Save the Manxclub

[lastmanx]

Who is the Manxclub? It is my understanding at most times there are only about 900 active PAID members per year. Who are they? How many are newbies with real need, how many only wanting to attend Manx club EVENTS, How many who built their own buggy, How many who paid to have their buggy built? How many who drive their buggy to their local ice cream shop and won't cross town lines? How many who carry a surf board; but can't surf and are nowhere near the ocean? I am member #965 and when I joined it seemed members where just discovering dune buggys and just building them. We had a news letter with informative articles in black and white. I joined online a few years ago. This site is mostly unused today as the cell phone based facebook site is. I don't have a cell phone, nor plan to, as i'm a cheap old curmudgeon. I plan to drop my wifi when it runs out next month as well. I just don't get enough use per cost out of it. Members drop out each month. But new members join each month as the 900 active paid membership remains constant. There has been a sorta divide within the club between street verses off-road buggys which I propagate and is just silly since: tire size is the only difference , tall tires with the same buggy and you have clearance for off-road. The news letter today is all glossy but just repeats Manxclub events, and advertises coming events arriving past early registration dates. I have thought of not renewing after hearing about the secret buggy raffle: winners being drawn secretly months ahead of reveal. An obvious trick to maintain renewal. It worked on me. But for $30 bucks a year it doesn't really mater. I can still afford it. So I feel the 900 active members may have a different demographic than I had when I joined. My demographic built their own buggy as cheaply as possible. Me in particular built in Y2K a completely new Manx all mail order, to see if it could be done . I had planned on doing a story on it recommending which companies offered good services and which did not . they all failed and the experience was stressful. The Manx was built complete in one year as a zero mile Manx. It cost $15,000 in parts and shipping. $5,000 in labor if I paid myself and others in cash rather than beer,vices, and favors. Yes I built a $20,000 dollar Signature Series Manx all by mail order. It was more money than I expected, but the buggy has lasted 18 years, and 18 beach seasons. It has 43,000 miles. No major rebuilds. So who is the Manx club today and where does the future go? Or does it even matter? I'll renew but participate by reading the news letter only. I am privileged to live close to the Atlantic ocean and am still the last Manx on Race Point Beach. I have driven it before the Manxclub existed and will do so in the future.

[cvoharley]

...I plan to drop my wifi when it runs out next month...

How does WiFi run out?

[lastmanx]

I mean when I stop paying for it. I can live without it. I noticed by your member number that you are a rather recent member. I looked at your gallery, very nice buggy. I would consider yourself as the new demographic that is now the Manx club. What is your estimate on cost/value of your buggy? What do you see as the future for you and your buggy, and what do you see for the future direction of the Manx club that you would like it to go?

[manxvair]

So many questions and comments made, let's try to explore 1 at time, You refer to the "secret buggy raffle" why do you refer to it as such? It was officially announced here http://www.manxclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=89&t=4136 on Jan 16, 2018 and on face-book. Raffle rules required the tickets be drawn in CA and thus Meyers Manx HQ was picked as the site and Bruce selected to make the pick. The date of the drawing was chosen due to the large number of club & board members from various parts of the USA & Canada being on hand as witnesses, the drawing was also shared on live social media. So in that aspect I don't understand your reference to secret. "An obvious trick to maintain renewal. It worked on me." As you have stated the active membership level fluctuates bet 900-1000, people come and go for their own reasons, but we on the BOD were not looking to boost the numbers, we really were just looking for a way to give something back to the membership that has supported this club and do it in a way that we thought would be fun.

[manxvair]

The who are you part; My father built Manx buggies in the 70's when I was a kid and he built the family one, Tangerine Red, driven on & off road at Pismo and So-Cal deserts. fast forward-I had a 2 seat dirt rail and 2 young daughters,(4 people 2 seats) We sold the rail when I found a Tangerine Red Manx for sale in a neighbors front yard, the transmission was broken, I bought it for $200 and put it in the backyard. I started working on it and found out it was a Corvair. I rebuilt the transmission and gradually made improvements, built a roll cage & bumpers, made a back seat for my kids and tried to improve the suspension. I later realized this was a tagged Manxvair, We still own it and have driven it Cabo San Lucas, the Outer Banks of NC and to Niagra Falls, NY along with some shorter distance trips like Pismo and Lake Topaz, NV. My wife decided she had enough of riding a quad and we were looking at side by sides,but instead went with a Tow'd(I rarely let her drive the Manxvair, I was selfish like that) we found some parts and started building, we had the chassis beefed up for desert use and the project inched along. An Australian friend was giving me some grief as to how long it was taking to finish and stated he could complete it in a week, I called his bluff and dropped it off at his shop, It took his shop more then a week but the Tow'd was completed and my wife loves it. She's driven it to St Louis and Lake Topaz, NV. We bought a Dual Sport body in 2014 (50 Anniversary of Meyers Manx) had a custom chassis built then with help from friends we built the rest of buggy to handle the desert like I had always dreamed the Manxvair could. We have driven to, raced the NORRA Mexican 1000, and driven home 2x now, it has been driven to St Louis with a stop in MOAB on the way home, by the end of year it will have driven from So-Cal to the Outer Banks of NC and back along with 2 different recreation trips into Baja. We just purchased a Resorter and plan on doing a rebuild of it.

[lastmanx]

I call it a secret raffle, because it was only eligible for active members on 12/31/2017. if my membership had run out 12/31/2017 I would not be in the raffle. the raffle was announced 1/1/18. Knowing in advance one may have renewed. The rules stated you had to be a active member at the time of the drawing dates(big bear) etc. But in reality the tickets were drawn months before that. so when I renewed in February it didn't matter, the winners were picked already. But calm down I understand the logistics and such required it. I do mean that it worked on me, I renewed in February to meet the rules of being active on the reveal date, apparently not the draw date. But the rules require it no matter. I also believed it to be a great way to keep or gain new members, but it could not get new members as it was set up, you had to already be a member (it was a secret to members in advance of its initiation) . I think you could have had a new member surge had non members been aware. Perhaps do that this year. The member fee of $30.00 is low, and raffles exist all over for chances to win corvettes for $20.00 a ticket. I only bring membership numbers up due to the listing of non renewing ones that let them lapse. I do feel the club has changed: rather grown. With different people joining and others not it has to make a difference. For instance; technology, ie. cell phones, go pro cameras. it has changed the way stuff is uploaded to the facebook site, instead of this one. I never said it was a bad thing. The club now has very diverse and well organized events, that appeal to members who may not live close to such places (ocean,desert,racetrack,etc) also those that thrive on the group experience. I never said it was bad we simply didn't have that in 1995. These new things has to influence membership. I joined in February 1999, in order to purchase a signature series Manx. You had to be a active member in order to buy one. It worked on me. Briefly I have been into buggys since 1989, and driven the beaches of cape cod ma. since 1991. I did it just fine even though other local buggy people had no interest in beach driving. My manx is a close copy of my second manx type (minivolks) that I used, but I found from both previous buggys that paint melts away from sun tan lotion, bug repellent and the salt. I wanted a gel-coat body and when the signature series Manxes where advertised I had to have one. 27 years later I still do it as I vacation. For the last 18 years it has been done with Manx s.s. #49. It is a proven blueprint so to say that I know will work and last. More info can gotten from Manx Mania summer 2010. I am curios as to who our members are and their interests. Change is not a bad thing. I'm not bitter you should not be defensive.

[manxvair]

I'm not mad or upset at all, I was seeking to better understand your viewpoint as we all see things differently and that is fine. You are correct on how things change, I do prefer the forum line of communication but so many today prefer the ease and simplicity of the face book type social media but in my opinion as soon as you blink the information goes who knows where and you can't always find it again, but that is the current world.

[lastmanx]

I will rely on the Manx Mania only, at the end of this month as I will not renew internet service. I will continue to vacation at the Cape Cod National Seashore Over sand Driving area and still be the only buggy. If you can meet all their permit regulations on their website I will see anyone there. see you in the sand.

[manxvair]

I just the other day found my Summer 2010 issue of the Manx Mania and in it is an article titled "The Last Manx of Race Point Beach", (I think you know the author) nice little read.

[DosPerrosMotorsports]

I'm not mad or upset at all, I was seeking to better understand your viewpoint as we all see things differently and that is fine. You are correct on how things change, I do prefer the forum line of communication but so many today prefer the ease and simplicity of the face book type social media but in my opinion as soon as you blink the information goes who knows where and you can't always find it again, but that is the current world.

Would this sentiment apply to the BOSS...aka OldManx / Bill Schuster who was BANNED from the MC FB page, with obviously no chance on being re-instated, because of a "difference of opinion" ??

[lastmanx]

dos perr-- awe its to long. obviously it would not apply.

[lastmanx]

manxvair, you flatter, you must know that past manxmania can be accessed on this website. Anyone who can meet the rules on the cape cod national seashore site can buy a yearly permit for $150 today. Understand I have been an outlaw since 2001. Don't fool yourself your buggy must be up to the challenge, very soft unforgiving sand.

[manxvair]

I'm not mad or upset at all, I was seeking to better understand your viewpoint as we all see things differently and that is fine. You are correct on how things change, I do prefer the forum line of communication but so many today prefer the ease and simplicity of the face book type social media but in my opinion as soon as you blink the information goes who knows where and you can't always find it again, but that is the current world.

Would this sentiment apply to the BOSS...aka OldManx / Bill Schuster who was BANNED from the MC FB page, with obviously no chance on being re-instated, because of a "difference of opinion" ??

Bill wasn't banned for his difference of opinion, It was due to his continual personal attacks on others who didn't share his opinion. Bill would would go on a rant about someone, get blocked delete his post and then ask for proof. Bill claims you can state your opinion on his sites, but when it's not in line with his he will block you from his site.

[manxvair]

manxvair, you flatter, you must know that past manxmania can be accessed on this website. Anyone who can meet the rules on the cape cod national seashore site can buy a yearly permit for $150 today. Understand I have been an outlaw since 2001. Don't fool yourself your buggy must be up to the challenge, very soft unforgiving sand.

I know some are available, I was cleaning out my file cabinet and noticed the Green Manxter Dual Sport on the cover. It caught my eye, so I flipped through and found your article, simple as that.

[DosPerrosMotorsports]

I'm not mad or upset at all, I was seeking to better understand your viewpoint as we all see things differently and that is fine. You are correct on how things change, I do prefer the forum line of communication but so many today prefer the ease and simplicity of the face book type social media but in my opinion as soon as you blink the information goes who knows where and you can't always find it again, but that is the current world.

Would this sentiment apply to the BOSS...aka OldManx / Bill Schuster who was BANNED from the MC FB page, with obviously no chance on being re-instated, because of a "difference of opinion" ??

Bill wasn't banned for his difference of opinion, It was due to his continual personal attacks on others who didn't share his opinion. Bill would would go on a rant about someone, get blocked delete his post and then ask for proof. Bill claims you can state your opinion on his sites, but when it's not in line with his he will block you from his site.

as per MC FB page admins....bill was banned over a "picture-post" that he shared. HE did not remove anything because he was immediately BANNED, & no one can show why.YOU, Mr. Dario were NOT even in this country when he was banned !! I suggest YOU ALL get on the same page with the story....saw pic of you "inspecting" his tunnell-car @ Pismo, & with ALL the "HATE" you are STILL HERE........ALIVE!! Your excuse holds NO WATER, sorry ......as for banning people from DSB page....Connie & Richard posted very unfriendly stuff & then Connie banned BILL from seeing her posts & Richard...well I do NOT know where his head is....Bill is on great terms with his Wife & father ....go figure.......Bill still has a GREAT #-o-friends in your org.. He just doesn't agree with HOW it is being run, hench his leaving...Why support an org that treats members this way ???

Dos Perros...............OUT !!