Sometimes life can get pretty serious, and it will finally reach a point where all of the built-up pressure simply has to be released somewhere. For some people that can result in a trip to the gym, while for others it can be provided by activities such as meditation, or tinkering with a classic car. This 1970s Funtastik Camaro is not designed to be taken seriously, and if returned to active duty, could be a real giggle for someone on a budget. It will need a full restoration, but with everything below that fiberglass body coming from the good people at Volkswagen, then returning it to the road once again could be a fairly cheap proposition. The “Camaro” is located in Newman Lake, Washington, and has been listed for sale here on Craigslist. The owner has set the asking price at $3,200 OBO. I have to thank Barn Finder Roger for referring one really quirky kit car through to us.

The Funtastik was the brainchild of Dick & Leroy Shorette who owned the Kar Manufacturing Company of Monson, Massachusetts. They produced the kits between 1971 and 1975, and as has been the case with so many kit cars from that era, the fiberglass body was designed to be bolted to a shortened Volkswagen Beetle frame and pan. They weren’t designed to be taken particularly seriously and were, in essence, a caricature of a real 2nd Generation Camaro. This explains not only the short wheelbase but the enormous fender flares. The flares were a handy addition because they did allow the fitment of some pretty chunky wheels and tires, giving the vehicle a tougher stance. This particular vehicle wears a set of period-correct ET slotted wheels, and I think that they could be restored quite easily. The fiberglass body appears to be in good condition, although a fresh coat of paint will be required. Below the surface, the news isn’t quite so good. The VW frame is said to be rusty, but the owner doesn’t elaborate on just how extensive this rust is. Of course, being a VW means that parts and repairs are about as straightforward as it is likely to be within the classic car world, so it shouldn’t cost a bundle of money to get the car structurally sound once again. I will sound one note of caution, especially for potential buyers who, like myself, are getting that little bit older and, er, wider. As was the case with so many of these VW-based kit cars, the Funtastik does not have doors. That means that entry and exit are achieved by climbing over the side. Sliding behind the wheel is a pretty easy task thanks to a marvelous invention called gravity. However, climbing back out is going to be somewhat less than elegant, so if you value your dignity, then that is something that is worth considering.

We don’t receive any interior photos of the Camaro, but I can tell you that given the fact that it is pretty typical of most 1970s kit cars, the quality of the fit and finish was not something that caused Rolls-Royce management to lose any sleep. The seats were usually fiberglass shells, with diamond-stitched black vinyl covers. The vinyl was a necessity because when you consider exactly how you climb into the vehicle, there was an air of inevitability that shoes were going to make some form of contact with the seats. Let’s face it, dirty shoes and cloth seats are never going to be a great combination. The quality of the finish of the rest of the interior was always something of a lucky dip and depended heavily on the skills of the person completing the build. The vast majority tended to be sparse but functional, although I have seen one example with such niceties as a machine-turned dash, and it did present extremely well. We can see that the seat shells are present, but that’s about as much as we know about the interior. We also don’t receive any engine photos, but the owner does admit that the Camaro currently doesn’t run. Standard fare here is usually a 4-cylinder VW engine and transmission of some description. I have seen these fitted with everything from a basic 1,200cc engine, through to a pretty stove-hot 1,835. I have even seen one where a Corvair engine has been successfully shoehorned under the vehicle, and I can’t help but think that this could be a pretty exciting sort of vehicle, but possibly not in a good way. The additional weight hanging out behind the rear axel line, especially when combined with the additional horsepower, could make things mighty lively when the going gets twisty. However, if the next owner is seeking simplicity and ease of maintenance, then something from VW’s catalog would probably suffice. It is worth remembering that this vehicle is going to weigh significantly less than the donor car, so a warm VW engine should provide it with plenty of performance potential. The center of gravity is also going to be much lower, so its handling should also be much better than that of the original Beetle.

This Funtastik Camaro really isn’t a car to be taken seriously, because it was designed to be a bit of light-hearted fun. Having said that, low weight and a low center of gravity hold the promise of some pretty entertaining motoring. One of the most affordable classic cars to restore is the VW Beetle, and below that fiberglass body, that is precisely what we are dealing with. That makes it a strong candidate for restoration in a home workshop. I’d be kidding both myself and you if I said that this is a car that is going to appeal to everyone, but it does represent a piece of relatively rare and interesting 1970s retro fun. That’s why I have a sneaking suspicion that someone is going to snap up this car as a restoration project.