1970 Volkswagen Beach Buggy

Highlights

• Goodwood and F.A.T Ice Race veteran

• Original Manx moulded example

• Over £24,000 spent on restoration

• Striking orange paintwork - a real head-turner!

• Circa 200 miles covered since restoration completed

Overview

Few cars can transcend styles, eras and interests like the unmistakable Volkswagen Beach Buggy. Whether you’re Steve McQueen or a long-haired surfer dude on the West Coast of America, the Beach Buggy is an absolute icon of 60s and 70s car culture, and spawned a raft of aftermarket manufacturers, kits and tuning options.

This particular example is an early GP Concessionaires ‘GP1’ which utilises the underpinnings of a VW Beetle of the era, with a fibreglass bodyshell. Purchased by the vendor - who is the owner of VW Camper Co / Greatworth Classics, meaning he knows a thing or two about these hilariously brilliant machines - in 2023, he set about restoring it in-house to an exacting standard at a total of over £24,000 worth of work. 

Evidently, this work paid off, and along with a plethora of other shows, the highlight reel for this GP1 includes appearances at the 2024 Goodwood Revival Beach Buggy celebration, and the 2025 F.A.T Ice Race in Austria. 

With only ~200 miles covered since the culmination of the restoration, this is a head-turning example of the GP1 in excellent condition throughout, and appears to want for nothing more than a tank of fuel, some ‘shades and perhaps a surfboard or two mounted to the roll-over bar; it even has a valid MOT certificate despite being technically exempt! 

History and documentation

• Registered 03 Jul 1970

• An original UK Manx mould car (as shown by the LHD column support being visible on the bulkhead)

• The chassis is an early GP MK1 example

• Extensive documentation from restoration in 2023/4 with works carried out in-house by The VW Camper Co / Greatworth Classics

• The restoration involved splitting the body from the pan, stripping and respraying with a new bonnet

• A new custom wiring loom was made, along with fitment of new seals, lights and a new windscreen 

• Correspondence with the DVLA to notify of the engine change in March 2026

• Collection of invoices

• Two keys

• MoT exempt by virtue of age and being registered as a historic vehicle

• Despite its exemption, this buggy has a valid MOT certificate (with no advisories) valid until 9 March 2027

• V5 present in owner’s name

• This Buggy took part in the 2024 Goodwood Revival each Buggy display

• Following appearances at a number of other shows in 2025, it was also invited to the 2025 F.A.T Ice Race in Austria, where it was the only UK buggy to participate

• HPI clear

• London ULEZ compliant 

• The seller notes that the odometer reading is not accurate or verified

Interior

• Spartan interior designed for ease of ownership and maintenance as opposed to comfort

• Inertia reel seatbelts

• Period-correct steering wheel

• High-back Porsche ‘tombstone’ style seats

• The dashboard was replaced during restoration and, as such, is in near-pristine condition

• The seats show some light wear and patination, in particular to the outer bolsters

• The wooden shift knob and the steering wheel are also lightly worn

• Elsewhere, the floor is scuffed (no carpets here!) as is the centre console

• There looks to be a very small crack in the driver’s footwell paintwork

• No reported faults or issues

Exterior

• Striking orange paintwork

• Iconic fibreglass ‘Beach Buggy’ bodywork

• With only ~200 miles covered since restoration, the bodywork on this Buggy is in excellent condition

• Some light pitting is visible on the chrome headlight and indicator surrounds

• The windscreen frame is lightly patinated and aged

• The lower black ‘tub’ section shows some expected usage marks and wear

• New wheels and tyres fitted during the restoration

• The wheels remain in excellent condition with one or two signs of use

• Overall, a striking and well-kept example of the iconic GP 1 Beach Buggy

Mechanical

• 1641cc air-cooled flat-four

• Four-speed manual gearbox

• Rear-wheel drive

• A new clutch was fitted, and a carburettor overhaul and a full service/tune were carried out during the restoration

• New cables

• New fuel tank and lines

• New genuine Meyers Manx ‘Remastered’ exhaust system

• New rear brakes and wheel bearings

• Pedal box rebuilt

• New front brakes

• New master cylinder

• The seller notes that the floor pan was found to be “very solid with no rot” when split from the body

• No reported faults or issues, other than the engine leaving a ‘very small’ drop of oil when parked, generally considered par-for-the-course with these air-cooled flat-fours

Summary

Whether you’re going to hit the ‘dunes, do your best Steve McQueen impression, or do as the current owner has and find a frozen lake in the Alps to go sliding around, you’ll have endless fun doing it behind the wheel of this GP1 Beach Buggy. 

Having enjoyed an extensive restoration at the hands of marque experts between 2023 and 2024 and with limited use since, this GP1 is in excellent condition throughout, and makes for an excellent proposition for someone looking for a ready-to-rock Beach Buggy, safe in the knowledge that it appears to want for nothing.

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Banbury, Oxfordshire.