Utility Manx Found!

[Scott-Drolet]

Thanks, you guys.

Nelson, I'm thinking of switching over to mid-60's VW Bus taillights, but the mustang lights are growing on me, so we'll see.
Yes, I am interested in a type 4 engine, but they carry a pretty hefty price tag. Doran has hooked me up with a guy selling a reverse rotation Corvair big bore 140HP engine, so I can always go that way too.
Yep, Its the condor chassis that David is designing for it.

[manxter36]

All I have to say is WOW!!!!!

Great work

It looks like there would be plenty of room for a corvair back there

Keep us posted

Doran

[FulsGld]

Hey; If you decide against the Dark-Side engine, let me know. I can always use another one (I have a Resorter that is just begging for one).

[Scott-Drolet]

Thanks Doran, I'm still on the fence. But have to make a decision this weekend before David gets too far along,

Hey Gary, Yeah, I haven't decided one way or another on the Corvair, but I don't have any engine right now. Whatever I end up going with I'll have to buy outright as a turnkey. Doran suggested the Corvair because of the boxer configuration, and there's a (possibly) nice one for sale locally. I still like the idea of an old school type 3 or maybe a type 4. Honestly, though, the Corvair would be less expensive to buy than a type 4. I hate these forks in the road where you have to make decisions. I'll let you know where I end up.
I know you and the gang must be having a blast in Moab! Post some photos when you get a chance!!

[FulsGld]

Hey Scott; Sounds good. Looks like it's going to be a nice setup when you're done. We didn't make Moab this year. Diana has been under the weather for the last couple of months and we decided to hang around home and get tests done. Going to try and make it to the sand on the Oregon coast sometime this summer. We shall see...

[Scott-Drolet]

Hey Gary, I'm sorry to hear you guys didn't make it, and I hope Diana feels better real soon.

I did decide to pass on the Corvair. After talking to all sorts of engine shops, I decided that if I went with a type III (1776cc), it would've come from Russ at Old Speed. Instead, though, I have to agree with Nelson that it's worth the extra dollars to get the reliability of a Type 4 (especially given the increased thickness of the internals and case, combined with increased cooling system capacity). I spoke to Greg Aronson at FAT Performance today, and he has all but convinced me that either his stock 2 liter, or the mildly-goosed 2258cc, would be the way to go. I'm waiting on final pricing and delivery time as he's also going to quote a Type 1 1915cc with Type III tin just to show me the cost difference isn't as high as I'm thinking it would be.

Another spot of good news, Bruce & Winnie have verified the Utility to be authentic and entered it into the registry as the eighth one found. It's full name now is Max Ocho. Kinda sounds like a spy movie title!

[FulsGld]

Hey Scott;

Yea, Diana is bummed. Moab is her favorite run (mine is Clearlake) and she just hated to miss it. I miss seeing Bill and Mark and Carol. There's always hope for next year.

Excellent! Those are some mighty fine engine sizes that you're looking at. With your experience you'll pick out a good one for sure. If you go to The Topaz Lake run it will be interesting to see which buggy you take.

Congrats on the Utility verification. Love the name. Looking forward to watching the build.

[ManxManiac]

Scott... It's hard to beat a well built Type 4 engine!!! Whether you go with the 2 liter or the slightly bigger one, I think you'll be very satisfied!!! However... there's nothing like having the sound & the torque of a Corvair 6 cylinder air-cooled engine either!!! LOL When you are finished, that is going to be another fine buggy in your corral!!!

[Scott-Drolet]

It's been about a year and a half since I got the utility, so I figured it was time for an update.

You may remember that about 9 months ago I left the Utility with David Barrett, intent on having David build one of his Condor Manx Chassis lifted frames that I could use as a Baja Camper Buggy.

Soon after I dropped it off, I got severe sticker shock on the cost of building a Type IV, or even a Type III, turnkey engine. And, right after that, Doran, during one of his late-night Craigslist searches, found a pretty cool, running, Claim Jumper at an Independent Volvo shop in Pasadena, CA. This buggy was built on a 60's Con-Ferr automatic Corvair chassis and it was a pretty good buy. In fact, it was obscenely cheap. Like, what's-wrong-with-it cheap. It even came with a brand new rebuilt Corvair automatic transmission (which my Corvair Burro needed), a brand new Corvair block, still in the box, another 140HP Corvair engine and a ton of other parts, like carbs, exhausts, heads, you name it. The minute I saw it I thought this should be the platform for the Utility buggy. So, I bought it, and since Doran had been toying with the idea of building a Corvair buggy, I gave him all of the other parts (except the transmission) as a "finders fee".

Here's how it looked when I got it:





This is when things got weird. Right when I bought the Claim Jumper, David moved Manx Chassis from Sanger, California, to Mohave Valley, Arizona. He was fine taking on the challenge of mounting the Utility to the Con-Ferr Chassis, but it was going to have to wait until he moved his entire shop the over 400 miles one -way to it's new location. That's not the weird part, the weird part is I originally bought the Utility less than 40 miles from his new shop! Anyway, I eventually dropped off the Claim Jumper at David's new place a few weeks later.

Shortly thereafter, David's neighbor in Bullhead City, Tow'd enthusiast Mark Landon, took my automatic Corvair Burro and dropped in the rebuilt automatic transmission I got in this deal. (I made that sound easier than it was, Mark had to remove and reinstall the drivetrain three times to get everything fitted.) Mark does terrific work and The Burro runs like new now. I even took it to Big Bear this year for its maiden voyage.

Finally, this weekend, I picked up the Utility. I am thrilled with the transformation. David raised it a couple of inches, cut off the Corvair front end and grafted on a VW Link Pin unit, and did a host of other well-thought out changes to make the chassis fit the Utility like a glove.

In these photos the body is only held on by seven bolts, as I'm pulling it off to have it either re-gelcoated (preferred, if I can afford it), or painted, in the very near future. But it really is a great feat mating these two together.

Here it is, the Baja Utility:

Picking it up at Manx Chassis with David Barrett


I really like the stance.


Corvair Power! The rear view


It'll need 31.5 tires to fill these wheel wells


Front view, rear hatch open.


Inside the hatch, theres a ton of room. Also, there's a hinged floor area to get to the engine.


Here's the view looking through the hinged floor and down onto the Corvair engine. It'll need really short air cleaners.


Con-Ferr Chassis. You can see the mounting bars for sliding seat brackets. I'll be going with PRP seats.


Windshield & Barrett-built Stainless Steering Column ready to be installed.


The rollbar is installed in this photo. Sitting under the Monocoque and a bunch of vintage tires, waiting for gelcoat.


More to come ( and hopefully the next update won"t be a another year and a half from now!)

[Brad]

Damn you have to many buggies ... you sure he put on a Ball Joint front ? Looks King Pin to me, either way it looks cool, you will have to take it to Baja Now so it cane be a Baja Utility How about Norra Next year

[FulsGld]

I LIKE it!!! Dave sure does great work...

[Scott-Drolet]

Hey Brad, Yeah it's link Pin, which is what I meant to write:-/ Thanks for setting me straight!

Hi Gary, Yes, David does do great work. I'm always amazed by the small details he always thinks to include.

[1856]

Scott your project is making great headway ... Have you been into the engine?
MnC

[Scott-Drolet]

Hi Mark, No, I haven't touched the engine yet. I was driving it around for a couple weeks in its old Claim Jumper skin, and it ran great! I'll have to drive it a bit to decide what'll need to be done. I don't know if you've ever driven an auto Corvair, but they're a kick in the pants. It's only two speeds, so you sure know when it shifts:-) All I really need to do is get the body painted or gel-coated, then reattach it to the chassis and re-wire it before it'll be drive-able. After that, just a few little things like seats, lights mirrors, etc.

How's your Corvair Utility? (For those who don't know, Mark and Carol have a beautiful green Corvair-powered Utility needing restoration. It's a bookend to the one Vince Simansky just located.)