the Nostalgia chassis
The Foundation of Legendary Builds
Every great dune buggy starts with the right chassis. At ACME Car Company, we create rugged, precision-built chassis tailored to your vision. Engineered for strength, safety and performance, our frames provide the stability and reliability that turn a project into a machine built to last.
Nostalgia Chassis & Fiberglass Floor
Classic Feel. Modern Strength. Built for the Long Haul.
Bring back the spirit of the early dune buggy days—with the added confidence of modern engineering.
The 80″ Nostalgia Chassis was designed to complement the iconic fiberglass bodies from Berrien Buggy, delivering that timeless, shortened-wheelbase look enthusiasts love. Built to accept stock VW Type 1 running gear (1958–1978, excluding Super Beetle), it preserves the familiar foundation while enhancing strength, durability, and ease of assembly.
Unlike a modified stock pan, the Nostalgia chassis is purpose-built from square tubing—featuring a 2″ main frame and 1-1/2″ internal structure. The result is a rigid platform that adds approximately 1-1/2″ of body lift for improved tire clearance and stance.
The included fiberglass floorpan features is ribbed for added structural integrity and comes finished in a sleek black gel coat. It won’t rust, and it doesn’t require paint—delivering long-lasting durability with minimal maintenance.
Designed with builders in mind, this chassis offers convenient underside tunnel access (not available on a stock pan) to simplify routing and service. Pre-drilled, sealed, and recessed body mounting holes ensure clean installation with no protruding hardware below the frame.
Chassis Lengths for Nostalgia, Lancer, and Dune-IMP:
- The standard chassis length for the Nostalgia, Lancer, and traditional shortened dune buggies is 80″ inches.
- The Dune-IMP utilizes the exact same chassis features and standards, however, is 82″ inches in length.
Compatibility
- Designed for bodies that mount to a stock VW Beetle pan shortened 14-1/2″
- Uses stock pedal placement
- Accepts VW Type 1 running gear (1958–1978, excluding Super Beetle)
Standard Features
- Raw steel chassis construction
- Fiberglass floorpan, pre-drilled and securely mounted
- 8 front-end clamps with bolts and nylock nuts
- Shift coupler inspection plate
- Sandblasted and capped stock VW torsion housing with chrome spring plate caps
- Pre-installed tubes for: Throttle cable, clutch cable, and e-Brake cables
- Factory-installed mounting brackets for: Master cylinder, Pedal assembly, E-brake handle, Shifter and shift tube, Nylon shift bushing, and Seat tracks
Ready to Start Your Build?
Contact ACME Car Company
Get expert advice and a custom quote for your chassis project today.
