Help ID'ng this buggy

[greenmanx]

Posting this for Richard Mechler. Richard saw us at the Buggy Blast and got the fever (for which there is no cure!) Glad we could he get you hooked.
Here's his story, he's sticking to it
"These are the only two photos I have of the abandoned buggy. The Buggy Blast messed me up real bad and all I can think about is first acquiring, then getting this buggy up and running. It belonged to a man that apparently died and the only way I have of contacting it's possible owner is through a brother-in-law and a third party. It's not going very well. I really appreciate the help identifying the buggy, maybe this will help get the ball moving. Thanks, Richard"
Anybody know what it is?
posting link, the pics don't want to cooperate....http://www.texasmanxclub.net/gallery2/v/greenmanx/buggyID/mechler+buggy+1.jpg.html http://www.texasmanxclub.net/gallery2/v/greenmanx/buggyID/abandoned+buggy+2.jpg.html

[GregR]

not sure what the body is, maybe a bush buggy? I'd be concerned about the chassis. Looks like lots of rust. Also looks like it's a coast car so salt may have done a lot of damage. What kind of shape are the floor pans in? Doe sthis look like it'll be a "haul it off" deal?

[carlos del carpio]

With this buggy, it is using the monocoque setup... with all the rust, the structure is compromised.. not a good thing.

My only advice is PASS IT UP. There are buggys for sale every few days, don't forget www.thesamba.com, and www.dunebuggyarchives.com, great place to find parts and buggys..and of course, ebay...

good luck, but I'd keep lookin..it's a LOT of work, this abandoned one..

(or, you can get the body, and replace chassis?)

[GregR]

Carlos, how is this a monocoque buggy? Monocoque would have the suspension components , etc molded into the body, yes?
Looks to me like it's a standard tub body + Pan combo. The body looks to be in really nice shape....the chassis.....not too sure about that

[David O']

It is a pan buggy, and the front end looks good to me. The engine is a 40 hp model, and the car looks to have been built in the late sixties or early seventies. Greg, you may be right about the make, but the body looks to be in great shape! I'd say about $400.00, but that is my opinion only!

[Gert]

I'm searching in my collection Dune Buggies the fun car journal www.freewebs.com/dunebuggies

[GregR]

Incredible collection Gert! Do you actually have the actual issues of those magazines?

[bobaganoosh]

the guy i bought my buggy from has the exact same buggy

I'll try to get a hold of him and see if he knows what it is

mike

[carlos del carpio]

Monocoque, as in the external skin, the combination of the tub and sheet-metal being used to support some or most of the structural load...


even a stock VW beetle has this design, together, mated with sealant and bolts, it's rather rigid..you remove body and pan from each other, and you'll notice how easily it flexes!

One sure way of tightening up the design is tube chassis under the pan..second, a side-wall frame design (aka hawkeye frames) and third, a roll cage to sandwich the body between frame and roll cage (no longer a monocoque design, the body is 'floating' between the structures...)

In the case of this vehicle, and others when a pan rusts thru, it can kinda dangerous!!

[GregR]

Monocoque: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Monocoque (French for "single shell") or unibody is a construction technique that uses the external skin of an object to support some or most of the load on the structure. This stands in contrast with using an internal framework (or truss) that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin. Monocoque construction was first widely used in aircraft, starting in the 1930s, and is the predominant automobile construction technology today. ...The popular Volkswagen Beetle also used a semi-monocoque body (its frame required the body for support) in 1938... Compared to older techniques, in which a body is bolted to a frame, monocoque cars are less expensive and stronger.
So in a way I guess we're both right

[carlos del carpio]

WIKIPEDIA!!! I once visited that site, and lost the link! thanks man! hahah

I didn't think about planes being monocoque, but yeah, I guess they are, or were..or.................yeah.

neato! who buys who the beer? haha kidding!

[Gert]

Incredible collection Gert! Do you actually have the actual issues of those magazines?

GregR,

I've only collected the issues 'Dune Buggies the fun car journal' and 'Sportbuggies'. I don't have the actual issues.
I'm still searching for dune buggy books. Maybe someone of you can help me? www.freewebs.com/buggiesbooks

Gert

[Frontloader]

I still have all that I bought in the late '60s and early '70s. The only subscription I had though was Dune Buggies and Hot VWs. Not sure when it ran out. But I have kept all the dune buggy books I ever put my hands on.

[Gert]

Take also a look at www.veloce.co.uk (Search: buggies)

I could not find the buggy above in 'Dune Buggies the fun car journal' (1967-1970). Tonight I will search in the 'Sport Buggies' magazines.

[staggerwing]

I have "registered" and "activated" an account so I can post a reply in the forums section. Wish I could log in, but have been rejected each time I try. Please help.

[staggerwing]

Okay, that worked - whatever!
Just wanted to thanks you guys for the feedback and research you're doing in trying to help me I.D. the "Abandoned Buggy". I'm trying to think of "a nice way" to pressure the brother in law to call someone about finding out who the owner is. I appreciate the help and look forward to meeting some of you at the next Buggy Blast!

[blackthree4me]

I say go for it
mine was a basket case but ran and drove
close worth is about 400 non running and about 800 running
just a starting figure

real cool old school tail lamps
looks like a good start
sorry cant help with the ID
might check with bart at the dune buggy archives
I realy like the old school cars wish I had mor room I would build one
just for fun
blackthree4me

[staggerwing]

Yeah, I fell in love with the tail lights when I saw them too. I could tell they were"old school" but unfortunately the pics you guys are seeing were taken July 04 and the vandals have paid the buggy a visiit bashing the lights and windshield. I know the body is in great shape but glass is now gone. I really need to move on this before something else happens to it. Today would be a great opportunity to be working on a buggy project - IT'S RAINING IN SEGUIN TX!

[Faron]

I say go for it! From what I have read in your posts, anything less will not do. You have been thinking about this buggy for a year that we know of. If you are forced to go another route because you cant find the owner of this buggy, you will always wonder what would of been. I have had mine for about a year now, and I show very little progress to many of my friends, however I know what I have done. Its a hobby and not a race to the finish line for me. To be honest its the one thing in my life that I am not in a rush for, and I think that is the reason I love my Buggy. OK I am done being sappy!

[blackthree4me]

impalla tail lamps 50 bucks
new safety glass 100 bucks
getting the car you always wanted Pricless
anything can be fixed it just takes more time

blackthree4me

[staggerwing]

Talked to the Bro-in-law this weekend about finding the owner of this buggy to buy it, or haul it off, or whatever. It seems one of the reasons for the delay is that he is contemplating a logistics nightmare that includes buying a 25ft storage box, putting an Isuzu Trooper in it, renting a barge to haul that across the to the Island where this buggy is, loading an old rust-bucket Toyota Land Cruiser and the buggy on the barge (if we can get it), floating them both back to port, then hauling each on separate trailers back to our houses to begin our propective projects!

Forget just finding out who owns the buggy and me getting it off the island myself, apparently that's WAY TOO EASY! So here I sit, reading forums, learning this and that from tech articles, dreaming buggies every night, talking about them all day long with friends at work and all night long with wife at home. Maybe the patience will pay off, maybe not.

Went to the Hawkeye websire and filled out an enquiry to have a buggy (or partial thereof) priced for building. There's no cure - I have buggies on the brain and the only way to cure it is obvious.

Still curious about the I.D. of the old abandoned girl though - any leads?

[GregR]

What's funny is, they have a picture of a buggy like yours on the DBA Buggy ID site....but don't ID it!
http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/decision-tree/BuggyId/BodyHoodFenderTail/ClassicBuggy/ and scroll down to the description "ridges"