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Sun Aug 05, 2018 8:19 am

Hey guys. Does anyone know of any companies that still make buggy bodies? I know of Manx and Barrien are there any others?

Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:28 am

I'm confused...
Meyers were the 1st, and many consider the best for both quality and value.
Anyone else is a ripped off clone.
The freight might be a consideration when comparing Berrien.
But the final factor will be choice of model style of each manufacturer... if they don't have what you want then they're not much value to you at any price.

Just my opinion....

Paul

Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:07 am

hillmotorsports wrote: Meyers were the 1st, and many consider the best for both quality and value.
Anyone else is a ripped off clone.

I strongly disagree with your statement. Although Bruce Myers did develop the first kit car body others manufactured just as good quality as he did. Just because something is the 1st does not mean it is the best. There are several other body styles are much better looking than a Manx. The word Clone is a disgusting term to label other Fiberglass kit car bodies. The OP ask about a brand new Buggy body not a Manx. In my opinion there is a very snobbish attitude towards the original Myers Manx and other brands of kit cars.

Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:49 am

hillmotorsports wrote: I'm confused...

I have read and re-read Bkhansen93's original question, and for the life of me, I can't find anything confusing about it at all. Paul, I am curious; have you ever owned a "ripped off clone"?

Bkhansen93, not everyone here on thesamba has hillmotorsports' attitude; I know that you just started posting recently and it takes time to figure out who can be helpful, vs those that just enjoy promoting an agenda.

Meyers Manx (Valley Center, CA) currently produces fiberglass bodies for both the regular and shortened air cooled VW chassis.

Acmecarco/Berrien Buggy (New Cumberland, PA) produces fiberglass bodies for both the regular and shortened air cooled VW chassis.

There may be other companies out there that are currently producing fiberglass dune buggy bodies; maybe others will chime in with additional options. Back in 2005, I purchased a "ripped off clone"/new Berrien Buggy Nostalgia body; it would have been nice to consider a new Meyers Manx II body (for shortened chassis) but it was my understanding that they were not being produced at the time. Should I have just considered myself SOL, and abandon my project to begin with? I think not. (edited for correct spelling)

Sun Aug 05, 2018 12:21 pm

"Clone" is just a word. "Original" is just a word. Either can be offensive to you, if you want it to be. Political Correctness run amuck.

The 'Original" was purchased, waxed, and chopper fiberglass shot over it producing a mold. The copied mold then produced a clone of the original. It is what it is.

MGM in SoCal makes bodies still. Long travel and bodies for stock length pans.

There used to be a shop in Georgia that made and sold bodies. But I cannot find the fellow on this site. May be the same fellow selling a Mold in Marietta GA.

A fellow in Texas did copy the Manx directly and then sold bodies. A direct splash and had the raised badge area on the front. But I have not seen him advertise for about 3 years.

Sun Aug 05, 2018 1:27 pm

I find it hard to call say a Deserter a "clone'...unless you are using that term to describe any buggy that is based on a VW pan.

Sun Aug 05, 2018 1:56 pm

The Berry Mini T and T4, (and their clones) the Bradley GT, The Shalavette, the Deserter GT, The MG TD all share some of the same mold dynamics as the first Pan Buggy Bruce built Molds for. Even the Manxter 2+2 and the Manxter DS are included into that same parameter.

That is not an opinion, it is just a raw fact. Nothing to be offended by.

My wife's all time favorite buggy we have owned:

My personal favorite I have built, even over my Manx. It is a "X" body, (X-body means the manufacture is unknown):

If you like your clone, great! If you like your Manx, great! Drive them and enjoy them. I have a smile on my face when I am in a buggy, no matter the maker of it. My smile is not offended.

Sun Aug 05, 2018 3:05 pm

Joe, I am offended that you refer to my Dunebuggy as a clone. It is not just a word. It is a derogatory term that diminishes the value of what should be a fun vehicle. Using the damn word clone implies that a real Myers Manx is superior to any other brand.

Sun Aug 05, 2018 3:14 pm

I respect your opinion Dave. You have the right to be offended of anything you decide that offends you.

I do not think the Manx is superior to any other buggy, it was just cloned first.

Sun Aug 05, 2018 4:04 pm

Bkhansen93 wrote: Hey guys. Does anyone know of any companies that still make buggy bodies? I know of Manx and Barrien are there any others?

Bkhansen93:
Welcome to the Samba & the Fiberglass Buggy forum!

There is lots of excellent fiberglass buggy information to be found here and utilized.

Lots of great people on the forum as well!

We have a Gentleman's Agreement not to mention politics, religion, or the word 'clone' .... *...

(* Butt anti-chafing ointment Not Included with your Free subscription.)

Enjoy!

bnc

Sun Aug 05, 2018 8:06 pm

Bkhansen93 wrote: Hey guys. Does anyone know of any companies that still make buggy bodies? I know of Manx and Barrien are there any others?

I'll take a stab and answering the ORIGINAL question...not that I know of.

I believe there is a company or two still producing in the UK, but here in the states we are limited to Meyers and Barrien at this time.

Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:46 pm

it's the "Clone Wars"...

I only know of Manx making bodies, did not know that Barrien still did.

It's getting harder to get modified vehicles on the road, so I'm just going to say it's not a wise investment to manufacture buggy bodies, and hasn't been for a long time.

I don't know what mine is, but it's my favorite.

Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:38 am

There's a company in San Marcos CA that is currently making and selling fiberglass buggy bodies that are of the Manx design.

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/for/d/new-fiberglass-manx-bodys/6659216748.html

Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:40 am

I am not offended; in fact I have no problem whatsoever if someone wants to refer my Berrien Buggy Nostalgia body as a clone. The actual definition of “clone” is “make an identical copy of”; although my Nostalgia body is not an identical copy. Opinions will always differ (relative thickness, quality of glass job, etc), but I believe that improvements were made when my body was produced (simpler attachment of the front hood, one-piece dash-to-hood combo). These disagreements will go on forever. Back in 1924, Skilsaw introduced the world’s first portable circular saw. Since then, Porter Cable, Bosch, Milwaukee, Makita, Dewalt, and other companies have, and continue to produce “clones” of this historically innovative product.

Point of reference to my first post in this thread; here is one of hillmotorsports’ samba posts from back in 2015, as he discusses his ownership of a “ripped off clone” (his words above, not mine).

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=633121&highlight=60s

Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:15 am

Hartgeh3 wrote: There's a company in San Marcos CA that is currently making and selling fiberglass buggy bodies that are of the Manx design.

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/for/d/new-fiberglass-manx-bodys/6659216748.html

Cool!

Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:06 pm

Here is the shop I referenced in my first post.

http://www.themanxshop.com/buggy-kits/mgm-frp-manx.html

Tue Aug 07, 2018 2:51 am

Seems some people are touchy about Webster's thoughts on the word "clone".

I lean toward Gary's definition.... but I stand by my statement that the "clones" were and are a rip-off of Bruce's original work. I don't think there is any doubt that he originated the gendre of a fibreglass bodied fun vehicle based on VW running gear. The "splash and go" artists who shamelessly pulled a mold from one of Bruce's bodies were thieves, pure and simple. Strange how some here want to support such plagiarism yet scream about the copying of "intellectual property" by foreign powers.

Yes Gary, as you know from your quote of me, I have had a clone, in fact I have had 3. None held a candle in quality to my 1st body which was a Manx. That is not to suggest a superiority of the Meyers products in general, just in my own personal experience. Some may be excellent quality. But...I still say they were all a rip-off Bruce's original work.

Paul

Tue Aug 07, 2018 5:41 am

To further open a can of worms, what about replica cars like Porsche RSK and 356's and.... And...And... And.....

This can go on forever and there are some that will always be butt hurt about it..... Lets put this one to sleep....

Dale

Sat Aug 18, 2018 5:15 pm

Back to the original question.

There is a guy who just was asking to distribute bodies from Mexico on Facebook. This is the second version of the New Beetle inspired body, It goes on a full pan. You can see what it looks like on the last page of this thread...

Sat Aug 18, 2018 5:16 pm

Back to the original question.

There is a guy who just was asking to distribute bodies from Mexico on Facebook. This is the second version of the New Beetle inspired body, It goes on a full pan. You can see what it looks like on the third page of this thread and posted by Heidelberg John.. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=182275&highlight=mexican+buggy