Rebuilding "Sweetheart", our Manx Buggy

[calebmelvin]

[shermer-high]

So I assume your CT composite vin# is on the fiberglass body and not the original tunnel. Every one I've had is on the tunnel at the original VW vin location.

[Tom_Kathleen]

When we bought this car @ 6 years ago, it was registered as a Antique Auto, 1962. Registration says Volks Meyers Convertible, so we kept it that way.
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Manxter #16, 1968 Meyers Manx & Kick-Out SS #16 (WIP)
Manx Club & CVA

[shermer-high]

I know you know about composite registration. I just figured if a CT vin was on the tunnel it would effect how you set up the new frame.

[Tom_Kathleen]

Even with this frame being much stronger that a VW pan, and not cut and shortened, I don't know how the CT DMV would react to it. Seeing how it is already registered, I am not worried about it. If it sells in CT when we are done with it, and the next buyer keeps it registered as it is, it will not need to be inspected, just like when we bought it.
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Manxter #16, 1968 Meyers Manx & Kick-Out SS #16 (WIP)
Manx Club & CVA

[shermer-high]

Pretty much what they don't know won't hurt them. Kind of how the Subaru engine transmission conversion I'm doing on mine was not what it was registered with.

[Tom_Kathleen]

If you would like any tips on a Subaru conversion, or would like to see our Subaru conversion, PM me.
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Manxter #16, 1968 Meyers Manx & Kick-Out SS #16 (WIP)
Manx Club & CVA

[shermer-high]

I met you both a bunch of times in the past the first time was in Terryville in 2001. It's been years since I've done any shows though. Here is one of my videos over the summer you might recognize the car. I'm a bit further along now the biggest thing to do next is making cooling tubes and an overflow-fill tank. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS-Vn3hr3io&t=33s

[Tom_Kathleen]

shermer-high I see you went with the Subigears conversion, I wish we had that option when we did Kathleen's Manxter the last time. We were a year too early. The Mendeola transaxle is great, but the shifter we ended up with was not. We personally know Todd and spent a lot of time with him at Manx Club events. Nice guy.
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Manxter #16, 1968 Meyers Manx & Kick-Out SS #16 (WIP)
Manx Club & CVA

[shermer-high]

I had issues getting the pinion mesh right but between this forum and another I'm on I figured out the issue after that it was pretty easy. I'm also probably be making a hole in the Suba mount under the motor mount for the cooling hose to go through.

[aduarte]

Hi Tom,
I also ordered a chassis from Dave with the custom IRS rear torsion bar housing for my Speedster project. As soon as I receive my chassis, I may have to talk the guys at Kartek about my rear suspension build in the event that I encounter the same spring plate issue.

[joescoolcustoms]

Hey Tom! Glad to see you making progress.

A poor man has poor ways, and this is just an idea to throw out for you, may trigger other thoughts on how to cover the tunnel area. I made a wooden buck the shape of the top of my tube chassis tunnel to hammer 0.060 aluminum over. A wooden buck keeps it all flat instead of hammering it over the tubes themselves which can transfer weld imperfections to the smooth aluminum. I then covered the aluminum with Carbon fiber decal. Very cheap, like me.

Regarding those Yellow SACO bushings, when I rebuilt the buggy for NORRA '18, I made my own rear torsion housing and now use those bushings. Lube them often, they wear quickly. I am on my third set in about 20,000 miles. I used the Super Lube the first time and they were gone at 8,000 miles when I performed my NORRA Post Trip re-prep. I tried the Prothane Grease and have the same result. The third set have about 3000 miles on them and I will pull apart to re-grease before running the buggy again.

When I built my rear torsion housing, I used that same center torsion bar adjuster. Only thing I did was to "work" the keys so they rotated nicely. Just lightly belt sanded the forging flash and narrowed them by about 0.010 inch. Then liberally lubed them with anti seize. Raced it, and road driven with absolutely no issues. Lowered the buggy for the drive across the US, raised them for the race, then lowered again for the trip back across the US.
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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

[Tom_Kathleen]

Thanks for the tips Joe. Maybe the yellow bushings should be made of the red urethane like the other ones. Glad to know they have such a short life ahead of time.
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Manxter #16, 1968 Meyers Manx & Kick-Out SS #16 (WIP)
Manx Club & CVA

[joescoolcustoms]

Not so much a short life, as it is the inside bushing is thin at best. Very little room to "give" when power is applied, or brakes, that they start cutting into the inside plate design. Also, the silt in Baja is abrasive, then the sand at OBX is too. When coupled to the grease that is on the bushings, the abrasive sticks to it and starts work on them. And since they are not "hidden" like the original VW design, the grit can get directly to them.
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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

[Tom_Kathleen]

joescoolcustoms - your comment about dirt & silt getting into the Saco bushings got me thinking (which can cost me a lot of time & money). So I came up with these parts to keep the dirt out. Let me know what you think. Tom

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Manxter #16, 1968 Meyers Manx & Kick-Out SS #16 (WIP)
Manx Club & CVA

[joescoolcustoms]

Very nicely done! That should help a lot.
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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

[Tom_Kathleen]

Thanks Joe. Would it also be a good idea to make the SACO bushing out of urethane or Delrin? Tom
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Manxter #16, 1968 Meyers Manx & Kick-Out SS #16 (WIP)
Manx Club & CVA

[hillmotorsports]

Joe and others...

I envy what must obviously be simpler registration regulations in some of the US states. Here in Ontario, after the many discussions I have had with local regulators, I doubt you would be successful licensing a vehicle with a chassis such as yours and Tom's as there is no original serial number stamp showing anywhere. Even our Tow'd project is in question as the original builder got too ambitious when cutting off the rear torsion housing, trimmed off the portion with the stamped number in front of the shifter access panel. I may have to chase down a new chassis to donate the rear section. I'm trying a "workaround", will see if I find a friendly inspector.

Food for thought: before people commit to a new chassis they might want to check with local authorities about the licensing requirements.

Paul
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Rosemarie and Paul Hill
Morrisburg, Ontario

(With way more projects than spare time!)

[joescoolcustoms]

[hillmotorsports]

Tom
Is that a powder finish on the chassis? Care to share details?
It looks terrific!!!

Paul
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Rosemarie and Paul Hill
Morrisburg, Ontario

(With way more projects than spare time!)