History

My Doon has been an on going project since 2002, built on the chassis and running gear from our 1972 VW Beetle that was purchased in 1996 as an MOT failure. To make the buggy as easy as possible to build and maintain I used where ever I could standard VW parts.

2022

New rear tyres fitted, fuel tank sender unit replaced and all flexible fuel lines renewed. 

2021

Exhaust cans repacked with Acousta-Fil Exhaust Silencer Packing. New front tyres fitted.

2016

Side pods fitted which have changed the air flow around the body I no longer get water in the back seat and the engine stays much cleaner on wet roads.  

2014

Replaced the Weber electric fuel pump with a Huco electric low pressure suction type pump.

2012
New VW Heritage 1600cc engine fitted in December due to failure of the crankshaft oil seal and excessive end float on the original 1972 engine which had now done 95000 miles without a bottom end rebuild. 

Original 1972 engine tinware shot blasted and powder coated, Weber full heat manifold installed and lower tins welded to the engine cage. Rev Counter and oil pressure gauge fitted and instrument positions changed on the dash.
Fitted custom stainless steel balanced length dual cannons with heat risers manufactured by Mike at Vintage Volkshaus

2011
Removed the engine to replace the gearbox mountings with heavy duty 'Rhino' items from Machine7, due to excessive movement on the nose of the gearbox. They have stopped the engine moving but increased the noise level in the buggy.

2008
Fitted a GSF disc brake conversation kit to the front, and removed the anti roll bar. Fitted a custom K&N air filter and new hot air feed to improve winter running of the engine.

2007
Set of castor shims fitted behind the front beam which has cured the steering drifting at high speed.

2006
Fitted Spax adjustable dampers to the front and rear, I am now adjusting the dampers and tyre pressures to get the best ride / handling setup.
Fitted new torsion bars to the front beam and a camber compensator to the rear of the car, this has improved the handling on country roads.
Tonneau cover manufactured and fitted By J P K Ltd in Leicester an excellent job.

Changed the single Solex carb to a Weber 32/36 DFEV, the engine runs much smoother and has got rid of the hesitation when pulling away from a standing start, timing setup to maximum advance of 28 degrees.
In April got the buggy back from Volksmagic, the full roll cage and back seats are first class. Rear lap belts arrived in yellow from Seat Belt Pro's in USA ( nobody in the UK could supply in the colour I wanted ) and have been fitted.
The buggy was driven over to Volksmagic in March for a full roll cage and rear seats to be manufactured and fitted.

2005 
Finally the buggy was on the road ready for registration, MOT and taxing at the end of November. I used the buggy through the winter weather permitting.

2003
Work started on the car as time permitted and a lot of research was done to source the parts to give me the buggy I wanted.
The body was ordered from Doon Buggies and delivered in December 2003. Mine was the 4th long wheel base body to be manufactured hence the L004-03. In total only 4 LWB bodies were produced in 2003 the first year of production, 3 in yellow and one in red. 
Work started by removing the body from the car, the chassis was stripped, sand blasted and restored. The running gear was also stripped down, inspected and restored or replaced as required. The rolling chassis was completed by September 2003 ready to take it's new body.

2002

Saw an article about the Doon Buggy and  I was very impressed with the engineering of features that had been designed in to the body kit by Chad and Rich of Doon Buggies. Having built an NG TA in the early 1980's using all the running gear from a MGB GT the idea of building another kit car started to take shape. In its long wheelbase form the Doon gave me the chance to use the unmodified VW chassis, running gear and retain the car as a four seat vehicle using it's original registration. This maintained it's taxation class as a Historic Vehicle and I ended up with a correctly registered buggy.  

1998
The car was laid up and Statutory Off Road Notified with a view to restoring it to its original condition. Whilst the chassis and running gear was in good condition having now done 85000 miles, we found the body was beyond repair without major replacement of lower panels, heater channels, wing attachment areas and doors. At this point the restoration project was put on hold.

1997
Some minor body repairs, new brake cylinders and a new set of tyres got the car back on the road with an MOT. A lot of fun and visits to various shows that summer.

1996
The car was acquired as an MOT failure with 79000 miles on the clock, by this time it had been painted purple and white, lost its bumpers and all of it's chrome trim, but given a very colourful interior and blacked out windows.

1972
L004 was originally registered as a 1300cc Volkswagen Beetle. It was one of the 5000 Marathon Beetles, built by VW to celebrate surpassing the Ford Model T’s world record breaking production figures.