TheSamba.com :: View topic - viper by B&N Fiberglass Springfield, Ohio

Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:26 pm

does anyone have any info on a Viper by B&N Fiberglass in Springfield, Ohio.. i just foud out today what mine is, and i am looking for any others out there. Did any of them have side pods, or can i put pods on mine.. i just got it painted burnt orange and it is awesome!!!! thanks for any help...

Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:40 am

Can you post pics please?

Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:28 am

http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/gallery/base/Vipe...0d169ceb04

Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:30 am

http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/gallery/base/Viper/?base=14c1bea73f59fa988f66d00d169ceb04

Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:45 am

I have a buggy of unknown brand and I bought a set of pods for a barrien and made them fit . It took a hour or so per side to make fit but looks good

Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:54 am

Herbthe1eyedworm wrote: I have a buggy of unknown brand and I bought a set of pods for a barrien and made them fit . It took a hour or so per side to make fit but looks good

Your buggy looks alot like a Sand Shark. You can check it out at www.dunebuggyarchves.com.

Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:25 am

Kool, here is my Viper.......check out the links given to you by the guys to DBA.....there is some info there. B&N also made the Terantula (sp) it is also at DBA.

By the way, I see no reason why you could not put pods on if you wanted them, I am sure you would have to do a little bit of work, but you could make it happen... :lol: :P :lol:

Fri May 22, 2009 9:33 pm

I vaguely remember this place when I was a kid. I think it burned to the ground in the mid 70's & they never rebuilt.

Fri May 22, 2009 10:14 pm

Hey if you can get a picture of even the hole in the ground where it used to be, we would love to have it in the Dune Buggy Archives files.

Who knows there might be a garage full of molds and bodies there somewhere.

I have always wanted to go on a month long quest searching from old ads to if there are any old warehouses of buggies and parts left out there somewhere.

Treasure Quest
John

Sat May 23, 2009 2:19 pm

B&N also made the rattler.......

Sat May 23, 2009 4:41 pm

I'm hoping someone can tell me whether or not mine is a Viper. I have been told "yes" by some, and "no" by others. Here are a few pics...

When it first arrived home...

And here's a recent one with the rear adjusted one notch, and the adjustable front end dropped. Spaz the cat is diggin' the look...

Here's hoping it's a Viper! :D

Sat May 23, 2009 5:26 pm

Looks a little bit different then my viper ?

Sat May 23, 2009 10:16 pm

247vws wrote: Hey if you can get a picture of even the hole in the ground where it used to be, we would love to have it in the Dune Buggy Archives files.

Who knows there might be a garage full of molds and bodies there somewhere.

I have always wanted to go on a month long quest searching from old ads to if there are any old warehouses of buggies and parts left out there somewhere.

Treasure Quest
John

Not really sure how I happened upon this thread since I am not a buggy guy, but any rate, I am hoping to help out those that are.

I have been asking around to some "car" guys that I know & several people remember this place.

I remember driving by with my mom when I was a kid & they always had a bunch of these buggies sitting outside. What a cool place I always thought.

I am pretty certain that it burnt down sometime in the 70's. I am 42 so it's been awhile. I remember a new building there some time later which housed a towing company. To be honest, I'm not sure what stands there now but I am going to find out.

I am going to do some local research & I hope to post some news soon.

Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:09 pm

Sorry for the delay. Finally got a chance to do some research on B&N Fiberglass. Believe the initials are for Bob & Nancy Mangold.

Looks like the company was started around 1964 in New Carlisle Ohio. He was making funny car bodies. From what I have found, I believe he made a Sox & Martin body as well as a body for Bob Larimore, a local racer in the 70's. I am sure that there were probably more.

Around 12-22-67, Robert purchased land at 350 S Fountain Ave in Springfield Ohio that formerly housed Bede Aircraft Co. The picture that I have is not what I remember. Perhaps they tore down the original building & built new......who knows? I was just a baby so I am not sure.

The business operated until August of 1971 from what I can tell which is when a fire destroyed the building. To the best of my knowledge, they never rebuilt. Maybe it was for lack of insurance ?? After a time, I remember a building there on the grounds that housed a towing company. That company also disappeared many years ago.

In my research, I found what Bob's home address was in Springfield at the time. The address sounded familiar to me so I went there today to check it out. Now, I know why it was familiar......It is now the office of my dentist! How bizarre is that ?

Not sure if he or his wife is still living but I have some other contacts digging into it for me.

I have a few articles I uncovered today as well as pics of where the building used to stand & the house where Bob lived.

I am horrible at uploading this stuff, but will be happy to forward it to someone that is more familiar with doing this.

I am a beetle guy, not a buggy guy, but since I live in Springfield, I thought I could help. It was hard work but I actually enjoyed it & I am confident I will come up with more in the near future. My aunt works for the historical society & I am going to scrounge their archives as well as the libraries newspapers from the late 60's early 70's real soon.

Hope some of this will benefit you B&N owners out there.

Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:32 pm

Was in touch with someone today that was associated with Bob in the 60's.....here is what he told me:

"I think bob Mangold died several years ago. The molds from the fiberglass business were all sold off after the fire."

"B&N was Bob and Nancy. they sponsored me in a 66 Chevelle funny car. That was one of the first all glass cars that ran. We were building a new Camaro when I got activated form the National Guard and racing went on hold. I don't have any literature but I will check with a few people i know"

It's obviously been many many years. He says he will be back in touch with me soon. I will post more when I find out more.

Later !

Sat May 27, 2023 5:36 pm

I just purchased a B&N tarantula and found this post. Very interesting! Thank you for taking the time to do the research.