1192cc overhead valve opposed 4-cylinder air cooled engine
Solex carburetor
36 horsepower at 3,700 rpm
4-speed manual transaxle
Four wheel torsion bar independent suspension
Four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes

*A specialist dune buggy
*Pickup style rear bed for hauling or camping
*Largely original and unrestored
*A most groovy addition to any collection

THE GLITTER BUG

Starting with the Meyers Manx in the early Sixties the dune buggy craze took off in America.

Bruce Meyers' original concept was simple: take a Volkswagen Beetle, throw away the body leaving the floor pan which contained virtually all the components needed to make it run and drive, shorten the wheelbase and install a simple, one piece fiberglass 2-seat body.

Meyers named it "Manx" for its stubby tail with the engine exposed, like the breed of cat. Even the buggy's stance, low at the front and high at the rear, emulated its feline namesake.

Used up Beetles were abundant in California and the surf culture was at its peak in the Sixties. The dune buggy epitomized the California lifestyle.

The concept was so simple, and so inviting, that it spread quickly. It took only a Sawzall, some wrenches, a tape measure, a simple one-piece mold and some cloth and resin to become a dune buggy builder.

Bill Harkey in inland San Fernando was one who advanced the concept with his Glitter Bug in 1966. His Glitter Bug started out by widening the front and rear fenders to keep dirt, dust and rocks from pelting occupants. His later Glitter Bug Sportsman Pickup kept the Beetle's stock wheelbase, using the added length for a pickup-style bed that would accommodate rear seats or carry a weekend's camping equipment. It even had a tailgate and its flared rear fenders were even more protective.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This Glitter Bug is based on a '56 Volkswagen and is molded in bright orange metalflake gelcoat with black highback seats, a roll bar and full windshield. It has bed side rails, nerf bar bumpers, Keystone 5-spoke alloy wheels, F70-14 Firestone gold line tires, front fender mounted mirrors, VW instrumentation and chrome headlights.

It appears to be pretty much as built in the past with a well used Volkswagen floor pan, suspension and engine. The Glitter Bug body, however, is well preserved and the metalflake still glows vividly. It stands tall on its 14" wheels and 70-series tires, ready to take on pretty much any off-road adventure.

This Glitter Bug is a combination of utility, practicality, flare and fun that is hard to equal. It invites adventure on the road or through the dunes.