Resorter #12 Headed East!

[abgiles]

I've been fortunate enough to have struck a deal on a Manx Resorter #12. A fellow Manx Club member posted a link to it on FacePlant (Facebook as I call it) a few days ago, and a deal was quickly made.

The history as I know it. This was originally one of the Hawaii cars, and is 12th one made. It stayed in Hawaii until 2001, when a sailor brought it back to the mainland with him. It was sold to a new owner shortly thereafter, and restored by a Custom Hot Rod Shop. After the restoration, it sat outside, and the owner of the shop bought it back after seeing it sit for quite a while.

He's had it since 2004, but is thinning his herd.

Another Manx Club member is bringing her to the east coast in a 24' enclosed trailer he was towing over to the east coast, so it's made this entire deal much easier. I did get it for what I felt was a very good deal, but after the recent completion of Loretta (my Manx), I did have to do some creative money laundering and rob a small bank to get it. Won't be able to afford the new motor for Loretta for a while, so her other will just have to do. Also pushes the Manxter build back for at least a year, but we will have this one to enjoy.

If anyone knows more of the history, or something above is wrong, please correct me. I'm remembering what I can from the discussion with the previous owner, and I was fairly excited about it, and might not have heard all of this stuff correctly.

[abgiles]

My wife, who did not care for VW's at all before our Manx on the Banx trip last fall, fell in love with fiberglass buggies at the event. She wants a Manxter, but has said that this one will be hers until the Manxter is completed next century.

She did help with a few of the choices for things to do with my Loretta, but never really voiced a true opinion on what should be done.

Funny though, already with this one, she's already insisted that the top be repainted either white or tan, and is looking at other items to do.

For me, the exhaust has to go. Needs something more fitting for a buggy. It also sags a little in the rear, so the torsions will be re-indexed, along with some larger tires for the back. I like a little more aggressive look.

[FulsGld]

Hey;

Beautiful buggy. Sure hope you use the dickens out of it. When I talked with Bruce about the Resorter/Turista at one of the Laughlin runs he said that there were actually 85 bodies made. Everyone knows about the original 75, but he said that 10 more were made for his various distributors, so according to him there were 85 made. I have 3 bodies. 2 have/had tags and the other never had a tag and doesn't have the tubes under the sides (probably went out of the back door after Bruce left the company). Is the roof on your new Resorter smooth? I can't tell from the pictures. Congrats on the acquisition...

[ManxManiac]

If it would have been the original "Lime Green", I'd have been more interested in it!!! As I posted before... the guy in Texas cloned them & made somewhere between 20 to 24 of them!!! The guy in Arizona supposedly made 8 to 10 Resorter clones!!! Regardless... they are really cool!!! I still think a Resorter with 3X3 rear trailing arms, Thing front spindles, Corvair PowerGlide automatic transaxle or a Type 3 or a Bus automatic 3 speed transaxle!!! A 3" body lift, full cage & a Corvair 180hp turbo engine or a Corvair reverse-rotation with all the goodies!!! It sure would be FUN FUN FUN!!!

[abgiles]

If it would have been the original "Lime Green", I'd have been more interested in it!!! As I posted before... the guy in Texas cloned them & made somewhere between 20 to 24 of them!!! The guy in Arizona supposedly made 8 to 10 Resorter clones!!! Regardless... they are really cool!!! I still think a Resorter with 3X3 rear trailing arms, Thing front spindles, Corvair PowerGlide automatic transaxle or a Type 3 or a Bus automatic 3 speed transaxle!!! A 3" body lift, full cage & a Corvair 180hp turbo engine or a Corvair reverse-rotation with all the goodies!!! It sure would be FUN FUN FUN!!!

I absolutely agree with the awesomeness of that build. I'm definitely not a purist at heart, as you can tell by Loretta's build. I like them a cross between street and offroad. A little more aggressive look would be nice, but I'm not going to be doing anything to this one for a long time. I do agree the original Lime Green would make it worth more, but I feel it was a good deal, as I've wanted one for quite a while. I have had a couple of people ask me to let them know if I was buying it to flip, but I'm keeping it.

[abgiles]

Beautiful buggy. Sure hope you use the dickens out of it. When I talked with Bruce about the Resorter/Turista at one of the Laughlin runs he said that there were actually 85 bodies made. Everyone knows about the original 75, but he said that 10 more were made for his various distributors, so according to him there were 85 made. I have 3 bodies. 2 have/had tags and the other never had a tag and doesn't have the tubes under the sides (probably went out of the back door after Bruce left the company). Is the roof on your new Resorter smooth? I can't tell from the pictures. Congrats on the acquisition...

Thanks! I'm pretty stoked about it, and we'll definitely use it quite a bit. Amazing that you have two of them. I know Marc Frizzy has two also, and of a couple of others out there. It does have some of the original texture on the roof, from one of the pictures. I don't actually have it yet, as it's headed over starting on Friday. If you look closely at the one picture with the discoloration of the roof, you can see it somewhat. Back looks smooth, but it's wet in those pictures, so who knows. I do plan on repainting the top in the near future. I don't like the same color body and top. Looks good on certain buggies, but not on this one.

[FulsGld]

I've got holes and one big crack in my top and I don't know if it can be repaired to the original texture. I'm thinking about sanding it smooth and then painting it white again. Looking forward to more pictures of yours. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to get in and out of it.

[abgiles]

I've got holes and one big crack in my top and I don't know if it can be repaired to the original texture. I'm thinking about sanding it smooth and then painting it white again. Looking forward to more pictures of yours. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to get in and out of it.

If you want to keep somewhat of a texture, and want to change the color, or possibly keep it white, repair it, and then shoot it with some tinted and thinned Raptor bedliner. joescoolcustoms did that with his hard top. Has a great texture, and he did his in a tan color. I'm not sure what color we want. I'm thinking a similar tan would look great, but then we'd have to change the seat upholstery and all to match. I'm considering shooting it with Plasit Dip, just to see if we like the color. You can peel it off fairly easy if you don't like it. That won't be the permanent solution, but it will do for a short while. Won't be sure until I get her home and checked out.

You will definitely see more pictures. From the threads about Resorters I've read, this one has been around for a while, but the previous owners weren't into the Manx Club, or at least not posting actively on any sites. She got loaded up into the trailer today to start the cross country journey tomorrow. Definitely geting excited.