Monty277 - Solved: "Old Rivets" by Roger Smith of Peppertree Automotive (1962)

[el_monty]

Fellow Autopuzzlers, for a point please tell me the name of this car, who was its builder and the year.

Don't be naughty! Stay away from Google Search by Image, kids.

[el_monty]

Up to the Experts

[kwgibbs]

is it an African self-built?

[el_monty]

is it an African self-built?

Self-built yes, African no

[kwgibbs]

American?

[el_monty]

Sorry, I forgot this puzzle was still out there! Yes, the car is American.

[el_monty]

Up to the Pros.

[oko94]

Built after 1970 ?

[el_monty]

Built after 1970 ?

No, earlier.

[oko94]

Was it built between 1965 and 1970 ?

[Wendax]

A similar picture of the car can easily be found, but unfortunately it is just referred to as a home-build dune buggy with aluminium bodywork. 

[el_monty]

Was it built between 1965 and 1970 ?

Earlier

A similar picture of the car can easily be found, but unfortunately it is just referred to as a home-build dune buggy with aluminium bodywork. 

That's what it is, indeed, but it has a name, which is findable online, as is the name of the shop that built it and its owner. This is a known vehicle in the dune buggy world for being an early example of the breed.

[oko94]

Built between 1960 and 1965 ?

[el_monty]

Built between 1960 and 1965 ?

Yes

[oko94]

1962 ?

[el_monty]

1962 ?

Correct

[Wendax]

It seems to be 'Old Rivets', built by Roger Smith of Peppertree Automotive from Costa Mesa, California.

[el_monty]

Wendax wins the point! It is indeed "Rivets" or "Old Rivets", one of the early VW-based buggys built before the popularisation of the fibreglass ones, with a body made of aluminium panels, like the Empi Sportster. Bruce Meyers is said to have been partly inspired by the high fenders of the Rivets when he created the Manx.