1969 BOUNTY HUNTER DUNE BUGGY,prototype used in movie

[bwdziol]

Spent the day working on JUST getting the old girl running. Here is the pic of the business card I found under the hood. I have changed the speed-o back to a stock VW with a fuel gauge and moved the two gauges under the dash back up next to the speed-o

Mel, Thanks for getting back to me. I am proud to have one of your cars and enjoy sharing the story with others.

Dan Ziol
Pasadena, CA

[mekeys]

Hi
Mel here,
Looks like a great find. It could be one of the first five, unless Brian made a few before changing his mold after we split up.

Mel Keys

[bwdziol]

The person I got it from bought it from a dealer lot in Santa Barbara, so no good info there. I will try and get a pic of the business card but it is under old yellow glass and is hard to see. (do my best) The top has been made to "flip" up making getting in and out much easier. The paint is chipped all over the place and I can see the original gel coat is red metal flake. I am not able to throw a bunch of money at it for a restoration, the plan is to make it a good solid driver. I am going to "unwind" the rear bar's to get the camber better. It is also pinching the boots on the axles and they have failed. Another issue is the windshield is cracked, I will need to save up for that one. I am going back to a VW speedo with a built in fuel gauge. That will allow me to move the two gauges under the dash back up to the top. As far as I am concerned I don't need an amp gauge wit the idiot light on the dash. (it has an alternator).
This really isn't the place to go on about my car and should move over to a new thread. I am hoping Mel see's your PM and mine.

Dan Z

[manxdavid]

Wow, that's a survivor!

[BL3Manx]

That's definitely an early Bounty Hunter, one of the first few! Possibly one of the first five made at Glassco

Five inch headlights, no raised panel on the hood, no extended air cleaner cover and no lip around the fenders.

It has the side pods and roof. Unfortunately the roof has been trimmed off in back.

I'd love to see a picture of the business card.

Where did you find it? Did the seller know anything about its previous ownership?

I sent an email to both Mel Keys and Brian Dries about your post

[bwdziol]

Just acquired this early Bounty Hunter. Not sure of its lineage. It has Brian's business card glassed under the hood and is on a 1959 floor pan.

Dan Ziol
Pasadena, CA

[BL3Manx]

Calvin Sanders found a link to a movie trailer for The Big Bounce and posted the link over on Facebook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq1izdaiIIw

After watching it and the movie on DVD, he noticed the Bounty Hunter in the movie had a lot of similarities to the first prototype in the pictures that Mel posted in this thread. It had the same turbo Corvair engine, same exhaust, no side pods, same tail lights, same roll bar, same fuel filler, silver painted front suspension with vertical tow bar connections, orange shocks, small round turn indicators mounted to shock towers, chrome spokes of steering wheel have round holes, wide Firestones and the hood appears smooth and the headlights appear to be 5".

I sent Mel a PM, asking about the similarities and this is what he said:

The first B/H body was the blue one I posted a picture of on my thread with all the sketches of the dune buggies. The studios wanted a different color for the movie so the one in the movie is the second body.

I have a copy of the movie and it's clearer that the you tube video. But I don't remember any more details about what transpired. It looks like the movie buggy must have been Brian's with the different body but I'm not positive about that. .So it looks like his was wrecked but I know he still had his buggy after the movie ?????... So I guess it must have been movie magic..

The first body we had made went on Brian's buggy that had a Manx
clone body that he had already built. We just exchanged bodies
I talked to Brian maybe about 17 years ago. I don't know what he did
with his buggy. But I did ask him about the mold and he said they it
sold a long time ago that he didn't remember who bought them.
I can't believe whoever he sold them to has never tried to put them
back into production..

Mel Keys

Here are screen captures of the Big Bounce Bounty Hunter and you can see the similarities to Mel's prototype. The differences you can see are the license plate number , finned valve covers, rear view mirror on windshield, nudge bar mounted below/behind Corvair engine and the flower stickers. I think the flower stickers really did their job because I was glad when Leigh Taylor-Young forced the two idiots off the road and killed them for putting the stickers on that gorgeous buggy.

[wythac]

A cleverly written ad. While a casual reading would lead you to believe he is saying this car was used in the movie, he never quite makes that assertion. One interpretation of what he has written would indicate that this car was made, and THEN another identical one made and used in the movie....like didget says, caveat emptor.

[Letterman7]

[didget69]

[manxdavid]

It's back...if it's the same one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volkswagen-Famous-B...2c602f568a

[BL3Manx]

Mel, That's high praise indeed.

"Over the years there have been few other buggy designers who did their own thing. The Bounty Hunter is, in my opinion, the best of these designs, and I applaud the creator."
Bruce Meyers

[mekeys]

And article by Bruce Meyers from VW CUSTOM & CLASSIC Magazine May 1997

[howardscustoms]

Mel, thank you so much for posting. It is really great to hear from an innovator in the design of our cherished buggies. Your work is incredible.
THANK YOU.

[mekeys]

[didget69]

I wish Mr Reed would chime in and verify this...

bnc
_________________
I never found the need to impress people with any mechanic certifications, trophies or track wins... unless it was for Mom to post on the refrigerator door.

[BL3Manx]

[didget69]

[BL3Manx]

Mel, a picture I posted yesterday disappeared the same way. I'm not sure what happened. I'll post your picture here and see if it disappears again.

Its interesting that you should have chosen the Manx SR as your buggy. Bruce Meyers has said that he always admired the design of the Bounty Hunter.

Bruce didn't actually design the SR, but he certainly made the kits. Stewart Reed is the guy who designed the SR, maybe you know him. He's a Chair at the Art Center College of Design, which I believe you also attended.

http://www.stewartreeddesign.com/bios_various.php

[mekeys]

The picture was there yesterday.WHAT happened ??? At least it.s still in the kit car gallery.(at least for the monent)..as of 5/14/11 8:43 AM



Mel Keys