Buggy Name - Max Fx
Built By - Beach Buggies Australia
Builders Website - www.beachbuggy.com.au
Number Built - unknown
State Built - QLD
Beach Buggy Australia is the ‘brain child’ of one John William Rock Barrett, an ex-pat ‘pom’, Graeme Mills, a Jet Aircraft Engineer and Pub Manager-cum-Volkswagen Mechanic, Nigel Townsend, all who have thrown in together to bring the fun and excitement of ‘beach buggying’ to the greater Oz.
John, a fully qualified Master Builder and spinner of wild yarns, originally approached Graeme and Nigel back in January 2000. It was a year later that Beach Buggy Rentals could be found in the heart of Surfers Paradise with their fleet of two bright orange Meyer’s Manx, 2-seat-er buggies servicing an ever growing clientele. And all from, I might add, a plastic garden table and beach umbrella!
The bright orange buggies (orange being the BBR corporate colour for standout ability) were definitely beginning to be noticed, especially now the fleet had grown to four 2-seaters and one 4-seat-er. Various companies/agencies were now hiring the buggies for promotional photo-shoots, including Versace (hello…) and Voodoo Dolls!
The 2001 Gold Coast Indy was an obvious place for buggy promotion; the public and most of the V8 super car drivers loved them! In fact the bonnet of one of the buggies was signed by some of the leading V8 super car drivers.
The boys soon realised that they had a winner. However, it also became obvious that the 4-seater was proving more popular than the 2-seater. What to do? The 4-seater was hard to get and not the greatest thing to drive… ‘We’ll make our own… bigger and better, stronger and nicer!’ said John. ‘Yeah, right mate!’ ushered Graeme and Nigel in unison!
Nine months later, after awesome research, development and yes—production, the new, and I mean new, MAX fx ‘Buggy Beautiful’ is complete—ADR compliant, road registered and ready to rock ‘n’ roll!
Here lieth the birth of Beach Buggy Australia, manufacturer of the MAX fx kits to the world. The rental buggies have now gone on to greener pastures in Tasmania, Cairns, Adelaide and Japan. Beach Buggy Australia Pty Ltd is selling kits to enthusiasts all over the globe. Is it any wonder that MAX fx is most popular in red? Red being a nicer colour than orange, I mean?! In any case, with on-going research and development and the desire to provide the very best in bugginess, John is building his own MAX fx in a striking blue. Blue being a nicer colour than red, or even orange….
Be like millions, (well thousands) of others and… hey, look for yourselves—you’ll see what I mean! www.beachbuggy.com.au
Written by Nigel Steele-Boyce, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief at ABK Publications (and an awfully nice fellow to boot!)
BBA was then bought by Mick up at Noosa who traded on and made quite a few modifications to the original concept.
After a few years he decided to sell it on and in late 2008 it was bought by Gunter and Kurt at Volks-Mod where it resided today.
Hopefully more details of these years will come to light shortly so the story can be completed to present day ..