Plastic Beach – GP Beach Buggy

‘Krazy' Keith Sandy can be considered a die-hard enthusiast as he has stuck with VWs through thick and thin for the past 20-odd years. No stranger to air-cooleds, his association with German tin stems back to one of his first cars: a 1972 1300 Bug, which he promptly roof-chopped and fitted an Oval rear window section. From there he had a brief encounter with a 1960 Bug and then in the mid Nineties he was smitten by the downright madness of owning a Buggy. "Being not the most sensible of people, a Buggy just appealed to me in a kind of daft way. I love the way it sticks two fingers up at conventionality - it's great!" laughs Keith.
The first in a trio of Beach Buggys in Keith's stable was a LWB GP MK2 painted in urban camouflage, followed by a SWB Renegade, which he planned to drag race. Sadly the project never came to fruition due to personal reasons, and was sold on a few years later.
A few years passed without an air-cooled VW, as Keith had gotten in to fast bikes, and customisation. A serious road accident saw his souped-up Buell literally chopped in half by a dopey car driver, sending him flying through the air at 60 miles an hour! Luckily for him, he walked away from the accident with just bruises, a broken thumb and a new moniker: ‘Krazy Keith'!
While convalescing, Keith visited Resto Classics in Hastings and mentioned he was looking for another buggy project. He was promptly led to the back of the workshop, where a rather forlorn looking GP Buggy painted in red resided. Keith wasn't really interested at first, due mainly to the colour, but after a little probing he perked up: "Beneath the nasty red paint was the car's original gel coat, which just happened to be my favourite colour: orange metal flake."

For the full story on this car make sure you pick up a copy of the September 2010 issue of VolksWorld

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