Henrik Forss' Safari Dune Buggy - Detoxica

Henrik's Safari Dune Buggy as it sat in 2023. It was supposedly built late 1967 or early 68. Built in the Los Angeles area, it was based on a 1957 VW pan. When Forss purchased the buggy in Northern California it still had the original gold/silver gel coat. "What is more intriguing is the pinstriping that covers most of the buggy," Henrik told Kustomrama in 2023. "It appears to be very old, and chances are it was done right after or at the same time the buggy was built." Keith Dean is 100% sure that the buggy was pinstriped by his dad, Dick Dean. Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

The Safari Dune Buggy models were manufactured by Dick Dean in Southern California. The late great car customizer, designer, stunt man legend, and so much more manufactured a few different and good-looking dune buggy models back in the late 1960s, in the midst of the huge dune buggy craze that swept California at the time. Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

"Some of the pin stripings has faded, and I see no traces of a signature, unfortunately. I purchased the dune buggy in northern California in 2022. The seller had bought it from the daughter of the man who brought it up from SoCal to NorCal in the early 1970s. That man has long since passed, and I have no information of who he bought it from." The Safari was parked inside a garage in 1984. With the help of some good friends, Forss resurrected and preserved it in 2022. Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Buggies – New Generation of Street Roadsters! That's what Hot Rod Magazine said on the cover of their September 1970 issue, where three buggies were featured. This guide is made to showcase a style of buggies that has the authentic 1960s and 1970s look and style. Hopefully, the guide will spark an interest among all of you car aficionados for a snappy, fun open-air roadster. Street buggies are the main focus of this guide, rather than off-road buggies. No matter how you twist, wiggle, and turn things around. A dune buggy is a huge part of the California car culture, maybe even the biggest.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

New wheels. New look. The new wheels came from Henrik's old model A coupe, "Hollywood Howler." 5.60-15 up front on polished vintage 4" wide Ansen mags while the rear tires are 9" slicks from Towel City, mounted on 8.5" vintage, polished US Mags. Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Local Sacramento artist Bruce Gossett was hired to do the lettering on the buggy. Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Bruce Gossett made sure that the letters and crazy eye art would blend in with the original pinstriping from Dick Dean and gave it a distresses patina look.. Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

Detoxica, as in "detox from normalcy" felt like a fitting name for Henrik, "and also a tribute to famous instrumental surf and lounge songs such as Intoxica and Exotica." Photo courtesy of Henrik Forss.

The Safari Dune Buggy models were manufactured by Dick Dean in Southern California. Dean manufactured a few different and good-looking dune buggy models back in the late 1960s, in the midst of the huge dune buggy craze that swept California at the time.

Named "Detoxica," the one owned by Henrik Forss of Sacramento, California was supposedly built late 1967 or early 68. Built in the Los Angeles area, it was based on a 1957 VW pan. When Forss purchased the buggy in Northern California it still had the original gold/silver gel coat. "What is more intriguing is the pinstriping that covers most of the buggy," Henrik told Kustomrama in 2023. "It appears to be very old, and chances are it was done right after or at the same time the buggy was built." This raises the question: WHO pinstriped it?

Safari Dune Buggy and Pinstriping by Dick Dean

"Some of the pin stripings have faded, and I see no traces of a signature, unfortunately. I purchased the dune buggy in northern California in 2022. The seller had bought it from the daughter of the man who brought it up from SoCal to NorCal in the early 1970s. That man has long since passed, and I have no information of who he bought it from." The Safari was parked inside a garage in 1984. With the help of some good friends, Forss resurrected and preserved it in 2022. "It appears as if the gauges were also installed when the buggy was built, which contributes to the buggy having a great hot rod feel to it, and again raises the question. WHO built it, and WHO pinstriped it?" After posting some pictures on a dune buggy forum, some people believed the pinstriping to be the work of Dean Jeffries, the late great car customizer, designer, stuntman, legend, and so much more, who also manufactured dune buggies at the time. "Someone reached out to his son, who commented, “it is not impossible it could have been my dad.” But then again, Los Angeles in the late 1960s had a huge amount of pinstripers, and it could have been just about anyone." According to Forss, the buggy and its research have turned into a fun mystery, "I am trying to solve while I am enjoying this little time capsule." After publishing a story about the buggy in the Kustomrama Newsletter, Keith Dean reached out with some additional information; "My dad started working for Safari Dune Buggies in 1968. He did a lot for them. Building bodies, and distributing them to different dealers. He made an aluminum plug for their flagship buggies, the Super Safari. I am 100% certain the stripping on Henrik's buggy is my dad's work. He would usually sign his work in block letters "DEAN."" According to Keith, his dad got his trade name of Dick Dean as a pinstriper. "Born Richard Dean Sawitskas. The announcer at a show my dad was Striping at couldn't pronounce his last name. So he said, okay, kid, were going to call you Dick Dean."