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MantaAUSTRALIA Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2013 Posts: 42 Location: WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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Posted: Tue May 28, 2013 9:07 pm Post subject: Manta Street Buggies - Australia |
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Started this Post for owners or previous owners of the Manta Street Buggy.
Also for anyone interested in this Australian Manufactured Kit Car Beach Buggy, who can add anymore to this post.
Please not to be confused with the Manta Ray, or any other Manta named kit car.
Manta Street Buggies History - SO FAR
Manta Street Buggies, Frankston, Vic, in 1968 with a company called Manta Fiberglass products.
Williams Design & Construction of Warragul
Manta claimed to be the first to fit a curved windscreen to a dune buggy.
Used a VW Karmann Ghia Windscreen (not sure what year windscreen)
Manta had a long production, designed shape stayed the same. (my understanding finished in 80's)
Used a VW beetle pan, standard LWB, or a cut down SWB pan.
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One thing that has been the topic of many posts on Australian Buggy Sites, and has even had a reward posted for a CLEAR photo/image, of the actual badge, emblem or decal for the Manta Street Buggies.
There was a Badge, Emblem or Decal was on the front bonnet of the agent assembled buggies. (See Photos, it looks to be a Manta Fish with wording).
But no one seems to have a CLEAR photo/image, or the actual badge itself.
This Badge, Emblem or Decal was sometimes placed on the dash, by home assembled Buggies.
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I am also interested in seeing or purchasing the Badge, Emblem or Decal, and also a hardtop.
Please PM me if you have these and are willing to part with, or for me to take a mould of.
Sorry can't afford Eastern States of Australia, or Overseas, I am hoping for Western Australia.
As you can see by the photos' and ads the hardtop is not a standard square type, but has a fitted curved shape.
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MantaAUSTRALIA Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2013 Posts: 42 Location: WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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Obviously no Manta Street Buggies owners out there? |
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manxdavid Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2003 Posts: 1841 Location: David Jones, Anglesey, North Wales, UK. Manxclub #678.
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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You may have more luck here friend, this forum is at least 90% US and I don't think that the US imported too many dune buggy kits, they had enough of their own...
http://www.manxclub.org/phpbb3/viewforum.php?f=10 |
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BL3Manx Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2006 Posts: 6767 Location: Northern California
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Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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Its true, mostly domestic fiberglass on here, but we are very fond of our overseas buggista brethren though |
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Manx102 Samba Member
Joined: June 07, 2010 Posts: 484 Location: California
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Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:53 am Post subject: |
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Very interesting pics and history of the Manta. Thanks for sharing and good luck in your search. _________________ "The simplest of outdoor adventures - the most treasured memories." - Bruce Meyers
54 years of "outdoor adventures" and "treasured memories" with our Manx in my gallery. |
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manxdavid Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2003 Posts: 1841 Location: David Jones, Anglesey, North Wales, UK. Manxclub #678.
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Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 6:57 am Post subject: |
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Manx102 wrote: |
Very interesting pics and history of the Manta. Thanks for sharing and good luck in your search. |
I've seen those pics before and can't say it's my favorite shape for a buggy. It would be better if the headlights didn't look as if they'd been stuck on as an afterthought, IMHO of course!!! |
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Wetstuff Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2010 Posts: 700 Location: Maryland
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Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 9:01 am Post subject: |
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Manta, Fear not - someone looking for you will find you now. Maybe no one in this active cluster has one.. but Google will direct people here who search for Manta Street Buggy .. you left plenty of clues. Good luck.
Jim _________________ Manx #2614 |
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MantaAUSTRALIA Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2013 Posts: 42 Location: WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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STILL NO LUCK .... Badge Emblem Decal ... Hardtop.
Obviously disappeared of the face of the earth ??? |
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MantaAUSTRALIA Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2013 Posts: 42 Location: WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 2:02 am Post subject: |
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GOT A NEW QUESTION?
My 1967 Manta Street Buggy has a scratched and windscreen or windshield rubber is toasted.
Been told its windscreen or windshield is from a Karmann Ghia. I assume 1960's.
Many have said it may be a 1970's curved windscreen out of a Super Beetle
or Beetle 1303S, but this is highly unlikely, as it was made in 1967
and no modifications have been done to body of the MANTA.
IF THIS HELPS - THE MARKINGS OR WRITING ON IT IS -
DELODUR-1BS1 LIZ SEKURIT ~ D-98 |
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don't_bug_me Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2013 Posts: 852 Location: Ohio
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MantaAUSTRALIA Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2013 Posts: 42 Location: WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:56 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for that.
Hopefully others got a buzz out of it as well.
Love the youtube movie file, and the metal flake paint job, very nice, not to keen on the colour.
Also noticed it had no windscreen or windshield as well, must of had same experience of not being able to find one.
Ad is great, wouldn't you love if they were still open to get some gear, or had a back room full of MANTA stuff.
What a barn find that would be.
I did a Google street view search on it and its just all housing now.
Do you have one ? |
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don't_bug_me Samba Member
Joined: July 29, 2013 Posts: 852 Location: Ohio
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cjdeane10 Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2014 Posts: 2 Location: Perth Australia
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 1:42 am Post subject: I Have One! |
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I live in Perth and picked up a manta buggy a few weekends ago just south of bunbury...
Advertised as a '1969 manta ray'... its actually a 'manta street buggy', on a 1964 chassis, with a 1500 motor with some assembly required.
would love to know more about these buggys - as I am hoping to get it road licensed at some point...
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VWCOOL Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006 Posts: 1821 Location: Down under
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rotorimp Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2007 Posts: 253 Location: Surprise AZ
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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I want one!!!! I like the look...very cool! _________________ 1965 walkthrough Sundial |
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Iguana Samba Member
Joined: April 19, 2008 Posts: 922 Location: SOCAL
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Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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I have been told several times that the screen is out of a Karman Ghia as well so I would start looking there.
Cool pictures ain't buggy history great |
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cjdeane10 Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2014 Posts: 2 Location: Perth Australia
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Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:00 pm Post subject: Re: I Have One! |
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Its a LWB, so plenty of room for the passengers or camping gear... still a lot of work to do...
exhibit A |
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manxdavid Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2003 Posts: 1841 Location: David Jones, Anglesey, North Wales, UK. Manxclub #678.
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MantaAUSTRALIA Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2013 Posts: 42 Location: WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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manxdavid
MATE that is a beauty, how did you manage to find that one.
That's definitely a MANTA
This is not a Merlin as website says or a Marlin written on side of car.
Its a copy of the MANTA then has renamed it Merlin or Marlin.
Last edited by MantaAUSTRALIA on Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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MantaAUSTRALIA Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2013 Posts: 42 Location: WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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My understanding is that the blue buggy in those pictures is from a guy in SA that is re-producing a similar buggy to the "REAL MANTA Street Buggies" and has called it a Marlin (Merlin).
This is a copy of the MANTA buggy with a few modifications. Some say its entirely new buggy, and improved, I say its a copy or replica.
Like a lot of buggies, some have made a mold, or plug of the original (maybe made some adjustments or modified them to their likes) and reproduced them. I suppose its a lot like the copies of Meyers Manx which are floating around.
Anyway that's my 2 bobs worth ... |
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