When I went to do some quick research on the history of this so-called “Concept 1” dune buggy, I only found one source: myself. Yes, the other reference to one of these obscure Volkswagen-based kit cars was written by yours truly a few years back and I can’t say that any major revelations have materialized since that time about what sets one dune buggy apart from another. This example has been in storage for a few decades and has plenty of rough edges to smooth, along with needing its missing engine replaced. Find it here on eBay with bids to $4,250 and no reserve.

A few years ago, I sold another version of the famous Meyers Manx kit, yet another replica in an ocean filled with them. It’s amazing to realize that all these years later, there are still plenty of dune buggy fans out there who can spot the differences between each version from a mile away. The differences can be slight or significant, but no matter what, those distinctions are critical in assigning value. You may feel like you have the rarest VW dune buggy of them all, but if it’s not a favorite son of the sand rail and dune buggy crowd, it’ll be kicked aside like yesterday’s newspaper.

There’s been some new buzz around the re-imagined Meyers Manx kit, now in electrified form, which I suppose was bound to happen. Call me old school, but I just need to see one of these with a built flat-four out back and huge pipes poking out from behind each rear wheel. When I imagine a VW dune buggy, I immediately recall the video of Steve McQueen hurtling one across the dunes with a lady friend in the front seat and thinking, “That man has got life all figured out.” I imagine this one could help you relive that experience in real-time, albeit after the drivetrain has been sourced, the rust fixed, and the paint job re-done. Oh, and you’ll need to find a passenger seat, too.

It’s no surprise the engine has gone missing; after all, VW mills of this generation were pretty much swapped daily once they failed on a regular Beetle or Microbus. The fat tires is a classic dune buggy look, and I imagine you could cram even bigger rubber back there if you wanted to. The seller notes it does come with a transmission, gas tank, oil cooler, and disc brakes, which is a nice upgrade. What motor would you source for this dune buggy build and what color would you paint it? Personally, orange with white stripes would get my vote along with a performance engine build from the likes of Darryl’s VW shop in Missouri.