Dune Buggy Archives: Rascal Registry

Rascal Registry

The Rascal was a named used for advertising purposes by Sears during the dune buggy heyday. The early model they sold was built by a company called Terra Buggy. The body had a standard Manx tub with the small tail opening similar to monocoque Manx. The hood carried a single ridge down the center with no emblem bump or otherwise raised features. The dash has a distinct arm that was stretched to the passenger side to accommodate a radio or other gauges. The Late tail rascal included a box design above the center carb area that was more styled like a Glitterbug tail. There is no known link or connection between the Glitterbug and the Rascal. It also appears that during the court copy write battles of 70-71 the Manx was advertised as available from Sears. As far as I know there is only one person in the US who has a Manx he picked up at Sears.

JC Penny got on the buggy bandwagon with the sale of serial numbered EMPI Imps. Wards carried the Bandit dune buggy in the catalog they produced.

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Sears Rascal Registry

buggyblues II

Body	late tail sears rascal
Frame	57 bug
Engine	tba
Status	work in progress
Owner	buggyblues II
Front Tires/Wheels	sears orig wheels still
Link	www.buggymuseum.com
Location	lakeland florida
Contact	sales@hewd.com
Previous Owner	went to war and never returned

buggyblues

Body	late tail sears rascal
Frame	67 bug
Engine	1600 DP
Status	Daily Driver
Owner	buggyblues
Front Tires/Wheels	old school slotted mags 4 lug wheels
Link	http://www.geocities.com/vwfamliy
Location	Just moved to South Carolina
Contact	vwfamliy@yahoo.com
Story	Used to be raced on an asphalt track owner passed away and was stored for almost 20 years then Bill purchased and got divorced which is how I got the car and have since owned now for 8 yrs and being married with kids and little money to get the buggy going I got the buggy blues thus where the name came from. Purchased in PA then moved to Florida and now South Carolina
Clubs	Luftwagens South Florida low country vws
Previous Owner	Bill

Kip's Buggy

Body	Early Sears Rascal
Frame	1958 Bug
Engine	1600 cc DP
Status	90% complete
Owner	Kip & Nicki Piel
Location	Kokomo In.
Contact	kip.r.piel@delphi.com

Jeff's Buggy

Body	late tail sears rascal
Frame	73 bug
Engine	1600cc stock
Status	Still doing some modifications but for the most part this is it!!!!
Owner	Jeff Baisden
Link
Location	Saint John, Indiana
Contact	kamikazeweasel@hotmail.com
Previous Owner	Kregg Rooze

R/C

Body	Late tail Sears Rascal
Frame	68 VW Beetle
Engine	68 VW Super Beetle
Status	Roller, body in the shop
Front Tires/Wheels	Cragar 390 15x7 / Mickey Thompson Sportsman SR 26x8
Rear Tires/Wheels	Cragar 390 15x10 / Mickey Thompson Sportsman SR26x12
Location	Mississippi
Contact	iamsparticvs@gmail.com
Story	Got the buggy from my uncle when I was 15, he had put a rod thru the engine case. Now slowly being renovated after sitting dormant for about 3 1/2 years

1964 sears rascal

Body	orignal gel coat faded with sears decal on hood
Frame	1964 cut 14 1/2"
Engine	1600cc dual port
Status	in garage
Owner	brock spears
Front Tires/Wheels	painted steel 14"
Rear Tires/Wheels	painted steel 15"
Transaxle	1967 rhino
Location	new york
Story	bought 17 years ago
Clubs	n/a
Previous Owner	n/a

pat & kris rascal

Body	eary sears rascal et
Frame	1967 vw
Engine	in process 1915 beening built right now should fire in a week
Status	just started ground up rebuild pans done all new brakes,lines,cables,
Owner	pat&kristen ballard
Transaxle	swing
Location	Taylor mi.

Russell's Rascal

Body	Early Tail Rascal. I got lucky and it's not been spoiled with any taillight holes. The center hasn't even been cut for air cleaner clearance. I got the body, hood and windshield frame (glass is cracked) for $250. I saw the listing on Thesamba, and it was in southern Illinois. Called the guy and saw a few pics. Exactly what I was after.
Frame	For the last 15 years I've had two disassembled 69 Beetle sedans. One was cut up for parts, the spine is ok, but rough. Lots of rust, some holes that need repaired. I always kept it with a buggy in mind. The other car has always been earmarked to get rebuilt. The spine is clean and solid. Once i got this Rascal home, I've been soul searching and looking at the parts. I'm ditching the Beetle build (I have a 73 Super that is my Beetle), and I'm going to use the good 69 spine for the buggy. I have a new set of German floor pans that will be shortened and fitted. Right now, everything is full size, and i have to research the best way to cut down the frame.
Engine	The 73 Super is apart for painting and a new interior. It runs a GEX longblock at 1641cc. It's a mildly built stock engine that keeps the Beetle up to speed on the interstate. This is likely the first engine that will go in the buggy to get us playing and using it. I have 9 full engines and bare cases, including an 1800cc bus engine.
Status	Picked it up and hauled it home from Alto Pass, Illinois on December 4, 2010. It's here and I have it, so the pressure to get one is off. RIght now, it's waiting for room in the shop. I own PRO Stitch Auto Interiors and Upholstery, Inc. in Taylorville, Illinois, and always keep one corner free for the shop-sponsored project. Right now a 2008 Malibu is in the spot, but it's out the door in the next month or so. Hope to be shortening the frame and working on the body by Spring, 2011.
Owner	Russell Stare and kids: Robbie (6), Sanora (8) and Elizabeth (5) Sponsored by PRO Stitch Auto Interiors and Upholstery, Inc. 944 E 1500 North Rd Taylorville, Illinois 62568 (217)-824-3228 www.prostitchauto.com facebook: search/pro stitch auto
Link	www.prostitchauto.com facebook: Search/pro stitch auto
Transaxle	stock
Location	PRO Stitch Auto Interiors and Upholstery, Inc. 944 E 1500 North Rd Taylorville, IL 62568 218-824-3228
Contact	Russell Stare - owner
Story	Back in the mid-90s, I had purchased to Beetle Type I sedans and was in the process of deconstruction. I had read about Buggies and was curious, but never knew of any in Central Illinois. Wandering down an alley in Taylorville one day, I spied a very beat up and ransacked traditional style buggy body on a worn out frame. Months of effort to buy the hulk fell through when it was sold to another party on the morning I was to go and make my deal. Plans were put on hold but not forgotten. In early 2000's I swapped an interior build for a Pontiac Fiero. The customer's dad owned a rolling body and chassis and knew I was interested. His offer to sell it due to divorce came at a time when I had no stray cash laying around. Once again, almost but not quite. Forward to 2009, and the customer came in about other work. She missed her Fiero and was surprised I still had it. My offer: get her dad to swap me the buggy, and I'd give her her Fiero along with two additional parts cars. He wouldn't budge -- mad that I didn't buy a few years prior. By now I was wanting a buggy and started keeping an eye on E-bay. Just a month or so ago a quick trip to thesamba.com yielded the ad for the Rascal down in southern Illinois. This time, I didn't miss out and have the start to my project.
Clubs	Sponsor: PRO Stitch Auto Interiors and Upholstery, Inc.

Marty's buggy

Body	1970 Sears Rascal (I have no idea if this is an early or late model........help?)
Frame	1956 VW floorpan reinforced
Engine	1974 VW 1600 bored to 1915. Dual Del Orto's.
Status	Complete.
Owner	Marty Erle
Front Tires/Wheels	15x7 5-spoke chrome EMPI's with 205/60/15 Sumitomo's
Rear Tires/Wheels	15x10 5-spoke chrome EMPI's with 255/'60/15 Sumitomo's
Location	Glen Mills, PA
Contact	windjunkie1@yahoo.com

Purple Rascal

Body	Late tail box Sears Rascal/Terra Buggy
Frame	Modified 1967 with early KP/LP frame head. 3" lift kit made of 2x3 steel tubing, tied to 6" wider front beam with 1.5" 120 DOM. Full perimeter cockpit cage, rear subframe, and engine cage of 1.5" .120 wall DOM also tied in to lift kit.
Engine	1776 with dual DCNF 42 Weber carburation.
Status	Completed August 2009
Front Tires/Wheels	Stock VW steel rims using stock vw hubcaps with 7.00 X 15 Nanco tires for dirt Stock 14" bus rims with 195/65R14 tires for street
Rear Tires/Wheels	Modified stock 15"VW rims, widened to 8" with a 1" positive offset and 3.5" backspacing with 31" Interco Truxus MT tires for dirt Modified stock VW 15" rims widened to 6" and mounted with 28" General tires for street
Transaxle	Type 1 Swingaxle with SuperDiff.. 4.87 R&P. Sway Away Race axles and HD spring plates. Berg Shifter
Story	Bought in Feb 2004 and towed home. Sat for a year before complete disassembly. Next four years spent doing special fabrication and refitting pan and drivetrain components. Early 70's vintage body had over 100 holes drilled by previous owners that were filled in with fiberglass and restored to original condition without any holes. Only the pan, body, windshield, rear torsion bars and front spindles survived from the point of purchase. All other components replaced. Motor is built almost exclusively with Gene Berg components, and has in one form or another, been in three different VW's that I have owned. Safety cage constructed by owner from 1.5" .120 wall DOM tubing. Painted a custom color purple by Gilman Auto Body in Issaquah, WA

Big Daddy's Buggy

Body	1968 Sears Rascal
Frame	1958 VW Bug pan
Engine	1600 SP
Status	MINE! and it runs like a champ.
Owner	Dale Dow
Story	A buddy at work had this and I told him to give me first crack if he ever wanted to sell it. He called this week (after 3 years) and offered to sell it. I bought it for $3700... so I SCORED!

Big Daddy's Buggy

Body	1968 Sears Rascal
Frame	1958 VW Bug pan
Engine	1600 SP
Status	MINE! and it runs like a champ.
Owner	Dale Dow
Story	A buddy at work had this and I told him to give me first crack if he ever wanted to sell it. He called this week (after 3 years) and offered to sell it. I bought it for $3700... so I SCORED!

Vair Crazy II

Body	Early Sears Rascal in metal flake blue, now painted with b/c Ford truck Blue Flame
Frame	JC Whitney for 65-69 Corvair suspension
Engine	140 hp Corvair with 390 Holley and Otto 20 cam
Status	Finished October 2014
Owner	Chuck Prosise
Front Tires/Wheels	Western wheels that look similar to Minilites, 15 x 7 front
Rear Tires/Wheels	Western wheels that look similar to Minilites, 15 x 9 rear
Transaxle	66 Corvair 4 speed and differential
Location	Davenport, Iowa
Story	I had a Spatz with early Corvair suspension and home built frame, 140 hp engine and sold it a couple years ago after I started building this buggy. Wanting to build one with factory built Corvair frame for late model Corvair suspension. Sears Rascal body is more like a Meyers Manx and I like the rear fender area better than the Spatz. Has hydraulic clutch, cable throttle, full cage. Want to fabricate a bikini top for it to keep the sun off the head. Only VW parts are gas tank and turn signals on front. Has Corvair 140hp engine, rear suspension, Corvair CORSA tach and speedo.
Clubs	Iowa Corvair Enthusiats, Corvair Minnesota, Corvair Society of America

Vair Crazy II

Arizona Rascal

Body	Late Tail Rascal
Frame	1962 VW
Engine	2000 cc Type I
Status	Only take to shows & around the block...

Daisy the dune buggy

Body	Sears Rascal
Frame	71 IRS beetle with early beetle link pin beam
Engine	1641 dual port
Status	Currently undergoing restoration. Stripped all the old paint off back to the blue metal flake. Filling all the old holes and added the new 65 impala tails. Will update as things progress.
Front Tires/Wheels	Haven’t decided. I do have a set of the Sears Appliance wheels in 15x6 and 15x8 that need refinishing.

Canadian Rascal

Body	1969 Simpson Sears Rascal Kit $400 back then
Frame	1954 beetle pan
Engine	Stock 1200 1958 engine
Status	Street Legal and driven on or off the road.
Owner	Bob Pfannenschmidt
Front Tires/Wheels	stock 15" tires on 5.5 inch wide five spoke white rims with the chrome centres
Rear Tires/Wheels	ten inch wide street tires on 9 inch wide five spoke white rims with the chrome centres
Transaxle	Stock 1962 swing axle
Location	Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Contact	bobandjane@shaw.ca
Story	The orginal beetle was purchased in Victoria BC Canada in 1954 and driven by orginal owner until 1971. It sold but not registred and made into a Dune Buggy using an 1969 Rascal Kit. I bought it in 1999 and restored it in 2002 (becoming the second registred owner). Lots of fun, good off road vehicle.