Dune Buggy Merch

Young women riding in a dune buggy with a giant iguana in background. Collage on paper, 2020.

Do you remember the 80s? Do you remember three-wheelers? Remember pushing that thumb throttle for the first time and downshifting to pop a poor man's wheelie? Remember 2-stroke exhaust? Remember going over a jump, being in mid-air, and realizing that you're not going to land with all 3 tires on the ground? Remember the challenge of conquering a giant dune in 2nd gear, full throttle, shaking the whole way up until the gas cap came loose and spilled non-ethanol gasoline on your crotch?. Remember good times? Yeah, me too.

The late '60s saw the birth of organized long distance desert racing, with the granddaddy of them all being the big 1000 event that started in 1967, with everything from trucks, dirt bikes, and buggies all competing at once. The course has remained relatively the same over the years, with about every other event being either a point-to-point race from Ensenada to La Paz or a loop race starting and finishing in Ensenada. Air-cooled buggies were one of the easiest ways for aspiring racers to get in on the action, and in 1971, Rapid Cool made it even easier with their line of oil and transmission coolers designed to keep air-cooled engines and their mated transmissions cool during the extremes of desert racing.

Founded in 1922, Grant Performance Products consisted of everything from engine overhaul kits, piston rings, valve spring inserts, ignition systems, and safety helmets, but their single biggest hit came in 1962 when they introduced their custom steering wheels for dune buggies which later expanded to include models for the wider range of the general automotive aftermarket.

The 60s were a great time for creative design and for vehicles.