Does anyone know where I can find a Thunder Bug body? I would like to find one. I can offer some information on the history if anyone would like to know. I attached a photo. Thanks
Manxalot 

Please share any history you may know about the company.

Jay

Jay H,
I was hoping to find someone with a Thunder Bug so I could trade a liitle info for ?? In any case, here is a little info:
I, along with a partner, owned a buggy/VW shop in the late sixties and on. It's still in operation. We developed the Thunder Bug body owned the molds and had a local Fiberglass shop(s) lay them up. I bought out my partner in 1969 and I kept the molds. We sold bodies, kits and complete cars as we did with the Meyers Manx. We were also Meyers Manx dealers. When the buggy business slowed down, we lost the molds to an unscrupulous fiberglass shop that disappeared with everything. At that time, We were heavily into VW's and B.F. Meyers went out of business, so we moved on to expanding the business with less buggy priorities. I do have some of the nose decals that were never used along with our design specs, and some other tidbits.
On your website Jay, you mention a couple of other archive type dune buggy websites. Could you give me the URL's? Thanks Jay I hope this helps

Manxalot,

One of the sites I was referring to is this very one. My site hasn't been updated since I got my buggy, so it's been a few years, LOL. I had every intention of building the best buggy site out there, but I slowly came to realize that the DBA has more to offer than is visible online (There is so much out there... since it isn't all organized, it's not all linked publically. Long story short, as I realized the DBA was what I was aspiring to create, I decided to become part of the DBA team and offer my services to make a great thing a little bit better. The other site I was referring to was the Samba, and I don't recall the third site's name.

Enough of all that. This is exciting that you came forward to share your info. We have Albert on this site who owned Allied Fiberglass, and he has shared a wealth of knowledge. It things like finding out that Allied offered doors in all their models that we wouldn't know from the advertising brochures of that time. Had we never known that info and come across an Allied with a door in it somewhere down the line, someone may think it is a copy and thus, a different model. It's all in the details.

Anyway, It's late and I'm probably rambling. Welcome to the DBA.

Jay

Manxalot,
I'm always Archiving for the site, please post some details like the decals etc..
I have a few Thunder Bug's on file if you need pics.

There were actually two Thunder bugs in my records as of today.
one is a Kyote shape
the other is the style you made, similar to a clodhopper , but with a circle on the hood ridge.
Bart
There was one on the site a year back for sale, I'll see if I can drum it up.

Found it, here is an old post, - unique buggy maybe you remember it
http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/forum/topic_show.pl?pid=7735;hl=thunder%20bug#pid7735
I am sure i saw it later for sale, where I can't recall.
I will keep an eye out for one regardless.
Bart

I have some photos of buggy bodies stacked up and the windshield has THUNDERBUG stickers on them.
I'll look for them.
John

I was wondering if any one knows how to get a hold of Mr. Tony Vierra (Manxalot)?
Alma Jo

As you will all see I have two of the ThunderBug buggies and am wondering about the nose decal. Let me know where I can get one or a close up so I can replicate it. These bodies are very well manufactured with thick fiberglass unlike most that are very flimsy. So Tony if you are still out there I would sure appreciate some more background info and literature, copies or otherwise. I purchased the Buggy the Alma above was looking for info on. Thanks Alma and congrats on your sons recent accomplishments.

Brian

Talked to Tony yesterday for quite some time. It was interesting to hear all the details of the business he had going back then. The thought process for their design and where they improved on the Manx design shortcomings. I'll be posting a photo of the hood decal when they arrive. I guess today or tomorrow the business will close for good. R.I.P. Bugformance of Sunnyvale. Tony it was good talking to you and hope all is well with you and wish Bill luck for me. Also thanks to Louis for the initial contact regarding the Thunderbugs.

Brian, don't forget to pass along this web site. We've been lucky enough to have a few manufacturers grace their presence here. I for one love to hear about buggies back in the day!

Jay

They guy that started the thread is Tony V. He was a partner in the Thunderbug business. The place they were built is now Bugformance and they closed up shop last week.

I see I commented about it close to a year ago. LOL, Apparently I'm getting forgetful... either that or all these buggies blend together after a while.

Jay

Reviving an old post. New here to the page as well. We we just brought one home here in Michigan. It's interesting reading all of the history of the thunder bug and it would be even cooler to be able to talk to the guy that built them! I'm trying to figure out how to add photos. I seen somewhere that you may still have the nose decal available? Ours was removed and we would love to put one back where it belongs.