Quarter View of Volkswagen Concept: SpeedMeuller
Like a green tree frog, Volkswagen Concept: SpeedMeuller, has long and powerful hind legs and shorter but still strong front legs. Courtesy of 17 inch Escara rims, SpeedMeuller’s fenders fill out nicely mimicing the strength of the frog legs.
At the ends of their fingers and toes, tree frogs have pads that help in climbing because they are rough and are covered with a sticky secretion. SpeedMeuller has Dunlop Direzza DZ101 ultra high-performance tires that offer extra bite for added grip like those sticky fingers.
The Mexican leaf-frog can rapidly change colors from brown to intense green with gold spots, has cream-colored underparts, and has golden eyes reticulated with black. Painted the same eye-searing green hue, Volkswagen Concept: SpeedMeuller does it’s best imitation. Streamlined with a matching fender skirt, it looks like SpeedMeuller is adept at slicing through the water like the best amphibians.
For Volkswagen, speed was never a consideration above normal traffic and cruising. The Beetle was built to transport its occupants from A to B reliably and efficiently and for many years Volkswagen felt it unnecessary to increase the power of the flat four.
Naturally some people can’t help themselves.
Volkswagen Concept: Speedmeuller is powered by the holy grail of Volkswagen vintage speed. The heart of this concept is probably the best engineered engine conversion available for the Volswagen in the 50s. Okrasa (the name is devired from Oettinger KRAftfahrtechnische SpezialAnstalt), specialised in turning the reliable, if somewhat underpowered, 25bhp Volkswagen engine into something that would allow the owner to hold his head up high on the Autobahn.
The Okrasa kits, initially offered in 1951, gained in popularity thoughout the ’50s, where VW-based exotics, like Rometsch and Dannenhauser & Stauss chose these engines for installation on their brand new cars, giving their sportly-looking vehicles some sports car-like performance.
The ultimate Okrasa kit, and the one used in SpeedMeuller is the Okrasa TSV-1300/30. Consisting of a beautiful chrome-moly stroker crank of 69.5mm (1295cc), special cylinder heads (34.5mm inlets and the Okrasa script cast in between the rocker studs, the compression ratio was set at 7.8:1), a Fram oil filter, Okrasa’s oil cooler, new inlet manifolds (like the later dual-port Volkswagen engines), a pair of Solex 32mm carbs (as used on early Porsche 356s), with filtering courtesy of a couple of chromed Knecht air-filters, and a simple chromed linkage will bellcrank operation.
So, after shelling out hard-earned wages, what could the SpeedMeuller owner expect? Well, quite a lot really. While the stock 30-horse VW just about struggled to 70mph on a good day, Okrasa claimed a top speed of 83mph with a 0-62mph time of 18.5secs for a Beetle. Punching out a whopping 48bhp at 4200rpm, the Okrasa-cranked TSV-1300/30 motor could rev quite safely to 5200rpm, while maximum torque was produced at around 2200rpm.
Driving the SpeedMeuller on today’s roads is no problem as it can easily keep up with the traffic flow. It is quite possible to cruise at a steady 70mph and still record over 34mpg, proving that you can have your cake and eat it too.
What about me? Where’s my dune buggy? That’s the question my wife, Emmy, asked when I posted my Volkswagen Concept MadManx. Seems like she wants to join in on the fun.
So successful was the Meyers Manx that the design was copied, literally overnight. Bruce Meyers fought vainly to protect his design from copycats who wanted to cash in on the craze. Ultimately, Bruce lost the legal battle and an avalanche of similarly designed dune buggies flooded the market. Only a handful of legitimate, original Meyers Manx buggies are left and they command premium prices in the collector car market.
In the meantime, Bruce offered a sports model that would be harder to copy. He re-engineered the buggy concept that not only had a more sophisticated design, but also offered all weather protection for its occupants, and a pair of gull-wing doors ala Mercedes 300SLs. (This was pre-Lambo days) The sleek design of the Manx SR not only made it more difficult to copy but it also made it more expensive, thus, even fewer Manx SRs survive. A rabid cult following of the few remaining SRs prove the desirability of the model.
Based on a similarly shortened Volkswagen Type1 chassis, the SR also exhibited lightning quickness and agility. A true classic, The Volkswagen Concept: Manx SR only needs large diameter rims and tires to make it more dramatic.
Instead of an all-out slalom racer, Emmy’s SR relies on a bullet-proof 1776cc, dual Weber40-fed engine. Instead of massive horsepower, daily driver reliability and smooth power delivery was the priority. A custom designed air-conditioning system was mandatory for pleasurable cruising in and out of town.
A freeway flyer geared tranny with 18-inch replica Porsche Fuchs and Bridgestone Potenza rubber adds the 1-2 punch.(ala Pacquiao)
Now Emmy has her ManxSR. Any questions?
I always wanted a dune buggy. Ever since the 1st issue of Dune Buggies and Hot VW, the Fun Car Journal came out, I imagined building one. Sure seems like a ton of fun, for not a lot of money.
Designed by the legendary Bruce Meyers, the iconic Meyers Manx dune buggy set a worldwide whirlwind for small, inexpensive, fun cars. An engineer by profession, Bruce was also an artist and surfer and he used his experience in boat building, fueled by his passion for the Californian lifestyle to produce the Manx and other Volkswagen-based fiberglass cars between 1964 and 1971.
A small car, the Manx leveraged on the use of the Volkswagen Beetle frame and engine. The car featured a fiberglass bodyshell coupled with a shortened (14 1/4 inches or 36.2 cm) wheelbase for lightness and better maneuverability. Even a stock VW-engined Manx is capable of very quick acceleration and good off-road performance.
This particular buggy, the Volkswagen Concept: MadManx, was found near an old warehouse along an old railroad. The faded and cracked orange fiberglass gel-coat has seen better times but the buggy was fairly complete. Unused since the mid 70s because of a leaky oil pump, the discovery that this dune buggy was indeed an original Meyers Manx set off plans for a serious slalom race buggy project.
With a solid, proven platform, MadManx adds big tires and an even bigger engine to challenge slalom racers.
18 inch Porsche Twists with 235/40X18 front and 255/45×18 rear Yokohama Advan AO48, single block with a race-ready compound provide enormous grip. coupled with Bilstein shocks and a 1 3/4 ” front rollbar, the front end features a CB Performance dropped spindle. The rear torsion bar was adjusted 2 notches to bring the ride height down to race-ready levels.
A close ratio Volkswagen Type 1 Pro Street IRS transmission, features a Super Diff, Aluminum side covers, Welded 3-4 hubs, and hardened keys.
A 200HP monster Type 1 Volkswagen engine built by Pat Downs of CB Performance pushes this lightweight cat to the maximum. It has full-flow oiling with a Maxi30 pump. 94mm Mahle pistons with A Race Pro 84mm crankshaft with Chevy journals and forged 1.4:1 rockers bump the stocker to 2332cc.
Other goodies include a lightened flywheel, wedge-port heads with 44×37 valves, Dual 48mm Weber IDA carbs and a 1 3/4″ merged ceramic coated exhaust.
To complete the transformation, aerodynamic side pods and gullwing-style doors were designed, reminiscent of the Manx SR. The body was sprayed with Porsche L-Y7Y Zermatt Silver and the lightweight Speedster bucket seats and door panels were covered in red Alcantara fabric. A ghost-style Manx-logo grace the gullwing doors.
MadManx is dead serious.
Throw away the book. Guaranteed to turn heads is this Heb-style Super Beetle. A look at what could have been if Hebmeuller Coachcraft survived the war and continued to produce it’s 2-seat Convertible into the Super Beetle era.
Most assuredly, Hebmeuller would be at the forefront of VW advancements. As the VW Convertible evolved into the 1303 model, Hebmeuller also followed suit.
The Hebmeuller Superbé is a Volkswagen Concept based on a late model 1303S Convertible. The Superbé features the distinctive curved 03 windshield, the re-engineered VW top, and at the rear, the smoothened hood that echoes the sexy Heb shape.
Giving Superbé the visual jolt is the bright Aquamarine body. A nice retro touch is a complete shaving of all chrome, giving the impression of the 80s style euro-look. Bilstein adjustable coilovers replace tired VW McPherson struts and the Brembo brake upgrades are decades more advanced. Polished Porsche 18-inch Fuch Wheels with Fulda rubber fill-in the reworked and widened fiberglass fenders quite nicely. Porsche 944 Turbo trailing Arms with Bilstein adjustable shocks and same Brembo brake upgrades round out the rear. A blueprinted 3.0 liter Type4 engine, mated to a rare Gene Berg 5-speed gearbox pushes Superbé flat out at the ‘Bahn.
Black leather interior is luscious, it hides the audio/video gear from prying eyes. Smooth dash features VDO white faced gauges. Twin Recaros in matching black leather regularly gather crowds at the local Mickey D’s.
