For Sale – An Original 1969 Volkswagen Super Bugger Beetle Camper

This is an original 1969 Volkswagen Super Bugger, possibly the most unfortunately named vehicle of all time. I’ve never actually seen one of these come up for sale though I have occasionally seen them pop up on obscure motoring forums as an object of curiosity (and no small amount of mirth).

The Super Bugger first appeared in the early 1970s, a small company was founded in Costa Mesa, California that supplied turn-key Super Buggers as well as kits and/or plans for people who wanted to build their own. It’s not known what happened to the company however a few short years later they had disappeared.

Shortly after this in 1977 Mechanix Illustrated magazine published plans for a vehicle that appears almost identical to the Super Bugger named the “Minihome” which led to even more Beetle-Camper conversions.

We know that people were still creating their own Super Buggers well into the 1980s and possibly longer. It’s likely that creating a conversion like this nowadays would be illegal in most jurisdictions due to increasingly stringent engineering requirements on car modifications, however Beetles that were converted in period have no problem renewing their registration.

Due to the popularity and the inexpensive nature of the VW Type 2 van it’s hard to know why the original designers of the Super Bugger chose to use the Beetle as the basis for a camper conversion rather than the Type 2 – which had already been a popular target for camper conversions for 20+ years by that point.

Whatever their reasons for choosing the Beetle the Super Bugger designers succeeded where few likely thought they would in creating a tiny camper capable of accommodating two people, and surprisingly still capable of highway speeds depending on engine choice.

Above Image: This was the original ad run by the company that developed the Super Bugger.

It’s claimed that the Super Bugger conversion would only add an average of 250 lbs of weight to the Beetle, this is because the structure of the camper section is largely made of wood and fiberglass, both of which is lighter than the steel used in the original body.

The design requires that much of the Beetle’s body is cut away, just leaving the front section in place along with the steel floorpan. The new camper body is then fabricated and placed on top, we haven’t been able to find any information about the rigidity of the vehicle once complete but it does seem likely that rigidity suffered to some degree.

The actual interior design of the camper section was quite clever, it provides snug accommodation for two including two single beds, a two-seater dining table and chair, two forward seats for the driver and passenger, and a small kitchenette with a gas cooker and sink.

The cooker and sink was installed in such a way that they could be used both internally and externally, a hatch in the side of the camper allows for it to be slid out for outdoor BBQ style cooking which would have the added bonus of not smoking out the interior.

The Super Bugger you see here is a period conversion based on a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle with a 1973 Super Beetle engine for more power. Impressively the vehicle is still in the possession of the original builder who has now owned it for 52 years.

During the build a set of wider rear tires were used for stability and the suspension was modified to accommodate the additional weight. Inside you’ll find an AM/FM CB radio, ’70s style carpeting throughout with matching curtains, and it even has a crank-handle skylight for ventilation.

Over the years the owner has won awards at numerous local car shows in Illinois and this car was featured in Mechanix Illustrated magazine back in 1977. He notes that everywhere he goes this unusual camper draws a crowd of people who are full of questions, and he explains that the car is highway capable and it gets approximately 27 mpg.

The seller has handed the vehicle over to Mecum who will be offering it for auction over the next few day. At the time of writing there’s no price guide and it’s hard to know what a vehicle this unique may sell for.

If you’d like to visit the listing to read more or register to bid you can click here.

Above Image: An artist’s rendering of the vehicle as published in Mechanix Illustrated magazine in 1977.

Images courtesy of Mecum

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For Sale: A Beautifully Restored 1981 Toyota Hilux DLX Pickup Truck

This 1981 Toyota DLX Pickup has been immaculately restored with careful attention to small details, like the correct silver and silver-gray sport stripes and even the signature DLX patterned cloth with vinyl upholstery.

In recent years we’ve seen vintage four wheel drives becoming increasingly popular as many enthusiasts discover them, or rediscover them. It wasn’t too long ago that you could buy a vintage Toyota Hilux like this one for next to nothing, sadly those days are now long gone.

Although the Toyota Hilux has long been highly regarded in the United States it was the appearance of a gloss black example in the 1985 film Back To The Future which really helped cement the desirability in the hearts of a new generation of Americans.

Of course, the DeLorean DMC-12 will almost be the most famous car from that film series but the brief appearances of the Hilux embedded the Japanese 4×4 deep into the psyche of many young men and women.

Toyota Pickups were typically smaller and more fuel efficient than comparable American trucks, they were sold at competitive prices too which helped many of the Japanese manufacturers quickly establish a strong presence in the North American market that persists to this day.

The model line has typically been called either the Toyota Truck or Toyota Pickup Truck in North America, however most other world markets know it as the Toyota Hilux. The first examples of this model family were introduced in 1968 and the model remains in production today, currently on its 8th generation with no signs of slowing sales.

Above Image: This restored Toyota Pickup benefits from some period-correct upgrades, like the alloy wheels, chrome roll bar, and KC Daylighter spotlights.

Over the course of its ongoing production run the Hilux, or Toyota Pickup, has become famous for two key attributes: reliability and toughness. These traits have led to the trucks becoming a staple vehicle in a huge array of places, from Australian sheep farms to Mujahideen camps and everywhere in between.

The 1981 Toyota Hilux DLX Pickup Shown Here

The Pickup you see here is a desirable example for a few reasons, it’s fitted with the 2.4L 22R engine mated to the original 5-speed manual transmission, and it comes with the SR5 package (Sport Runabout 5-Speed).

The original purchaser of the vehicle ticked a significant number of boxes on the options list and as a result the truck is very well appointed with a 10 cassette factory AM/FM radio, bucket seats, and air-conditioning, with additional features like power steering and power brakes.

A small number of tasteful upgrades have been applied to the truck including alloy wheels, uprated tires, a chrome roll bar, and a pair of period-correct KC Daylighter spotlights.

Originally delivered to Texas, this DLX Pickup benefits from a recent restoration. The listing explains that the rebuild started with a rust-free truck, which isn’t always easy to find, and it now benefits from some additional refinements like spray-in bed-liner and a beautifully detailed underbody.

There DLX Pickup you see here is due to roll across the auction block with Mecum in May with a price estimate of $40,000 to $50,000 USD – a figure it’ll likely achieve with no problem if the right bidders are in the room.

If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

Images courtesy of Mecum

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The Rare Darrian T90 – A British Giant-Killer

The Darrian T90 is a car that’s not particularly well-known outside of British motor racing circles, though this seems a shame given the extraordinary David vs Goliath achievements enjoyed by the unusual performance car.

Darrian Cars originally started out as Davrian Developments all the way back in 1965. The company had been founded by structural engineer Adrian Evans in London to build racing cars using the then-new Hillman Imp as a starting point.

The Imp had been conceived as a competitor for the wildly popular Mini, although the Hillman never achieved the sales success of its front wheel drive rival it did enjoy some remarkable racing successes, and it has an enthusiastic cult following to this day.

Whereas the Mini had a front engined, front wheel drive layout the Imp went the other way, with a rear engined rear wheel drive layout. Interestingly it would be the first mass-produced British car with an engine featuring an aluminum head and block. Thanks in part to the Imp’s all independent suspension it became a popular sight on race tracks around the UK, often battling the Mini to the checkered flag.

Davrian founder Adrian Evans had quickly realized that with its lightweight 998cc alloy engine, independent suspension, and affordable price tag the Imp would make an excellent starting point for a more seriously engineered racing car to compete in sub-1000cc classes.

Evans developed a lightweight, aerodynamic fiberglass body for the new car and fitted the suspension, engine, and transmission from the Imp. He sold them in kit form from the mid-1960s into the early 1980s through model iterations from the Mk 1 to the Mk 8.

Above Image: The Darrian T90 prototype still carries its original Leyton House Motorsport racing livery.

After this time the company would change hands twice, eventually becoming Darrian Cars now headed by Tim Duffee, a long time employee turned company owner who has managed the extraordinary feat of keeping Darrian cars in production to the modern day.

From The Imp To A Formula 1 Wind Tunnel

One of the most significant moments in the history of Darrian was when in the early 1990s Robin Herd, founder of March Engineering which was one of the largest producers of racing cars in the world, took an interest in the company and bought two of their cars. He worked with Darrian and utilized the March Formula 1 wind tunnel to fine tune the aerodynamics of the Darrian T90 – a newly designed car with a mid-mounted engine and significant upgrades throughout.

The car you see here is the first T90 built as a result of this non-official partnership between Robin Herd of the March F1 Team and Tim Duffee of Darrian Cars. The T90 would prove to be the company’s most successful design to date, with a slew of race and championship wins under its belt encompassing hill climbs, rally, and tarmac racing perhaps most notably by winning the 1996 British GT Championship.

This 1989 Ex-Robin Herd Darrian T90 Prototype is now for sale through Collecting Cars. Unlike many prototypes it wasn’t left under a dust cover in a quiet warehouse or scrapped after development finished, rather it was sent out racing.

Over the course of its competition career (so far), Martin Sanson has won numerous rallies in the car, following on from the wins notched up by Robin Herd in 1990 at the Valvechatters and Rushmoor stages.

The car today remains in excellent condition throughout and it still carries its historic Leyton House Motorsport colour scheme that was used in Formula 1 and a number of other motorsport disciplines.

If you’d like to read more about the car or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing, at the time of writing there are 4 days left to get a bid in and the car is located in Bournemouth in England.

Images courtesy of Collecting Cars

 

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K&N Air Filter Keyfob

This is the K&N Air Filter Keyfob and as the name suggests, it’s a mini K&N air filter on a keychain for those who want to make sure their keys don’t suffer power loss due to restricted air flow.

These air filters, sometimes called pods, have become an almost de facto feature of many custom motorcycles (and cars) as they typically offer far better and less restrictive airflow than OEM air filter set ups.

One of the first recommendations for people who want to add more power to their bike or car is to allow the engine to breathe easier – with a better flowing intake and exhaust. Of course this is all region dependent as in some locales you still need to pass annual emissions testing and modifying your engine may mean it no longer passes.

Above Image: The keyfob comes packaged just like a normal air filter, including the K&N sticker.

K&N Engineering was founded in the 1960s by Ken Johnson and Norm McDonald who named the company after each of their first name initials. The company is best known for their washable oiled air filters which they claim significantly improve air flow into the engine.

K&N have been very active in American motorsport as a sponsor for decades, and they also sell cold air intake systems, cabin air filters, oil filters, electronic engine tuning components, and now keychains.

This is the part where I need to explain that my above comment about keys suffering power loss due to restricted air flow was a lighthearted joke, before I receive a wall of emails telling me I’m an idiot. Now on a more serious note, please remember to re-jet your key’s carburetors after fitting the new filter to ensure they aren’t running too lean.

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