The Marui Coors/Melling Thunderbird is one of those buggies that I saw as a kid and new it was odd even then. I remember thinking to myself "why would you buy a stock car that could go off road?"
There must have been a lot of kids that had that same thought because in the last 5 years, I have only seen a handful of these on up for auction. This was the first new built I had ever come across. Funny thing is I didn't find this one on eBay. One of my readers had lost interest in in this buggy before he had even run it. I made him an offer and it was on it's way here.
The Coors/Melling Thunderbird was a four wheel drive buggy/road car sold as a kit with both a set of off road tires as well foam street tires. The oil dampened suspension can be lowered using limiting linkages that allow the full clearance for off road and a lowered stance for street running. The Coors/Melling Thunderbird also has an adjustable body ride height. When raised up it allows for suspension clearance and when lowered gave the closes the gap in the fender wells so the car would look like it belonged on asphalt with it foam tires.
