Modern classic Manx...

[Wetstuff]

This may be old news to many of you because it was in EuroTuner last summer...but new to me - I only came aboard last Nov.

You can read the whole thing for yourself: http://www.eurotuner.com/featuredvehicles/eurp_1007_1970_meyers_manx_buggy/index.html ...but aside from the 'Sorry officer, I didn't see him.' color, this is a very cool ride. Dave Barrett chassis, etc.

It's cool too that this fellow, Derek Jenkins, penned the '01 Microbus. He has both roots and chops.

Jim

[lostinbaja]

All that fancy design work and he uses trailer tail lights along with a nearly useless rollcage?
_________________
Jerry...
If it's being towed, it must be a trailer!
"Vee Grow Too Soon Oldt Und Too Late Schmardt"
RIP Morgan

My photos
http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album92

[Manx102]

Sort of funny that they would take a picture of it in the desert. As that is the last place it would be any good for.
_________________
"The simplest of outdoor adventures - the most treasured memories." - Bruce Meyers
54 years of "outdoor adventures" and "treasured memories" with our Manx in my gallery.

[LeeVW]

Hey! My buggy's been there!

Lee

[Wetstuff]

M102 .. "Sort of funny that they would take a picture of it in the desert." Interesting point .. like Hurribl' Herbst on Rodeo Drive. The Van seems photoshop'd in the right place.

Jim

[jsturtlebuggy]

Yes I have seen the buggy before.
It is an interesting artistic creation of the builder ideas.
The praticality of it using it daily on the street may be limited.
I have to wonder what kind of supension travel it has.
The badge on the rear looks like it is from a Manx SR and just taped on.
I like it, because it is different.
_________________
Joseph
Fair Oaks/Orangevale, CA
Elrod Motorsports
Motion Tire Motorsports
Having fun with Dune Buggies since 1970
Into Volkswagens since 1960

[didget69]

Ummm... it looks like a show/street toy; the desert adds to the barren/minimalist effect that the artist was seeking.



bnc
_________________
I never found the need to impress people with any mechanic certifications, trophies or track wins... unless it was for Mom to post on the refrigerator door.

[DavidB]

Derek's car came about this way. He approached me at a car show, walked around my little red short car

and said "I'd like for you to build a car for me"
I have heard that alot, told him that is what I do, so lets talk, another walk around the buggy together and he only wanted to change this, and then this part and the cage needs to be a bit different and the side truss of the chassis needs to be a bit different, and I think the question came up, "do you want ME to build a buggy for you". Derek whipped out the business card that introduced himself as Chief designer, VW of America. "OH you might know what you are talking about when you want to change things" He smiled nicely and said he had a lot of drawings he wanted me to look at. I agreed to build a car for him if he "taught" me why he wanted things changed, not just tell me to change them, he agreed, as long as I taught him why I did things the way I do.
It was a very good relationship, stretched over 8 months of building, with visits on a regular basis.
If anyone out there is questioning Derek's sense of design, or how useful the car is, then note the car is driven on a daily basis in Santa Monica, built to exactly what the owner wanted, and ended up as a centerfold? of a magazine. Hum. I love it when 60 or so buggies are together at a buggy run and they all look like buggies, but they are all different.
I doubt Derek blasts across the desert with the car set up as you see it, but it is a great place to do a photo shoot, LeeVW noticed it was a great place to take a photo of a buggy...
The lights used for the rear tail lights were state of the art LED lights back then, that was about 4 years ago and I think they were used well. but that's just me, and Derek.
The "almost useless" roll cage was the design the owner wanted, a six point cage. The front hoop carries the windshield inset into the tubing, as far as being almost useless, I found a photo of the standard buggy roll bar on some buggies,

I think that speaks for itself
David Barrett
manxchassis.com
_________________
work hard

[BL3Manx]

I'd say the single hoop rollbar is better than nothing, literally. Bruce Meyers has been in rollovers at least twice with just that type rollbar. One was an end over tumble back down the face of a too steep hill. Both times the rollbar remained intact and he was uninjured(vs dead or at least quadraplegic if he hadn't had any bar). You can obviously make any roll over structure better and the dumber you drive the better it ought to be. But "almost useless" seems a mostly inaccurate description, for even a single hoop rollbar, if properly mounted.

[aquamanx]

I like it! It's different, the tail lights are not my favorite feature but hey not my car, so I say to each there own..
_________________
Longbody build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=266189&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
04 aqua buggy - sold
72 orange buggy - sold
72 green longbody buggy - aka Shrek
68 Manx future project

[73SpeedBuggy]

I like it! Needs side pods though.

I especially like the exhaust, very sleek.
_________________
Manxter #39 on a 1971 Pan
Turbo-charged Subaru EJ25D (DOHC)
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3923620/1971-volkswagen-beetle#

-Adam

[jsturtlebuggy]

Dave,
When I ask about amount of supension travel, what I am seeing is very little and at my age with back problems there is no way I could ever ride in something that looks as low as a go-kart.
Since you say he works for VW designing cars I have to wonder if he is the same guy that spent many hours with Bruce Meyers talking about buying a Manxter and never did.
But did come up with a the Concept T for VW that if look at, seems to copy the lines of a Manxter.
Picture of the Concept T are in James Hale's book "The Dune Buggy Files, Past, Present, Future"
_________________
Joseph
Fair Oaks/Orangevale, CA
Elrod Motorsports
Motion Tire Motorsports
Having fun with Dune Buggies since 1970
Into Volkswagens since 1960

[dan macmillan]

Link

_________________
Licensed Automotive Service Technician
Licensed Truck and Coach Technician
Licensed Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
CFC/HCFC/HFC A/C handling and installation license
Alignment specialist
66 Modified Manx,68 Kyote,74 Thing,74 Beetle, 76 Transporter,75 self made Double Cab,65 Meyers Manx,78Westy,68 Ghia, 79 Bradley GT2
Current projects:
Built for others:69 Manx Clone

[Scrapedknuckles]

I love it! Perfect stance. No to side pods!

[Manx102]

I really like the look of this buggy... it is just that it is setup more for Laguna Seca Raceway than Landers so to me it looks out of place in the picture. No big deal and my earlier comment was not meant to upset anyone.
_________________
"The simplest of outdoor adventures - the most treasured memories." - Bruce Meyers
54 years of "outdoor adventures" and "treasured memories" with our Manx in my gallery.

[didget69]

My background professionally is in Product & Industrial Design, so it was great for me to have read the article about Derek's background as a fellow designer... I like Derek's approach to his car; it's not overworked & every part seems to serve it's designed function - no more, no less.

I was at a local VW show 4-5 years ago with a buddy & his buggy - his was a clean & simple Berrien Manx-clone - no extra fru-fru added to it; just clean & simple. The other two buggies entered in the show car competition looked as though the owners had purchased crap from 2-3 aisles in the local Pep Boys & added it to their cars. My buddy's buggy won First place 3 of 3 shows entered that year, amongst the other tarted-up cars.

And I overheard the losing cars' owners talking aloud, wondering what else they could add onto their cars in order to get attention of judges & garner First Prize...

I typically prefer the minimalist approach - but to each his/her own -

bnc
_________________
I never found the need to impress people with any mechanic certifications, trophies or track wins... unless it was for Mom to post on the refrigerator door.

[BL3Manx]

[wythac]

Wish I could have two buggies. One like that would be the "date car". Pretty damn cool.

[DavidB]

Wythac
that two buggy thing is necessary at times, one for the desert and one for the mountian switchbacks.

Joe, I know about your back problems and Dereks car is not for you, but it IS for him, he built what he wanted, from a stack of drawings two inches tall to the finished car, that is what he does for a living. Just like your cars for you, he built what he wanted, The suspension is basic go cart, or early Mini, a lot of rubber, depends where he sets the adjustable front and rear.
The concept T has some of the manxster in it, and some of the Nissan coupe that looks the same, and alot of the pencil of a car guy, Derek is now the cheif of Design at Mazda, I think it had alot to do with VW not building the cars he drew for them, I would have bought a Concept T in a minute and also the VW Bus he drew and Bob built for them, but , NO, VW is a little too afraid to built something that might excite people, I think, I am hoping to be able to withstand his first few cars for Mazda, they will probably build them. I did buy the first Miata I ever saw....
David Barrett
_________________
work hard

[lostinbaja]