1968 Volkswagen Prowler Dune Buggy
No Reserve

Registration No: UYT 629F
Chassis No: 118483131
MOT: Exempt

• Entered from a private collection
• 1.8 litre, flat-four engine
• Said to be in 'very good overall' condition

A dune buggy, also known as a beach buggy, is a recreational motor vehicle with large wheels, and wide tires, designed for use on sand dunes, beaches, roads or desert recreation. The design is usually a topless vehicle with a rear-mounted engine. A dune buggy can be created by modifying an existing vehicle or custom-building a new vehicle. The original fiberglass dune buggy was the 1964 "Meyers Manx" built by Bruce Meyers. Bruce Meyers designed his fiberglass bodies as a 'kit car', using the Volkswagen Beetle chassis. Many other companies worldwide have been inspired by the Manx, making clone bodies and kits as the Bruce Meyers couldn’t protect his original creation.

Entered from a private collection, offered here is believed to be a Prowler dune buggy. The Prowler buggy was originally developed by British dune buggy specialist Mel Hubbard in the mid 2000s. For more UK tastes, the Prowler utilised the original design of Bruce Meyers' Meyers Manx (the original dune buggy) and 'updated' the design with the use of a shorter chassis than the original Manx with 15.5 inch reduced floorpan length as opposed to 14.25 inch cut. The arches are wider (front 1.5" rear 2") which allows lowering and tyres with more width. The rear is more open than other buggies; fitting a larger engine with big carbs requires no cutting or reshaping.

'UYT 629F' is based upon a 1968 Type 1 Beetle, with a specification that includes the use of an 1835cc litre, flat-four VW engine, essentially a rebuilt AD code VW (1600cc) engine rebuilt to a higher power output and carburetted by twin Webers. The windscreen and bonnet of 'UYT 629F' have been changed from those originally offered as part of the kit. Other windscreen screen frame heights and designs and a Manx bonnet could be used (hence the bonnet badge plinth which would have held the Meyers Manx badge). Sometimes referred to as a 'Prowler Manx' because of this, it was an upgrade suggested by East Coast Buggies selling the Prowler in the UK:

"If the Prowler bonnet is not to your taste, then we can supply a combination of a Manx bonnet and Bounty Hunter (buggy) screen for a whole new look."

In the cockpit, the specification is more that of a 'street rod' than buggy for the dunes. The addition of a Sunpro tachometer, Cobra seats, Sparco harnesses, performance road tyres, battery isolator switch and a Gene Berg oil pump, suggest it has been built for land speed. Other notable 'dune buggy' custom items include a 'Tri-Mil Bobcat' style exhaust, CSP rocker covers and an EMPI trigger shifter. 'Vintage Porsche' style rear teardrop lights complete the look. Said to be in 'very good overall' condition, this 'dune buggy' is accompanied by a V5C and no other paperwork.