FF  Buggy History

Origins

In 1983 Tim Cooksey founded FF Kit Cars and Conversions Ltd and introduced the FF buggy, with a traditional retro style shape. 

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It was based on a American Balboa buggy, but with the addition of a new bonnet with integrated dashboard and sleek sculpted side pods.  The original buggy was a short wheelbase, requiring a beetle floor pan shorted by 15".

 

The rear light area was ideally shaped to fit a MK1 VW Polo's lights when turned upside down and swapped sides.

Later the Long wheel base buggy was introduced, allowing use of an unmodified beetle floor pan.  This proved very popular, making the FF even easier to build.

Change of ownership

In 1986 production of the FF Buggy moved from FF Kit Cars and Conversions to Country Volks of Basingstoke.

Challenge Anneka

Two cars were commissioned and built by Stevespeed for the TV series Challenge Anneka which first aired in 1989.  The blue and yellow Long Wheelbase FFs were driven by Anneka Rice, with camera crew in tow, whilst travelling round the country performing tasks, usually for charity, within a time limit. 

After reliability problems, possibly due to poor maintenance, Anneka had enough, and gave up on the VWs.

End of Original Production

Support for buggy ownership and the FF waned and eventually production ceased in 1993.  The contracted laminators cleared out their storage facilities in 2006 and the moulds were auctioned off, but production didn't start again.

Moulds Rediscovered

In 2013 the moulds were located in North Yorkshire and a year later production started again.