In the 1970s, there was a flurry of activity in the kit car business, many of which were intended to be VW-based dune buggies. Along with Bruce Meyers, Jim Kellison was one of the more prolific of the players, with the Sandpiper being one of the most unusual. It was styled as a mini-pickup and estimates are that between 1,000 and 3,000 kits were made, depending on the source you check. This one from 1971 (or 1972) has been freshly restored and looks to need nothing with just 100 miles since the rework. Located in Steubenville, Ohio, this cool oddity is available here on craigslist for $18,000 OBO. Thanks for turning us on to this beauty, Tony Primo.

Jim Kellison, a retired Air Force pilot, started Kellison Engineering in 1958 and developed/built a wide variety of kit cars, which included the Sandpiper. But not before he sold his company in 1970 to turn to other endeavors, such as retail book sales. But he didn’t stay away from the industry for very long and made a comeback before retiring altogether in 1980. The Sandpiper, available as a roadster and a pickup, was launched on the heels of the Meyers Manx, which brought some legal proceedings that worked out in Jim’s favor. Like other kits, the Sandpiper fits on a VW chassis, shortened or full-size.

There is disagreement as to whether this Sandpiper is titled as a 1971 or 1972, but it’s still a VW underneath. This thing looks to have been completely rebuilt and done so quite recently, starting with the engine. The seller doesn’t indicate its displacement, but 1,600-cc seems likely. The transmission, wiring, and paint were all on the checklist for the redo. And it looks as though everything was done well.

If you like orange, you should love this dune buggy. It’s the one with a removable hardtop which the seller says made up about a third of all the kits. While this is the pickup model, you’re not going to carry a lot as the bed doesn’t look to be more than a few inches deep. So, bring your bungee cords to tie down the loose stuff!