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101 Cars: Meyers Manx
The Dune Buggy Revolution is Born
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SPEED Staff  |  Posted August 18, 2008   Charlotte, North Carolina
The first dozen or so Manx machines used their own tube frame and chassis, but Bruce redesigned the body to fit on a shortened VW platform. (Photo: ConstructorsCarClub.org.nz)

How could you look at one of these things and not smile? That was the idea behind the Manx, which started the 1960s dune buggy craze. SoCal surfer/designer/racer Bruce Meyers loved to prowl the beaches and sand dunes with his jacked-up, fenderless VW and decided to design something a little more attractive.

The first dozen or so Manx machines used their own tube frame and chassis, but Bruce redesigned the body to fit on a shortened VW platform, which made them easy and cheap to build. The idea caught on, and Meyers began manufacturing kits. He sold about 5,000 of them, but others ripped off the idea, and perhaps 100,000 more were built. Meyers got out of the business, only to return in 2000 to build 100 more.

He's now come up with an updated, four-seat version called the Manxster, and, at well into his 70s, is back in the car business more than 40 years after he first started. It's not hard to see the original's appeal: cheap, cute, a simple little ride that could go a lot of places. But the best place is parked on the sand somewhere, surrounded by beach dudes and babes, a bonfire, marshmallows and brews, and a boom box playing The Beach Boys.

Specifications
Engine: VW or Porsche flat four or Corvair flat six
Horsepower: 36-200 depending on engine choice
0–60 mph: 9.1 seconds (Porsche Flat Four)
Top Speed: 75-125 miles per hour depending on engine
Price New: $635 (original kit price, 1967, plus VW chassis/engine)
Value Now: $8,000-$10,000 for a clean, well-sorted, authentic Meyers example
Meyers Manx Photos



Claim to Fame

CLAIM TO FAME: The original dune buggy


Soundtrack

SOUNDTRACK: "Surf City" by Jan & Dean


Perfect Passenger

PERFECT PASSENGER: Even though the show came along later than the Manx, any female cast member from Baywatch will do


Behind the Wheel

BEHIND THE WHEEL: It's hard to find an original Manx, but with numerous knock-off versions out there, you can get a close approximation. Or, shop the official site at www.meyersmanx.com.


Did You Know?

DID YOU KNOW: Bruce Meyers drove the Manx prototype in the inaugural Baja 1000, finishing first in class and second overall.


The Perfect Drive

THE PERFECT DRIVE: Pismo Beach, California, where you can still drive and park on the sand.



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