Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018
Page: 1, 2  Next
Forum Index -> Kit Car/Fiberglass Buggy/356 Replica Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
vincent9993
Samba Member


Joined: November 09, 2006
Posts: 2025
Location: Montreal
vincent9993 is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 5:35 am    Post subject: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

ECVNORRA: East Coast Visits NORRA

As many of you already know, team "Bad News Racing" led by Joe Wheeler has entered in the NORRA 2018 Mexican 1000 race scheduled to take place from April 20th to 27th in Baja Mexico. The Manx Club is going to be well represented with at least 8 teams racing in various classes. For more info on the NORRA Mexican 1000 race, check out the official website: http://NORRA.COM

  • 86 Team Scherer - Pioneer Buggies - 1970 Meyers Manx Tow'd
  • 67 Team Nesset - Pioneer Buggies - 1969 Meyers Manx
  • 1100 Team Avila - Legend Buggies - 1969 Memoman Manx
  • 1356 Team Bad News Racing - Meyers Manx - 1973 Meyers Manx
  • 346 Team Monarch Racing - Meyers Manx - 2018 Meyers Manx Dual Sport Baja Edition
  • 302 Team Dario -Meyers Manx - 2016 Meyers Manx Dual Sport Baja Edition
  • 333 Team Fabozzi - Meyers Manx - 2018 Meyers Manx Dual Sport Baja Edition
  • 00 Team Connell - Meyers Manx - 2015 Meyers Manx Dual Sport Baja Edition


Team BNR is planning to drive the buggy to the starting line from West Virginia, race to the end of the Baja Peninsula and drive back home. We welcome any adventurous souls to tag along the journey. Here's the team's preliminary planned agenda:
Day 1. Sunday 4-15-18 Saint Albans, WV to Anderson SC 398 miles
Day 2. Monday 4-16-18 Anderson SC to Vicksburg MS 544 miles
Day 3. Tuesday 4-17-18 Vicksburg MS to Sweetwater TX 584 miles
Day 4 Wednesday 4-18-18 Sweetwater TX to Lordsburg NM 577 miles
Day 5 Thursday 4-19-18 Lordsburg NM to San Diego CA 563 Miles.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


If you are interested in joining or supporting, simply reply to this thread and we'll be sure to include you in our travel planning.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

Due to one of our sponsors providing help of Hotels traveling across the US, there is a slight change in the itinerary.

The second night will stop in Clinton MS, not Vicksburg MS. The schedule reflects as follows:

Team BNR is planning to drive the buggy to the starting line from West Virginia, race to the end of the Baja Peninsula and drive back home. We welcome any adventurous souls to tag along the journey. Here's the team's preliminary planned agenda:
Day 1. Sunday 4-15-18 Saint Albans, WV to Anderson SC 398 miles
Day 2. Monday 4-16-18 Anderson SC to Clinton MS 513 miles
Day 3. Tuesday 4-17-18 Clinton MS to Sweetwater TX 616 miles
Day 4 Wednesday 4-18-18 Sweetwater TX to Lordsburg NM 577 miles
Day 5 Thursday 4-19-18 Lordsburg NM to San Diego CA 563 Miles.

If we are passing by you in route, come out and cheer us on! Drive along with us for a little while. Maybe by then the Texas issue will be solved and some Texas buggies can have a lunch or dinner with us.
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:42 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

If you have an interest in this "Happiest Race on Earth" as a potential contender, spectator or sponsor, here is the NORRA website that you can check out.

http://norra.com/live

Here are the overall entrants in the race.

http://norra.com/vehicle-entries.php

Here are the 8 fiberglass buggies entered in various classes of the race.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Here is a link to the rules and class break down.

http://norra.com/PDFs/NORRA_2018_VehicleRules_v3.11.pdf
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Sharp64 Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: August 27, 2015
Posts: 5305
Location: Central Florida
Sharp64 is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:12 am    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

That’s really cool. S
_________________
1960 Indigo Blue Ragtop (Blue Barry)
1967 Ghia
1985 Westy Money Pit
“...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - Michael Caine
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 6:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

The bad News Racing entry is based on my personal Meyers Manx, knick-named the "Puzzle Manx" by people on this site. The puzzle Manx was cut into 11 pieces and I put it back together in '13.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


In June 2014, it was completed with a home built custom tube chassis.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


In July 2014, it was driven across the US to go to the Manx Club's 50th anniversary celebration of the first Dune Buggy that was held at Big Bear CA. Along the trip we stopped many places and had a blast.

Here it is on top of Pikes Peak CO.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Heading up Mount Evans on the highest paved road in North America.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


In September, it got driven to the VW Porsche Reunion in Cincinnati Ohio.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Since it got driven from West Virginia to the Pacific Ocean that year, it had to be driven from West Virginia to the NC Outer Bank Islands for the Manx On The Banx (MOTB) event to say it was driven Coast to Coast in one year.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


It was cool that some other people liked it too.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


After putting it away for 2014, the buggy had accrued 12,000 + miles on it. Lots of fun and most certainly worth the effort building it. Only problems were the cheap China rear wheel bearing letting go between 8,000 and 10,000 miles. And a persistent oil mist coming from the crank case venting system. (fixed over the winter).

But more adventures lie ahead while it slept during the winter.
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 12:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

Over the Winter of '14, '15, the buggy received a few upgrades for the up-coming buggy traveling season. Since the trip we would take in '15 would include 99 miles of curves, it was upgraded from front drums to front disc brakes, and a 3/4 inch rear anti sway bar was added.

'15's trip would be heading straight North to Cleveland to meet up with the crew traveling West that were coming from the Manx Over The Falls event in Buffalo NY. We met and turned West. The trip would run all the states just under Canada all the way to WA and then down to Big Bear CA for the Big Bear Bash.

Leaving CA, we went through the Mojave Desert and then up through Death Valley in July! Looking back, we were brave. From Las Vegas, we went to Moab UT and spent 2 days there and ran some trails. Then onto WY and SD to Mt Rushmore. Then wound our way back towards home.

2014's trip was right at 6000 miles. 2015's trip was right at 7000 miles.

Rest Stop in IL
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
\

Interstate in MN.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Interstate in WI.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Backroads in ND.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The rolling Prairies of MT
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Me in the Central Montana Hospital getting treated for Shingles. Sucked. And I am still having problems from that in my right arm all the way down into my hand, nerve damage.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Breaking into ID and traveling the 99 miles of curves. Beautiful.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Golden fields of WA.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Driving Lombard Street in SF.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Along the Pacific Coast Highway and the day I turned 50. And having lunch at Lucia Lodge overlooking the Ocean up on the cliff side.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Pismo Beach
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Mojave Desert leaving Big Bear CA.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Crossing Death Valley
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Moab UT
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


On the way home.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


For the fall of '15, the buggy was upgraded with seat heaters and a roof top rack. The rack sandwiches the fiberglass hard top to the roll cage so it can be run in any combination.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Then in October it was again driven to the Manx On The Banx Event, which gave the buggy a second Coast-to-Coast in a second year.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


And still much more adventure for this buggy to come.
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
hillmotorsports
Samba Member


Joined: December 27, 2014
Posts: 432
Location: Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada
hillmotorsports is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 6:24 am    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

Impressive Joe but I didn't see any mention of the Alaska trip...

Paul
_________________
Rosemarie and Paul Hill
Morrisburg, Ontario

(With way more projects than spare time!)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:43 am    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

hillmotorsports wrote:
Impressive Joe but I didn't see any mention of the Alaska trip...

Paul


That is to come.

Setting the thread up from re-birth to the current status. Covered 2014's initial build and trip. Covered 2015's trip. Alaska was 2016's trip and will be covered next.
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
cbeck
Samba Member


Joined: January 14, 2014
Posts: 2494
Location: high ridge, mo
cbeck is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

Did you cover the sway bar set up somewhere?
_________________
My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 5:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

cbeck wrote:
Did you cover the sway bar set up somewhere?


I did not cover how I installed it. And since I have heavily modified the chassis for the NORRA race, the sway bar mounts were cut off and the bar is no longer on the buggy, or will fit the buggy, so I cannot photo it for you.

But I did get one picture of it. I used a standard beetle rear sway bar, and modified it to fit this chassis. Since my rear trailing arms were modified to be 1 1/2 inches longer when I originally built the car in '14, the standard bar fitment would not just bolt up. I welded mounts to the trans support forks for the forward mount and then made a custom mount to the lower shock mount on each arm.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The sway bar worked very well. Since the buggy sat high, and weighed 2020 pounds empty, at speed on the interstate, a quick manuvier at 70 MPH was a super hand full. With the bar, it became much more predictable and a lot safer at high speed. For off roading, I could not tell any different since the front still articulated unencumbered.

Also, if you notice, the forward mounts were closer than normal to each other, which takes away some of the harshness that a sway bar can present. It allows a touch more flex to the bar.
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 11:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

At the end of 2015, the buggy had 24743 miles on it from 2 seasons.

Other than normal maintenance, no up grades were made to it.

Having covered 41 US states, not many are left to see, but two are kind of hard to get to from West Virginia. HI and AK. HI is a little hard, and expensive do to involving shipping. But AK is driving, right?

So, the traveling buggies hit the road in the middle of June to see Alaska. Paul drove his buggy from NJ to my house in WV, spent the night and we left. Picked up Jon in Toledo and onto Bay City MI for the night. Then up to Sault Ste Marie to meet France and Vincent coming from Montreal, then West ward in the Upper Peninsula to Baraga for the night. In Baraga, we worked on Jon's leaking Swing Axle Side cover plate, which would continue to leak throughout the trip, but we drastically slowed it. On through MN and WI to Grand Forks ND for the night. The next day we left and crossed into Canada and headed to Saskatoon SK for the night, where we met Brad, Slalombuggy, who helped Jon with a charging problem. From Saskatoon, onto Hinton Alberta. Then to Terace British Columbia.

At this point the trip shifted from land to water. From Terace, we drove to Prince Port Rupert and boarded a Ferry. The Alaskan Ferry system is sooo cool!! For 28 hours we were on the Ferry, booked a Berth to stay in, and enjoyed all the small South Eastern towns we docked in, and through the very, very skinny straits up to Juneau. Spent two days in Juneau and Ferried onto Whitehorse, Skagaway which we shifted back to land. Onto Whitehorse Yukon Territory for the night. Stopped by the Yukon Transportation Museum and presented them with a Plaque from the Manx Club to be displayed for future buggy adventurers to find. Then we had to turn back eastward for home. About mid day, I broke a valve spring on a long stretch of the gravel section of the Al-Can highway. Vincent towed me to Watson Lake which presented a old used Ford 300 6 head which had Beehive springs on it, that happend to fit my Titanium retainers and head boss. Total we were down 2 hours and 5 minutes.

Onto Fort Nelson where we found two buggy guys who had just parked beside the road watching traffic pass by. Then to Grand Prairie and onto Baniff. Leaving Baniff, we met up with Brent who traveled with a good portion of the day. Onto Moose Jaw, then cross back into the US to Bemidji MN, Marqutte MI, and home. The Paul had one more day onto NJ.

8000 miles and one heck of an adventure.

By the end of '16, the buggy accrued 40,862 miles.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
oprn
Samba Member


Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12632
Location: Western Canada
oprn is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 5:27 am    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

Love it! Thanks for the inspiration! Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
dbsmith
Samba Member


Joined: October 16, 2012
Posts: 240

dbsmith is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 10:29 am    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

Joe
How are the upgrades coming along. ?
_________________
dbsmith
SoCal
#127 Manxter - 99.5% done....
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:30 am    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

dbsmith wrote:
Joe
How are the upgrades coming along. ?


It is coming along nicely David. With only 31 days until the start of the race, and 26 days until we start the drive across the US to San Diego, I am feeling the heat of the pressure, but have it under control.

This last weekend some BNR team members and other East US friends came to my house for a weekend of outfitting the enclosed support trailer and helping complete the Puzzle Manx. All race tires and road tires are mounted and ready, shelves built, work bench/bed built in rear of trailer, windows installed to help ventilation of "taco gas".

Radios checked and helmet communications checked. List of tools made, list of spare parts made, skid plates annealed, bent and readied.

It was a good weekend and puts us on track to be ready and competitive.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 12:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

For this buggy, 2017 started as a transition year.

Right as buggy season was starting, a large group of friends entered and ran in the NORRA 1000. Also referred to as the Mexican 1000, which is close to 1300 miles long from Ensenada to San Jose del Cabo. After watching the tracking with Bud each evening, and getting very infrequent updates from the teams do to the lack of communication infrastructure, I was hooked.

To top it off, I bought Bruce Meyers A Call to Baja book and read it. Bruce's book was so compelling, that race or not, I had to go see this Baja that challenged so many people to come there and travel/race it. The ultimate Off Road racing place on the Planet. After all, it was Bruce and his very first fiberglass buggy that got all this off road racing started.

So, I myself do not have the health to race anymore, but I had to be part of this in some way. I got a team of highly motivated, close Friends to agree to this adventure of a lifetime. Then as things tend to do, it expanded. How many East US teams are there that drive the race car across the US, then race it, and drive it home? Very few I have heard of. The goal is to drive it there, complete the entire race and drive it home. With that goal, and the fact it is a team from the East, it draws people like ants at a picnic. Sponsors wanted to be on board to help cover travel expenses and team expenses. Other friends wanted in on this adventure.

So, after a few events I wanted to go to with the buggy, it needed a very real upgrade to tackle this challenge. When I built this buggy, I built it to just drive the highways and mildly off road it. It needed stiffer suspension, better than old oil based shocks, longer travel. I went to cutting and hacking on the chassis in late July.

New front bumper with built in skid pan, amber lights for seeing in silt, LED's for extra light if they get caught out after dark. Side beam protection from rock abuse on the beam bottom bearing area.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Since my roll cage did not meet the spec design of a racer, I needed to build a new cage. I did use the original front hoop to keep some key mounting points.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Different suspension seats to offer more support and lighter weight. Pushed the roll cage upper bars out as far as I could to allow for more helmet room inside. A spare tire mount in the rear instead of up front to take away visibility, not up top to keep center of gravity low as possible.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Then the chassis needed altering. The body needed raised to allow for taller front and rear tire clearance. A 1 inch body lift was stacked on top of the existing lift. Longer rear arms installed, 2 X 3's. A race prepped 091 trans was installed for strength and better gearing. 930 cv's for articulation and strength. 28 mm long torsion bars replaced the 21 mm short bars I built it with. Fox shocks on each corner.

The chassis was built to NORRA Legend Class Spec.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Measuring axles with PVC pipe

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


New front shock mounts

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


New rear shock mounts

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Since we will have sponsors, new side panels were needed to run their decals.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Body lift starting to take shape.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Sand blasting and clean up

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Window net attachment and Go Pro mounts installed on cage.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Everything back together

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


And then Darlene and I took it to the Manx Club's Manx On The Banx for testing.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


With two other buggies I built

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Trying out the jack on a flat tire I had gotten while being a little too rough on it.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Had a great time. But the testing was a miserable personal failure for me. The rear arms were not built like I requested. I wanted 2* negative camber and got 0*. The buggy was heavy at 2275 pounds and was a literal pig in the sand. Felt like it wallowed around instead of moving around. The rear was waaaay too soft bottoming out on small jumps. Felt like no power left in it.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.





Back to the drawing board I go if we are to have any chance of just completing the race course, much less drive it there and back.
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 9:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

After coming home from the Manx Club's Manx On The Banx Event, I went and had the buggy weighed in full race trim to find out it weighed the 2275 pounds.

Time to go on a diet. The NORRA rules for chassis and roll cage are suggestions, and not really anything to disqualify a car over. It is your safety you are building for. So, the rules state roll cages can be 1 1/2 diameter X 0.090 wall tubing if the car weighs under 2000 pounds. Well, my whole chassis, bumpers and cage are all 0.120 wall boxed, rectangular and round tubing and the round tubing is 1 5/8 diameter. And the side pan mounting area is a 0.120 wall, 2 X 3 with a 1 X 2 0.120 wall welded on top. No wonder it is heavy!

Since I am running a Berg solid mid mount and a modified rear solid 10 degree mount on the 091 transaxle, I do not really need the transaxle frame forks for any support. And since the rear upper shock mount is way above stock height, and the factory torsion housing shock mount and bump stop is obsolete in this build, why not get rid of the heavy stuff and start over.

So, in January '18, the plan was made to build a light weight chassis using 0.095 wall 1 1/2" tubing and 0095 wall rectangular and boxed tubing. Build a custom torsion housing that is drastically reduced on weight. The buggy would retain the re-built 1 5/8 X 0.120 wall roll cage purely for safety, and the heavy front bumper for Bashing protection.

The custom torsion housing started with a King Kong center torsion bar adjuster. Then the tubes added, cut to length and long travel end caps welded on. Jigs were used to locate the inner trailing arm pivot brackets and to create a lightweight torsion housing.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


That by itself is a huge weight reduction over a stock original torsion housing.
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

After the rear torsion housing was completed, next step is for the basic chassis structure shape. 2 X 2 X 0.095 wall tubing was used to make the perimeter shape to match the body.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


One of NORRA's suggestions is side impact protection. Starting out with the 1 1/2 X 0.095 wall tubing cut to length, laid in place, marked starting at the rear and then bending the way forward so the rails take the shape of the body to look cleaner and still provide the protection and structure strength needed.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Rear braces added between the side runners and then vertical extensions added to connect the perimeter frame to the top perimeter tubing. Starting to create the "Bridge" strength of the chassis. Notice the temporary front vertical braces tacked in place until later when the front final support coulb be established and welded in.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Everything was flipped over and the roll cage installed to establish the chassis/body/cage bolts hole locations and rear cage-to-chassis tie in locations.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Then the new chassis is pulled off of the body, and placed on the chassis jig. The front beam bolted onto the uprights and shimmed for caster. The base height of the bottom of the body established to then connect the frame to the beam.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Rear torsion attached using a plumb bob to locate center line of chassis so that everything is installed square. A center punch was used to permanently locate the center line for future reference once the sharpie has worn off.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The body goes on and off a lot of time to ensure everything clears and fits where needed.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Front suspension is bolted into the beam so it can be cycled to help establish the upper shock mount locations, and associated tubing work to tie it all in.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
GS guy
Samba Member


Joined: December 03, 2007
Posts: 967
Location: Maryland
GS guy is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 5:38 am    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

Now that's taking it to a whole 'nother level!
I can understand the desire for some kind of "budget" for all your work Joe, but keeping the BJ front end (even if it is a Thing) may become the weak link?
KL seems like a natural and more severe duty upgrade. A swap to "micros" on the rear takes it one step further....
Love watching your builds come together! Very Happy
Jeff
_________________
70's vintage Deserter GS buggy - undergoing transformation to Super GS!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
joescoolcustoms
Samba Member


Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
joescoolcustoms is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:15 am    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

GS guy wrote:
Now that's taking it to a whole 'nother level!
I can understand the desire for some kind of "budget" for all your work Joe, but keeping the BJ front end (even if it is a Thing) may become the weak link?
KL seems like a natural and more severe duty upgrade. A swap to "micros" on the rear takes it one step further....
Love watching your builds come together! Very Happy
Jeff


Thank you for your compliment!

The decision to stay with a ball joint is based on some past history, a lot of thought, and a little gambling.

A Type 181 (Thing) front suspension has been run on the Meyers Race Towd that ran in both 2015 NORRA winning it's class and again in 2017 NORRA coming in second in class. This was done without any modifications to the suspension itself and did not have any front suspension problems in either race. (It did have steering issues in the '17 race, but not suspension) In addition, many racers in the more stock-ish classes use the 181 suspension in NORRA with great success.

For me, I have 3 total sets of 181 suspensions, and all with either new, or recently replaced german Ball Joints. So, I will be able to bring along a complete spare front suspension.

In stock form, a Beetle Ball Joint suspension is stronger than a stock Beetle Link and King Pin suspension. But when modified, then the L & KP suspension can not only surpass the strength of the Beetle BJ suspension, but also increase travel of the suspension. Now, to get the strength of the 181 suspension, you need to move away from modified Beetle L & KP suspensions and go after market L & KP based suspensions.

Aftermarket L & KP suspension mostly require 4 new trailing arms, (which are huge weak points in a VW L & KP), and new spindles. The Combo set ups have proven to be consistently the best. In addition to their price, you will also need Combo fitting brakes and wheel bearings. If you have looked at these closely, they are drastically heavier than anything VW every made, including the Type II L & KP suspensions. This is un-suspended weight, which works the suspension even harder.

So, a few considerations were taken into consideration for this specific build up. Since this buggy will not only get driven to and from the race across the North American Continent, spare parts will need to be taken, road handling manners are considered very important too, shocks limited by class limit controlling un-suspended weight can be inadequate. And then there is that thing called Money. I can say that Money came in last on this particular list to choose not to go with after market front suspension.

But, already having three sets of 181 suspension, two complete sets of front composite disc brakes and the ability to bring them with us to Baja, drastically helped the decision to stay 181 front. The lightness, or I should say, lighter-ness of the 181 versus the combo total set up may help the class limited shocks better control the front giving a better chance of surviving the entire 1300 mile course.

The decision to stay 181 was not taken lightly, or was made quickly. I mulled over it for 2 months before deciding. I did a lot of research, reached out to a lot of seasoned racers. Sometimes simple works.

As a side note, the Team Name is "Bad New Racing" "Because Bad News Travels Fast". Not to be confused with Speed, but when we break, people in our buggy community will know quickly we broke down. Follow along and you will see how well my decision works out.
_________________
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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
GS guy
Samba Member


Joined: December 03, 2007
Posts: 967
Location: Maryland
GS guy is offline 

PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 4:46 am    Post subject: Re: Manx Club's ECVNORRA 2018 Reply with quote

Sounds good to me Joe!
I'll readily admit my knowledge (or maybe better described as ignorance) of off road prepping comes from the old Baja prepping VWs books and bits I pick up in the off road forums. Probably worse than no knowledge!
Packing some extra valve springs this trip? Confused

We're rooting for ya!
Jeff
_________________
70's vintage Deserter GS buggy - undergoing transformation to Super GS!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Kit Car/Fiberglass Buggy/356 Replica All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.