By Tim Odell
We love oddly and/or heavily modified vehicles, but some level of period appropriatness is important. Nineteen inch wheels on a ’58 Pontiac? No. Turbo Corvair Spyder motor in a metalflake, fiberglass, super-groovy 1968 VW-based dune buggy? Yes.
This particular example comes to us from Cars4Causes via eBay, who unloads various “Donate your junk car/boat/plane for a tax write-off” vehicles. As denizens of the bottom of the automotive food chain, we know there’s many a nugget to be found from a seller specializing in vehicles that people “just want gone”. What kind of nugget remains the key mystery.
Jump, like 1800lbs of fiberglass off a sand dune.
Rob’s our resident kit car expert, so either he so someone here will have to weigh in on whose kit this is. It seems to borrow heavily from both the C3 ‘Vette, and a Glastron ski boat. Despite a few minor flaws, both the glass and the paint are in great shape for the years. Sea-blue metalflake is the perferct shade. While looking a bit worse for wear, the interior sports a comically small steering wheel and some sweet fixed-back vinyl buckets. All it’s missing in a roach holder.
The craziness continues out back, where a “150” hp turbo Corvair motor’s been swapped in. As fans of oddball engineering overreaches from days gone by, the only other swap that’d be worth a shot would’ve been a Toronado engine and transaxle, or maybe some kind of absurd Porsche powerplant. Besides, the Toronado big block would’ve totally thrown off the weight bala…nevermind.
Per the seller, the engine will crank, but needs some carburetor love to really run, and the gauges are mostly non-functional. It’ll keep you busy, but for a current price of $560, it’s hard to go wrong.
1968 VW Dune Buggy w/Turbo Corvair Power – eBay Motors
Jeff Glucker
Oh. Hell. Yes.
The wheel is so small that you could drive it with handcuffs on. In the event that you escape police custody, this would make an excellent escape vehicle.
Sure thing.
Maybe not the purttiest thang out there but has a huge fun potential.
I think I might add a few castors to that sump guard, just in case that "150bhp" is delivered too abruptly.
Needs more Camaro.
<img src="http://www.tanshanomi.com/temp/camaro_replica_buggy.JPG">
Quite a mish-mash. The speedometer and tach are from a Corvair Corsa, the turn signals look like they're from a '69 Camaro, and the taillights look like '64 Dodge.
Either somebody doesn't know how to set the date on their digital camera or these pics are two years old.
I would guess just the Corvair turbo motor would be worth close to $500, assuming no horrible knocks, etc.
I would buy this and drive it all over town in full snorkeling gear.
It'd be groovy, man.
Hey! You finally reached 100! Welcome! We have out own VIP room with all the scotch and boobies you could ever want.
…VIP room with all the scotch and boobies you could ever want.
Talk about a personal demotivator…
Oh well, maybe someday I'll hit the century mark anyway…
I believe we could install some penises when you hit the magical 100.
From what rumors I've heard, "room" is a bit of an overstatement and, although technically the boobies are present in abundance, well…
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4380685722_e302b814a1.jpg" width="350">
I hope, for your sake, at least it's good Scotch.
Bitchin' at any speed.
Tiny steering wheel + manual steering + 50-series tires = Monster biceps. Or epic failure.
This is the rearest engined car I've seen since the last time I saw an Audi back up.
I would drive that buggy everywhere. Gimme.
That is a beauty. The engine's a bit small though
<img src="http://www.islandcruisersinc.com/images/hp%20gal%2026.jpg">
This thing looks at VWs and Porsches and laughs at how inboard their engines are.
If it had a stereo, it would only play the hymn "Rearer My Lump to Thee."
Praise be to Murilee.
So it's an outboard, then?
How apt for the day formerly known for motorboats.
One of my first post license wrenching was on a Manx Knockoff with a corvair motor in the back. I got the motor running, but there was NO interior, NO steering linkage, there was nothing, and I was also spliting the time with getting an Opel GT on the road. When that summer ended the Opel had spat out a connecting rod on a date (the girl never called me back, She had no sense of adventure) and the Faux Manx got scrapped
Now's your chance to get back at the one that got away!
(car, not girl…)
I wish I could think up something more creative/witty to say, but after a long day at the new job all I can think of is:
Wow, that's just damn cool.
I just want to know what those notes taped to the dash say. "Objects at rear are farther than they appear."?
Oh, and it looks better without that silly engine cover. Polish that 6 and let it hang out.
Polish off that 6 pack and let it hang out.
There, I fixed that for ya.
Sounds good until you can't live in a school zone.
umm…baby got back?