By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, Craigslist

“Volkswagen kit car project … $500 or best offer. This is a project, look at all pictures before contacting me.”

Cars endowed with cultural icon status are never cheap. It’s odd then, that a car which made its indelible mark on America by being all about cheap thrills, has become expensive. And while $10,000 (the median buggy price these days), is certainly not expensive compared to today’s automotive offerings, it’s a considerable investment for hobbyist car. There are plenty of cheap fiberglass buggy projects laying around, waiting to be scooped up, but I doubt you’ll find many as cheap as this one on Amarillo Craigslist.

This buggy will need work, no doubt, but what more can you really ask for just $500. What you get is basically a rolling shell, a fiberglass, Manx-style body, affixed to a shortened VW chassis and running gear. The body is a fairly convincing Manx, but it was more than likely built by one of the dozens of other companies marketing fiberglass bodies at the time. At a glance, the buggy seems to be lacking the raised plaque where the Meyers logo would be located on a genuine Manx, but Manx experts have several other details to check when looking for an original.

The VW mechanicals under the buggy all look to be in decent order, and it looks like all suspension, braking and transaxle components are present. A complete engine is included in the sale, but the photos suggest that it has spent some years on a dirt floor and has recently been hosed off. A brand new carburetor and spare engine and transaxle parts are also included.

You might also notice that the steel wheels on the buggy are a bit different than standard steel wagon wheels. Jackman Wheels were quite popular in the era, and featured much longer spokes than standard wagon wheels. Today, these wheels are sought after on everything from VW buggies, to full-size 4x4s. With great period-looks, these wheels are a nice bonus for the cheap price, as a set of these can sometimes fetch a few hundred bucks alone.

The buggy is listed here on Amarillo Craigslist for $500, or best offer. Throw out an offer if you’re after a buggy on the cheap, you could come home with this machine for just a few hundred bucks.