Ross B. Mann Jr.
Oxnard, CA

Hello everyone! Have you ever had a dream, which you pursued it for most of your life? Then by pure chance it finds you rather than you finding it? Back in the mid 60's when I was eight years old, our family went to visit a relative in Virginia Beach. It was there where I first saw a dune buggy. They were all over the beach. I fell in love, but not with the girl down the street, but with a dune buggy. I lived in a foreign country where dune buggies where unknown. From that point on, my life changed. Since then, my dream was to own a dune buggy, Over thirty years later, my search was over.

Six years ago, I found out by pure coincidence through a complicated sequence of events of a person who owned a dune buggy. He wasn't interested on selling it, but sold it to me weeks later because he needed cash. The buggy barely ran. It was extremely in poor shape and needed a lot of TLC. I was now the happiest person on Earth. Due to my "hobby's budget" and "free time", I spent three years restoring it. Spending tons of money and time. It was restored from the bottom up. The body is a '65 built on a '57 pan. I kept the body and pan original, including many 50' & 60's components. Most parts had to be polished and re-chromed. Some machined from raw stock. The front and back seats were custom made as well as the carpet. The pan was beefed up, blasted and painted. I replaced the engine and tranny. I installed too many custom things to list. I kept it clean, shinny and simple as it was in the 60's.

It's so fun to drive it. My buggy's theme is "Built on Dreams" since it was just that … built on dreams. I dedicate my buggy to my Aunt Yoli, who taught me to pursue my dreams. Thanks to her, it gave me the devotion and patience to finish this time consuming restoration project. She was planning to visit us; unfortunately she recently passed away before witnessing my apparition. If you have any questions, comments or would like to share your story, please write me at rbmfamily@aol.com, subject: Dune Buggy.