Found an old photo album earlier and thought I'd scan in the photos.....

Think back to 1992 (those who are old enough ). My Cal-Look Beetle was in serious need of restoration after 3 years of messing, alterations, welding etc and I had just finished UNI. So being skint needed a cheap run about so I could restore my beetle to a show winning superstar (yeah right  )

My Dad's neighbour had started doing up a 1200cc chassis which needed a beetle shell, but he had run out of time / needed cash etc. At the same time I had seen an old faded advert on Dave Fisher's shop window for a second hand beach buggy shell as the guy was using his chassis to build a Ferrari Dino replica.

So I struck a deal for the chassis and called the guy about the shell. No answer. 2 weeks of no answer and I was about to give up when the guy answered and had been on holiday for 2 weeks

At the time I knew nobody with a buggy, having been into Cal Look since 1985. (first car was a 1966 Type 3 fastback - wish I still had it). SO thought it would only take a couple of months to do and then I could use it while I restored my Beetle - you get the point...

The day the chassis arrives




Painting chassis



My old Beetle in the background with Mate Boz in the foreground



Body Arrives - Rat MK 2 with original side pods






Stripping begins





Remodelling the back


Renault 5 Rear Lights


Used Type 3 Clocks in the first incarnation



Managed to get a GP Mk2 bonnet from Dave Fisher which I thought looked better than the original. Just needed a bit of alteration to fit.



Last bit of rubbing to remove the loads of layers of paint, including the last layer which looked like Dulux Gloss 


Also cut the front wings away like many do
Taking Shape - including rear seats made from MDF with speakers in the head rests




Finally my mate painted the shell in his garage - Hand mixed Jadey Greeny Bluey colour. Being towed back on the end of a 6 foot rope with little to no brakes, no mot, 1 seat and no lights was an experience

Ruth covered the whole interior - Renault 11 GTS front seats, hand made rear and inner side panels.

New Chrome Modular wheels from Midland Wheels and my first ever wiring job, literally copied from my beetle which was now tucked away in my garage for repair.

I made up the roll cage (hence square corners on all but the original rear hoop) and, ashamedly now, threw the original side pods down teh local tip and replaced with aluminium hand made ones.

The bonnet actually hinged forward on two pins to allow access to the wiring, fuseboards and petrol tank - now there's an idea

Finally took 9 months to complete.

So first incarnation of my LWB RAT / GP MK2 Hybrid -






Why I ever chose White for the side panels and highlighted bits I will never know so next up - stage 2

a good picture set there Chad, old shells make life less stressful on the body cutting.

Erm......
In the photo of you rubbing the paintwork is that a mullet poking out from under cap

Thanks for sharing Chad, great to hear these stories from the past.

My old lwb mk1 RAT still was the best to drive after the 1st five yrs of owning it I felt that I had the handling sorted but I was torn whether to cut the headlight mount or leave as original. I couldnt bring myself to cut them in the end as it would be one of the few with the standard front. I really like the curve of the rear it just seems to look right with twin cannons and dual carbs.


Cheers H 

Erm......
In the photo of you rubbing the paintwork is that a mullet poking out from under cap

It was more a pair of curtains in the Neil morrisey style. In my defence it was 1992.

These old photo's are ace!

Is that an old Motoraids (Midwest) van in the background from Willenhall?

I grew up there as a kid and it looks just like one!

Hi Stu,

Could well have been an old Motoraids (Midwest) van in the background.

I am in Oldbury and my sister lives in Darlaston. I am a long suffering Wolves fan for my troubles. Nice to spake to another local Black Country bloke even if yow av moved now

Tara a bit
Chad

So decided after a while that white was not a good colour for everyday use so changed all the white to black with green and grey splatter (the 90's remember ).

Just about that time the National Buggy Register (NBR) started having get togethers up at Cleethrorpes Beach.

As the buggy was my everyday car for 3 years (eventually racked up 50,000 miles in it 8 years, with a few trips to Europe thrown in) it was great to drive up to Cleethorpes on Friday night, race on the beach all weekend and then return Sunday night to get to work on Monday. Most memorable was when my twins carbs stuck open on the A road back, due to sand in the linkage.












The Blue Californian in the last picture was actually at Tatton Park 2 years ago and is now Dark Red with a corvair engine.....small world.

So a few years of beach racing and street use as my only car took its toll.

Buggy was in need of a rebuild. At the same time managed to secure a set of 10x15 new old stock 5 spekoe revolutions for the rear from a guy at the local wood merchants. Turns our he owned the buggy that many years later Paddy bought to restore...small world. I already had 3 number 6x15's is storage so a new look for after the rebuild.

Decided to strip, repaint, cheap chrome bling the engine and put back together for the latest trip to the beach with the NBR (would I never learn ) Chrome engine lastest about 6 moths before I had all teh tinware powder coated green to match the car.

Ruth undertook a second re-trim of the seats, now in black Vinyl with green centre mottled inserts.

Rebuild time: (as you can see I had also decided to remove the garage from the back of the garden to rebuild down the side of my house).



Added in some strengthening bars to help reduce trosional twisting and bulkhead shake.


Also decided to fully paint the chassis black and highlight with the green and grey flick theme





Getting the buggy out on the Friday morning, taking for MOT with one seat, coming home, fitted passenger seat and then headed off to Cleethorpes on the Friday night...


Looking Good at Beach Buggy Extravagansa in Buxton around 2001 time. Not bad for an Old Rat MK2


On the street during BVF Malvern


Heading to VW Euro in 1999 at VENLO, Holland. Waiting at Docks.


Even did Pat Matsers (TEAM X) wedding in Blackpool- used the buggy as a trailer on A Frame to cart all my band gear up to Blackpool to play at his reception too.


Sadly ended up selling my first buggy love in 2002 to help fund the creation of Doon Buggies. 

By the time I sold it I had racked up over 50,000 miles and it was completely sorted. Drove like a dream on its mild 1600cc engine, never missed a beat and is still the most comfortable buggy I have ever driven.

Getting the buggy out on the Friday morning, taking for MOT with one seat, coming home, fitted passenger seat and then headed off to Cleethorpes on the Friday night...

Rob was telling me this story the other week, good times! 

It's good to see the history of the buggy 

Brilliant photos Chad 

All this history is just amazing and gets forgotten, I will swipe some of these.

The 'Flick' theme, very nice 

I am in Oldbury and my sister lives in Darlaston.

I used to work in Darlaston when I left school at Severn Garage! Not sure if its there any more?

Brilliant photos Chad 

All this history is just amazing and gets forgotten, I will swipe some of these.

The 'Flick' theme, very nice 

Peter,

You are always welcome to take any of my pictures off any of my posts any time you wish.

It will be good to have them stored on a couple of places on the net for the future

Great to see those photos Chad.  You've just got to love those 'has a buggy crashed in your garden?' shots, I'm sure we've all got them

Are the red Tramp and black 'COV' GP in the Buxton photo still about? I seem to recall they were both Midland Buggies. 

I think the Black COV GP is still owned by Gary Leach but hasn't seen the road for a few years.

Was a stunning buggy in the day and won many shows. Was the buggy that was used in the buggy 'data' sheet that you often find being sold on e-bay.

The red Tramp was Bill Perry's. Another full weekend wiring job for me to get the buggy ready for BVF many years ago. He sold it on a couple of years later and don't know where it is now!!

In fact there was a funny thing that happened. After I had done the wiring Bill fitted hi own Tacho. Going to the show it was going dark and so as he turned on the headlights the buggy stopped dead. Turned off eth lights, it would start, but every single time he turned on teh lights, stop again.

Finally found the fault. The wire he had put in from the coil -ve to the tacho had fallen off and was touching the power out from the light switch to the relay. So as he put the switch on it sent a +ve feed to the coild -ve side and shut the coil down in effect.