Dunbar Registry
Dunbar was a very popular Nor Eastern maker. I have seen what appears to be the same model they built as the MiniVolks advertised as the Hawk, after "Hawk" Harrelson, the big baseball star, ordered and endorsed them.
I am not sure about the Hawk II?
The Minivolks was one of the first buggies to use what I call the East Coast hood. Many of the small makers who were trying to manufacture the cheapest kit they could, made a hood that had the dash molded into it as one part. It had no convex curves since that would be impossible to pull from a mold. The hood flared at the edges to grab on to the body sides in front of the windshield frame. The dash was usually very flat or had a ridge line molded in.
Dunbar liked to have scoops on the hood. Check out the Beverly Hills to see them up close. The big signature to these bodies though is what I call an exaggerated tail design. The rear fenders have a low, almost mud flap, built in to them. The whole tail has a long low extended look. More engine coverage. East Coast DMV laws were much stricter than the west coast. NJ, CT, DE and others required tire and engine coverage. Many of the 1972 motor vehicle laws nationwide adopted these rules and it was the beginning of the end of buggy production.
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To add an entry or update your entry, click here to loginD Roadster Registry
The nose of the hood is vertical and it has a big D on it.
Hawk Registry
The Dunbar Hawk has a pair of hood scoops running along the top of the hood. It is on a full length pan.
Dunbar Hawk
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| Body | Matt's Hawk, in NH. Was originally a blue metal flake, now flamed orange. Still working on the restoration. |
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Dunbar Hawk
| Body | Dunbar Hawk, looks like. |
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| Frame | 1966 shortened frame |
| Engine | 1776 DP |
| Status | Up and running |
| Owner | Michael Pinkston |
| Transaxle | Swing Axle |
| Location | My spot in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico |
| Contact | mpinksto@water.ca.gov |
| Story | Picked it up from a guy in Petaluma, CA who had had it for about 10 years. He got it from his father who started it over 40 years ago in Connecticut. The pan was cut and body mounted, a new pancake motor installed and it sat there from about 1966 until I picked it up in 2006. Motor was junk after all that sitting. I spent a very intense 10 weeks to finish it and take to my place in Baja. Since then, I've done several more things to it. Wish I could figure out to get some pics for you to see. I've been trying find out what body type this was. All I knew was that it was an East Coast design because of the long rear apron. It's been fun to drive. |
| Previous Owner | David True |
gc dunebuggy
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| Body | http://s1187.photobucket.com/albums/z396/gcdunebuggy/ Dunbar Hawk II |
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| Frame | Shortened |
| Engine | VW 1776 cc West Coast Core |
| Owner | Gil Callan |
| Front Tires/Wheels | 15' chevy monte carlo |
| Rear Tires/Wheels | 15' chevy monte carlo |
| Transaxle | swing |
| Contact | gilcallan1@gmail.com |
| Story | just begining to get some work done new brakes, lines, master. New wiring harness. New motor to arrived withih two weeks 1776 west coast core. Motor in and running. tune-up and break in. So far, so good |
| Previous Owner | purchased from New Hampshire |
Hawk II and Hawk 40 II Registry
The Hawk II has wide fenders with louver hood scoops.
From Burn-z - I guys I'm trying to be a little bit of an expert on the Dunbar but it's hard finding information. I actually tracked down Howard Dunbar through his daughter. Asked him about the MiniVolks and sent him pictures of mine to see if he could tell me anything about it. Here is an except of his email "OK Patrick: Good photos. Checked your original pictures and Hawk article. It appears you have a Hawk II, same body we used to build the Hawk 40 II. Engine cover was redesigned with bump out to cover Porsche motor. Original motor was a VW as in description. Ken wanted a hotter motor so we installed the Porsche. VW motor in a Buggy is more dependable. Howard"
After that, I asked for information about old literature, bodies floating about or the molds and he went silent. I'll post the articles that I have in the yahoo site.
Hawk II
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| Location | Massachusetts |
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| Story | This was a surprise birthday present from my father-in-law 2 years ago and since then I just can drive it enough. With a little help from burn-z (who come to find out is in the next town over with the same body type) informed me that is was a Hawk II. |
Burn-z's Hawk II
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| Body | THis is actually a HAWKII |
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| Frame | 64 VW beetle |
| Engine | 1600DP |
| Status | Frame completely rebuilt Engine rebuilt Starting on the glasswork soon |
| Owner | Patrick Byrne |
| Front Tires/Wheels | 15" 7" |
| Rear Tires/Wheels | 17" 10" |
| Transaxle | Swing |
| Location | Northbridge, MA |
| Previous Owner | Jeff Holestien Rick Holstien(orignal owner) |
RI Hawk II
| Body | Green with rear Access cover intact Mustang marker and taillights |
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| Frame | Shortened 65 Type 1 pan orig pan broke in two, was bent and was totally rotted out |
| Engine | None at the moment was Corvair powered but going back to VW |
| Status | Project roller locked up in container with other projects ahead of it |
| Owner | Matt Balicki Hope Valley RI |
| Front Tires/Wheels | 15 x 8 4 3/4" x wide 5 adapters |
| Rear Tires/Wheels | Same |
| Transaxle | 66 Swingaxle clearanced and bushed to 12V |
| Location | Hope Valley, RI |
| Contact | unclematty@netzero.net |
| Story | Sold thru a salvage yard in Newport RI |
| Previous Owner | Some doctor in Newport RI Sat outside a long time last reg 1986 |
MiniVolks Registry
Compared to the other Dunbar buggies (Hawk, Hawk II and Hawk 40 II), the MiniVolks had no hood scoops.
Dunbar Minivolks?
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| Body | Two piece body with hood and dash molded as one unit. Was told this may be a Minivolks but the rear is what is throwing me |
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| Frame | 1968 VW |
| Engine | Single port |
| Status | Recently purchased and in the process of restoring. |
| Owner | Danny and Dewana Tarpley(ok, its hers) |
| Front Tires/Wheels | None selected yet |
| Rear Tires/Wheels | None selected yet |
| Link | http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a213/danddtarp702t/fiberglass%20buggy/?start=12 All pics we have so far |
| Location | Tyler, Texas |
| Contact | danny_tarpley@yahoo.com |
| Story | Found this on craigslist locally and went to check it out. Body was intact,chassis was there(surprised as this was sitting out in an open field)and the engine turned over. Came home with a fresh set of pics and the wife and I agreed to buy it(for less than offered of course). Got it home and dug out all the trash and debris and got a free weekend to check out the engine. Had it running for less than $20(points and condensor)and it idles and doesnt smoke. The wife is very excited and eager to work on it. Lucky for me, I have a wife thats not afraid to get in there and get dirty too. We have begun to gather up parts and have a set of side pods on the way. More as we make some headway. |
| Clubs | Texas Manx Club |
Dunbar Minivolks?
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| Body | Two piece body with hood and dash molded as one unit. Was told this may be a Minivolks but the rear is what is throwing me |
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| Frame | 1968 VW |
| Engine | Single port |
| Status | Recently purchased and in the process of restoring. |
| Owner | Danny and Dewana Tarpley(ok, its hers) |
| Front Tires/Wheels | None selected yet |
| Rear Tires/Wheels | None selected yet |
| Link | http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a213/danddtarp702t/fiberglass%20buggy/?start=12 All pics we have so far |
| Location | Tyler, Texas |
| Contact | danny_tarpley@yahoo.com |
| Story | Found this on craigslist locally and went to check it out. Body was intact,chassis was there(surprised as this was sitting out in an open field)and the engine turned over. Came home with a fresh set of pics and the wife and I agreed to buy it(for less than offered of course). Got it home and dug out all the trash and debris and got a free weekend to check out the engine. Had it running for less than $20(points and condensor)and it idles and doesnt smoke. The wife is very excited and eager to work on it. Lucky for me, I have a wife thats not afraid to get in there and get dirty too. We have begun to gather up parts and have a set of side pods on the way. More as we make some headway. |
| Clubs | Texas Manx Club |
RI MiniVolks
| Body | Yellow body with center gas filler and recessed truck style taillights |
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| Frame | 1966 Type 1 Cut and shortened but not welded back together Shortened T1 pans ready to go |
| Engine | 1600 DP stock carb |
| Status | Pile of parts waiting for the time to assemble |
| Owner | Matt Balicki |
| Front Tires/Wheels | Nope |
| Transaxle | 67 Type 1 swingaxle |
| Location | Hope Valley, RI |
| Contact | unclematty@netzero.net |
| Story | Bought the solid body with tank, glass and column for $100 out of Exeter RI Had frame and axles already |
| Previous Owner | Unknown family was clearing property after he passed on |
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