HERITAGE
Old Manx, New Manx
By Drew Hardin
Photography Courtesy Eric Rickman, Petersen Publishing Company Archive
As this issue was going to press, we learned that Bruce Meyers, inventor of the Meyers Manx that spawned the dune buggy craze and countless imitators, passed away at the age of 94. This article was originally written in late 2020, after Meyers and his wife Winnie announced the sale of his iconic dune buggy manufacturing company, Meyers Manx Inc., to an investment firm that would “maintain the old and introduce the new,” as Meyers described it. The CEO and chief creative officer of the new Meyers Manx LLC is Freeman Thomas, an automotive designer whose previous work on concept and production cars included the Volkswagen New Beetle and Audi TT, plus several Daimler Chrysler concept vehicles.
“As a California native, I grew up on the beaches of Southern California surrounded by its unique and creative lifestyle culture,” Thomas said in a statement about the new venture. “As I became an automotive designer, the philosophy of Bruce Meyers became a huge inspiration, and I am sure I am not alone in thanking him for injecting a huge dose of disruptive creativity into the automotive scene.”
Thomas called the original Meyers Manx a “wildly successful, whimsical, fun and capable machine” that “launched a pop culture movement that helped define the ’60s, a time of love, rebellion and free thinking. The Meyers Manx was not simply a dune buggy; it was a vessel of freedom, and it continues to be.”
It was in 1966 that Meyers’ “vessel of freedom,” with Meyers himself at the wheel, flew off the cover of Hot Rod’s August issue to herald the “New Craze” of “Off the Road Fun Cars.” Editor Bob Greene’s accompanying cover story, “Terra Firma Funny Cars,” provided a roundup of the era’s “off-the-road specialty vehicles,” which ranged from V8-powered Jeeps to “cut-down Detroit sedans” and “salvaged and denuded Volkswagens with a rollbar in place of a body.”
One page of the story was devoted to photos and captions of Meyers’ “go-anywhere machine.” For a photo showing the Manx at speed, Greene wrote, “Being super light, the Manx can compete favorably with both dune buggies and Jeeps. The car is ultra-smooth and maneuverable.”
A shot of the Volkswagen pan that formed the Manx’s foundation described how the wheelbase of the ex-Beetle “is shortened to 80 in. by chopping 141/2 in. out of belly pan.” Then owners could add “your engine of choice” from a VW, Porsche or Corvair.
The exploits of the early Meyers Manx are legendary. The very first Mexican 1,000 race down the Baja peninsula in 1967 was won by a Manx piloted by Vic Wilson and Ted Mangels. Meyers’ original Manx prototype, which he built in 1963–1964 and dubbed Old Red, not only still exists but also has been inducted into the National Historic Vehicle Register.
The Manx was one of several models, including the Tow’d and the Manx Street Roadster, produced by B.F. Meyers & Co. in the mid to late ’60s. Some 7,000 kits were made in the company’s heyday before Meyers left in 1970 after unsuccessful legal battles with manufacturers making imitations of his buggy kit. The company closed in 1971, but Meyers reincorporated again in 1999 as Meyers Manx Inc. and has been producing dune buggy kits ever since.
The announcement of the new Meyers Manx LLC did not include any specifics about upcoming models, but Phillip Sarofim, chairman of the new venture, said that the company is “putting together an international dream team of passionate and creative souls to carry on the Meyers Manx legacy of fun, freedom and expression that Bruce and Winnie created. We are humbled and honored to continue the Meyers Manx legacy!”
One of our top priorities for 2021 is to reinforce the automotive specialty aftermarket’s presence in Washington, D.C., and state capitals around the country. We know regulatory activity will be on the rise, especially in light of recent federal elections. Success over the next few years will require dedicated effort along with support from the industry. With sustained effort, we can prevail.
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Marx Buscemi Eisbrenner Group (MBE Group) hired Sophia Polsinelli as its newest account coordinator. Polsinelli joined MBE Group as a communications intern in late September 2020 as part of the company’s recently launched internship program. During her time with MBE Group, Polsinelli supported the company’s in-house marketing initiatives in addition to various client projects. As an account coordinator, Polsinelli will support client account teams with writing, media relations, social media, integrated branding campaigns, and digital marketing activities. Prior to joining MBE Group, she served as a marketing and sales intern for Bosch Battery Systems in Orion, Michigan.
Haig Partners LLC announced that Pete Thiel joined the team as managing director. Prior to joining Haig Partners, Thiel was vice president at AutoNation. He has been involved in the purchase or sale of more than 130 dealerships for a value of $2 billion, as well as the evaluation of more than 1,000 acquisition opportunities.
Denso Products and Services Americas Inc., an affiliate of Denso Corp., named Joseph Wright its new director of Americas operations. Wright is responsible for overseeing all Denso shipping and receiving operations across North America, including Denso’s warehouse and distribution centers in California and Indiana. Wright brings more than 20 years of experience in warehousing, transportation, global logistics, procurement and production to
The Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF) announced the retirement of Lynn Parker and the selection of Larry Magee (pictured) as president of the board of trustees. Magee has been involved with the foundation for more than 25 years and currently serves on the foundation’s executive committee, recipient review committee, strategic planning committee, and golf committee. Parker served on the AACF board for more than 20 years and as AACF board president the last three years. During his career in the aftermarket, Magee held CEO/president positions with several companies, including Bridgestone/Firestone and Magnolia Enterprise Group.
Hopkins Manufacturing Corp. announced the addition of Vince Callaghan as vice president of information technology. Callaghan will be responsible for all company information tools, communication systems, computer systems and networks, and he will ensure the proper security of the company’s information assets. He will take on the challenge of planning the information technology future to support the next levels of growth for Hopkins, be an advocate for the implementation of new tools and technologies to advance the company, and increase efficiency while also continuing to support current operations.
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