1963 Volkswagen Dune Buggy 

It all started with a California boat builder in the early 60's who created a body to fit on a shortened VW Beetle chassis.  In 1967, it appeared on the cover of Car and Driver magazine with the headline “You can build this fun car for $635!”.  Within a week, Bruce Meyers had 350 orders for the car and the rest, as they say, is history.  Though only about 5,000 real Manx's exist, more than 200,000 dune buggies from other companies emerged by the mid-1970's 

For consignment, a 1963 Volkswagen Dune Buggy with a title verified 72,374 actual miles.  It spent a good part of 2023 getting new parts and fully sorted and now awaits a new beneficiary looking for a good time.  New parts plus a new owner will yield new stories of fun and excitement and never a dull moment. 

Exterior
Red painted fiberglass colors the upper body shell with glossy results.  Bug eye headlights emerge from the fenders along with VW style turn signals while modern LED fog lights are mounted down low.  Modern inset oval tail lights blend into the shell and flank the very exposed air cooled engine.  Safety and nerf bars surround the vehicle, from the extensions out front, behind the engine, and on the sides.  15-inch star style wheels shiny brightly on the corners and house staggered size tires providing a classic stance.  A black bikini style top keeps you out of the sun and is in excellent condition and can be quickly removed for open air beach rides.  Imperfections include just a few minor chips and a scratch in the paint, nothing a bit of touch up couldn't remedy.    

Interior
A padded vinyl overlay provides some safety for both entering the car and as a bit of side protection.  The square stitched pattern is mirrored on the front bucket seats which are deep and supportive and hold 4 point harness seat belts.  More adventurous riders can sit on the back bench where lap belts are provided, and the roll bar doubles as a handle to hold.  A 3 spoke steering wheel shares the column with a SunPro tachometer.  Moving to the center of the dash we find a VDO speedometer, VDO fuel gauge, and an AM/FM/CD radio as well as various switches and lights.  On the center hump we find an Empi shifter and fire extinguisher ironically adorned with classic flame motif.  Black low pile carpet covers the floor while more stitched black vinyl lines the footwell walls.  A roller gas pedal is in place. 

Drivetrain
A 1600cc engine is out back and is fed by a 2-barrel Weber carburetor.  Power stays at the rear wheels and 4.375 gears while the 4-speed manual transmission moves the car forward and back.  Headers lead to a short exhaust which terminates with a large chrome exhaust tip.  There are other chrome and metal goodies on the engine, which is wide open for all to see.  In 2023, our consignor states the following was replaced: the battery, valve stems, spark plugs, spark plug wires, air filter, axle boots, pushrod tubes, carburetor, fan belt.  The following services were noted by the consignor in 2023: an oil change, shifter adjustment, valve adjustment, brake bleed, brake adjustment.  

Undercarriage
The belly pan is intact and has surface rust.  An aluminum engine under belly pan looks great.  Independent suspension is found in the front while swing axle, trailing arms, and torsion bars make up the rear independent suspension.  

Drive-Ability
You don't have to ask twice!  We're happy to take this around the test loop and pretend we're on a beach somewhere instead of landlocked in the hills of Morgantown.  That said, the car runs well and all gauges function as intended save for the windshield wipers and the radio works. 

It's got that unique Baja bug sound which we can't get enough of.  This is a purpose-built vehicle, and that purpose is fun.  They're not built for speed.  They're not built for comfort.  They're designed for smiles, and they deliver every time.  Here's a good looking, well sorted version of a classic sand buggy that is street legal

Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.

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