UPDATE: A builder’s manual for the VEEPSTER has now been posted.
I’ve known about the VEEP Jeep Kit, from Hadley Engineering out of Costa Mesa, California, but I recently learned about two additional VW kit jeeps: The Veepster and the SCAMP. However, I’m still not clear what differentiates a VEEP from a SCAMP or a VEEPSTER.
The SCAMP VW KIT was built and sold out of Redding, California, in the early 70s. I found this ad at the TheSamba.com website
Here’s a beautiful 1973 SCAMP (lots of pictures), but I couldn’t say if this is entire stock or not:
The VEEPSTER VW kit car was sold by VEEPSTER, LLC, out of Mesa, Arizona, according to Kit Car Guide. Curiously, a Czech Republic site and thesamba.com site show that a VEEPSTER VW Kit was sold by Sun Valley Autotech out of Scottsdale, Arizona. Here’s a builder’s and assembly manual for the VEEPSTER by the Sun Valley Autotech company.
The following two pics from this site reportedly show a VEEPSTER.
E-VEEPSTER: Meanwhile, there is a kit car seller out of Sedona that claimed in 2011 or 2012 to make an E-VEEPSTER. The company appears to have gone out of business. The body of the E-VEEPSTER looks more like a South African Gobex or Badger (especially the windshield) than a VEEP, SCAMP or VEEPSTER.
Here’s an ad from July 10, 2012 that was part of a sustainable business article from the Portland Business Journal:
You can see a very quick clip of a Veepster on Youtube:
According to Youtube, Venus Motors, Electric Car Options and Go Electric came together to build the e-Veepster. A CJ3A Jeep fiberglass replica with a chassis designed with aftermarket VW suspension and the Venus EV Drive System. Kits are available, assembly is available, who says EV’s aren’t available. Many styles to choose from but in Sedona, AZ this is Red Rock 1
OTHER KNOWN VW JEEP KITS:
The British Jago Geep
The South African Gobex
The South African Badger
Had 1 of these 15 years ago- sorry I sold it!!
Hi James,
Which model did you have?
– Dave
Not sure on the model-steel flatfender body w/soft top. sold as is had just bought a house & no time to play with it. wish I could find out where it went!
I’ve spent 12 years looking for my old jeep and still haven’t seen it. They can be hard to track!
I bought the Veepster co. from sun valley MANY years ago. We had 53 bodies made and sent them out all over the country. I got divorced and ended up selling the Veepster co. off (for next to nothing… it never really made $$$) Anyway, I too have looked all over of any of them. I sold 3 of them to a guy named Monte Nichols is Gold Canyon AZ. I would LOVE to get my hands on one again. If anyone know where I can find one. Please call me.
Thanks BOB 480 734-1399
Hi Bob,
Thanks for the information. Since you’ve produced the bodies, if there are any clues to spotting the VEEPSTER bodies that make them standout (to make it easier to spot them), that would be helpful. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between the the VEEP and Veepsters.
Thanks,
– Dave
eWillys.com
(d@deilers.com)
Question(s) to the Universe:
Are any of the molds available? Locatable? ANYTHING ?
If anyone finds a body, can another mold can be made?
I am sure that it wouldn’t make a big huge “splash” however, I am sure there are many who would actually buy one now, especially with the electric conversion for vw’s and vw based kits happening right now. hell, i would LOVE to get my hands on a few, now gone, molds of vw kits just for that market. easy, fun to build and drive. However, I wouldn’t expect to feed myself on lackluster sales, it would more of a labor of love kind of thing. Make bodies as orders come in, build some custom chassis so fold wont have to hunt down a decent pan, or in some cases, destroy one by shortening them. Anyway, just putting this out there.
Looking forward to any feedback about this.
Mike,
I haven’t run across any molds for Veepsters, Veeps or any other VW-Jeep body molds. Certainly a mold could be made from an existing body, but I doubt anyone would go through the trouble as there is no financial incentive to do this. There may be a passionate collector somewhere who has stored some of the original VW-Jeep fiberglass molds , but those molds could very well have landed with a VW collector and I have few insights into that community (in my case, I owned some 1970s Bobcat and Parkette jeep molds for several years to save them, but couldn’t find a price effective way of recreating the bodies).
– Dave
Bob,
I just noticed you sent an email to my d@ewillys.com account, but (long story) that account isn’t working correctly for me. My current contact info is d@deilers.com account.
… Thanks for the update … Bob notes the Veepster mold was destroyed, but not by him. They made 53 bodies, so he believes they are still out there.
– Dave
And I shall name the Universe: Dave and Bob
Thank you for the fast turn around.
I had that feeling that they are long gone. The days when they were plenty as well as the molds and bodies. As I said, I wouldn’t expect to feed myself selling them, but it was more of a possible way to bring some of them back to life so to speak. Maybe someday, somehow, this could be something that could happen. If not, it was nice to daydream about the idea,lol.
Who knows, anything is possible if one believes.
I hope everyone day goes well, and somehow, a body or two becomes available for what could possibly be a resurrection. (Again, one can hope).
Again, a thank you for the quick response.
Be well
Mike
Does anyone have any measurements or specs on any of these?
I bet I could reproduce or make a new hybrid style version from these molds I have. (Time providing of course).
Jerry,
I have yet to see specific measurement info, but it may be out there on the internet somewhere?
– Dave
I DID find one in Pennsylvania owned by a guy named Bart Grande. He was one of the guys I had help me put a few together. He had originally bought one when he lived in California and REALLY tricked it out. Seriously to the point he had to put wheelie bars on it and stretched the front end out…. I would fly him in from California to help fill some of my orders. Anyway, he still has it. Ive asked him to give me a # to sell it back to me, but no # yet????
You can look him up by googling BART GRANDE GODSPEED.
He now has some sort of lodging called Godspeed in Pennsylvania. Other than that, I do have a few photos of Veepsters we build and I think I found an original Manuel of how to construct it.
Bob,
Previous owner of Veepster
I have what I believe to be a Sandman GPV. I have researched for a while and only found one brochure on the Internet. I’d like to know more about it. I have done a frame off restoration on it (other than painting it, haven’t decided what color yet). I live in Northwest Georgia. Any information on it would be greatly appreciated. Johnny.
Hi Johnny,
Sandman GPV doesn’t ring a bell. Is that a VEEP like build on a VW body? Feel free to email me directly at d@deilers.com with more info and pics. I’d be interested in doing a post about your build.
Thanks,
– Dave
David Eilers
eWillys.com
d@deilers.com
Hi Dave, It’s easier for me to text pictures from my phone if you have a number I can send them to. Thanks, Johnny
Dave, 770-597-0275 is my number. Thanks again, Johnny
Hi! Not sure if anyone is still following this, but there’s a Veep for sale right now in Manchester, CT. Looks to be complete, just run down. Let’s see if they’ll let me link web address.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/700452835373457/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A4ee560c0-0359-4392-9185-38f62917c0c9
Thanks for the link Brian. I’ll schedule it for Wed morning.
– Dave
this is to bob, i used to work at bugs r us for pj. ( pete johnson) back around 2000. pete referred to you as veepster bob. we put together a blue veepster, i worked on some of the electrical system. really cool alternative to a baja. wish i coulda bought one. neat vehicle.
mike