My "FauxManx" Build

[y2kbaja]

I thought I would start a thread on my build.
I'll go backwards from the day I picked it up as it's a long story.
I was cruising Craigslist looking for BJ spindles and found a basket case buggy for a reasonable price. All I needed to do was find the money and it was mine. I had a pristine 1985 Honda ATC 250R that I'm the original owner of and haven't ridden in about 15 years. So to FB Marketplace it went and 5-minutes later it was sold. Cash in hand I bought the FauxManx.
Why was I cruising CL looking for BJ spindles? Racing my class 9 off-road car the day before we broke a spindle 150 miles into a 200 mile desert race while chasing down the class leader.
Why was I racing a cl 9 in the desert? Off-road racing is my heritage, my namesake kinda. My dad started Vorra --Valley off-road racing association-- in 1975 and ran that for 25 years. So dirt, racing, vw's have been in my blood for a long while. My parents met as my dad was building his buggy in the alley behind my mom's work.
That's my brief background. I've had a few VW based race cars in the 90's but raced trucks thru the 2000's. I got an opportunity to prep and race Norra in 2015 with a vintage single seater and that hooked me again. Since then I've built a single seat 9-car and currently race a two-seat 9-car. The FauxManx is just a fun project I've wanted to do for a while.

My first Baja circa 1990

Baja #2 built in 2000. This is my y2kbaja

Vintage car nearing Cabo 2015

Single seat 9 2019

2-seater needing a BJ

FauxManx before PO started resto

Basket case as I found it.

[y2kbaja]

Build progress.

laying out all the parts after bringing it all home.

Starting the IRS swap. With class 9 being swing axle I wanted to go IRS with this so little parts could be swapped between cars. I've been stock piling type I trans and some have been IRS so I have 2 spares for the buggy and 4 for the race car.

IRS done, trans in, arms on. PO scrapped the original pan and started over with a "clean" pan. He shortened and welded all up then had it powder coated. Not sure why he didn't do the pans but he was going with the diamond plate aluminum. A 4x8 sheet of d.p. Al came with the car.

Beam on. PO had the beam redone by a local shop so for me it's bolt it up and go.

Do I need the trans straps? Haven't decided yet. This is not an off-road car. I have two of those already. This is a fun street bug so not sure how much abuse it will get. I'll decide soon.

Motor almost ready. I love the exhaust. Thanks Slayer.

This took a while. I made a mount for the oil cooler, filter, fan and fuel pump to be independent of the tub. I'm happy with how this came out.

Almost done with the chassis.

[y2kbaja]

Terminology.
Since this isn't a true Manx I hate calling it that. I'm pretty sure it's a Joe Poty Enterprises. Has the hood line, back swoop and the holes where the tag used to be above the pedals. In my house we call it 'beach buggy' or 'fauxmanx'.

This image is from the first test fit when I found it didn't fit. Tub hits the trans bell housing. So I had to build a 1 1/2" square tube lift kit. I'm ok with that. I wanted the sides to be high to hide body fat as I drove it.

[slayer61]

Outstanding! Very well done! Looking forward to seeing it on the road!
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[y2kbaja]

I had the engine ready to go so I thought. There was some crankshaft free-play, noticeable but not excessive. I talked to my engine guy and he said pull the flywheel and see if the main bearing moves. Well it moves not only up and down 0.008" but also in and out...engine guy says I'm effed! Down in the dumps a little and now needing to rebuild the engine. I start look thru my dads garage for the VW engine stand he had 30+ years ago. I didn't find the stand but found this engine in a box under the bench. Now I've been working in this garage for 40 years and never saw this box nor it's contents. I'm not saying my next buggy motor is here but this may be a start to something for a engine to get my by. I don't know the story behind it but it looks to be in good shape and all there. I believe it to be a 1200cc but there are no engine numbers under the gen stand.

[dustymojave]

You DO know that engine is a 1200cc "40hp", don't you?

Not that it's BAD, but not many are looking for a 40hp engine these days.

I ran a 40hp engine in my Baja Bug for about 360,000 miles. Big bore 83mm cylinders (same size as 1500) for 1385cc. Norris 330S cam, late square boss 40hp heads (bigger boss for the rocker stand studs than the earlier round boss so it held the studs in better -- this was a common problem in 40hp engines), stock 28PICT carb, tri-Y (4into 2 into 1) headers by Fourtuned of Riverside, CA. Fine engine, embarrassed a LOT of V8 4x4 trucks climbing hills and crawling 4x4 trails. Did a LOT of Freeway miles, as well as LOTS of hard offroad in the desert and mountains. Got used for pre-running offroad race courses.

That's what was in it when this picture was taken, and for decades after.

And another 40hp that I sold him in my friend's Baja:

His had a Holley BugSpray 200cfm 2 barrel carb.

Hard to find parts for 'em these days, especially hop-up parts. Sometimes more expensive to build than a 1600, which is why mine sits out back as a sort of personal museum piece.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[y2kbaja]

How bad can a 1200 40hp be in a 1200lb buggy? However this is not the engine I plan to put in the "manx". I plan to rebuild its 1600.

[y2kbaja]

Time for some update pictures. Samba isn't the most user friendly to share photos. After much delay I finally rolled it out of the garage. It's 98% completed with completion planned for this weekend. Waiting on the engine to be finished up and the windshield to be cut. Everything else is done. Engine turned out to be "good" but glad we did a full rebuild on it. New heads, bearings, etc. Still 1600 stock...now the race car has a spare engine if needed. I'm very excited to take it for a spin around the block.

Rolled into the sunlight.

A little before and during and after of the body and paint repairs.

"surfboard" dash and gas pedal

Test fitting the windshield mock up and new bumper. Headlights and turn signals

Empty garage

[oprn]

Looking great!
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[slayer61]

Very nice. I'm quite jealous. I still have to get the motor finished, plumbing & electrical, plus paint & polish.
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[y2kbaja]

Motor is done and in and I got to drive it down the driveway!! Not without incident of course. Major oil leak from the type 3 dipstick. Yes, it's a T3 case with the shitty design dip stick and no oil pressure switch port. If I would have caught that when it was apart I would have fixed it. So I'm going to put an inline fitting on the out hose to the oil filter and put in a pressure switch. And the dipstick tube, I'll keep buying the empi pos and try various methods of keeping them from leaking, first will be JB weld the tube to the holder.

[dustymojave]

I like this buggy. Nice stance.

There are things I disapprove of, but it's not my buggy

Looks like there was some serious fiberglass work on that right front fender!

I was always aware of VORRA. Never raced with them or even attended any events. Not many organizations in the west that I didn't work as an official for, or race with, or at least attend events.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[y2kbaja]

I needed a brake and lamp inspection since the title was junked. I had to add dot front lights, side markers, reflectors, e-brake indicator. But it passed and I immediately went home and took all them off. I didn't even take pictures besides this on.

First couple of drives with the car. No plates/reg yet so I have the temp permit. The vin inspector wrote DBuggy and the DMV clerk didn't like the error on the form. Also needs an emissions label for 1968 and newer, don't ask, it's a CA thing and I'm working on it. Still figuring out tire size but don't have the budget for new tires right now. I'll save my pennies thru the winter. The rear tires are old, they're from Montgomery Ward!

[joemama]

Always nice to see another buggy brought back, and on the road again. Enjoy your beautiful buggy!

[slayer61]

Very well done Sir. Congratulations!


I have some progress to make still
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[SteveM.]

Great project, well done. Who spayed the paint?

[y2kbaja]

[oprn]

Nice job! So - curious - you need an emissions sticker - does that mean you need to pass an emissions test or just get a factory sticker listing timing settings etc. appropriate to the year of the car?
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[y2kbaja]

[y2kbaja]

Plates Finally!! I got the emissions label from waxhead and I'm 100% road legal now. Except that I took off all the lights and reflectors required for brake and lamp inspection.