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Tom's Old VW Home
The Dune Buggies

This page is dedicated to my Father, one great guy.
May he rest in peace.

These are some old family photos of our dune buggy days. Dad had a steel fabricating shop in Anaheim, Ca. and he was a Master Fiddler. He could make anything out of nothing starting with nothing but an idea. We got into buggies around 1959/60 when it was mostly waterpumpers on stripped down '40s or '50s American car chassis. Our first was a '50 Merc that he got from the local junk yard on Batavia in Orange for $75 (it was our Only waterpumper thankfully! and it is worth a future literary aside). He then hooked up with Tiny who had just started Burro buggies over in Santa Ana, Ca.

The next buggy was a VW bus cut down to just the frame, the controls moved back behind the front beam and then a really original sort of "body" was created using the bus engine "box" at the back, a model "T" looking passenger area, and a sort of sloping front hooded nose with bent up flat steel fenders. The only decent picture I have been able to find is a little out of focus (I'm sure Sis(?) thought it was "in focus" when she took it!), it is the red buggy.

Click on image to enlarge. Navigation Bar at bottom of page, Guest book at bottom of the index page

Picture is dated Feb. 64, most likely from New Years. And also most likely Kelso. It was street legal and my sis drove it all over Orange County. It was a Tank!	Here's a shot that the current dune buggyists won't believe, Glamis, pad two, New Years, 1966. Yeah, no crowds!!

This is Kelso. pix dated Feb. 64. Probably New Years. And yes, there is a waterpumper there. These were belly pan buggies. 40 horser's were Kings!	This is our 2nd buggy. It's made out of square 1" tubing, has a reduction box trans, and a 36er! It had a Judson blower on it for awhile, until engine and blower died a horrible death. Pix is dated Dec.'63, and was taken Thanksgiving, '63 and yes, that's me behind the wheel.

This is Dad's power ride. It started as '64 Corvair Monza, auto, and 110 HP. We're talking MAJOR POWER here!!! Again it was street legal, and I use to do the Looooooongest wheelies on the streets of Orange with this one, sparks just flying off the skid cage, what a logical name!	Here's my 1st rail. 1" square tubing, left over Corvair front suspension, custom rear suspension using a mono leaf spring also out of the 'vair. And of course a 36hp engine with 2 carbs, cam and compression. Those tires could bury you in an instant if you didn't drive it right! Yeah, me again. April '67

Check out the Caddy

Here is a Corvair buggy getting another transmission, seems to have been a weak link, usually spider gears.	This is my second buggy. Cutting edge when it was built in '67. Now we get "lite", 1/2" tubing, only 1 front torsion tube, and the 2nd set of cross grooved drag slicks in the dunes. Engine started as a 1300, made up to a 74x92 with 2 solexes. This thing was fantastic at rat racing and climbing (still stock trans!!!). I only broke the frame in half twice, and flipped it once. This buggy had my dad's design for juice cutting brakes. The idea was "borrowed" and manufactured by somebody else. My Dad is still a bit upset about that one, (when he can remember). You're the Greatest, Dad!!! No, I don't remember who the babe is!

This is on top of the arch by Devil's Slide at Pismo Beach. A very cold day, picture is dated Aug. '64.	This is on the "pipeline trail" going from Mitchell Caverns back to the Kelso dunes, really in "no place"! dated March, '66

Background picture, Kelso, Devils Playground. On the way to Las Vegas, turn left past Amboy, drive 25 miles up a washboard dirt road. Your basic "middle of no place" place.

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