Manx Club

Hi everyone -- I'm new to the forum, and looks like getting back into VW's after 18 years being away. A friend of mine found this buggy in a barn/garage on Pelee Island here in Ontario, Canada, and I ended up buying it from him last week. I would like top make sure that it is indeed a manx ( i think it is from all the key attributes). I will be replacing the drivers side pan next week as there is a good sized weak spot in front of drivers seat. After that I want to concentrate on brakes and getting it safetied. Oh by the way it does run -- although with the 58' title I assume that it is a 1200cc motor -- must check serial #-- I would like to get a set of dual side mufflers as the factory exhaust will not do --- trying to keep it old school looking! Is there any benefit to keeping it as original as possible as far as resale value? Or would a bus tranny and a 2300 cc motor be a benefit? I'll post some better pics later, but will include these for now. Thanks for any insight, Dave It seems all my pics are too large -- how do I resize?? --- I think i've got it now....

The big advantage to a bus trans is the toughness. To me it would ad vallue, but the actual market might say otherwise. Some people like the swingaxle. I think if they were that good, Porche would be using them to this day.... Try www.photobucket.com for your photos. You can generate a url and copy-paste to the club site.

[QUOTE="delsol"]Hi everyone - I would like to get a set of dual side mufflers as the factory exhaust will not do --- trying to keep it old school looking! Is there any benefit to keeping it as original as possible as far as resale value? Or would a bus tranny and a 2300 cc motor be a benefit? [/QUOTE] Hi Dave :hello: The bus tranny and a 2300cc sounds good,,, it would add to the resale value if i was buying it :rock: Those dual cannon mufflers look good,, but rob you of power IMO the Manx Sidewinder is a much better set up. The great thing about buggies is ,, WHAT IS ORIGINAL?? you build it how you want it to look,, and if other guys dont like it THATS TOUGH Good luck, and have fun with it.

Restoring an original F/G buggy is not quite like restoring any other type of classic car. For a classic car, you want to try to get all the parts as the car came originally equipped. For the buggy, what actually constitutes 'original'? I think that so long as you maintain or repair the integrity of the F/G body, you can do most anything else with it you like. What ever engine/tranny combo you prefer shouldn't affect the value of the body. So far as what is in it, never assume anything. Someone else has had almost 50 years to change things, including the tranny and motor. You'll have to do a bit of research to find out what you have. When I bought ours, I was told it was a 1776. When it was pulled apart, turned out to be a 1600. I have since put a new 1776 on it with a single Weber 40 in it. Next, in my opinion, if you are taking the time to replace one side of the pan floor, you might as well do the other side too. In the long run, it will cost you less, and the pan will react to movement equally to either side when driving. You should give MC a call and talk to Bruce or Winnie about what you have. They will be happy to let you know if what you have is authentic or not as there were many near copies made in the day. Welcome back.

I think the body would have to be trimmed for the installation of a bus trans (shift rod) If it is indeed a Manx body, in my book it would devalue it. Keep in mind it is your buggy and you are building it to do what you want it to do. If you want a bus trans, it is up to you and not what anybody thinks.

A few more...

I don't see anything on it that doesn't appear to be genuine Meyers Manx. It looks like it has an ABS plastic dash which is a very strong indication its genuine. I'd be curious what the dash frame, front bumper and lower part of the rollbar look like. I agree with Jerry, one way to reduce the value of a genuine Meyers Manx is to cut and put extra holes in the body.

DelSol, It looks like you have the genuine article there. send in the required pic's and get it verified by Bruce. Is there a serial number above the access plate? Whatever it is, it has potential. Welcome to the chaos!

Oh and whatever you do, DON'T CUT THE BODY!!!

Thanks for all the input, I might actually lean towards replacing both sides of the pan now thatthink about, although the new frames look very nice and strong also with the built in lift. I'd like to get it on the road and drive it a little just to see which direction I want to take this. I don't want to install the bus tranny if I have to cut anything fiberglass -- does anyone know for sure about this? I've got a friend that is looking to get rid of his type 2 with a pancake motor. Is there any benefit in using the type 4 motor -- not sure what size it is 1800cc-- or are they too heavy? I have seen the Gene Berg Porche style shrouding for them and look pretty neat, but I haven't found near as many aftermarket parts for them as the type 1's. Are there any good suppliers around Detroit -- as I'm only 45 minutes to get there it would be much easier than mail ordering all the parts ( seats, exhaust, etc.) Thanks for now, Dave

Check out Don's at http://www.bugsandbuggies.com/index.htm

A few more pics of this project starting point. I am at a crossroads with this buggy as I would like to do it right -- and I'm not sure what right is... I've got 2 new pans ready to be installed, but the more I look at it the body should come off to do the pan properly. Once the pan is bare and welded this is a perfect time to blast and paint and redo the suspension and brakes. This is all if I want to keep the vw pan... Although this is also the time to place this body on a berrien chassis and lift built in around a bus tranny and type 4 motor. I am hoping for input from you guys that have been around the manx's for a while as to what would be a better unit for not only driveability but also resale -- not that i want to -- but if it ever came up-- Any input is good input! Thanks, Dave

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Any input?? If mine looked that good I would have restored it. I am building my own chassis and using a 1979 bus for trans, front end etc. But I don't have a lot of money to throw at the project. Pan halves are cheap and easy fix if you can weld. The Berrien is a good way to go if you live next to their factory and don't have to pay for shipping. The problem I have not is that all the 3X3 trailing arms use bug torsion tubes, stub axles , etc. And I want to use the bus parts because I have them already and the bolt pattern front to back needs to be the same for some expensive reason. Now I may have to build my own trailing arms, or go with the weeker bus unit...............Be careful to think it through before you diassemble..

One buggy is never enough. Get this one fixed up fast and drive it (that's what I should have done a couple of years ago, still working on my first buggy, but, I've also got my second pan started). Then you can get your second buggy started with the tube frame, big motor, 091 transaxle, mid to long suspension, etc., etc., etc. while having fun with this one. This stuff is addictive! And there in no cure, you can only treat the symptons! Now start having fun, fun, fun.