Basket Case Manx II

[GS guy]

Nice Buggy! Outstanding build on this one Joe. I can only wish for the kind of time you spent on this build. Maybe when I retire?
Have fun cruising in it!
Jeff
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70's vintage Deserter GS buggy - undergoing transformation to Super GS!

[joescoolcustoms]

[joescoolcustoms]

[joescoolcustoms]

[bgs]

A very interesting project. I have read the whole thing and must
say you do great work. I live about 30 or so miles from Big Bear
on the Highway 38 side going up through Mountain Home Village
and past Forest Falls up through Angles Oaks and up to the back
side of Big Bear.

Just a note. The weather out here has not been REAL hot...yet,
but the drought has brought out the U.S. Forestry enforcing
no fires unless approved and a number of other req's because
it is so dry out here and the San Bernardino Forests are like
tinder just waiting to lite off. I believe you're using a Super
Trapp muffler/spark arrestor on the exhaust. At least I hope
so because you might run into grief from U.S. Forestry, CHP,
and San Bernardino Sheriff's regarding the exhaust. I hope
not, but Ca always likes to make money, and you being out
of state, and in a Dune Buggy may fall prey. CHP may mess
with rides like yours due to Ca's bizarre Special Construction/
DMV madness

I'm not trying to scare you away, but just a local's heads up
regarding current things going on out here in the Inland Empire.
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Hmm, ruff.

[joescoolcustoms]

[bgs]

PM sent.
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Hmm, ruff.

[joescoolcustoms]

Thanks bqs!

Well, yesterday I started adjusting the valve covers and found three badly out of adjustment rockers. Bad news. Pulled the rocker shafts and then the push rods. Seams the lifters got hungry and started eating the pushrods. Or, the pushrods are junk.

I was crushed. Plan B is to pull Davids engine out of his Lithia and put into mine. His 1835 is strong and proven, but does not have the torque for this heavy buggy, but would make it. Only problem, David is working out of town.

So.....

I made a mess of things. Split the case and the three questionable lifters looked fine. So, not to take a chance, I installed another set of new Engle lifters and a totally different set of chromoly pushrods. Darlene went and bought me a case of midnight oil and just as dusk was falling this evening, the Puzzle Manx fired to life again.

So, at T - 0.75 days, I still have to pack everything, but we will make it and meet the ECVW group at Columbus Ohio tomorrow evening.

No story is a good story unless some Drama is in it.
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Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

[frizzardking]

Joe don't forget to clean the garage before you leave , and unplug the coffee Maker.
Now the fun part Enjoy the Ride !
Have a safe trip ! see you next week!

[joescoolcustoms]

[wythac]

Wow. That is some determination.

Good luck and safe travels Joe.

[Jeremy1984]

Outstanding work as usual Joe. I've been telling Bob at Rebel about your build. We're getting ready for the NSRA Nationals in Louisville at the end of the month. I'm going to try to work in some pictures of your buggies, along with some others using our wiring kits, for some VW support at the Nat's. Have a safe trip!
_________________
Rebel Wire Representative
[email protected]

[FarmerJohn]

How's the buggy behaving on the trip Joe ?
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Now I Drive A Hard Top Buggy !

[joescoolcustoms]

It's running a little Fat due to the altitude. Currently at 6800 feet in Manitou Springs CO. It handeled Mount Evans just fine at 14,130 feet on the highest paved road in North America.

We will be running Pikes Peak tomorrow. I spoke to Tom and he and I are going to "run" the mountain tomorrow. Not crazy, just have fun climbing it and try to beat Vincent's run time. I plan on filming it with the Go-Pro so varify the time. The Puzzle Manx does not handle curves very well with not having sway bars and as high as it sits. So.......
_________________
Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

[FarmerJohn]

[quote="joescoolcustoms"

We will be running Pikes Peak tomorrow. I spoke to Tom and he and I are going to "run" the mountain tomorrow. Not crazy, just have fun climbing it and try to beat Vincent's run time. I plan on filming it with the Go-Pro so varify the time. The Puzzle Manx does not handle curves very well with not having sway bars and as high as it sits. So.......[/quote]
Have Fun
_________________
Now I Drive A Hard Top Buggy !

[andygere]

I don't know what I like better, following the build or following the drive. Either way, this is a great project/thread/build, and I'm motivated to make at least a little bit of progress on my buggy every day. Have a great trip.

[JOHN D]

Keep us updated - lots of us wish we were there. Be safe and have fun - see you when you get back - can't wait to hear all about it.

John

[dbsmith]

Joe
Hope you don't mind, but here are a few pictures to go along with your updates.
Your an inspiration to us all with buggies sitting in our garages waiting to come back to life

David
_________________
dbsmith
SoCal
#127 Manxter - 99.5% done....

[wythac]

Joe, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to see a post trip performance recap of your build, though I'm sure that first it might be good to do a few things that have nothing to do with driving or VWs!

Glad you made it out and back in one piece and under your own power!

[joescoolcustoms]

Yes, made it home safely and the Puzzle Manx performed very well. I plan on doing a recap of each day this coming week with pictures we took, and some taken of us.

Tired, and the last night in a hotel I slept funny and my back hurts from it. So, just resting today.

I will give a buggy performance recap:

Problems with the buggy:
1. Had to re-adjust the front wheel bearings once we made it to Columbus OH. Needed about 1/4 turn on adjusting nut and fine the rest of the trip.
2. Had to re-position the Wink mirror so we did not constantly hit our head on it getting in and out.
3. Rear shocks would rattle on hard bumps do to not having spacers to keep them centered and captive in the lower mount.
4. Once at Big Bear, I took the soft enclosure off for the off road run to allow better viewing and not to get them dirty. In my hast taking it off, I pulled one snap out of the lower bottom back section. I will break out the sewing machine and patch it with a new snap.
5. The hood did not seal on the body-to-hood seal on the passenger side which allowed rain into the buggy. Painters tape fixed that for the trip, but the hood will come off for a final fix.
6. The speedometer "chirped" and I expected it to fail, but it did not. Will replace it when the hood is off.
7. The steering column loosened a little in Anderson SC and slipped on a few splines. Tightened the bolt and all was well.
8. Bungee cords used on the rear rack slipped and rubbed on the paint in two spots. Will have to repair the two 1 inch long by 1/2 inch wide spots.
9. Worst problem encountered. When we ran hard at 75 MPH for hours, the engine would puke oil from the oil breather, get sucked into the cooling fan and slung about the tins. The oil fill also loosened and would dribble oil onto the right cooling cylinder tin. The engine does not like holding oil to the "full" mark on the dip stick and would puke oil down to the 1/4 above the add mark and run fine after that. I am going to alter my breathing system similar to Muffler Mike's set up to help handle the puking. I will post up alterations once done before going to MOTB '14.

That is all the problems the buggy had.

As a group, Tim lost a EMPI electrical fuel pump about 100 miles West of Saint Louis. We had it fixed and continued in about 20 minutes.

Paul tore a new front transmission mount at 90 miles into the trip, drilled it and installed a bolt until I could join and brought him a mid transmission mount. In CO, Paul lost reverse gear. Later, third gear started wining loudly in about NM. But he made it home on it's own power without throwing in the towel to a tow bar.

Chris lost a Voltage Regulator shortly after we left Bruce Meyers house on the way into Big Bear. Chris also lost his cell phone charger in AZ on the way out, but fixed it at a gas stop. He also had to replace a burnt out brake light bulb in KS.

In Oklahoma, Vincent changed one set of front wheel bearings do to a little noise from them.

We all adjusted our timing when we went above 5000 feet altitude and it made the engine run much better, then retarded it when we dropped back to lower altitudes.


Problem wise, very little problems were encountered. I think it is do to all of our prep, prep, and more prep before leaving. All 6 buggy's are air cooled, 3 are stock 1600 cc with the excepting of Paul's having dual 34 single carb's.
_________________
Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone