Use this thread to talk about anything specific to the Meyers Manx Model dune buggy.

Probobly in the wrong forum, but there needs to be a place in the registry for ManxII entries. I only see ManxI.
Also Shala(ko) isnt there. I have both..

  I have a Manx II. 64' pan w/king pin front & 74 irs rear. 1600 DP all stock [ for now ]
  Need to find a complete e-brake set up. It came with nothing. Just the place in the tunnel to mount the handle.
  Keep up the good work, all.

Hi Guys...I picked up another one tonight, well, paid for it, gonna pick it up next week while I'm in Florida on vacation. Looks to be a challenging project. It hasn't run in 30 years, has a Porsche engine in it. Has a clear title too. Supposed to be a Manx, looks like it from the dash and the hood, but I took a chance, I'll  see it next week when it goes on  the trailer

Coop

Killer buggy my man!!!!

Coop Looks like your starting a collection

Yea, thats what usually happens when I start a new hobby, gonna need a bigger garage...

Coop

Questions for you guys...Which is worth more, a Manx, or a Manx II ? Is there anything that makes one more desirable than the other? I have both as projects, trying to decide which one , if either , should be kept mostly original. The Manx I just picked up has a good body, tunnel/frame appears to be solid, floors are gone,I think it does have a Porsche engine, but that is froze up, (full of water), car will need a complete rebuilt. My Manx II also has a good body, has a better frame/pan, and the engine does run, but the dash is bad, and needs things like steering column, pedals, etc. Right now my plan is to restore the Manx with new floors, rebuilt suspension, try to save the engine if possable, keep it as close to original as I can. The Manx II I want to put a Berrien frame under, build from there, maybe a mild 1600 engine built, etc. I'll post pics of the Manx tomorrow, I just pulled in to my MIL's here in Florida, been a long day and I'm tired...

Coop

Another question...The Manx I just picked up came with some cool paperwork, one piece I found is an April 1967 issue of Car & Driver magazine. On the front cover is a pic of a Meyers Manx, and an article inside about it. It is Bruce Meyer's personal Manx. Does anybody know what became of this car, or how I could find out? My car has a lot of simularies: Porsche engine, same exhaust, fiberglass top, same color body, and I think the windshield has been cut down like Bruce's, (not sure till I get home and measure the one on the Manx II). I'll post pics tomorrow...

Coop

Some pics of the new Manx...

Coop

I guess your hooked. It happens fast doesn't it? Save that exhaust. Its a real sidewinder. The engine may be worth something as well. Is it a tagged Manx?

No, it is not tagged, so it is an early one. I'm hoping to be able to save the engine, it is full of water, it has been sitting outside without the distrubuter in it, who knows how long. The exhaust is saveable except for the u-pipes from the back of the engine, they're rusted out.

Coop

No tag? It may not be a Manx.

HOLY CRAP!!! I think you have an EMPI headrest on the passenger side. Is there two? They are rare.

I'm sure it is a Manx, has all the tell tale giveaways: front hood boss, tubes under the fenders running front to rear, spare tire and battery wells, dash, plus the seller remembers his brother building it. Some of the early Manx's didn't have tags, per Bruce Meyer's web site:  "Some of the earlier cars did not have a tag with the serial no., although those same cars would have the battery box well and spare tire sump molded into the area behind the front seats. If yours is one of these, a picture of this area is required along with a picture of the reinforcing tubes extending from front to rear under the fenders." ... 100% sure it is a Manx

Coop

HOLY CRAP!!! I think you have an EMPI headrest

That is exactly what I said!!!
That is so funny.

....Holy Crap! ....look at that headrest....

As for a comparison to 1967 cover car, you have some definate similarities BUT,
take a closer look at the tail box. The cover car has the very early Manx I small tail opening. It was just like the monocoque opening. I have only see 2 with this counting the cover car and member of the Manx club with a green manx.

I didn't really think it was the Car & Driver car, just alot like it, maybe built by the guy I got it from to be like it. Still convinced it is a Manx though, tag or no tag...

Coop

hey coop Give Tom a call as he said he was able you spot in 3 mins that mine was a manx when he stop and looked he is a expert i would say on this.

Nice project no matter what it is.

Ron

I love the ride level and the look. I would keep it looking just like this after the resto is done.
Maybe you can clear over the gelcoat and not have to paint.
It looks pretty nice.
John

Many early Manx's were not tagged.....this was bought from the original owner. He and his brother drove to California and purchased it directly from Bruce in 1967. It has NO tag, has never been drilled for front or rear badges and has been authenticated by Bruce.

Mr BS...I'm still learning here, what is that engine in your Manx? I've seen a couple others like that...

Coop

Hi Coop,

That is a type 3 motor with a few little changes for a buggy, screen on fan intake,shortened dipstick, holly carb (to be exact that carb was used on lots of things).

Anyway, I got the paperwork on it from a brand new rebuild when I bought the buggy, but the ol' guy never fired it off, if you look close the exhaust ports still have duct tape on them...LOL...I think it is like 13 years ago now, I have a brand new 2180 type one in the shop for it when I rebuild the buggy.

By the way Coop, from my research and what I know about them (which is not everything) I would confidently say that is a Manx. Just from the pics you posted there is a couple tell tale signs.

I got started on the teardown of my Manx rebuild today. Got the body off the chassis. I had to grind off all the bolt heads on the bolts along the floor, none of them would budge. I also cut the floors out in order to get to the bolts, the seats rails were rusted in, couldn't get the seats out otherwise. After I got the old chassis out from under it, I had to set the body down on the bare Berrien chassis, just to see how it looked and if there were any clearance issues, they aren't any, it fits like it grew there. This week I hope to get the old chassis stripped, new chassis painted and then I can start assembling, maybe have a rolling chassis by the end of next weekend...

I removed the engine last night, looking at it, it doesn't look like a 30 year old clutch, it must have been installed just before it was parked, still looks new...

Scoop,

Check this out. His hood sponsor on the Manx is still in the phone book!
Maybe they have some info on the buggy.

Franz Foreign Car Service 1010 7th Ave S Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 Phone : (904) 249-2632

John...Yea, I've called a couple times, keep getting a kid that doesn't know anything, supposed to be giving the info to his boss, waiting for a call back. I'll keep trying...

Coop

Got the transaxle and beam off the old pan tonight. Got a question:

1)  How do you get the shifter tube out of the tunnel? I see the plate that comes off the front of the beam, behind the beam, but how do you get the tube out of the support, or the support separated from the tunnel?

Here's something interesting. This is the adjuster that was added to the upper torsion beam to allow quick adjustment to the front end stiffness. By turning the bolt, it tensions the upper torsion spring.

After you disconnect the shift rod from the tranny and remove the joint, It will slide forward. You will have to reach in pretty far to get it because it was shortened.

That's the old type aftermarket adjustable front end. It seams you have treasures all over that buggy.

Once the tail coupler that hooks to the transaxle is removed from the shaft and the trans,

with the shifter removed, you can use pliers in the shift hole in the tunnel to inch the shaft along.


Work it forward until you can get it out of front access plate in the tunnel.

You will have a new bushing and collar with the mount for the Berrien Floor.


The drop kit in that beam looks like an old school Select-a-drop kit. Turning the bolt should rotate up or down the leaves inside the beam.

Lookin good.

John

I always install a shift rod adjuster on these when the rod has been shortened.
It helps make sure the PO cut the shift rod to the right length.

You can adjust the length yourself.

Ok, looks like I have to cut the shift tube, the couping doesn't come off my tube, somebody got happy with a welder. The shift rod adjuster looks like a great way to go.

John...Update on contacting Franz's Garage, I got ahold of a guy there that remembers the car, I sent him pics, he's going to pass the info around to a couple of guys he thinks will remember  the car. 

So that beam adjuster was an aftermarket accessory? If so, I guess I'll keep it on the car, Thanks Guys...

Coop

It's official!  I got my confirmation back from Winnie today, the Manx is the real thing.  Now I have to get busy on it and try to get it back together and driveable. I've got the engine apart, found lots of surprises in there. It has been fitted with real big cylinders sometime in the past, the engine cases have been machined out for the larger diameter jugs, I haven't been able to find replacements for them, so now I looking for a good engine case and heads so I can go back to the original size. The frame is out to the painter, should be getting that back next week, gotta get the trans cleaned up and painted. Lots to do, so little time...

Coop

Just pick up a yellow dune buggy, needs some minor details to get it on the road. It has never been there since it was built around 1968 using a 57 bug chassis, I was told that it does have a few backyard miles on it, it's in fairly descent shape, one fender is crack in the front and has spider cracks in the gel coating. it still has a nice running 36 hp (25 hp? haven't look real close yet) engine and a split case tranny in it. It has all the markings of a Manx without a ID number, one thing I am not sure about is, there is a lot of red fibers strands in all of the raw fiberglass on the body and under the hood. Is this a good sign or bad sign?

Ken

I just bought a new dash for my Manx, it is supposed to be a NOS piece, and I have no reason to think it isn't, but it is different than the one that is in my car. It is shaped the same, but my dash is smooth, and the new one has a fine pebble grain to it. Is the "grain" dash correct, or is the smooth finish correct? My car is an early, untagged car, maybe they had different dashes? It is an ABS dash, as is the NOS.

Coop

All the ABS Manx dases I have seen, have a texture to them.

Damn Scott, I thought those tractors looked familiar. The buggy is looking good. Now you need a Meyers Lynx I guess huh?

genral manx question
what years/mo where the towd made?
towdster?
looking for towd info, thx
klrbz@hotmail.com

The information will allow you to decipher a BF Meyers serial tag:

M = Manx   
M2 = Manx 2 or it may be an A. This is a Manx 2 before Bruce left the company
CC = Manx built for Chassis made by Con Ferr with Corvair rear and Corvair front axles.
CV= Manx built for Chassis made by Con Ferr with Corvair rear and Volkswagen front beam.
T=Towd 

Example Number
M1768D912E
                                        M = Manx
                                        1768 = number in production
                                        D = Month = April
                                        9 = year of production = 1969
                                        12 E = Fuchsia

*note: dates refer to when the tub was molded, not the build date or year of the buggy
Here are the Manx color codes
Metalflake Colors
     1E - Brilliant Silver                        19E - Spring Green
     2E - Sand                                      20E - Emerald
     3E - Pale Gold                             21E - River Green
     4E - Dark Gold                            22E - Cold Fire
     5E - Golden Fiesta                     23E - Sea Green
     6E - Chartreuse                          24E - Ice Blue
     7E - Golden Orange                 25E - Sky Blue
     8E - Bright Orange                    26E - Lavender
     9E - Apricot                                 27E - Salmon
    10E - Brilliant Red                        28E - Shell Pink
    11E - Jubilee                                 29E - Nutmeg
    12E - Fuchsia                                30E - Brilliant Copper
    13E - Purple                                  31E - Antique Brown
    14E - Prussian Blue                       32E - Black Fox
    15E - Royal Blue                           33E - Holiday
    16E - Peacock                             34E - Antique Blue
    17E - Medium Blue                     35E - Gun Metal
    18E - Aqua                                   36E - Soft Black

Metalflake Colors
13S - Tangerine Red                            26S - Royal Blue
?E - Competition Orange                  27S - Corinthian White
31S - Lime Green                                  32S - Dark Green
22S - Yuma Yellow



Extra Tow'd Color Codes
43R - Red/Orange
53N - Powder Blue
x

I finally got to cast my vote!

Jay

Is anyone elses winshield frame painted silver. I have always thought it to be aluminum until I tried to polish it.I have decided to sand and polish mine.

I believe the aluminum stock that the windshield frames are made from is anodized. The anodizing degrades pretty rapidly.

Rob

I was talking to someone once before about this.
The original frames we anodized extrusion.
The anodize surface was to resist scratches.

The newer Bugpack frames are not, however I have one from the 80's that seems to have clear coat on it.
It is NOS never been mounted but, maybe it was cleared by an individual still yet.

It hard to tell.
John

nice....  im going to get my second manx on monday.  it looks a little ugly now, but it has a lot of potential. when i get it home, i'll send a few pictures.  here is a picture of the one i have now.

The windshield frame is definitely resistant to sandpaper!  I have almost got it all polished. I probably should have left it alone.  For "originallity" and the fact the sun gives it a nice glare while your trying to drive! lol  thanks for the responses.

I used to run the anodizing room at a sail boat mast manufactory co. in charlotte N.C, THEY COULD HANG IT FROM THE BOOM AND STRIPPED AND RE-ANODIZED IT, Have no idea of the cost but now you can buy new ones, with or without glass for a fare price, oh well I like the chrome look just keep your sunglasses handy.