Vehicle Description
If this little guy doesn't put a smile on your face, you probably
don't have a soul, a heart, an imagination, or whatever else
constitutes the capacity for joy in a human being. Regardless of
creed, religion, background, or DNA sequence, this 1958 Volkswagen
Dune Buggy was built to elicit FUN from anyone that gets inside and
takes it for a ride. With a bright yellow paint job, sporty little
interior, and a custom air-cooled motor that feels like it can lift
it to the moon, this beach-town cruiser is the coolest thing on
four wheels and we feel no shame in admitting it.
We can all but guarantee you'll be the only guy tooling around in
one of these even though the look is instantly familiar to anyone
that's seen a California beach. The original VW Dune Buggy, and
like those early conceptions this is a 4-seater with a big exposed
engine hanging out of the back. The look is familiar, of course,
and the whole design is very professional and well-executed so
nothing looks sub-standard. Painted bright yellow to match the
sunshine it loves to soak up, the fiberglass is in great condition
with no major signs of age and that brilliant driver-quality finish
offers a great gloss that's quite appropriate to something of this
vintage. This is motoring distilled down to its barest essence, so
there aren't a ton of bell and whistles, but you do get some
uber-cool custom parts like the 4-point roll cage and mounted
surfboard up top, big King Bee-style headlights up front, and the
bespoke splash decals throughout the body that add a very fun touch
to the finish. In back, the chromed-out VW Beetle engine and its
wild exhaust system becomes an integral part of the overall look
and it's fascinating to watch this sucker run down the road.
There's more stylish minimalism inside where low-back bucket seats
and a matching rear bench were upholstered in handsome white vinyl
with black stripes running down the center. The vinyl upholstery
wears well and is weather-resistant enough for its alfresco duties
in the open VW, and it looks very stylish against the blacked-out
floor and yellow tub walls. Hop over the side of the tub (no
self-respecting Dune Buggy has doors) and it's easy to settle in
behind the Grant GT steering wheel where you'll find that the
driving position is more early-British roadster than German economy
car, and with those big pontoon fenders out there, you can clip
apexes more easily than you ever thought possible. Creature
comforts are few and that's entirely the point here; anything that
wasn't necessary for the job of having fun was omitted. That means
no windshield wipers, no heater, no windows, but it does have a
cool set of under-body LED lights that look really cool when you're
screaming down the beaches at night. A center stack filled with
gauges and switches is led by the big AutoMeter speedometer, and
the EMPI T-handle shifter jutting out from the floor manages the
4-speed manual below.
VW's air-cooled flat four needs no introduction, and this 1776cc
Flat 4 unit provides plenty of power for the flyweight dune buggy.
Covered in chrome and polished pieces to make it really pop out
from the back of the Buggy, the engine is very strong and reliable,
featuring dual carbs, upgraded pulleys, and beautifully organized
plumbing and wiring that help keep it neatly dressed. The exotic
exhaust is a dual trumpet-style system that serpentines around and
exits out the back, and it sounds so good you'll never need a
radio. VW's 4-speed manual transmission and floor pan made the
transition intact and with the low center of gravity, handling is
adept, while stopping on a dime is an easy task thanks to 4-wheel
disc brakes. Obviously, this was never someone's winter beater, so
the underside remains in very good order with no glaring trouble
spots, which makes sense for a car with only 250 miles on it since
the build was completed. Lots of finned aluminum helps with the
air-cooled engine at seed and you'll undoubtedly find that this car
loves to play in just about any condition. The suspension,
transmission, and rear differential were purpose-built and the pans
are protected with a light dusting of undercoating so you don't
have to worry about going into the rough. Five-spoke chrome wheels
are flashy and provide the ideal look and carry sharply staggered
165/15/86T front and 225/60/15 rear radials with plenty of
grip.
A party on wheels, this Dune Buggy recalls an era when the Beach
Boys were on the radio and cars were all about having fun. Call
today!
