My manx type buggy rides like a buckboard with the stock vw shocks on the front. I just adapted some shocks from a honda road bike ( a dirt bike would have been better- more travel, but that's what the junk yard had for 10 bucks). I made extensions for the bottom and took the sprongs off of them, used some bored out rubber hose for the lower bushings, looked at the travel and took a ride. Unbelievable difference.
Because the buggy is so light it needs lighter shocks and this did the trick. Just make sure the suspension hits the rubber stops before the shock hit end of travel on the down side.