From Baja 1000 triumph to Hollywood stardom with Elvis Presley and Steve McQueen, the Meyers Manx became the dune buggy that defined freedom, rebellion, and 1960s style.
Freedom on Four Wheels (July 1968)
Photo: B.McNeely / ClassicStock
California in the 1960s was more than geography; it was a philosophy. A sunlit landscape where surfboards lined the sand, counterculture rewrote the rules, and optimism rolled as freely as the Pacific tide. It was here that Bruce Meyers - naval architect, boatbuilder, and adventurer - created a machine that captured the spirit of the age: the Meyers Manx.
From Beetle to Beach Icon
Meyers’ vision was born of simplicity. He saw in the Volkswagen Beetle a donor chassis waiting for reinvention. By shortening its frame and clothing it in a hand-laid fibreglass shell, he created something both featherweight and fearless. With its wide stance, flowing fenders, and cheeky nose, the Manx looked less like a car and more like a smile on wheels.
Bruce Meyers and the Meyers Manx take flight
Photo: Keystone Pictures USA / Keystone Press
Designed not for the office commute, but for sand, salt, and spontaneity, the Manx was an antidote to the excesses of Detroit steel. It was motoring stripped to its essentials... joy, agility, and freedom.
Racing Credibility: The Baja Breakthrough
What began as a playful beach buggy quickly proved its mettle in the desert. In 1967, Meyers himself, alongside co-driver Ted Mangels, piloted a Manx to victory in the inaugural Mexican 1000 (later known as the Baja 1000). Their run shattered existing records for the punishing Tijuana-to-La Paz route, demonstrating that the Manx was not just a toy, but a serious off-road contender.
Bruce Meyers and Ted Mangels with the race-winning 'Old Red' Meyers Manx (1968)
That triumph placed the Manx firmly in motoring folklore, bridging the gap between California cool and competitive motorsport. It was proof that Meyers had engineered not only style, but substance.
From the King of Rock to the King of Cool
By the late 1960s, the Meyers Manx had already conquered desert racing, but its legend was truly sealed when it crossed into popular culture. In Live a Little, Love a Little (1968), Elvis Presley - the King of Rock ’n’ Roll - slid behind the wheel of a Manx, bringing his trademark charisma to the screen. The buggy matched his persona perfectly: playful, stylish, and irreverent.
Elvis takes his Great Dane for a spin in his Dune Buggy
Photo: Colaimages
That same year, the Manx was immortalised by Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair. Originally scripted to drive a Jeep, McQueen used his authority as a seasoned racer to insist on a custom Manx. Painted in blood-orange with a speedboat-inspired windshield, hidden headlights, and a Corvair powerplant, it became known as the “Crown Buggy.” On screen, McQueen hurled it across the sands of Massachusetts, with Faye Dunaway by his side, performing the stunts himself with characteristic cool.
Steve McQueen takes Faye Dunaway for a spin in his Dune Buggy
Photo: United Artists / Kobal / Shutterstock
Presley and McQueen could hardly have been more different: one a Southern showman, the other a Californian racer turned actor. Yet both found common ground in Bruce Meyers’ creation. The Manx was not just a dune buggy - it was a cultural equaliser, a machine that embodied the freedom, style, and rebellion that defined an era.
A Movement of Joy
Beyond the silver screen, the Manx became a cultural phenomenon. Its kit-car ethos invited enthusiasts to build their own, turning garages into workshops of freedom. Postcards, magazines, and beach parties celebrated its presence. Affordable, democratic, and fun: it was a car that belonged as much to the dreamer as to the driver.
Hot Rod magazine cover (Aug 1966)
Legacy and Legend
Though imitators quickly followed, none matched the authenticity of Meyers’ original. The Manx became a collector’s treasure, its reputation further gilded by Baja triumphs and Hollywood cameos. Restored examples today command six-figure sums at auction, testament to the enduring appeal of its design and mythology.
The "Crown Buggy" sold at the Bonhams Amelia Island Auction on 5th March 2020 for $456,000.00.
Photo: Bonhams
More than half a century on, the Manx remains a symbol of a time when driving was uncomplicated, adventurous, and joyous. A reminder that the greatest motoring experiences are not measured in lap times or luxury, but in the freedom to chart your own path... whether across Baja’s desert floor, a Californian beach, or a Hollywood backlot.