Can someone guide a Newbie

[Momboy007]

Hello All,
Well one of my bucket list items is about to be crossed off the list.
I have wanted a Manx my entire life. A Neighbor of mine finally gave me his, that has sat for over 5 Years. I am not sure who the maker is or how to identify it, maybe I could get some help with that as well, anyhow, the motor is not frozen, nor the brakes, and the tires actually are still holding air.
How would you seasoned guys proceed?

Thanks all and I look forward to coming events after I get this fun fellow running and re-registered

Thanks in advance for all your advice

Rick

[rich.roy.9]

On the web check out dunebuggyarchive.com


Ride on

[Chicago Joe]

Rick:
Quick tip: Pictures always help responders to what it is that you want or need.

Dunebuggyarchives.com will give some basic information on common brands and styles of bodies. However there are some gaps in their databases.

So, let us see some pictures of your new to you buggy, so you can get started.

[lastmanx]

in buggy talk I list 3 books newbies should read, start there. pictures of buggy and better description of condition; such as does it need new floors due to rust. how much mechanical ability do you have? are you planning on doing the needed work yourself? I can tell you that paying others to work on your buggy gets expensive fast. Understand you do not have to invent the wheel here, look around the website at other builds and you will some over the top builds that will be hard to beat. you will also see some done more common. your first step will be planning, figure the real mechanical condition and what can be serviced rather than replaced. I have seen too many newbies just replacing parts with new. that gets pricey quick. my best advice is to not dismantle or take apart anything until you know what it is and how to put it back. ok lecture over. for kicks make cost list from any supplier you want so you get an idea of what you could spend if not careful. Welcome to the club take your time, do it once and you will have no regrets. keep smiling and buggy on!

[5150bossman]

If you are even slightly mechanically inclined, you should get the Haynes Repair Manual for the VW Beetle & Karmann Ghia - 1954 through 1979. It has great follow along instructions with photos of how to do most everything you would need to do to get and keep your buggy running. Between that and any advice you might need that you can ask on any one of the VW or buggy related web sites, I'm sure it will be up and running in no time.

[Momboy007]

Hello All,

Thank you for the great advice, I guess I am also looking for stuff like, squirt oil down the sparkplug holes, before trying to start and other stuff like that, I am fairly mechanical, but little experience with VW motors, except to help a buddy adjust valves once

Thanks all again

Rick

[lastmanx]

bad stale gas is the biggest issue you will face in a stored car. todays gas goes bad in two months. remove all old gas from tank, lines, and carb. DO NOT TRY TO START OR EVEN TURN ENGINE OVER BY STARTER until you have new gas. you may have to flush lines. I have not done the oil in plug hole trick. But you should unplug power to the coil and turn over engine until you get oil pressure. the stock oil warning light in speedo will go out when the pressure comes up. then reconnect power to coil and start car. so make sure the warn light works first. do a tune up weather you run sand paper overt old plugs and points or do it for real with replacement parts. don't be in a hurry to hear it run. be smart about it. check the condition of every thing look for mice nests in fan housing or in engine cooling fins. change oil. if its been sitting for a long time you can wait a little more until your ready. the vw engine will usually restart after sitting for a long time,but you need to get real about it to give it its best chance,otherwise you will just be chasing one thing after another so just do it all before you turn it over. I have an idiot friend who has no patience and always just puts in a battery ,sprays starter fluid down carb and gets a putter out of his new projects: then has to rebuild stuff after the engine sucks bad gas into his pump and carb. they were dry for years and could have been cleaned with a can of carb cleaner but not now that crappy gas is in them. he then sends the car to a repair shop and they send him a large bill. I have gotten many engines to restart after sitting but not after checking every thing timing valves ignition etc. if its not seized you have a chance. good luck.

[Momboy007]

Thank you so much LastManx,
That sounds like sound advice, I am also going to change out the old oil, drain and flush fuel system and change out fuel filter, check the valves, new points, rotor and cap, also, do I need to pull the carb.
I am going to purchase the books you recommend, but before I get them, is it difficult to remove the shroud to check for mice up in there?

Thanks again for all your help

Rick

[lastmanx]

yes it is. what I want you to check for is packed grass and debris that they would make a nest out of. you can look from underneath the engine at the cooling fins around the pistons. a good shop vacuum should get it out. look at the back of the engine where fan intake is to see if grass is there. in most cases the buggy body wont allow you enough clearance to get the housing off. but some bodys you can. without pictures I could not tell. so you would have to pull the motor. depending again on body access the carb can be difficult. it is held on by only 2 nuts but they are hard to get at, and a hand wrench is used there is not enough room for a socket. it all depends on how far you want to go: if you do take off the fan housing you will probably want to paint it, if you paint that then you will want to paint the clynder tins, to get those off you need to pull the intake manifold, then you will want to paint it too. now that the engine is exposed you will want to clean it and might as well change the oil cooler gaskets as you won't want to have to do this all over again, and as you can see it just snowballs from there(sorry its a Massachusetts slang term) but you get the idea. also if the fan housing is off you should remove the thermostat vanes as they usually are rusted (rusted shut so no cool air gets to the engine). they are not needed in a buggy. if you remove the carb it will be easy to clean or rebuild. the books you will be getting will explain all of this. I don't want to scare you just inform. I hate doing things twice. if you take something off you will want to clean it and it may have 20 years of old oil and grease on the backside so it will double your time. a clean dry air cooled engine runs better than a greasy dirty one. the clean one dissipates heat better. excessive heat kills vw aircooled motors. don't be discouraged its not that its difficult. it is time consuming and tedious, so much so that nobody has done it before you. I have never bought a dune buggy project that ever had its valves adjusted since it was done on the assembly line. but after I put it all back like it should be they would run like new on the first start and idle all day long. so keep in mind all your effort will pay off in the long run. there is no shortage of dune buggy non running projects, they are not rare as advertised. what is truly rare are complete and running drivable dune buggys. you will never have a problem selling your buggy should you decide to if it is complete and working.they are easier to work on but not as easy as everyone thinks; if they were you would see them on the road all over and you and I could pick and chose whichever one we wanted. the fun is just beginning have patience and keep smiling.

[Momboy007]

Hello All,
How do I post pictures?

Thanks all,
Rick

[Chicago Joe]

-Here is a link to some instructions on posting pictures


-
http://www.manxclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=3419

[Momboy007]

I do not know if you can see these images or not

Thanks,

Rick

[Momboy007]

Hello All,

So now I have some pics posted, does anyone know who might make my little girl?

Thanks,

Rick

[Mike-Presley]

Looks like it could be a real Manx to me. Nice project though even if it's a copy.

[lastmanx]

it looks like a manx or close copy. look under the lip of the top side; manx has a molded fiberglass reinforcement that goes from where you climb in on side all way back to the rear. it creates a hollow space (tube) that strengthens the body. it is not actually a round tube. most copys would leave this piece out (saving cost) to sell cheaper.less material lower price weaker buggy. if under there it simply looks to be the same shape as the outside body you don't have it. also look under the dash-hood, if manx you will have a metal frame shape there that the steer column goes through. this metal framework is left out of most all other buggys. it adds strength to the dash windshield area and helps to eliminate the shimmy wobble motion you can get in most buggys. you kinda have to have ridden in a copy and a real manx to know. I saw some wood framework in the rear it could be covering a manx tag. tags were riveted in center above tunnel center on body. take a look at real manx photos to see tags or the framework I mention. the outside of your buggy looks good enough to be a manx. I believe our site still has instructions to send photos to Bruce for official verification and tag reassignment. you may have to be a member ,join the club. if authenticated you can get an official Manx emblem for that hood area.