Dune Buggy Archives: JC Fiberglass Registry

JC Fiberglass Registry

JC Fiberglass was based in California and made the California Clipper.

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California Clipper Registry

The Califonia Clipper is a classic style body. It was built by JC Fiberglass in California. They were one of the production facilities for the EMPI Imp kits. The body has two raised sections on the hood to facilitate the installation of later wipers. It also has a badge location in the center of these that carried the company logo sticker. The tail was a flip up spoiler design. This is the Id Trait thats separates this body from a very similar SandWinder body. The SandWinder had a standard style Manx Tail.

California Clipper

Body	California Clipper
Frame	Two in. square tubing custom made frame with VW front and rear axles.
Engine	1600cc
Status	A work in progress. This picture was taken on 4/8/06, the day it was delivered to us. This buggy should be done by summer 2008.
Owner	Rob and Debbie
Front Tires/Wheels	VW 5 lug standard rims.
Rear Tires/Wheels	VW 5 lug widened rims.
Location	Eastpointe, MI
Story	We bought this from a guy up in Port Huron, MI for $700. That included the tub, the chasis, an extra trans, the headlights, windshield, and extra parts for the brakes. We found this on Dunebuggy.com by accident, we weren't really in the market to buy one, we were just looking at pictures of dune buggys and Rob clicked on the classified section and looked up Michigan. That was when we saw the ad for this buggy. We talked to each other about it, and decided to get in contact with the guy. We drove up there to take a look and bought it. He was nice enough to deliver it to us the next day since it was not a running vehicle. We bought quite a few parts from Don's Sport Vehicle, Parts Place Inc., Detroit Speed Shops and Ebay.

SHAWN'S CALIFORNIA CLIPPER

Body	California clipper. The back was broken & I had to trim the rear off even all the way around.
Frame	Vw pan with box tubing & an 8 point cage. Berg solid mounts with Wheelie bars that I made. Hurst line lock for great smokey burnouts.
Engine	2442cc type 1 turbo charged with Nitrous oxide fogger injection. DPR 88MM crank with wedgemated flyweel, Carillo 5.7 rods porsche jer., Venolia pistons & total seal rings, JC cut to length barrels in 94MM, CB Perf. street eliminator heads with 44 X 37.5 stainless valves & dual springs, custom turbo set up with a 650 CFM Demon 4 barel and a T-61 turbo, MSD digital 6 plus ignition with a MSD boost timing master, Aeromotive return style fuel system with 1/2" fuel lines & -10 braided lines.
Status	Just rebuilt the whole car from the pan up. 7/7/08 finish date.
Owner	Shawn Proffitt manxracer1@yahoo.com
Front Tires/Wheels	Erco 0 offset 3 1/2" wide 15 inch aluminum rims. Continental 175/55R15 front tires with 400 ware, AA traction & A Temp rating. They rub a little if turning hard.
Rear Tires/Wheels	Douglas 10" X 15" min. offset alminum rims with Mickey Thompson sportsman pro tires that are 10.5" wide & 26" tall for the sreet. Centerline 7" X 15" min. offset rims with Mickey Thompson ET Drag slicks 8.5" wide & 26" tall for the track (with occasional night time street usage).
Link	http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii131/manxracer1/
Transaxle	Early swing axle. 4.12 R&P Super bettle Mainshaft with a timkin bearing machined in to support the mainshaft, a strait cut .56 third gear & a 1.21 fourth gear. Henrey's axles, Crown screwside superdiff, 4 ten tooth german spider gears, steel shift forks & a alum. side cover.
Location	Escondido, Calif.
Contact	Shear Speed 1075 Industrial ave. Escondido, CA 92025 (760) 871- 1087 eandjwireworks.com Eric did the wireing.
Story	I got this car from my buddy Scot 28 years ago. I have been racing it for 26 years. Eric @ E&J wire works rewired my whole car. www.eandjwireworks.com Along with wireing in all my electronic goodies he wired in a pig tail in the front for towing. I now have a connection from the buggy to the truck that works all my brake lights & turn siglals in the rear of the buggy. It also charges the battery while I'm towing the car! There's pictures in the link above.
Clubs	Light em' up street club in Vista Calif.
Previous Owner	Scot Thompson

SoCal Clipper

Body	Standard "California Clipper"
Frame	1960 VW Beetle floorpan cut down. Later model tranny mount welded in.
Engine	2110cc Full-flowed with doghouse cooler, mild 041's with porting/polishing and matched manifolds. Dual Dellorto 40mm carbs. Single quiet pack exhaust.
Status	Recently streetable after a 17 year storage.
Front Tires/Wheels	on road wheels and tires are 195/65/15 on after market 914 alloys off road wheels and tires are 205/75/15 on vintage 7" Jackman Alumistar 4 lug
Rear Tires/Wheels	on road wheels and tires are 205/60/15 on after market 914 alloys off road wheels and tires are 235/75/15 on vintage 10" Jackman Alumistar 4 lug
Transaxle	SuperStreet Plus with 4.12 Klingelnberg R/P, 3.78 (Super Beetle) 1st gear, chromoly pinion retainer
Location	SoCal
Contact	Don W. yonausti@yahoo.com
Story	I was talking to my nextdoor neighbor about the buggies my dad used to have when I was a kid and he told me he had one sitting in his son's garage. It hadn't been driven since 1993. We worked out a deal and brought it to my home. Have replaced most everything since I started the project and finally got it on the road 01/10. Still working some bugs out but it should be ready for the spring.
Clubs	Dual Sport Buggies & www.Inlandbajas.com

Lisa's California Clipper

Body	Appears to be a California Clipper from the others I see here and using this website. No ID on the body anywhere.
Frame	1965 VW shortened.
Engine	1967 VW 1500cc single port with Solex Carb and duel bell exhaust.
Status	Everyday driver... cruiser! We put hundreds of miles on it each summer. Beach cruiser.
Owner	Todd and Lisa Oliver - South Haven MI
Contact	olivert@vbco.org
Story	My wife and I bought this buggy in Cadillac, MI in 2005. We repainted the body and added the chrome. Replaced the front axle beam, front suspension, bearings, brakes, generator, and interior. Lots of work but our kids love it. We use it to cruise the beaches of Lake Michigan where we live. I drive it back and forth to work in the summer because the gas milage is great!

Rick's California Clipper

Body	Originally metalflake fushia. Now House of Color Candy Apple Oriental Blue with electric blue pearl and micro metal flake.
Frame	63 VW
Engine	1967 1500
Owner	Rick
Front Tires/Wheels	American Racing smoothies with 205/60R14 Michelins.
Rear Tires/Wheels	American Racing smoothies with 275/60R15 Firehawks.
Location	Vienna, Virginia
Story	I originally built my Clipper in 1971. I sold it around 1979 and regretted it every day since. BUT, I found it for sale a couple of years ago (2011) and bought it back!
Clubs	Manx Club

California Clipper

Body	California Clipper
Frame	1962 Beetle pan shortened
Engine	Stock 1974 1641
Status	Just Drive It !
Front Tires/Wheels	BF Goodrich P205/70/R14 on AWC 14" Wheels with Ford 5 Lug Pattern
Rear Tires/Wheels	BF Goodrich 275/60/R15 on AWC 15" Wheels with Ford 5 Lug Pattern
Link	http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=114348498606375
Transaxle	Swing
Location	Detroit MI
Contact	elevfxr@hotmail.com
Clubs	Downriver Buggy Club

Brent's Sandwinder

Body	Sandwinder
Frame	1965 Beetle
Engine	1641, AS41 case, engle 100 cam, balanced, Dog house cooler, Dune buggy tin, header, electronic ignition, K&N Style air filter
Status	Running. Need to chase down a backfire at high RPM
Owner	Me and my wife
Front Tires/Wheels	205/75R14 - I'd like to go to 205/75R15 General grabbers
Rear Tires/Wheels	205/75R14 - I'd like to go to 255/70R15 General grabbers
Link	King pin Front end - Beam replaced with modern adjustable style
Transaxle	AB model Swing Axle
Location	Mojave Desert
Contact	boizrus@juno.com
Story	Bought it from a friend last August (2015) as a rolling chassis. All part were in boxes. Not running, no wiring. Came with a 1200 motor and spare 1600. I sold the 1200 and used parts from the 1600 to build the 1641. Put in a new wiring harness, assembled it, added new tires, battery and it is running. We have taken it to Pismo and Glamis as well as many places in the Mojave Desert. It is a blast.

Mike's California Clipper

Body	California Clipper
Frame	1964 Shortend bettle pan
Engine	1641cc
Status	Under construction
Owner	Mike and Dawn Doyle
Front Tires/Wheels	15" Rollers
Rear Tires/Wheels	15" Rollers
Link	King pin front end
Transaxle	Swingaxle
Location	Saginaw, Michigan
Contact	Deltadawn12@aol.com
Story	Bought on 10/3/19 sat for about 32 years and hasn't run in about 10. In a few day's of owning it had it running and moving under it's own power. Plans are to take apart put new wiring ,seats, almost everything..lol will undate when completed..
Clubs	Rail Raiders dunebuggy club

Mike's California Clipper

Body	California Clipper
Frame	1964 Shortend bettle pan
Engine	VW 1641cc/ maybe echotec in the future.
Status	Under construction
Owner	Mike and Dawn Doyle
Front Tires/Wheels	15" Rollers
Rear Tires/Wheels	15" Rollers
Link	King pin front end
Transaxle	Swingaxle / will soon be irs conversion
Location	Saginaw, Michigan
Contact	Deltadawn12@aol.com
Story	Bought on 10/3/19 sat for about 32 years in a barn and hasn't run in the last10 years. In a few day's of owning it had it running and moving under it's own power. Plans are to take apart put new wiring with new fuse box with blade fuses ,seats out of a G6, update to disc brakes on all 4 corners. almost everything will be new or updated. New steering column with tilt wheel, 4x130 to 5x4.75 adapters so I can run chevy wheels, full Roll cage, will undate when completed...
Clubs	Rail Raiders dunebuggy club of Saginaw Michigan. Look us up on Facebook.
Previous Owner	N/A

Clark's Clipper

Body	The body is a California Clipper, from the information I've gathered from this site, however I don't see a registry for California Clipper bodies. The body is a classic Manx design. The hood has two raised "scoops" with a raised emblem location. The dashboard is attached as one piece with a rough black coating. The rear has a spoiler like raised portion with a flat panel for tail lights and a cut out over the air cleaner on the engine.
Frame	Shortened 1965 convertible swing axle.
Engine	Slightly modified 1966 1300cc.
Status	Has not been on the road for close to 30 years. Is now in the process of restoring many running components, like brakes, lines, floor pans, etc. Has always been in a closed garage, so is in pretty good overall condition. My goal is to have it back on the road in 2020.
Owner	I built this Dune Buggy while in high school in the early 1970's. David Clark Rochester, NY
Front Tires/Wheels	Front: painted Chevy wheels.
Rear Tires/Wheels	Rears: Chrome Reverse.
Transaxle	Swing Axle
Location	Rochester, NY
Contact	David Clark vwvette@aol.com
Clubs	Finger Lakes Region Volkswagen Club
Previous Owner	None

Cal Clipper

Frame	1965 VW pan
Engine	1968 1500cc 44bhp single port heads
Status	just finished her up
Front Tires/Wheels	215/70/15 on 15x6 Chrome Smoothy
Rear Tires/Wheels	31x10.5-15 Mud tires on 15x8 Chrome Smoothy changing soon to 275/60-15
Transaxle	65 swing axle
Location	Central Ohio
Story	purchased 1/2020, blew it apart, sprayed the purple flake, rebuilt all brakes, rewired entire car.