

@@autochatter your amazing channel is fun to watch. So full of facts I didn’t know, stuff I can learn. I’m a huge fan of classic & concept cars, monster trucks, dune buggies, etc. You have a wealth of knowledge that you share with us all, & it is greatly appreciated. Merry Christmas Auto Chatter…

[@autochatter]

@Michael Aldredge-Greenwell Thank you! Merry Christmas to you too! VW Beetle is next!

[@michaelaldredge-greenwell1692]

@@autochatter sweet!! I have a car book that shows that un-named dastardly ne’er-do-well German dude with the small black mustache & weird black hair who drew up the first sketches of our beloved VW Bugs. He was helped by beloved Dr Ferdinand Porsche. It’s just so weird that someone who was bad made a car that was so cool

[@arielr3200]

Sweet video. I just posted my 1972 Manx Clone for sale, and your video got suggested to me by KZbin. It was good to learn about their history. I’m also in Florida, cheers 🎉

[@autochatter]

Weird how Google works lol. Thanks for liking it! Put a link up if you want if your selling it online.

[@arielr3200]

@@autochatter I just got notified of your comment 3 days ago unfortunately. It’s been gone since January.

[@autochatter]

@@arielr3200 Thats weird

[@robertjeffery6100]

Great video My son bought one a couple years ago that was in nice shape wish I got to ride in it In the 70s while in Texas they where pretty popular

[@autochatter]

Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@4thebanjoguy]

Built my Beach Buggy (UK) in ‘69/70, short wheelbase GP kit in red. ‘57 chassis, 1500s twin carb engine. Great fun. Stopped a few times by the police, not because I was breaking the law, no they just wanted to have a closer look! According to UK database, it’s still around. Great video

[@autochatter]

Thank you! I remember being pulled over in 2003 and the cop admitted he wanted a closer look at my 03 Nissan 350z.

[@user-yv2qv2me8r]

Love the story. Just completed a 71 Manx and loving it.

[@autochatter]

That's awesome! If I had the garage space, maybe I'd have another one.... And thank you!

[@jayward2662]

I had three speed automatic that my aunt gave me in 1987 and my dad restored a buggy 81 in Arizona.

[@autochatter]

An autostick...Cool.

[@RachaelSA]

Where I grew up it was rural and you could drive on the beach so all the grownups had 4x4s and all the teens had beach buggies (as they were called here). My best friend and I had a beetle and when it came time to change the engine I parked it under the tree and rolled it onto its side and used a rope over a branch to swing the motor out. Our neighbour came out with a camera and took photos (it was the 90s so no phone cameras yet) and when i looked at him, he said hes getting photos because no one is going to believe him with out evidence.

[@autochatter]

Lol..yeah.. their engineering is unique.

[@steveconly4811]

Interesting re-cap of the early years. My father's friend got me interested when I was 15 but my father was having none of it. I like the manx but I purchased one with the body style made in Phoenix Arizona. Kind of like the lesser models. The origional owner was a Freightliner Engineer and built the buggy. He put the Freightliner emblem on the back and drove it in the Baja. I purchased it in 2018, reconditioned everything, motor, ball joints, bumpers, emergency brake, side markers, mirrors, signals, clutch plate, new brakes and alot more. Still trying to aquire a collector plate but Washington DOL won't give me a title. Getting a VIN inspection is ridiculous with covid and a bureaucrat in the division. But I'm still hopefull. Thanks for the chatter!

[@autochatter]

You are quite welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@corvus1238]

Excellent honest analysis. Thank you.

[@autochatter]

You are most welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@rstraw2932]

I have a 1966 sandpiper buggy wish could apply pictures it's very fun and would love more of the history about this build it was my father's 1st project car we had 6 show cars at 1 point down to 2 presently but the buggy is still in the family and have no desire to let it go thanks for this was very interesting information

[@autochatter]

I think my orange one was a Kellison Sandpiper. Thank you for commenting and the kind words.

[@ripvanwinkle2002]

yes is the answer. no one who bought a dune buggy regrets it.. neighbors dad had one as a kid. we had no dunes to buggy in but we sure had fun riding around town on hot summer nights in it..

[@autochatter]

They are not the fastest,practical, or safest cars I've ever owned...But they still managed to be some of the most fun.

[@ripvanwinkle2002]

@@autochatter ever seen a sad person in a dune buggy? no you havent! LOL Cheers!

[@AlanDavid1955]

I'm finishing mine up right now , it was a 1962 VW and then converted ! I took out the back seat and put a 2009 Hayabusa engine in it ! It has a Miata diff and VW CV joints and axles , a ford ranger ring gear and starter motor for reverse ! For the shifter a electric powered shifter for clutch less shifting this buggy is going to scream , I'm hoping by New Year's eve , and it will be warmer by then ! Thank God for Florida !

[@autochatter]

That sounds crazy fun!

[@anthony84vette]

brought back some great memories thank you

[@autochatter]

You are quite welcome! Thank you!

[@matthewclark2123]

I just ordered the electric one. I don’t even know what the prices. But I can’t wait to hear what price they put on the dreams of my youth so I can pay it as soon as I can.

[@autochatter]

I am jealous! I'm sure it will be a blast!!!

[@joeodonnell2594]

They're like a Harley they mark their spot

[@autochatter]

Lol yep!

[@terrynicholls4173]

Great advice good vidio Beach buggys are so much fun love mine And I'm the wrong side of 80 like Clint Eastwood said, don't let the old man in.

[@autochatter]

Thank you! Even being on the wrong side of 80, I read buggy ownership can knock off a few decades!

[@ericjohnson9468]

Great narrative!… informative & FUNNY!…😂

[@autochatter]

Thank you.

[@fredmacdonald9339]

totally forgot about speed buggy. thanks for the memories

[@autochatter]

You are welcome.

[@bpenny4352]

I had a 66 GP short body buggy, put it on full steering lock and rev the engine hard, 50/50 whether it spun the rear wheels, or lifted the front and straight lined

[@autochatter]

That sounds like a awesome buggy!

[@jamesyates3140]

I have owned two fiberglass dune buggies I still have one it was built in the seventies and it has a Corvair drivetrain and a fiberglass roof I've painted it drove it last summer I'm going over and detailing it this winter can't wait for summer fun and I'm 62 years old

[@autochatter]

Sounds like a blast! I never drove a Corvair powered one.

[@jamesyates3140]

@@autochatter yeah I bought it just for the body I was told the motor was bad got it running and the thing is a ball to drive it's weird though it's a three speed

[@autochatter]

@James Yates Guess it has the Chevy trans? I'm not sure if that was more popular or a adaptor plate where you use the vw trans.

[@54suburban5]

I knew A body shop man in Fitchburg Massachusetts named Bob philto (not sure of the last name spelling) built the first dune bugy in the middle 60's.

[@autochatter]

I haven't heard of him.

[@dorianfulton7168]

Nice pros/cons summary

[@autochatter]

Thank you!

[@zinzun222bear]

My back also starts taking to me after 5 hours of sleep. 🤣

[@autochatter]

HaHa!

[@davebaker9128]

I just remembered the heater in a beetle is ducted through the floorpan so you can have heat (as it is) in your dune buggy, side curtains and soft top are workable, remember English sports cars? Austin Healy sprites or MG midgets had these for decades

[@autochatter]

I didn't have heaters in mine (as it is). I can only imagine how much less efficient it would work versus a hardtop Beetle. Prob better off with a electric one.

[@davebaker9128]

@@autochatter Dave here, you are absolutely right about using an electric heater, it would be very likely that an alternator upgrade from the original generator system would be at the top of the list of things to do in my opinion

[@autochatter]

@Dave Baker oh yeah definatley.

[@simonvancoevorden295]

Great video ! I restored & owned an 1981 Mini Moke for around 10 years. Similar but not as good on the sand , but better at high speed cruising. Mine was 1370 cc with a late Mini gearbox. Great for Western Australia!

[@autochatter]

Cool! I haven't seen a Mini Moke in forever!

[@simonvancoevorden295]

They were manufactured in Australia for many years , funnily enough the posh models were called the Californian! They are now making an electric version in I think the USA . Best wishes Simon

[@autochatter]

@@simonvancoevorden295 what would be posh on it? A padded dash? Lol

[@autochatter]

@@raulmanashky328 that's pretty cool

[@simonvancoevorden295]

@@raulmanashky328 I think so , there was a guy in Perth used to rent them out , also I’ve heard they were used as runabouts at air bases etc .

[@mikecarton2866]

Well done video.

[@autochatter]

Thank you!

[@TairnKA]

I believe Steve McQueen's was Corvair powered.

[@autochatter]

It may have been. Corvair swaps were popular.

[@EchoSigma6]

This car project makes no sense at all, nothing but a money furnace. However, fireworks are fun too so why the heck not. I could be a kid again driving one of these with a priceless smile. Thanks for the video, enjoyed it.

[@autochatter]

You are welcome!

[@paulpowell4871]

Bought mine in NJ based on a 63 and drove it to California. the 63 had no gas gauge just the flip tank. ran out of gas 2 times, the first time was almost a disaster, the nearest gas station was 17 miles away and closing in 20 minutes heading to Pella Iowa. Nice family drove me both ways and had me over for dinner. the second time I was across a cow field from a gas station. It had a cracked distributor neck and would vibrate and do anywhere from 60 to 75 and back again. It had an 8 track player in the back under the seat so basically I could only change it when stopped. I had the Physical Graffiti double album and basically listened to it for 2900 miles. it was a sparkle green baby with a 12 volt dc system and a 6 volt starter that sounded like starting the Batmobile. wish I had it still....

[@autochatter]

LOL..The fuel guage in my orange one stopped working for awhile. I used a stick to check my fuel level untill I got it fixed.

[@privateprivate1865]

Its not a dune buggy, but more closely resembles a beetle.. im talking about Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch! It was my ultimate favorite cartoon when i was about 4 years old. I still love it

[@autochatter]

I drove a VW trike once...It was pretty cool.

[@jfv65]

On the back of this trend you could get nice coupes based on the VW beetle platform. Fiberglas FTBonito sprjngs to mind. It was supposed to look like a Ford GT40 supercar. There was also the Vanclee Highway, a buggy with a pop-up roof. You could also get kits that looked (a bit) like Bugatti type35.

[@autochatter]

Yeah...I'm actually planning on a vw kit car episode...Or just a kit car one in general.

[@kayohye7091]

i remember sell vic Edelbrock VW chassis in early 60's from my speed shop in NJ. TO MADE BUBBY .,Also sold him 6-71 super chargers

[@autochatter]

Thats cool!

[@pclayton5063]

My brother bought a dune buggy back in the 1970's with a volkswagen engine and manual trans and we went to the junkyard and pulled a Corvair 6 cylinder and auto trans from a wreck and put it in the dune buggy. Ran like stink. Had to watch out as it would pull the front wheels off the ground when accelerating. I remember he carried a yard stick around with him to check the gas level in the tank. LOL

[@autochatter]

Hey the stick gas Guage works great. My father in law used that for his.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

Its the mid 80s and all the older cooler kids had cars,while we were still in bicycle or dirt bike mode. Anyways , one of the kids had bought a dune buggy that was more of a show car ,but he proceeded to beat it to death like his other cars he had. I wont mention the Lil red express he had. Anyways ,being it was light enough he could do a high rpm clutch dump and get daylight under the tires. Not too shabby for a 50-60hp engine(it was stock) !

[@autochatter]

Power to weight is everything. Didn't take much to move around a Buggy. He tore up one of those Dodge trucks too...What a shame!

[@MrTheHillfolk]

@@autochatter Oh it gets better. It was his mom's she handed down to him, probably around 86-87. He didn't wreck it ,but really used the heck out of it. And that lil red was half a his and hers that her husband bought new in 78. Yes ,2 of em in the same driveway. That was always cooler than fans to ride by and see em parked. He ran his till the late 90s and even had the vision when he bought them new ,that he bought all the decals and put em away for just in case.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

@@autochatter no doubt on the power to weight. I grew up in the despised water cooled VW era. Loved my modded 83 GTI with around 120hp, it was definitely spirited.

[@autochatter]

@@MrTheHillfolk I'm a fan of pre radiator VWs LOL. And those Lil Red Expresses were neat.

[@kennedysingh3916]

Their were many of them in Jamaica bac in the early 1970's.

[@autochatter]

Perfect vehicle for that island life.

[@critterIMHO]

A few years ago, I went to look at a dune buggy, thinking that I would bring it home with me, but discovered my size 12 wide feet were too big to operate three pedals in such a small foot well.

[@autochatter]

Yeah..that could be a problem.

[@indykurt]

I'd prefer the bug with the fiberglass add ons because of the weather we have. You get the same attention, nothing like a bus load of kids running to the rear of the bus to watch you follow them with mud tires on the back and a strait up exhaust pipe.

[@autochatter]

I went buggy because it was lighter than a Baja on the beach.

[@indykurt]

@@autochatter That makes sense, there are no beaches or sand where I live. Sand rails for off roading and mud are common here also.

[@EvendimataE]

i regret not buyng one when they were only about $5k

[@autochatter]

Yeah..They are not as inexpensive as they once were.

[@livingwithosteoarthritis.]

That man is a legend

[@autochatter]

Bruce was yeah.

[@timstadlmueller58]

Can anyone else hear the cat pleading for attention around the 7 minute mark?

[@autochatter]

LOL...Your not the first to pick up on that, it's just been awhile since I read a comment about it!

[@pinzgauerbelgium]

The best buggy kit ever made was the Belgian APAL buggy.

[@autochatter]

Not familiar with that one

[@massageguy38]

I really enjoyed your Dune Buggy video and subscribed to your channel as well. You have a very good documentary style voice that keeps the listener interested during all phases of the video! I've been talking to a gentleman about a Manx clone that is a project, but wouldn't take a lot to complete. He lives about an hour away, so hope to go visit him next weekend and see it. I have wanted one since I was 5, when I saw my cousins! I'm almost 60 and now time to make this dream happen! Is there a way I can contact you, such as email? I would like to get your opinion about the buggy I'm looking at. Thanks! Terry Pate

[@autochatter]

Thank you for the kind words. I'll try to answer any questions you have. Almost forgot.. Go to thesamba.com . VW classified and a very active message forum for all air-cooled including dune buggies. I got alot of info from those fine people over the years.

[@massageguy38]

@@autochatter I just sent a message to your yahoo email. Thanks for your reply!

[@alexandermathar7780]

The tragedy was that Meyers was way too small a company to remotely keep up with the demand for the Dune Bug.

[@autochatter]

Yes

[@mastersr1956]

i had one for about 10 years, but i had no where to store it and i live near Pittsburgh

[@autochatter]

Yeah..a garage or at least a carport is preferable with buggies.

[@nigeldeforrest-pearce8084]

Fascinating!!!!

[@autochatter]

Thanks!

[@JesusTorres-qr1gz]

14 inches cut off, where the rear seat is that gives you a shorter chassis.

[@autochatter]

Yes

[@MrTheHillfolk]

6:54 not sure if sears stopped selling mail order houses by then,or that was gone with the 50s.

[@autochatter]

LOL...That was before my time, but I do know Sears sold prefab homes at one point

[@nugley]

Under a tarp in my driveway is the one and only ever 1965 VW Explorer, my daily driver for years, an Australian kit car looking like a TR7 or X1/9 without doors or roof. Awesome fun car, but no way I'll ever re-register it, since a tourist driving on the wrong side of the road put a bend in the roof of the Nissan Skyline I was driving, and taught me a valuable lesson about crumple zones. Was way cool last century. Might buy it a new tarp, for old time's sake.

[@autochatter]

Looks kinda like a Bradley GT kit?

[@nugley]

@@autochatter You can see it in the background of some videos on my channel, as a bike rides by. Might make a video about it soon, as 'My Crap Car' for the Unicorn Circuit. Was awesome fun daily driver, so I get your love for the Manx, driving along thinking how is this even legal!

[@autochatter]

@nugley Pretty cool! Looks like you have a Isuzu Rodeo too or whatever they may be called down under lol. I think a video on your VW would be a great idea.

[@nugley]

@@autochatter You and I and few others know the joy of driving such a sled.

[@autochatter]

@nugley lol..yeah..I even did a vid on Isuzus. We don't have them here anymore not counting commercial trucks.

[@duaneulman9915]

Thank you 😊

[@autochatter]

You are welcome! Sorry about the quality if it..Was one of my first vids

[@LeonMurphey]

My buggy had the full convertible white top like the my mother the car style😊

[@autochatter]

Cool!

[@waggitnshaggit6592]

Wow I gotta do it

[@autochatter]

Everyone should at least once LOL