Yes, yes, I am the worst blogger ever, disappearing for months on end. I know.
Anyway… Peter sent me this picture from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, of a couple of mystery cars. They seem to be dune buggies built on a New Beetle? Anyone know anything about these?
glad you’re back! I missed living vicariously thru these kit car posts. Don’t leave us for so long without our fiber resin fix! :)
The suspension on these looks a lot like the older Beetle even though the body is definitely derivative of the new Beetle. If it’s on an old Bug chassis, I’d definitely be interested.
Is there any location to see about buying a kit like this?
Yeah I see the torsion bar front end. But it looks damn nice tho that would be fun bombing around town in it. You could go the whole snap on soft top side curtain thing for all weather.
Its a Bugway
More info here:
http://www.brmbuggy.com.br/way.php
Are the ones in the original pics an unlisted model? I went to the link Casper provided and looked up all the models, but none with the built in side steps or the rounded new Beetle back.
the front end, fenders and lights aren’t quite as attractive in the current Bugway models IMHO :(
Maybe VW got ticked over the “New” Beetle styling and made them pull the model?
Or maybe the diffrent persons owning the models just had another taste in styling. Don’t know.
Another discussion about these new buggys:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=182275&start=0
the link to the buggy group looks like people are trying to obtain these, I’ll keep checking back. Thanks for the link! Though $3000 USD for a fiberglass body? isn’t that a bit steep?
Yeah, but when people are trying to find a car to buy, info often finds there way to :)
Well know a days 3000$ isnt much for a kit. Not the new ones at least. Its under half of the prices I usally se kits to.
I’ve rented and driven these same buggys in Cancun.they are not Bugways. I am 100% certain that they were manufactured origionally in Mexico, not brazil. I’ve had contact in thepast with the original parties that first prduced those bodies. They did infact run into some copyright issues with VW because they were very clearly displaying them with a VW logo in hte hood and tail lid.
There are two different versions of these new beetle look buggies, but they are 100% “old Beetle” bll joint/ swingaxle chassis underneath. One version has actual working doors and inserts for the t tops. The others had the solid sides and the steps molded in. The front hood and windshield was unmistakeably from a new beetle, and parking side by side with a NB, it seemed highly likely the roof hoops were probably pulled from a NB. The two that I’ve personally inspected were very solidly constructed and appeared well molded.
There are pictures out there of a red one with soft windows that snapped in as well, though I haven’t come across those pictures in a while. Unfortunately I lost all of my information a while back in a hard drive crash.
From my discussions with the brothers that owned and were renting two of them in Cancun, there was someone in the Merida area that had a mold for them, though that was all the information they would divulge as it was pretty clear from them that mold was pulled from another car.They sorta clammed up when I identified the buggy I was renting as a yellow one that had been for sale on the Samba several months prior to my encounter with them. He did confirm that I was infact, driving that very vehicle, though it had been re-painted blue. They had intentions of producing several to run a buggy fleet in Cancun. I’ve also seen these same type bugies in downtown Playa Del Carmen parked at WalMart.
The originals showed up in the Puerto Vallarta area about 6 years ago as I recall. I used to have a link to the original manufacturers. They had revealed these buggys at a mexican trade show and produced quite a few of them. Dollar Rent a car had a small fleet of them for a while in PV. I have a picture somewhere of my mother driving the lime green one wiht hte dollar rental logo down the side.
Oh, btw, I was the individual that posted all of the details on hte samba thread amd hte $3K price, which would be very reasonable for these bodies. There are far more substantial than any dune buggy body I’ve ever owned The basic Meyers manxter kit is $7500 by comparison.
Oh, btw, I was the individual that posted all of the details on hte samba thread amd hte $3K price, which would be very reasonable for these bodies. There are far more substantial than any dune buggy body I’ve ever owned The basic Meyers manxter kit is $7500 by comparison.
here we go again, no they are build on the old vw bug chassis and aircooled engines, Yes John you are write, i wonder always how those it come they have vw logos, i wrote also to vw Puebla but no answer, but i found a rent a car who had about 6 of them red,green yellow, white,blue. the man from the rent a car told me he still had one for sale for 8.000 us$ but never got back to me. I have myself 4 Bugways from Brazil but on a full size vw chassis. Bugway sells this days only complete cars with golf engines and 5 speed transmissions. They don’t sell kitcars anymore (well yes only to me) a bugway kitcar would cost like 6000 us$ complete with seats and windshields and all the lights, o yes the floor is complete fiberglass.
Some more news about them, it wonders me that even in mexico, nobody can give some more info about it
hi i am the owner of this project in mexico i have build 50 cars just for puerto vallarta and guadalajara the factory is in guadalajara i dont have a web page yet but if someone is intreasted on this car please send me an e-mail to alfredo_gomez@mac.com and i will send pictures and pricing
i own the patent of the design cel phone+5213331000444 alfredo gomez
nobody can give some more info about it
it´s a beetle, a old beetle, but the chasis and suspension it´s orignal from bug, is of a company of self-propelled accessories Matrix, it´s from guadalajara jalisco mexico 100% mexican
bonjour,
en francais je suis interesser par les buggy quel est le prix?
en attente d’une reponse merci d’avnce
Hey,im from mexico and this buggy was sold in mexico in the agency,its totally original from VW mexico ,I remember it was sold like 100 units and it calls vw beetle “sahara” or something like that :)
Here is a listing for one of the Mexican Beetle dune buggys on the samba.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1384676
I own The patent i create this dune buggy in Gdl Mexico and I sell cars all over the world please check out this pictures I made RHD cars
I have seen your buggies in Puerto Vallarta can you email me some pictures. I would like to come and see your factory. How long is delivery from the time of order. As you can see I speak English No Spanish sorry about that. Can you send me the specs.
Regards Gord
did you ever find out about this buggy? can they be purchased?
i just read your post. do you still have or can you make this body?
can they be shipped? please let me know.
do you have website in which to order these kits. I would really like to buy one
Hello, I was sent a picture of a buggy exactly like the one you have posted. The person claims to have 30 of These bodies in his yard along with the molds. He told me that there are three styles. A convertable, to top and a coupe. He has 10 of each.
These are made in Mexico
Please contact me if your interested in one of these modern buggies.
I know the manufacturer.
These kits are $7,000.
Made in Mexico.
Pick up in San Diego, CA.
They bolt directly to a standard “uncut” bug pan.
If interested please contact me for pictures and info
spyderspeedster@yahoo.com
Limited supply.
i have send you a email
Hello do you sell those buggy’s ? please send me more info to my email adress we are very interested