could anyone tell me what kind of buggy I have, who made it, and when was it made?  it sits on a full vw chassis.  not original floor pan, but the body bolted right to the stock one.  so, it did not need to be shortened.  pointed front fenders, seperate hood and dash, not original chassis or engine.  please help me!!!  i tried the buggy id and it looks like an 1968 Empi imp.  but the only difference I noticed is that my buggy does not have the step in the rear fenders.  the license plate is way under the hood though.  and the battery hole is on the passenger side of the back seat.  there are three ridges running vertical in the back seat as well.  there are no badges, serial numbers, or plaques.  if you know where they are please tell me and i will edit this info.  email me at bajabug007@tds.net if you know what kind it is.  Thanks, Daniel     LaVergne, TN

Welcome to our newest member #810!

Paul, I'll let you take this one

Oh Daniel, Its not that we are ignoring you. Paul is the resident (Insert your model buggy here once Paul tells you) expert. There was a difference in these bodies that took place one year, and Paul is the guy who knows these bodies best. I believe that's why John deferred this post to Paul.

Jay

Hi Daniel - Unfortunately, you have me buffaloed on this buggy.  The hood, front, sides and back seat areas are definitely 1968-1969 Imp, but the rear fenders are not.  It looks like a splash off an Imp.

Could you attach a picture of the tail, dash (from the passenger side) and front fender in the area between the hood and the front fender?

Gene (see the Imp Registry) has an Imp clone that I saw in person while visiting him a number of years ago.  I think this one is different than his.  There have been clones seen in the Northwest and another in Mexico called the El Sa Pito GT but that has Imp rear fenders.

Please add your buggy to the X-Files registry and once we have all the photos we need, I'll turn it into an official X-File as well ask keeping an eye out for its true id.

Thanks and sorry, Paul...

WOW !!!!!!

I must be losing my mind, I thought I had posted under this thread......maybe it was deleted....HMMMM.....

(Ed. - you had posted a new topic instead of replying to this one that was pointing out this post to me, so yes, I deleted the topic - sorry for the confused - I didn't mean to drive you insane :-D Paul...)

You posted a new thread under the ID area.
Not a reply to the message.

And it's okay to lose you mind as long as ou find something to replace the empty space.
John

I almost bought this last year, the guy claimed it was an Imp, but had no tags. Since I know nothing about them and he wanted a fair amount for it I passed. I still know where it is.

OK, hang on to your pantys.....I have better pics but can't find them at the moment...

I looks like a rounded off (sanded and ground down?) Empi Imp.
Even the hood logo is ground off and gone.

Another imp copy.
I knew Paul being the Impert  (Imp expert)
would remeber Gene's buggy better than I could.

John

more pics are up.  not one of the dash, it is too dark outside right now.  but the previous owner cut out part of the box in the tail, that's why it looks really different.  my buggy is also missing the front raised part in the hood where the imp logo could have once been.  but i remember, while building this buggy, there was a raised dome infront of the gas tank hole underneath the hood.  possible empi logo?  and the previous owner was not very smart, so is it also possible that he could have sanded off the raised spot in the hood where the logo once was?  it has also been repainted recently.  i did see the buggy after the previous owner purchased it.  it was a light green metal-flake.  even though i do not have a picture of the dash, it looks identical to the other imps.  seperate from the hood.  hope this helps.  it's driving me nuts.....

It looks like a rounded off (sanded and ground down?) Empi Imp.
Even the hood logo is ground off and gone.
The fenders really look filled in.
I wonder if it looks like the body was altered underneath?


Another imp copy.
I knew Paul being the Impert  (Imp expert)
would remeber Gene's buggy better than I could.

I would like to see under the rear fenders and under the hood.
I know how easy that will be.

John

i just ran to the garage and took some more pics of underneath the rear fenders, the dash from pass side view, and front and a few other shots.  i did not notice any mods under the rear fenders.  but it could have been so easy to fill  those steps without cutting or doing anything to where it may be noticeable under the rear fenders.  i cannot get under the hood.  i am in the process of restoring it and these new pics showing are current.  just try and bare with me.........

OK Daniel, I was trying to help ya out, but for some reason I must have deleted the several pics of this buggy I had. It looks to be different anyways as the rear fenders are different. In the front shot I once had, it has no Imp logo, but the plate was way under the front. Again, no tags. Here is the only other shot I could find.

the dash is different as well.  and it's shorter. thanks a lot for the help.  i just wish i could figure it out.  its buggin the fire out of me.

Was there a long pan Imp???

i have no idea.  the previous owner bought a wrecked 1972 beetle and took the body off.  he found this buggy body in someone's yard.  when i got the buggy, the body bolted directly to the stock 72 model floor pan.

If I am right the pan for the Imp needed to be cut down 12 1/2"  I haven't read or heard of a long body Imp.

Ron

Its still a buggy no matter what

Anther interesting feature is the raised area around the top of the back seat. You won't find that on an EMPI Imp.  The dash is much different as well - it's missing the "radio area" on the right had side.

Based on the EMPI Imp assembly manual found on Tom's site, the Imp sits on a VW frame that has been shortened 12".  I have not heard of one on a full length frame.  I have seen an Imp that was cut in half with the idea of stretching it to a full length version.

Paul...

Yep - it goes in the X-Files Registry: http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/registry/XFiles

There is a link at the top labeled "Click here to add a New X-Files Registry entry".  PM me if you have any questions specific to adding it.

I assign the X-File # when I "process" the X-File which means creating a dedicated registry for it and adding it to the Buggy Id system with Jay who does the photo side.

Thanks! Paul...

Daniel - We've assigned your Imp-like buggy X-0039.  Here is the Buggy Id page for it:

http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/decision-tree/leafs/BuggyId/X-0039

Paul...