question for newbie

Gene-C · Post by **Gene-C** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:52 pm

So I'm looking to raise the buggy about an 1" or so to clear a few obstacles on my daily drive. I live in the Caribbean and the roads aren't so hot on my island - at any rate it's a 1959 pan and original swing axel rear - what type of front suspension came on a '59 bug? What is the easiest way to gain about 1 to 1.5" of clearance all the way around? I tried a search but am confused about what type of front end I have?? Sorry for the rather basic questions but I guess you have to start somewhere - the good news is I did a valve adjustment this weekend so I'm not a complete idiot (some parts are missing) - it's just I'm a little lost in the world of suspension. Thanks. Josh (I attached a picture - it's a Fiberfab Clodhopper - not a manx, sorry!)

5150bossman · Post by **5150bossman** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:02 pm

Welcome to the assylum!

It doesn't matter if you have an actual Manx or not. Most people here have clones too. For the back end, the Garage section on this site has instructions on how to raise it. http://www.meyersmanx.com/garage/garage_suspend.htm Only suggestion is that instead of using a floor jack and chain, you purchase one of the torsion arm tools from one of the advertisers in Hot VW's magazine. Makes the job quick, simple, and much safer. :2cents: :driving: By the way, nice looking ride.

fubar · Post by **fubar** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:08 pm

I think if I had to decide,,,I would sell it and get something not so nice to thrash around in. You might look on the front beam to see if it has a select a drop or if the torsions have been turned. It almost looks like it has been lowered. If it has an adjustable front beam that part is easy, turning the back bars is difficult the first time, but not impossible. Nice buggy..

Gene-C · Post by **Gene-C** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:12 pm

Thanks for the link - I'll check it out. Actually just bought the thing back in November and had it shipped down here. It's pretty much the long road that lead up the mountain to my driveway - everywhere else is pretty OK. Thanks again

Reverb · Post by **Reverb** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:12 pm

A 1959 pan has a link pin front end. From the looks of that buggy (very nice by the way), it looks like it has been lowered some.

Dune-Buggy-Archives · Post by **Dune-Buggy-Archives** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:41 pm

Josh, Glad we found you. Or you found us. John from WV here, Tom's buddy you bought the buggy from . If I remeber looking at that front end it was adjustable. I have pics of it on a CD somewhere. I gave a few to Tom to send to you. The front and rear of this buggy are both lowered. One thing that you can do real easily on this buggy is change the shocks! The guy who built this buggy put very small coil over motorcycle shocks or something on all four corners. They are really strange looking.

It looks neat but I think the suspension is compressed to get them to mount. I think if you take them off she will pop up a little. You could easily put stock VW or a performance shock like a KYB set up on there. The shocks on it are really giving you no travel from what I could tell the time I drove it. If the shocks don't help, you might have to pull the torsions apart and raise it or get a new driveway.

Got any pics of the road trip from WV to FL?? I bet that was a wild ride! Keep us posted, John Glad to here the truck didn't lose it!

Gene-C · Post by **Gene-C** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:43 pm

[QUOTE="Reverb"]A 1959 pan has a link pin front end. From the looks of that buggy (very nice by the way), it looks like it has been lowered some.[/QUOTE] yes, definitely lowered but done Pre Me. The biggest problem that I see is the anti-sway bar underneath - if that was not there I'd have that extra 1" or so I'm looking for. What are the ramifications or removing the anti-sway bar? If it matters we don't have freeways - the highest speed we hit is around 45 for a very short time so most the driving is 20 to 45mph. That's probably a dumb question so forgive me in advance! Thanks for all the info - I've followed this site for a long time. You all have a great community here - thanks for helping out a newbie! Josh

Dune-Buggy-Archives · Post by **Dune-Buggy-Archives** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:45 pm

Hey guys look at Josh's beam. It looks to me like the top has been lowered by the old skool cut and shut method. What do you guys think? The bottom is even stranger. It looks like in the shock pic I posted that there is some sort of bolt sticking out where the leaves should be. Could they have put a straight bar through there instead of leaves? It also looks like the beam has no center screw in it on the bottom tube. Could someone have dropped the top tube with a "cut and shut", then taken all of the torsion out of the bottom by removing the stack and putting in a bar? What do you guys think. I am a magazine guy, not a mechanic. John

Gene-C · Post by **Gene-C** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:47 pm

[QUOTE="dunebuggyarchives"]Josh, Glad we found you. Or you found us. John from WV here, Tom's buddy you bought the buggy from . Hi John - wow small world. Thanks for the info. I remember Tom saying something about the shocks. So I guess that would be a starting point then -thanks. Yep took quite a few photos on the 1300 mile trip. Had only one issue and that was a volate regulator that gave up the ghost about 1200 miles down the road so basically it was problem free! COLD but problem free. I think you were the one with the side panels? Do you have any photos of them installed on a buggy? thanks!

Dune-Buggy-Archives · Post by **Dune-Buggy-Archives** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:47 pm

Another shot of the beam. John

Dune-Buggy-Archives · Post by **Dune-Buggy-Archives** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:10 pm

Josh, I have the side panels in my garage. We ordered the production color Viper Red, which was the same as the paint your buggy was painted with. Should be as close a match as possible.

The flat panels should fit under your lower than a manx, sides. You may need to trim the top edge if you have a wire loom or anything under there. They would cover the side of the buggy where it meets that re-inforced pan edge. Tom ordered them to put over that edge and make the side look smoother.

Your buggy is painted on the sides nopt gelcoat color. That is another reason why Tom wanted to put them on. He thought they would take any road debri, better than paint alone. I have them in a carton for UPS shipment. I am not sure what you and Tom would work out on shipping but, it can be done. John

Reverb · Post by **Reverb** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 8:29 pm

Are those Berrien side panels? I was thinking or ordering a pair, to have painted the same time as the body. I just worry that paint won`t hold up under there.

Gene-C · Post by **Gene-C** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:06 pm

I was searching through all the info and figured I'd start with new shocks and see where that gets me - however what do I need to know before I order them as far as figuring out which ones will fit? Is there a measurement I need? We don't have a local auto parts store so it's not something I can just walk in and ask the guy behind the counter - it'll have to come from the internet. Thanks, josh

tgodber · Post by **tgodber** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:54 am

Here is a picture of a buggy like yours with the side panels. I replaced my shocks with stock VW beetle ones. You may want to take the front beam apart to see what the previous owner has done, both for ride height and safety concerns. Many modifications that can be done to the front beam are not safe. I had my front beam cut and turned to lower it some.

tgodber · Post by **tgodber** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 4:39 am

The biggest problem that I see is the anti-sway bar underneath - if that was not there I'd have that extra 1" or so I'm looking for. What are the ramifications or removing the anti-sway bar? If it matters we don't have freeways - the highest speed we hit is around 45 for a very short time so most the driving is 20 to 45mph

You can safely remove the sway bar. It is not necessary on a light buggy at the speeds you are travelling at. That would be a start.

Manx Club

question for newbie

question for newbie

Tom's old CloddHopper....

type of shock