Volkswagen based dune buggy kits2/28/2024 And most excitingly, the Meyers Manx company is still making and selling their iconic kits, as well as some new ones. Today, genuine Meyers Manx dune buggies demand a premium over the other models. He did sue one manufacturer but lost.Ĭlones popped up all over the world, and by some estimates, there may have been as many as 300 different dune buggy kits offered. Unfortunately, Meyers hadn't thought to get the body design trademarked. The fiberglassing process made it easy: buy one Manx kit, create a mold using that kit, then start making them yourself. Other companies saw how popular the Manx was and literally copied it. On top of that, he started to notice more and more dune buggies on the roads. He had trouble keeping up with demand, and a race injury one year in hampered production even further. He credits some of the design to Mickey Mouse: in the comics, the little rodent cartoon drove small cars with big wheels, and a young Bruce wanted to drive those cars "right off the page." He knew the design needed to be happy and fun, just like a day at the beach. At 144 pages, the book is a practical guide to the work involved in building a road-worthy VW-based fun car that avoids some of Dune Buggy Street Legal, Parts, Kits and More eBay 1964 Volkswagen Dune Buggy. The high sides and fender lip that extends down the side of each Manx protects riders from spraying sand, and they rise and flow like waves in the ocean. Using his artistic skills, he drew up a body with curves and flares. The shells were difficult and expensive to produce, which led him to create two-piece kits that bolt to a VW platform shortened by 14." Using his knowledge of fiberglass, he created 12 "monocoques" - models where the VW mechanicals and suspension bolted directly to a fiberglass shell. He saw the potential of a Beetle-based buggy, and he created the iconic design now associated with dune buggies. He is a Navy veteran, he's built boats, shaped surfboards, and is an artist. Bruce Meyers saw these homely little runabouts and knew he could improve on them. Which is probably exactly how they were made. They look like something someone made in their backyard with only the most basic of tools. ![]() You could say their style is that they lack style. On top of that, Sportsters are not very attractive. Steel is heavy, and heavy cars and sand do not go well together. To start, these early dune buggy bodies were made from steel. The Sportster was a fantastic idea, but the execution was lacking.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |