1966 Allison Daytona Dune Buggy

A California engineer, surfer, and boat builder named Bruce F. Meyers and his B.F. Meyers & Co. built a recreational vehicle known as the Meyers Manx from 1964 to 1971. It was supplied in 'kit' form and intended for a shortened chassis of Volkswagen Beetles. Initially designed for desert racing, the car soon found its home in dune racing where it proved to be a potent competitor and broke numerous records. Its fame was taken to new heights by the record-breaking victory in the inaugural Baja 1000.

The first dune buggy, known as 'Old Red,' was built on a shortened VW Beetle chassis with a monocoque, fiberglass shell, and fitted with a Chevrolet pickup truck trailing arm suspension.

The 'Manx' name was chosen for its stance, similar to those of the stubby Manx cat breed.

The west coast Dune Buggy market was dominated by the Meyers Manx. On the east coast, however, a few companies recognized the popularity of the niche market and the opportunity to add their unique interpretation of the Dune Buggy. One such individual was Ken Allison of Florida who had a background and expertise in painting and working with fiberglass.

The Ken and his wife Arelene Allison-built dune buggies were named 'Daytona' buggies. Along with a handful of employees at their Port Orange facility, they built about four to five buggies a week, with approximately 600 total examples built. Their buggies used hand-laid fiberglass which was thicker and of higher quality than their competitors. The early examples had a standard short-body version with the swing-axle chassis shortened 15 inches and equipped with a Volkswagen 1,600cc dual-port engine.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2020