Texas Manx Club

by **matter396** » 03 Sat Jan, 2009 7:14 pm

I have had a sandrail when I was about 15 but now want to build a fiberglass "manx style" buggy. I just sold a 87 grand national and am researching for the best way to go about my new project. On a scale of 1 -10 I am probably a 6.5 as far as mechanically inclined. I like the idea of the custom chassis, as i am starting from scratch other than a transaxle that was given to me by my brother. Can anyone tell me the best way to go. Buy a used one and go from there. Start from sratch with chassis and body, etc. If so what is the best place to get a quality body and or chassis and a place that is helpful with questions along the way.

by **matter396** » 03 Sat Jan, 2009 7:27 pm

I forgot that i am looking for one for the family, a four seat version. We have a baby on the way and by the time I finish it I would like to be able to put a car seat in the back. thanks

by **Tom Kathleen** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 9:46 am

Have you looked at the Manxter by Meyers Manx? Go here http://www.meyersmanx.com/manxter2+2.shtml For a nicely styled 4 seat car. If you don't want to buy a new one, there are several for sale. Tom

by **GregR** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 9:48 am

Mike, having restored a body...and not wanting to do it again, I would suggest you look into a new body.
2 great places to check, both sponsors of the club:
Neil at Hawkeye Buggies http://www.hawkeyebuggies.com/
his user name on the forums here is "Hawkeye"
and Bobby at TexasBuggys http://www.texasbuggys.com/
his user name on the forums here is "Texasbuggys"
Give them a shout.

Neil is in East Texas and Boobby is in South Texas

A couple of the guys on the forum here have and are building long bodies, so keep the questions coming

by **Bill K** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 10:04 am

I'm just going to strongly AMEN what Greg said about starting with a new body. At first the price of a new body sorta scares you, but I've done both (Redo old body & Start with new), and believe me in the end you'll probably spend the same amount of money, but with the new body you will not have invested hours and hours of your time working on the body.

Plus, if you are not a body magician like Cory 8-)

, the re-do body may not turn out as nice as you had hoped.

by **ckolek** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 10:07 am

hey Mike, i have restored an old body and now building a new long body my oppinion is start with a new body there is alot less headache and the cost involved with restoing and an old body can far exceed the cost of buying a new one. im using a MGM long body and very happy with it , the only thing is if your planning on using a pan be prepared for some modification to the body to make it fit properly..thats my 2 cents

by **Aquabuggy** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 11:59 am

Check out my long-body build in the projects section. Maybe it will help answer a few questions for ya.

Or click on the blue link below

by **CoryN** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 2:46 pm

Bill K wrote:I'm just going to strongly AMEN what Greg said about starting with a new body. At first the price of a new body sorta scares you, but I've done both (Redo old body & Start with new), and believe me in the end you'll probably spend the same amount of money, but with the new body you will not have invested hours and hours of your time working on the body.

Plus, if you are not a body magician like Cory , the re-do body may not turn out as nice as you had hoped.

I'm starting to buy into the kool aide too. I was adament I was going to ressurect a basket case, and I gotta admit its really starting to get tiresome. But pride won't let me stop now....

by **freightshaker** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 3:42 pm

I think mine is going away....

Jerry

by **matter396** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 4:03 pm

Thanks for all the responses. I really appreciate the input it sounds like they way to go will be the new body and chassis, as i don't have a donor bug but my brother quit his sandrail project and donated some parts, well lots of parts. He gave me a new rancho type 2 trans, 3 x3 trailing arms, 930 cv joints and the axles for the longer arms. Will these trailing arms fit on a buggy? how hard is it to find a front end for a chassis because i want it to be street legal so iguess i will need the whole front end assembly with brakes and all. Also how hard to find a speedo cable and speedometer that will work.

by **Aquabuggy** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 5:59 pm

Mike, all that stuff will work just fine. Im running 3x3s and a type 2 trans in my buggy.
As far as parts go check out the club sponsors page - http://www.texasmanxclub.com/club%20sponsors.htm

They can get you any part you will need.

Hawkeye, Texasbuggy's or Manxchassis can hook you up with a custom chassis and for most any VW or aftermarket part Lee @ Action import has really treated me well, as has David @ Aircooledparts.

BTW are you in Texas? I ask because some states have laws about the tires sticking out past the fenders.

by **ckolek** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 6:16 pm

hey Mike, the speedo is very easy to find and adapt, you can buy any mechanical speedo and take the speedo cable to any speedometer shop and have it adapted or you can buy an electronic speedo and sending unit.i use the mechanical ones its a little cheaper to do..

by **matter396** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 7:44 pm

yeah i live in atascocita.....NE Houston. The spedo from any bug will work? Does it hook to the front wheel?

by **Bill K** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 8:05 pm

Yes, the stock speedo will work, and is the easiest and quickest way to go. The cable hooks to the front left hub.

I used Dolphin gauges and speedo. A place here in Houston called Gilmore Precision (George)(713-946-9133) adapted the VW cable to fit the speedo, and also put in a device to correct for the different size tires I was running.

I highly recommend them. The price was fair, and the service great.

by **CoryN** » 04 Sun Jan, 2009 8:35 pm

matter396 wrote:yeah i live in atascocita.....NE Houston. The spedo from any bug will work? Does it hook to the front wheel?

Cool - I worked in Atasocita one year back in the late 80's. I had a client out there called Hat Painters. Seems like forever ago...

by **Bryan Porter** » 05 Mon Jan, 2009 9:45 am

That is real close to a lot of us I'm in Pinehurst just north of Tomball
Steve is in the Woodlands and Cris K. is in Cycpress.
All within 45 min.give a shout if you need help.

by **Texasbuggys** » 05 Mon Jan, 2009 1:15 pm

And all three of these guys are top notch folks!!! I sent Chris K your info and he will probably give you a call. Oh and Bryan just happens to be a VW engine expert builder! For wine and $$. Just don't tell him I told ya so.

Oh and you guys are going to love the buggy Michael is going to build!! It will be a real off-road but streetable long buggy! Great guy that is new to Houston so he would love to get to meet up with you guys for sure.

by **matter396** » 05 Mon Jan, 2009 1:17 pm

thanks for the offer I am sure I will. I think I have decided on a lonbg body from texas buggies with one of there tube chassis's also. I will be flyin solo on this but am sure i will need some help and also to meet a few more guys into it. as i currently no no one around that has or likes them, i am very new to the area.

by **Bill K** » 05 Mon Jan, 2009 2:06 pm

You'll never be flying solo when you are a part of this Club. You will always have plenty of "problem-solving" help right here.

We may not all be congregated near by, (I'm in Rosenberg) but there are a bunch of us "Buggy Lovers" scattered around the state, and nearby states. That's the big reason you'll see us getting excited about upcoming events because it gives us a chance to visit and cruise together.

While there are events throughout the year that various members get together for; the Big 4 seem to be:

Texas VW Classic in Fredericksburg in April

Buggy Blast in Salado on Memorial Day weekend

Buggies on the Beach in July

Buggy Roundup in Boerne on Labor Day weekend

by **Aquabuggy** » 05 Mon Jan, 2009 2:19 pm

matter396 wrote: I think I have decided on a lonbg body from texas buggies with one of there tube chassis's also.

Mike, That sounds like a winning combination.
I know you've got 3x3 for the rear but what do you have in mind for the front suspension?
Also if you find a place near by to go off-roading Im in :shock:

No Im not taking my buggy off-road Im taking the wife's rail :lol:

by **ckolek** » 05 Mon Jan, 2009 6:54 pm

Chis, have you talked to the wife about that?

by **Aquabuggy** » 05 Mon Jan, 2009 7:53 pm

ckolek wrote:Chis, have you talked to the wife about that?

Oops! No, do you think I should? Or maybe best not to ;-)

by **ckolek** » 05 Mon Jan, 2009 9:32 pm

i allways say "its easier to ask for forgivness than permission" so the answer is no

by **Jack Duncan** » 06 Tue Jan, 2009 1:05 am

I'd like to build a rail, but I don't think I could fing many places to run off road.

by **matter396** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 11:30 am

i think on the front i am going with the warrior beams just a little wider and a little more travel. just wouldn't look right with them wider out back and tucked in in the front. Just depends on what me and bobby can come up with, a-arms would be great but the strength is what i am most worried about and am not sure what i can get under there yet, since i haven't seen the body in person yet.

by **Aquabuggy** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 5:50 pm

I went about 6" wider total in the front any more and there wouldn't be any tire at all under the fender.
A arm would be sweet but too much $$$ for me. If you go with a beam front end check with Doug @ Custom buggy parts he can build ya a custom beam any size you want.

Heres a pic of mine 6" total over stock front beam and 3x3 in the rear.

by **matter396** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 9:08 pm

are the outside of the front and rear wheels parallel? I think I might just go 3 inches wider and I can't see the wheel offset. Are they offset way out or center of wheel?

by **Aquabuggy** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 9:50 pm

The wheels are standard back spacing like 3" or so, fronts are 15 x 8 and rears are 15 x 10 The rear is still a little wider then the front.

Im in Victoria so if your coming down to Texas Buggies your welcome to swing by, if the weather is good Ill take ya for a ride.

On this one I used 2 x 3s in the rear and a 5.5" over front beam, the out side of the tires was almost even front to rear.

Don't really have any good pics looking down the side

by **matter396** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 10:01 pm

yeah I am coming down there in a couple weeks, would love to come by. Are these texas buggy chassis's? How to they track down the road, are they real wandery or drive pretty good? The orange one is awesome also. All 3 very nice rides. How do they ride real stiff or good?

Thanks,

by **Aquabuggy** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 10:23 pm

The chassis under the aqua & orange buggies are hawkeye the one under the green buggy I built myself see it here
http://texasmanxclub.com/bboard/viewtopic.php?t=1082

Tracking totally depends on the wheel alignment if the wheels are aligned they will track good if there not well it's not gonna track very well.
That said about 55 was as fast as I felt comfortable in the short wheel base buggies the long wheel base is feels much more stable at highway speeds and rides better as well.

"How do they ride real stiff or good?" When you come down we'll go for a ride then you can decide for your self.

by **Texasbuggys** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 10:32 pm

Yea buddy, Chris is right on and Dough is the place I was going to refer you to for the beam, he builds some nice ones and will work with us matter on the width and shock tower height to make it work for the arms and the coil over setup.

by **matter396** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 11:13 pm

I will be down in a couple of weeks and want to look and talk about some options. Can't wait to get started.

by **Texasbuggys** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 11:19 pm

Cool, when ya headed up North?

by **matter396** » 08 Thu Jan, 2009 11:24 pm

they are suppose to email me some pics. I am bringing it back with me. I am going up there next thursday and will be back on sat. I then have to work a few days but will probably come see ya either the next thursday, fri, or sat. I am renting the trailer to bring it back as the one we have there is to heavy for my trailblazer. It will be at my house here but I won't have a trailer to when i come down there. I am going to bring you all the pieces to see what we can do.

by **Texasbuggys** » 09 Fri Jan, 2009 5:57 am

sounds good man, this one will be fun!

Texas Manx Club

new project...

new project...

new project....

thanks....and some more questions.

thanks again.....

Re: thanks again.....

thanks

Re: thanks

front suspension....

front end...

also?

cool...

wichita bound...

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