Texas Manx Club

by **David Head** » 19 Mon May, 2008 10:21 am

I got a call from my son when I was is Fredericksburg last month. It seems that he was at a car show in Terrell. he called to tell me about this Tow'd that he saw at the car show.
Needless to say, When I got home from Fredericksburg, I started to do a little research and tried to find this little lost Tow'd.
Come to find out, the owner only lives about 15 miles from me.
So I called him and made arrangements to come by and see his Tow'd.
As it turns out, His name was Arlen and he has never heard of the Texas Manx Club. You see, he does not have the internet.
I asked him if I could take some pictures and post on our website so that everyone could see the work that he has done.

His Story:
Arlen is a retired Paint and Body man. Believe it or not, he painted this Tow'd 23 years ago for a customer. Some years later he aquired it from the customer.
I invited Arlen and his wife Cheryl to come on down to Salado next weekend. I think there was some conflict with there schedule, but they were going to try to make it.

I don't know about you guys, But this is one sweet Tow'd.

David Head

by **CoryN** » 19 Mon May, 2008 10:40 am

Ooh - that is very nice. Is that like a pearl paint? It almost looks like a different color in each angle.

by **Vee Dub Nut** » 19 Mon May, 2008 11:04 am

Wow.. that looks good.

Who would have thought someone could be living so close and you never saw it before..

Would be nice to see in person at the blast

by **Texasbuggys** » 19 Mon May, 2008 11:47 am

That is a really nice buggy! The Towds are one of my favorite buggies for just plain, fast, light and agile, ya can't beat them. And they are so easy to assemble. The newest sponsor David Barret builds the nicest chassis for these buggies I have ever seen so if ya see him in Salado ask him about them.

by **CoryN** » 19 Mon May, 2008 11:52 am

Does anyone build a Tow'd clone? Or do you have to find an original?

by **Vee Dub Nut** » 19 Mon May, 2008 11:58 am

I've heard FiberJet made what they called a Sand Hopper (basically a tow'd knockoff) but they went out of business

by **Bill K** » 19 Mon May, 2008 12:50 pm

That's a nice car you found, David, and the one in the background in not too shabby also ;-)

I hope they can make it to the show.

by **David Head** » 19 Mon May, 2008 1:05 pm

Yea the Tow'd was the original and the Clod-Hopper or Sand-Hopper was the knock off.
As far as I know, there is nobody currently making this body. You can still find old ones on thesamba.
David

by **Buggy1** » 19 Mon May, 2008 1:45 pm

FYI the fiber craft copy of the toad was the sand hopper ..... the clod hopper was a fiberfab dune buggy like Dave folton has. and the Fiber craft is no longer made due to the untimely death of the owner ( I'm sorry, the name slips this feeble mind. The company no longer makes bodies any more. sorry guys.

And yes David's Manx DOES look sweet

Neal

by **Aquabuggy** » 19 Mon May, 2008 3:10 pm

Ive never really been a big fan of the toad but man that one is sweet!
Hope they can make it to the blast.

by **Faron** » 19 Mon May, 2008 10:38 pm

WOW that is a nice looking car, I never thought I would like a Towd.

by **OZ Towdster** » 22 Thu May, 2008 7:21 pm

If my Towdster paint job come out half that good i'll be happy , roll bar looks good filled in like that , would mabey look better with a deck lid to finish of the rear more

by **Keith Wenzel** » 23 Fri May, 2008 12:14 am

The fiberglass buggy I'm building is a Clodhopper by FiberFab. I bought it from a guy south of Ft Worth. Not a bad body and IMHO looks pretty sharp for a non-Manx. I should be finished in about two to three weeks.

by **CoryN** » 23 Fri May, 2008 7:59 am

Cool - look forward to seeing it. 8-)

Texas Manx Club

Really nice Tow'd

Really nice Tow'd

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