Wow - what a weekend!  That was amazing!

Deb, Jay and I just got home and unpacked.  Yes, Jay has moved in.  It was great to meet so many DBA members for the first time face to face.  We really need to figure out a way to do this again some how.  The build was a blast -- and very realistic. Mid America was a great host as well! 

Time to get some sleep.  Paul...

I had a BLAST ! Even thoe a last minute brake problem kept my Manx at home for the weekend I enjoyed seeing all the other cars and meeting everyone. We left last night at about 9:00 because it looked like storms were moving in, and we were tent camping.

I had a blast too.  Met more people than I can remember including the two above.  I feel I have many more friends now, all good people.  Had fun from 2:00 Friday until 10:30 Sunday night.

There were some very dedicated buggy builders there that worked their tails off.

I learned that Kathleen's Turbo Subaru Manxter will haw ice.  Thanks for the ride.

Thanks for the good time everyone.

Oh man. Finally rested a bit now... That was a first class event, a great time, and I'm thrilled to be able to put faces with forum names now.

I wanted to thank John Stephanie and Joey for all their hard work leading up to the show. Without all the hard pre-work and organization, this build would not have materialized. There's also a lot more to do on the buggy to get it completed. John said he is going to enlist some folks from his local club to help him in finish it off.

What a great feeling leaving the show... I really felt like there was a camaraderie between everyone who helped with the build. I don't think that's something I'm likely to find again any time soon.

That wasn't your ordinary car show by any means. Thanks all!

Jay

Dune Buggy Build Crew. Our hat is off to all of you. Your work this weekend was unbelievable. What a great group of people to work with. It will be even better next year. We all learned alot from watching you and paying attention. I would say the highlight of MY weekend was pushing that masterpiece out into the sun and getting to shake all of your hands. It was great to meet all of you. More to come as soon as we get our thoughts together on the past weekend. Thanks again from all of us here at Mid America Motorworks!!

Eric Roley

Just spoke to Tom and he is still driving.

What a great time. Met a lot of top notch guys. I have more photos to post but give me a few days to catch up around here.

Hey guys,

First my HUGE thanks to the build crew, you will not find a better group of wrenchs and personalities anywhere.

Stephanie Shepard
Joey Shepard
Paul Moran
Deb Moran
Jay Hart - Jay H-X20
Chris Lewis - monomanx7
Tom Lewis
Tom Iacoboni - Tom Kathleen
Kathleen Iacoboni - Tom Kathleen
Mike Zaayer - maddmike
Jeff Keller - dumbbuggyman
Steven Cooter - modylac
Tom Thompson - Kustoms
Chuck Sawyer - yellermanx
Jon Knoll
Pete Knoll
Rick Devine
Jerry Despaltro - newmanx59
Bruce Meyers
...and of course the crew from Mid America Motorworks....
Eric Roley
Matt B
Jason
Josh
Jody
Brent

I want to say we really didn't know if we would be able to make any of this happen.
We packed up headed out there on faith in our fellow dune buggy nuts, and it was a tremendous success.
We will be gathering all of the photos and getting them available very soon.
Thanks again to everyone involved.

Also wanted to post a note of Thanks to ALL the VW fanatics we met at the show.

Clubs like the Southside Buggistas and Classic Buggy Club are what makes these shows keep going.
You enthusiasm keeps the Hobby alive.
Super bunch of guys and I wish we had been able to spend more time just hanging out and talking buggies.

Everywhere I went there great people and great time.

Alot of people asked me about the dune buggy calendar.

Remember to get your dune buggy photos on CD NOW for the 2009 Dune Buggy Archives Calendar.
Mail the CD to me at
attn: John Shepard
Warner Kia
501 7th Street
Parkersburg, WV 26101

Take the buggy in the field, on the ball court, at the park, somewhere and shoot some smokin' photos.
2500 pixels wide needs to be the setting on the camera. The photos have to be big enough and high enough resolution to be able to use them.

Thank you all,
John

The MAM team with the build car

Monocoque number 7 is back in South Carolina. My brother and I headed out from the MAM show (the last to leave the showsite). We started hearing bad noises from the monocoque. We stopped and noted that the right rear drum was really warm. Appeared that the outer wheel bearing was going bad in the swingaxle. 10 years and 19000 miles..

We got stuck in very bad rain but arrived in Indiana at 10:45 PM SUnday night, pulled the drum and it appeared that the axle nut (even though it had a cotter key in it) had backed off enough for the drum to wobble. Wore down (but not out) the splines on the axle and in the drum.

We pulled the bearing cover, cleaned up the bearing etc. and determined that it was OK.

I left Indiana about 2:45 PM on Monday after loading my brothers Cub cadet in the back of the truck and hooking up    the monocoque. Driving was laborious with the added weight of the tractor et al and the hope was to exit the mountains before it got dark. Alas that was not the case.

I arrived home about 1 AM and unloaded. OY.

regardless of all of that, My brother and I had a blast. Thanks to all of you on the build. I can put faces to names now....and do so incorrectly (JAY!!!)

Take care all
Chris

That last photo is priceless.

Cool Picture I see a trip to the store for a frame to put that one in. but i have to ask how did Bruce attach the emblem (what was used on the prongs)

We made it home tonight.  No problems.  We unloaded the Manxter and van, cleaned the Manxter a little and went to a local cruise night.

We want to thank everyone for the great time at the Fun Fest!  It was worth the trip.  It is always fun hanging out with buggy people.  So many new names & faces, and spending time with people from past events..  Great times, thank you again!    Tom

Tom and Kathleen,
It was great to see you again, and I have to tell you, your Manxter is and was the class of the field! The workmanship is second to none. It is definitely something to be proud of.

Hope to see both of you again next year.

Cool Picture I see a trip to the store for a frame to put that one in. but i have to ask how did Bruce attach the emblem (what was used on the prongs)

Our badge was a post trademarked badge from a time when the club didn't own the name Meyers Manx.
It had three prongs with metal self thread nuts on them.

I asked Bruce about the badge not having the trademark and he said to ask Winnie and mentioned something about them not having them for a while and then talked about painting them silver at home with a paint pen.

I asked him if I should put it on there and he said " Badges, we don't need no stinking badges".
Then he said, " why the hell not let's do it. Do you have a drill?" I said sure and then got to help him measure and mark it while Joey watched.

Thanks for the pic Chris!
John

Thanks John I have the newer ones Bruce was discribing to you.

On another note being some of us guys couldn't make it to Funfest What shows are you planing to bring the build to. I hope there will be one up here in the north east. It looks great in pictures and I would love to see it live.

I would love to make the Lichtfield CT show but, I don't think there will be time to get ready or time off from work so soon after. Right now my Goal is the Columbus Ohio VW show in August, but I just got the flyer for a June 21st West Virginia Volkswagen Festival.

It would be cool to make it to that one. There used to be some really cool PA shows, are hey still doing those???
John

I would be interested in the Columbus and WV shows. Can you please supply the details?

Central Ohio Vintage Volkswagen Club sponsors the LARGEST SINGLE DAY VW show in Ohio.
Typically will have 3-400 cars and usually 3000 spectators in attendance.

The date for this years show will be August 9th 2008.
We will be attending with the MAM Funfest project car.
We will be passing out info on the build and our Awesome Sponsors who helped pull it off.

And (yes Jerry I plan to drive to the show).

For More Information Contact:
Central Ohio Vintage Volkswagen Club
PO Box 09784, Columbus, OH  43209
Telephone:  740.548.6522
E-mail:  covvc42@earthlink.net

West Virginia Volkswagen Festival
Saturday June 21st 2008

Car show 9:00 - 3:pm FREE admission
Entry Fee for show cars $15.00
Cars for sale Area $15.00
SWAP MEET SPACE 20x20 $15.00
Noon Hot Wheels racing.
Miss WV VW Pagent

50/50 and more.....

Parkersburg City Park I-77 exit at exit 176...
More info contact Greg Stanley 304-422-1862 or email stanleyzorro@yahoo.com

I just got the flyer today by fax. I have to work that day but, I am going to try to get the buggy over there.
Short notice and will need the wife and son to be available to show it. So we will see if it can happen.
John

Why not ship the project car to lichtfield I am sure there would be capable people to show the car. The more its out the the better it would be for all you guys who put in all the sweat and time at funfest and the DBA.
Just a thought.

Where are all the pictures 100+ buggies lined up must of looked awsome.

Ron,
Great thought. In fact I should have sent it home with Tom and Kathleen.
Then paid them to get the wiring finished before the Litchfield show.
Maybe even traded them for Manxter S still I come to pick it up....

That would have been great except for the fact that I am broke after MAM.
I don't get paid vacation or anything like that unfortunately so time away costs twice.

As for photos....I am still gathering all of the photos and preparing to post the full presentation of the event on the website in a brand new section we will have very soon called " Buggy Builds".

I want to make sure when we launch this section, it does justice to our dedicated sponsors who put blood sweat and product into the build like Tijuana Kustoms who provided the nicest interior I ever have seen in a buggy, Pertronix igintion systems, Berrien Buggy chassis, and the guys at Mid America Motorworks who helped pull it all together.

At the show, all the buggies never got in one place.
Something I wish would have happened, and we were so busy I only have about 10 show pictures that were other than the build.
John

John - you need to update your avatar with the Manx emblem ON your hood.  I can help with that if you have a shot of the emblem mounted.  Now that we all know the story behind the emblem install.  Paul...

Here's a "photoshopped" avatar for ya if you like it:

I just went out and shot one today. Thats funny.

The real thing looks better anyway!

Jay