The Dune Buggy recipe was surprisingly simple. Take one Volkswagen Beetle, ditch the factory steel, bolt on a funky fiberglass body, and hit the beaches for a spot of motoring fun. Bruce Meyers was the undisputed king of the Dune Buggy sector, with many copies of his iconic design flooding the market. The great man’s last hurrah was the Meyers Manx Kick-Out S.S. It brought a more modern spin to the original concept, adding practical touches to make the Dune Buggy more user-friendly. This 1970 Kick-Out takes the idea a step further, adding luxury features that would have been unthinkable when the first of these vehicles hit the road. The build quality is exceptional, with the seller leaving no stone unturned in a quest for perfection. The only thing it needs is a new home, and with warm weather on our doorstep, that makes it very tempting. The Kick-Out is listed here on eBay in Newport Coast, California. Frantic bidding has pushed the price to $20,066, which is short of the reserve.

Bruce Meyers released his first commercially produced Manx Buggy in 1965, redefining the recreational vehicle. It featured a distinctive and minimalist fiberglass body mounted atop modified Volkswagen Beetle underpinnings. The fiberglass was significantly lighter than the Beetle’s original steel shell, providing vastly improved performance and the ability to tackle surprisingly rugged terrain. The company produced approximately 6,000 examples of the Manx before succumbing to financial woes in 1971. Meyers revived the company in 2000 and introduced the Kick-Out range in 2009. The final version was the Kick-Out S.S.. It harkened back to the original Manx concept of being based on a shortened Beetle platform. Its builder spared no expense with this project, which is demonstrated by its spotless presentation. The fiberglass wears Just Right Yellow paint that shines like glass, with no visible flaws or defects. The fiberglass is free from cracks, and the underside is rust-free. Other distinctive features include the Manxter front and rear bumpers, rear fender vents, dual roll hoops, twin side mirrors, and Kick-Out SS surfboard badging. One criticism leveled at the original Manx was a lack of secure storage. The Kick-Out addresses that issue with a lockable rear trunk. It isn’t cavernous, but it is a vast improvement over its predecessors. The finishing touch is a set of 15″ Cragar wheels that accentuate this classic’s aggressive good looks.

The original Manx featured a traditional Beetle drivetrain configuration, with owners choosing their preferred engine capacity and available power. This Kick-Out follows that concept…more or less. The air-cooled flat-four powerplant didn’t start life in a Beetle but is a 1,776cc twin-port unit assembled by Texas Air Cooled of Houston, Texas. The motor features an aluminum case, a Kühltek Motorwerks camshaft, and dual Dellorto carburetors. Power feeds to the road via a Freeway Flyer four-speed manual transaxle. The Cragar wheels are wrapped in new tires, with all four corners featuring KYB shocks. The Kick-Out has clocked a mere 1,042 miles since the build ended and is in excellent mechanical health. The seller confirms it runs and drives perfectly, and the documentation includes the original Purchase Paperwork, Build Order, and Build Instruction Manual.

One attraction of the original Meyers Manx was the simple and robust interior. Seats were traditionally trimmed in hard-wearing vinyl, and if the floor wasn’t bare fiberglass, it wore a rubber mat. The object of the exercise was to ensure it was easy to clean and maintain as moisture and sand inevitably found their way inside these classics. This Kick-Out appears to follow that philosophy, but there are luxury touches to improve occupant comfort. The body-hugging bucket seats are trimmed in Black leather, while a modern Alpine stereo provides entertainment on the road. The dash houses comprehensive gauges that the driver can view through a Grant sports wheel. The floors are covered in Custom Coco mats, while the driver shifts gears with a Bug Pack T-Shifter. The interior presentation is as impressive as expected from a low-mile classic, with no evidence of wear or other problems.

Meyers Manx, Inc. produced thirty-seven examples of the Kick-Out S.S. This classic is #15 of that total, and finding fault is almost impossible. It has already attracted sixty bids, providing insight into the popularity and desirability of these wonderful vehicles. Placing a value on this gem is difficult, although a brief online search unearthed a previous auction in 2022 where this Kick-Out sold for $27,750. The frantic action so far suggests it should eclipse that figure before the hammer falls. I have never driven a Dune Buggy, but doing so is definitely on my Bucket List. If you’re in the same boat, would you consider rectifying that problem by joining the bidding war? I wish you luck if you do.