Meyers manx 2+2 project

[jpjohns]

Hi all. So I was in the beginning stages of a 1968 Karmann Ghia resto project that was just getting way out of hand. We (I) bought a bad car to begin with, which didn't help any, and the money numbers just kept piling up higher and higher. Needless to say, we got the body off and decided just to replace the rotten pans with bug pans, restore the chassis and head in the Manx direction. We figure, the car will still be a head turner but a lot cheaper in the end.

The chassis as it currently sits awaiting new pans and a new recip saw...lol

The engine was actually in good shape internally but the cylinders were toast wo we rebuilt it and are almost done with that part and I need my local air-cooled VW place to rebuild the tranny.

Not great but its a work in progress.
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-Jared

"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member)

[Bluggy]

Good luck with the project...I am embarking on mine now.

Being here in the Caribbean where everything you can imagine (except rum) is 10 times the price that that in the US, so it will be a challenge.

On this island there is only one VW bug on the road, there not one in the scrap yards here...so count yourself lucky lol

Hope to see your progress soon...plug away at it..its the only way.

Cheers.

[joescoolcustoms]

Have you ordered your body kit from Bruce and Winnie yet? Going to Valley Center to get 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

[jpjohns]

I have not ordered the kit yet. I planned on shelling out the rest of what I had saved up for the Ghia on restoring the chassis over the winter and then trying to order next summer.

My wife wants metallic purple but I read somewhere that Winnie said that the purple isn't very good.
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-Jared

"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member)

[jpjohns]

3 floor pans? Who does this? I mean do they really think they are doing a proper repair? It just boggles my mind what people do.

I brought the drive shafts into work today to tear them apart and clean everything in the parts washer....pointless task I think. While the CV joints themselves look ok, one only had 5 ball bearings!!!! So, looking at the cost of 4 boot kits, one good quality CV joint and having to sand and paint the axle itself I'm thinking that for $89.99 each axle I'm better off buying new....lol.
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-Jared

"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member)

[joescoolcustoms]

[jpjohns]

I currently have the chassis stripped to the tunnel. I found some rust holes underneath the frame head but I have a replacement piece for a patch repair. Wheels are ordered and all the chassis parts are on a shelf waiting on installation (in warmer weather..lol) I'll try to get some current pics up this afternoon.

Wheels are ordered and will arrive on Wednesday.

_________________
-Jared

"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member)

[jpjohns]

So this was the rotten body that I decided to sell. It needed so much metalwork it just wasn't feasible for my wallet to repair. I did manage to find a guy willing to buy it so off it went. This pic looks ok but the nose was rotten as well as the engine bay, rockers etc. The body literally had, in most places, Bondo as thick as 3 quarters.

Tunnel still needs a new clutch tube and fuel line, then I will add the Manx access panel and weld it up to start on the floorpans.

A lot of the parts I've had powder coated in Silver vein (tie rods, engine tins, steering arm, spring plates etc. Pretty durable and looks nice. It helps that my local powder coater has very affordable prices.

Its a start. We will get the kit ordered as soon as we can get this chassis done.
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-Jared

"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member)

[dbsmith]

Looks great. Lots of great advice here on the Samba.
A whole lot better than FB.
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dbsmith
SoCal
#127 Manxter - 99.5% done....

[sbussard]

Can't wait to see it come together. You've off to a great start. Lots of great people and advice here on the samba and also on the Manx Club Facebook page. The difference between the two sites is that the samba posts stay around and Facebook posts seem to get lost quickly. My biggest piece of advice would be to do something on the buggy every day, no matter how small, including internet research and ordering. If you get stuck, don't be afraid to ask. You'll hit the wall more than once, but push through and you'll be driving soon enough.
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Manxter #122
First time, garage built, and living out the childhood dream of owning a life-size Hotwheel!

Check out my build thread-->My Manxter 2+2

[dbsmith]

This guy did a good job at a fuel filter bracket

Simple but effective.

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

[JaredJ]

I like that idea, thanks David!

[JaredJ]

Checked deck height today on the new cylinders, was pleasantly surprised. Optimum is listed as .055 - .065 in. Mine were .063, .064, .056, and .058 for cylinders 1-4. Good enough for me.

Starting to look like a motor.

[JaredJ]

I know I haven't updated in a while but its all the same stuff everyone has seen over and over. Engines, VW parts and painted stuff but anyway....

Had more parts powdercoated the Silver Vein color, I really like this color

Brake Parts just waiting

This Duplicolor caliper paint really bothered me. I'm not sure if it was an old can at the store or what but the can says dries in 1hr and to handle in 3hrs. NOT TRUE! 24hrs later the calipers were still sticky. I had to bake them in the oven for 20 min at 200 deg to cure the paint. After that, it was pretty hard.

Wheels are feeling lonely

[JaredJ]

Picked up a used Solex PICT 3-34. Grabbed a re-build kit and started scrubbing....came out pretty good I think.

Transmission got a coat of paint as well.

More powdercoating

Muffler arrived. I'll have to adjust the rear bumper kit to fit.

Replacement pans fit well but I still have some work to do on the tunnel. Typical fuel line, clutch cable tube stuff as well as a Meyers front access panel.

Picked up a new VW/Porsche clutch pretty cheap. Old one was destroyed.

[JaredJ]

Powder coated parts look much better when assembled.

Added the coil and new alternator kit to the fan shroud

Getting closer to firing

[JaredJ]

One of the reasons building has been slow. Our 12yr old Australian Shepherd was diagnosed with bone cancer in his shoulders about 3 months ago. He was put on pain meds but they just weren't doing anything for his shoulders. We thought the puppy would help him feel a little more upbeat but he wanted absolutely no part of that. We finally had to put him down on Monday June 25th, he just wouldn't get up anymore....to go outside or eat. Hardest thing we've ever had to do, he was such a HUGE part of our family and we miss him so much.

[JaredJ]

Tired of rolling things around on a Harborfreight cart to weld or work on so I picked up a Certiflat welding table from www.weldtables.com . best thing I've ever bought. Tab and slot design, guaranteed flat to within +/- .10 if you assemble it properly. I hope to get it assemble and running in the next week with July 4th coming up.

Picture from Eastwood's website but mine is the same 2ft x 3ft size

[JaredJ]

Love the welding table by the way.....its amazing.

Remounted the coil and alternator, fan was spun and doesn't rub.

Engine is just about ready to start (scary?)

New starter

Decided to build my own starter box from a used DC power supply that was gutted. Seems to be a perfect case for it.