Manx Club

Thanks to Doran Dobransky, his lovely wife Jen, and two babies, I was fortunate enough to buy a Utility Manx yesterday! (While you may not understand why I would thank the whole family, bear with me for a minute.) Doran and Jen have two young children, 2 year old Stella, and 3 month old Max. Doran routinely handles the late-night feeding shift for Max, which gives him an inordinate amount of iPad time to look at photos of every buggy for sale on Craigslist, in every county, in every state. Sometimes Doran finds something that he's interested in, and if I can help him by going and checking it out for him, I will. Other times, he may be interested in something he's found, but the timing is wrong for adding another buggy to his fleet. That was the case this time around, which means I received an early morning email Wednesday morning. So, if it weren't for Max (which is also the name of the Utility Buggy now) and my friendship with his Dad Doran, I wouldn't have this buggy. THANK YOU DORAN!!!

I got the email with the phone number early Wednesday morning, and by 7:00PM Wednesday night I had my trailer hooked up and was headed towards Laughlin, Nevada. Those who have been on our occasional Mojave Road runs from Baker, CA to Laughlin know our affinity for staying at the worst hotel on the strip: The Pioneer! That's where I landed at 12:30am Thursday morning to check into my $27- room. By the way, we stay there (even though it is truly horrible place where you wear your socks to bed) because you can park directly in front of your room and keep an eye on your buggy, trailer, etc.

Anyways, up at 6am and off to Golden Valley, Arizona, a small town about 40 minutes from Laughlin to get the buggy. While I don't have any history yet, here is what little I do know about the car:

The guy I purchased the Utility Manx from ended up with it and a Joe Poty buggy when he purchased an auto shop back in July of last year. Both buggies were titled, so he fortunately had notarized title from the previous owner. I’m hoping to contact either the prior owner or his family from the address I have on that paperwork to get some history on the car. The utility sits on a Type III chassis which is in rough shape. The body itself is in excellent structural condition with really thick fiberglass and absolutely NO small fracture cracks or signs of damage or repairs. The gel coat, however, is in horrid shape, with the glossy outer layer worn away leaving just a high grit sandpaper-like feel coming from the exposed metalflake. Inside the trunk area however, the gelcoat is in excellent condition as if nothing was ever put back there. Checking it against an older Meadowbrook glitter chart, I can see the original color matches their Sand 2E metallic.

My plans for the car are first to get Bruce & Winnie to verify it, then take it up to David Barrett at Manx Chassis in Sanger, CA. He’s agreed to build a custom rolling chassis for me with a link pin front end and an IRS rear end. While I know it may bother some that I’m not keeping it on a VW pan, the Barrett chassis, in my opinion, is vastly superior to a shortened pan car. I will try and leave the rest of it as old school as possible. But, if sometime down the line someone wants to convert it to dead stock, they can always throw a pan under it. After the chassis is built, I’ll have the body re-gelcoated in the Sand 2E color, rewire it, restore some stock VW seats, and install a pancake motor.

I’ll keep you posted as the restoration comes together, but I’ll admit it’ll take some time to get all of these things done. Here's some photos of the "MAX" Utility MANX:

lucky you

Way to go Scott , Nice add to the stable !

Congrats! It will be spectacular when its done.

Any pics of the Joe Poty buggy? What kind of shape was it in?

5150bossman wrote:Any pics of the Joe Poty buggy? What kind of shape was it in?

Thanks Mike! It was in poor to fair shape, although the fiberglass body was really thick. I was surprised how sturdy it was. It did have the transaxle and type III motor, although the motor may have been seized.

Here's some pics . . .

Looks like the Manx was definitely in better shape. The Joe Poty is going to need quite a bit of work too. Hopefully it will also find a good home.

Unbelievably good luck!!! Great story...

Thank you Gary. I can't wait to get the restoration going.

You and Mark Bryant should compare Manx Utility notes...

Great find Scott... The preservation or restoration quandary is the same question we have, in fact that's probably what has stalled progress on the revitalization of our Utility. We completed rejuvenating the chassis, trans and 140 vair power plant a few years ago. The body was next ... as we moved to that stage that's when the dilemma struck " It's only original once". We've had several thoughts for this buggy but non strong enough to to take it beyond originality as it sit today.
We'll be watching your progress with great interest....
MnC

Hi Mark!

In some ways, I'm a bit luckier than you . . . . My utility is in horrible shape. The gelcoat is non-existant, and I am forced to do something to try and restore it.

Your Manx still has the original gelcoat. I fully understand why you would want to keep it as original as possible.

So, restoring the body of mine to its original color and gelcoat will honor it's heritage. The pan however, is shot. So, I'm thinking a slightly raised (2") Barrett Condor frame underneath it allows me to make the perfect Baja camper buggy. The body, and anything attached to it, will be kept old school stock. The frame, however will be another story. While I know the Utility Manx is a rare vehicle, it still needs to be exercised. And someday off in the future, when my son sells the buggy after I'm gone, the new owner can talk about the stupidity of the PO who didn't keep the original Type III pan

While I am committed to make this buggy look as period correct and stock as possible, I will be open to using modern technology to improving its handling and ride. I'll be posting updates as the occur. This is going to be fun!

Had no idea these Manx's were ever built. Thanks for posting

I was up early this morning to drive to Sanger, California to leave the Utility Manx in the capable hands of David Barrett. We spent about an hour going over the chassis design, and David (as usual) had a lot of great ideas for how it should look. This will be an IRS chassis with a bus trans and a king pin front end powered by a type III VW engine. It'll be lifted 2 inches, with a hidden side protection bar running beneath the upper skirt, but it will not have the diagonal cross bars nor will it have a cage. The goal is to retain a stock appearance from the pan up. Knowing David, it'll be perfect.

He'll call me after the tubing for the chassis has been cut and layed-up. I'll go back and pick up the body and bring it back here to either have it painted or to have the gelcoat restored. Then go back and pick up the rolling chassis after David has completed the welding and powder coating. I'll be posting updates as they become available. Right now, the hunt begins for a type III engine.

I like the Mustang taillights, you gonna keep em? With the Barrett chassis, IRS and bus trans why not go with a big block Type 4 engine? Is the 2" lift one of Dave's Condor chassis?

I love the direction you are taking this. I'm so excited to continue to watch it come together.


Doran