1965 Meyers Manxter 2+2
Bruce Meyers sparked a cultural phenomenon when he introduced the world to the Manx dune buggy in 1964. Using his own background as both an avid surfer, along with expertise in fibreglass, thanks to boat-building experience, Meyers set out to improve upon the era's crude ‘water pumper’ buggies. These homebuilt machines were often little more than bare chassis rails, minus any meaningful bodywork, with two seats and an engine strapped to them.
Meyers settled on using the popular and inexpensive Volkswagen Beetle floor-pan and powertrain as a basis for his sun-loving vision. The Manx was agile, highly tunable, and simple to modify. They were also highly effective off-road racers, capable of humbling the competition in desert racing.
In total, approximately 7,000 Manx dune buggies were produced from 1964-1971. The seemingly overnight popularity of the Manx indirectly led to the downfall of the company. As other firms rushed to replicate the design and layout, hundreds of thousands of Manx-style buggies soon flooded the market. Over the course of only a few short years, these lightweight and rugged machines cemented themselves as integral parts of 1960s pop culture, along with the surfing scene of Southern California.
RM Sotheby's will be offering this example at their upcoming Amelia Island auction on the 10th March. For more information on this and other vehicles at the sale, click on the link below. Photos: Robin Adams ©2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's.