Event Discussion Thread -- 2013 Sea to Sea Safari (C2C)

jsturtlebuggy · Post by **jsturtlebuggy** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:46 am

Yes I am driving back too and visiting relatives along the way.

towd-dude · Post by **towd-dude** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:49 pm

Well then I'm in too.

Bob

Scott-Drolet · Post by **Scott-Drolet** » Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:40 pm

Oh, heck, maybe me as well. Let's see how the trip "to" goes!

manxvair · Post by **manxvair** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 12:16 am

Ok than, for the return drive back are we talking the same route, speed?
I'm still undecided!

by the way Scott, your list of cars is longer then the sentence you posted.

towd-dude · Post by **towd-dude** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 1:12 am

I'm thinking a slower pace coming home (not to slow) and stopping to visit/take in some sites. I'm also thinking a more southern route to take advantage of warmer temps. Possibily we could take an off Interstate route. Anyway, Scott is right let's see how the "to" part goes. But still fun to think of all the possibilities....

Bob

P.S. Is it October yet.....?

Post by **vincent9993** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 2:21 am

Hey Scott, if you're negotiating with Holiday Inn, perhaps you can use a few of our pictures from last year to help convince them:

See how cool that hotel looks with a Buggy parked in front!!! lol

Scott-Drolet · Post by **Scott-Drolet** » Fri May 03, 2013 6:52 am

Great pics Vincent, I think I will use them! Thanks!

Scott

towd-dude · Post by **towd-dude** » Fri May 03, 2013 9:51 pm

What I want to know is how did they get ALL that stuff in the buggy after each stop...? When I pack it all fits the first time I load it, after it seems to swell up...!
Vince, I think we could use some of your expertise when it comes to packing for a long trip and what stuff we should take besides the obvious.

Post by **vincent9993** » Fri May 03, 2013 10:14 pm

We would be honored to share our experience with all you brave souls.

In the meantime, here's a checklist we use:
Checklist

We have a more comprehensive checklist, I'll dig it up and post it here.

Post by **vincent9993** » Fri May 03, 2013 10:27 pm

One trick we use is to take advantage of Roll Space Bags. They work great to reduce dirty laundry space.

Something like this:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Space-Bag-Large-Dual-Use-Vac-or-Roll-Set-of-6/11085276

Many require a vacuum but we use the ones that you roll the bag to remove air.

manxvair · Post by **manxvair** » Sat May 04, 2013 6:02 am

Mark and Donna Landon will be running chase with there massive 5th wheel so I'm sure they will have a sufficient tool supply, I think space can be saved by carrying vehicle specific spare parts. The dirty laundry will build cause I don't think the schedule is really set for doing laundry until we get to the Other Coast.

towd-dude · Post by **towd-dude** » Sun May 05, 2013 9:03 pm

Thanks Vince for the check list. I'll put it to good use.

Bob

Scott-Drolet · Post by **Scott-Drolet** » Sun May 12, 2013 2:30 am

I was planning on going down to see Bruce & Winnie this weekend with the idea that we could maybe do some work on the Kickout SS that Bruce will be driving to Manx on the Banx. Well, the timing wasn't quite right as the pan was still at the powder coater, but no matter; Winnie had called me on Friday to let me know my Manxter hardtop had just come in!

So, to avoid waking the neighborhood, I pushed the Manxter out of the garage this morning at 4:45am, turning the key as the buggy started rolling down the hill in front of my house. Close to 3 hours and 158 miles later, I pulled up to Smokey's Lake Wohlford Cafe to join everybody for Breakfast with Bruce. I'm happy to say that the Manxter performed flawlessly on the way there. No traffic, and I averaged 64mph with two gas stops. I stopped twice for gas because I wasn't sure what the range would be due to my unfamiliarity with the car. I was pleased that the buggy averaged 18mpg and just purred down the road.

Once I got to Valley Center, I started having trouble keeping the buggy idling. It seemed when I took my foot off the throttle to brake, the engine RPMs would have a slight uptick before dropping down so low it would stall. Then, once I got to Manx HQ, it wouldn't start at all! Finally, after letting some of the pressure that had built up in the gas tank out (by opening the cap), the car started back up. Only now, it wouldn't shut off! Bottom line, I have some tank or fuel pump / filter issues I have to work through. The return trip though, was perfect. The car didn't stall once, even in heavy traffic . . . go figure!

Thankfully, Miguel, who has worked with B&W for the past 17 years, helped me install my top. Although it took longer than I think both of us anticipated, it came put beautifully! I might as well come clean here, because, honestly, it was more like I helped Miguel. He is awesome! During the hardtop mounting procedure, I was fortunate to receive the Brad Connell "200-point check" on my Manxter. Brad is a very capable engineer, and is also quite direct, both in praise and criticism. I learned a lot about the buggy, and I appreciated Brad pointing out a myriad of large and small details that all need to be corrected. Especially since we're staring down the barrel of a 2,700 mile drive.

The biggest need will be the installation of a 5-speed Subaru transmission so I can get the RPMs down and a more optimum all-around powerband. That work is slated for this July.

Overall, however: A GREAT day. I put 328 more miles on the car and learned a bit about its idiosyncracies. The trip back exposed the car to stop and go traffic in 100 degree weather, and it never stalled once. The range of the Manxter is 180 miles between fill-ups (which I can improve upon with a bigger tank). I also learned about a few small things I need to improve upon: the dash cover rattles, the throttle cable routing is less than ideal (thanks Brad!), I need to install cigarette lighter outlets to charge my GPS units and cell phone, and a sound system (and maybe a cruise control) would be nice. Oh yeah, and I hate the seats, which are soon to be replaced with my Craigslist reupholstered specials.

TA - DA! The Manxter with it's new top at the mothership:

Driving back . . . open road and blue sky

jsturtlebuggy · Post by **jsturtlebuggy** » Sun May 12, 2013 4:34 am

Top Looks great Scott. Have you had a chance to seen Jon's top latch setup?
Good to see you take it for shake down runs before the Big Trip. How is the exhaust sound on the freeway?
The 5speed will make a great addition for cruising and getting better mileage.

I am working on figuring on how to seal the dash to keep the air from coming through when the side curtains are on.

Scott-Drolet · Post by **Scott-Drolet** » Sun May 12, 2013 2:11 pm

Hey Joseph, No, I haven't seen his latch system. I'll search for it. I've been warned that the top will lift sometimes at freeway speeds in a crosswind.

The exhaust note isn't all that bad, but it IS loud. Of course, I'm running about 1000 RPMS more than I need to because of the gearing. It's a lot quieter at 2200 rpm versus 3000 rpm. We will also be going considerably slower on the caravan than the speeds I was doing yesterday. I was typically cruising at 70mph, with my Garmin recording a top speed of 82mph at some point. Plus, once the side curtains get here, that should help quiet it down, too.

I'm going to work on my dash. Brad was saying that because of the laws over there, Australian Manxters are required to have a padded dash. That would probably help with my rattling issue and also block the wind. I'll see if he can send me pic of one and see how they accomplish it.

The good news is I would have been fine driving another 150 miles without a problem. The biggest issue is the comfort of the current seats. That's an easy fix. I'm just going to keep putting miles on it until October, making minor adjustments until its perfect.