2006 Volkswagen El Lobo Dune Buggy

From the get-go, there's a hot rodding connection to buggying, but it goes way beyond just using muscle cars as tow vehicles.  The history of buggies parallels the history of hot rods, using a lot of the cast-offs that weren't hot enough for a land-speed '32 Ford but would work just fine for coasting down a dune.  Like hot rodding, dune buggies have their origins in the late 1940s, when early beach and desert dwellers figured out that by stripping down an old jalopy and maybe throwing a bigger engine and better tires on it, they could go faster for cheap.  Sound familiar?  These were the "Dune Bugs" and they were similar to the hot rods and T-buckets that were running at old Air Force bases and dry lake beds.  In the '50s, the bug builders went even further, stripping all the body panels off and sometimes adding dual rear wheels to allow for more tires.  The early dune runners still used radiators, so they got the name "Water Pumpers".  In the 1960s, Volkswagen Bugs hit the scene, and modified versions split into two camps—the more well-known, fiberglass-bodied Meyers Manx and Manx copies, and a bare-bones, DIY type that skipped the body altogether and simply stuck seats on a trimmed down VW Beetle chassis.  The latter was referred to as "Tunnel Buggies," or "Pan Buggies. " Competition on the dunes ranged from drag races on the flats to hill climbs on the verticals, and builders were always looking for a way to get an edge in power, traction, or weight savings.  -Thx To Motortrend.com

Load up the surf boards, blow up the rubber ducky float, climb the nearest dune for some chill time at the beach, and you can do it in style with this VW based dune buggy.   An El Lobo fiberglass construction on a Berrien Buggy chassis, sporting a worked 1915cc engine, some snazzy wheels and high travel suspension, this convertible buggy is just da bomb for retro travel back in time.  Built by our consignor, the original owner over the course of 5 years, 2001-2006, this buggy has been driven to and won many awards at various Bug Out events in Virginia.  If you are going to do a commute, you might as well do it in style with this creation which is residing in our South Mallway where it is looking for a dune to crest, and chicks to sit around a beach fire pit playing beach blanket bingo.  

***Please note, this vehicle is titled as a "Special Construction", the Pennsylvania Department Of Motor Vehicles does not assign a model year to special construction motor vehicles, trailers, etc.  Please research with you local, county, state or provincial motor vehicle bureau to ensure that registering and titling of this vehicle is accepted in your area***

Exterior
Molded fiberglass in the form of a shell and tub for some interior seats making up this simplified rakish forward body with floating fenders.  It was molded by a company called “El Lobo”, (Muybien gracias!).  LED headlights, like bug eyes, protrude upwards from the inner fenders right next to the hood.  An aluminum windshield frame is raked rearward and supports the front mounting for the custom fabricated gray canvas bikini top.   It also has plenty of chrome in the form of the front suspension, long starked driver's mirror, headlight and signal bezels, thin chrome push bumper, and fuel filler cap.  The upper body is finished in Honda Electron Blue Pearl and sports some gray and blurple rearward licking flames.  The front and rear rear of this body is nice and high for the suspension travel and has dual tail lights looking like they are from a certain bowtie, (can u say Duntov?), model.  Chromed tubular protective bumpers and cages for the back are all over the edges of the Electron Blue fiberglass. 15-inch polished American Racing Torque Thrust wheels are on all 4 corners and are wrapped by staggered width Kumho black walls.

Interior
Body hugging periwinkle purple high back racing style buckets upfront and a low back wide rear bench seat matching the buckets is in back.  Gray tuck and roll inserts are inserted into these seats with the front buckets having red stitched VW logos up high.   A large roll bar is extra security just in case a dune decides to give way, you are protected, (somewhat!).  The fiberglass molded dash utilizes white face VDO gauges along with knobs from the original donor bug with extra gauges and toggles a-plenty.  Just below this dash is a sea of gray carpeting and a nifty chromed and drilled 3 spoke steering wheel is fronting the dash.  Definitely an open-air driving experience.  Grab for the EMPI T-handle shifter on the hump and we are off me droogs. 

Drivetrain
A VW Type-1 1915cc air-cooled flat 4 cylinder now encased under the back with the fiberglass upper and chromed tube shrouding below.  It is fed fossils and air by twin Weber 1-barrel carbs and our consignor notes the addition of ported and polished CB Performance cylinder heads.  The crankshaft has been counterweighted as well and helps this mill produce a respectable 115hp.  Lots of clean aluminum is noted for this sand crawler.  A 4-speed manual transmission with a lightened flywheel and a 3.88 geared rear axle finish out the drivetrain.

Undercarriage
A black square stock tube chassis, custom built by Berrien Buggy, provides the backbone for the Electron Blue fiberglass molded floor pans and toe kicks, which all present as factory fresh.  Independent transverse torsion bars with adjustable ball joints from a later VW Type-1 for the front, and independent semi trailing arms for the back.  Disc brakes are on all 4 corners for surefooted stopping power and highly polished stainless steel headers and a stainless muffler are in charge of the exhale.

Drive-Ability
Pure fun, open air, and you can almost become 1 with this interesting build.  Nice acceleration, great braking, and the engine runs like a tip top, …top!  This one ranks near the top as one of the more powerful V-dub engine cars I've had the pleasure to drive.

So many of us go through life just using our cars to commute back and forth to work and go on the occasional vacation.  We treat our cars like our toasters, expecting them to work for us every day.  With this custom you can just have flat out fun, climb whatever landscape, and enjoy the open air and big country out there. 

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.  This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.