Show and shine

Paul Ridgwell may have bought this wild Buggy already built, but he quickly began to make improvements until he had a car he could exhibit at shows but still use for regular driving

- Mike Renaut

Here’s a little known fact, every classic Volkswagen owner in Britain lives in Clacton. Okay, I’ll concede that might not be strictly true, but from the interest we got as soon as Paul Ridgwell fired up his metal flake blue Buggy and drove it onto the seafront it couldn’t be far off correct. Everyone who walked past was either building a Beetle, had a Bus (one even claimed to own a Hebmüller) or previously owned a Buggy and wanted another just like this one. Paul could have named his price for his car, or had his choice of swaps, including a VW trike in the exact same colour.

Not that Paul is even entertaining the idea of selling, he’s put too much time and effort into getting the Buggy exactly how he wants it. “It was built by Mark Dryden at Flatlands Engineering in 2008 using an East Coast Buggies Classic body,” explains Paul. “I bought it from eBay in 2013 after my 2006 off-road Joyner 650 was stolen. I’d done a lot to the Joyner – especially since when I bought it everything was only done up finger tight – and when it got stolen Ellie was distraught, so I had to buy something else.” Paul goes to fetch Ellie. I’m expecting an introduction to a wife or young daughter but Paul returns with a beautiful 10-yearold German Shepherd who, quickly realising I have nothing she can eat, immediately leaps happily into the passenger seat. “Ellie loves this Buggy,” laughs Paul. “If she ever goes missing at home, I find her in the garage sat in the Manx wanting to go for a drive.”