I have just returned from a few weeks in Kakadu and on the way home I stoped off in Darwin for a few days, met a bloke there driving a Manx, it was late in the evening and a bit dark but I think his Manx was red with small white spots on it, he had a little dog with him called Rupert, yeah, the dogs name was Rupert, he hadn't heard of this site but I'd like to get in touch with him to enquire about his engine mods, anyone here know him?

Nope... never seen the car either...

I think it might be a guy I know. Older bloke, glasses?

yep. saw him round near the military museum, he was going fishing.

here i am thinking this was a thread about charles darwin..

Darwin was lucky to have a long-lasting original VW dealer. Highway Service and Sales was located on the corner of Garden Rd and Daly St in Darwin, and was in business from 1956 to 1978. They survived Cyclone Tracy but not VWA's downturn. Today the site is a busy used car lot.

Darwin also had a Lanock Motors (one of the only ones outside NSW), at 8-10 Bishop St (Woolner), from 1978 to 1983. This area has been redeveloped into modern industrial estates.

Today's VW dealer in Darwin is at Stuart Park. Sapphire Motors Volkswagen is at 1 Duke St, and was established in 2006. That's on the corner of the Stuart Hwy. Google earth shows a yellow New Beetle on the lot. I doubt whether they would stock parts for VW beach buggies...

This is an archive shot from the Northern Territory Library. It shows the damage to a house in Henbury Ave, in the Darwin suburb of Casuarina, following Cyclone Tracy in December 1974.

It was house of George Parker. He was killed, and three others were injured, as they attempted to leave the house and get into the VW during the height of the cyclone. He was apparently decapitated by flying galvanised iron.

Never came across the Manx when I lived there a couple of years back? Good luck with the hunt.

one more try, still looking

I talked to him last night but I forgot to mention this thread. Would you like his number? PM me