You Can Construct This Enjoyable Automotive for $635!

From the April 1967 challenge of Automotive and Driver.

The Meyers Manx is all issues to all males. Our first glimpse of 1 was from immediately astern, and it regarded like some sort of loopy scout automobile, a mixed-up command automobile. Its maker senses in it one thing of the basic character of Mercer Race­abouts and Apperson Jackrabbits. No two of its 250-odd house owners see it precisely the identical method.

The out of doors sorts say it is excellent for pack journeys and searching expedi­tions. Sizzling-rodders hail it because the re­incarnation of the road roadster. Kooky women assume it is kinky, or is it vice versa? Pissed off executives cannot determine if it is higher suited as a station automobile or as an escape module. Surfers swear it is the woody of the longer term. Sober, pragmatic males rationalize their ardour for it by inform­ing themselves that it is a smart, low-cost, all-purpose utility run­about. Motorcyclists permit as the way it’s virtually pretty much as good as having two bikes. Sports activities-car fanatics say it delivers extra pleasure per pound than a Ferrari GTO. Pontiac GTO house owners attempt to look the opposite method . . . unsuccessfully. And dune buggy rac­ers say it is the tip. The one factor all of them agree on is that it is extra soul-freeing, leaping, bounding, uninhibited enjoyable than the rest they’ve ever pushed—on or off the street. We’ll purchase that.

The Meyers Manx is the proper reply for the person who’d quite roll his personal. It is a package automobile. It prices $635, plus no matter it’s important to spend for the Volkswagen elements needed to finish it, plus labor—until you do it your self. It is not troublesome to assemble; any man with common mechanical capacity might do the job over a few weekends. And for energy: Volkswagen, Cor­vair, Porsche—you title it.

That is one of many nice issues in regards to the Meyers Manx—its solely limitation is your personal creativeness. You should purchase the essential package (there’s an much more primary, stripped package for $498), pay $100 for a wrecked VW, throw it collectively and overlook it, or you may construct it up with all new elements and tender loving care. It is your alternative—all the best way as much as a 200-hp engine, metalflake paint job, luxurious inside, onerous prime, facet curtains, magazine wheels, four-wheel disc brakes, totally adjustable suspension, and racing tires.

The Meyers Manx is the automobile for the person who’s fed up with sellers, wheelers, factory-installed choices he would not need, trade-ins, reductions, excessive stress, onerous promote—the entire bag. About half the purchasers of B. F. Meyers and Firm are drained businessmen who purchase a Manx to place collectively of their spare time, a proj­ect they assume will take their thoughts off their work. They are saying they will give it to the youngsters as a gift once they’re completed, however like electrical trains at Christmastime, they cannot let go. The youngsters do not see a lot of the Manx that Daddy constructed, nor of Daddy, for that matter—he is off blowing his thoughts on some winding nation street.

That is one other wonderful thing about the Meyers Manx. It is an actual automobile. You’ll be able to license it, and insure it, and drive it wherever, anytime. With the highest and facet curtains in place, it is as comfortable and watertight as any little imported roadster. You’ll be able to hook up the heater and make all of it heat and toasty in sub-zero climate. With snow tires, it will undergo blizzards that will cease a snowmobile in its tracks. With tremendous­-balloons, it will mud dunes with the very best four-wheel-drive Jeeps and Bron­cos. And with racing tires, it will out­deal with and outbrake any sports activities automobile we have ever examined.

Though the Manx was initially designed as a dune buggy, it is equal­ly at dwelling on pavement. One of many maker’s favourite methods to demon­strate the mountain-goat agility of the Manx is to drive it onto a type of 45-degree cobblestone slopes below a freeway bridge. The demonstrator steers the Manx straight up below the girders, racks the wheel over, and leaves it racing round in a small circle up there on the steep incline prefer it was gyro-stabilized, whereas the passenger hangs on for pricey, candy life. This act is normally adopted by a leap off a precipice onto and throughout a discipline of basketball-­sized rocks, overland to the seaside, a fast tour at terrifying angles over the sand dunes, then right down to the water’s edge to hurry alongside, enjoying tag with the waves, and at last—­mercifully—dwelling once more.

We managed to take care of our equi­librium throughout this part of the check, however actually bought unhinged after we slipped behind the wheel for the panic cease from 80 mph. It squeaked to a halt in an unbeliev­ready 204 toes, or 1.05 g—the sort of efficiency you solely anticipate finding in a Chaparral. Inconceivable! At the least with inventory Volkswagen brakes, we thought, and tried once more. Hmmm, 210 toes (1.02 g). Every part was checked. Once more: 207 toes (1.03 g).

The Manx’s dealing with is troublesome to explain, however in a phrase, it is fast. It is like carrying a pair of pants—you flip, it turns. It darts quite than steers, and it sticks like mad. Understeer it is bought, however after sending all our devices off scale at properly over 1.00 g, we gave up making an attempt to make it break traction and slide.

One Corvair-powered Manx is the scourge of the gymkhana circuits, having gained the Southern California autocross championship two years operating—together with taking 22 occasions in a row—towards all comers: Co­bras, Lotus Tremendous Sevens, and all. One other Manx gained some sort of nutball race over rock trails within the Colorado foothills. A inventory Manx might most likely win the Massive Bear motorbike enduro outright, if it was eligible. In reality, one four-wheel-drive membership outlawed the Manx from its dune races as a result of the Manx has solely two-wheel drive, which the out­raged membership members stated gave it an unfair benefit. Bitter dune grapes.

However the Manx’s biggest victory­—the legend that shall be handed from technology to technology—was finally yr’s Pikes Peak hillclimb. Ted Trevor, proprietor of the Crown Manu­facturing Firm, maker of kits to adapt Corvair engines to Manxes, Volkswagens, and Porsches, towed his racing Manx from California to Colorado along with his road Manx. Don Wilcox, who had by no means seen the hill earlier than, certified Trevor’s Corvair­-powered Manx over the brief course in 6:03.4. Operating within the under-305-cubic-inch sports-car class, the Manx was sooner than all of the sports activities automobiles, in­cluding Ak Miller’s undefeated 427 Cobra Equipment Particular, and sooner than all however seven of the extremely particular­ized Championship hillclimb automobiles. In the course of the race itself, Wilcox was handily forward of Miller’s time, and virtually within reach of the end, when a line fell off the gasoline pump. Wilcox hopped out, ran to a cellphone, and referred to as Trevor down initially line, urging him to race the road automobile—only for kicks. Trevor jumped into the heavier, less-powerful road Manx and gained the category by a 22-second margin. Shaken, USAC abol­ished the sports-car class for 1967.

Bruce F. Meyers, 40, sole propri­etor of Bruce F. Meyers and Com­pany, is the originator, designer, and builder of the Meyers Manx. Meyers is presumably probably the most gifted fiberglass artist ever to work in that troublesome medium. He had constructed a 42-foot fiberglass catamaran, the “Hinano,” along with his naked fingers, and was in search of new designs to beat. He had bought his outdated, beat-up Volkswagen to purchase an outdated, beat-up Porsche from a man in Texas, who had uncared for to inform him that the automobile had been rolled and its chassis was considerably out of alignment. Okay, stated Bruce F. Meyers, I will construct my very own rattling automobile.

Thus, the Meyers Manx was born, and suitably adorned with a high-quality es­cutcheon: a rampant Manx cat hoisting aloft a uninteresting, chipped sword. The primary Manx was a full fiberglass bathtub carrying Volkswagen run­ning gear, and it was as robust as a redwood stump. Modern dune buggies, largely constructed from sheet metal and having no compound curves, had been ugly as sin. Bruce F. Meyers, being an artist with fiber­glass, designed the best-looking dune buggy ever. He and his fairly, zany spouse Shirley (who was on the time an promoting assistant at R— & T—-, which is why we have not instructed this story sooner), drove proudly round Newport Seaside, displaying off the Manx to all their buddies. All their buddies wished a duplicate, and talked him into constructing extra. So Bruce F. Meyers arrange store in an outdated storage, and commenced promoting Manx kits at $985 every.

Bruce F. Meyers could also be an important artist, however he’s no nice enterprise­man, so it was a while earlier than he found that he was dropping cash on every automobile he bought. At this level, he bought some very large affords from professional­spective producers, largely com­petitors who had been promoting infe­rior buggies till the Manx stole their gross sales. Bruce F. Meyers could also be no nice businessman, however he’s a perfectionist. He wished to construct Manxes himself in order that he might make sure that they had been being constructed proper. It was a while earlier than he discov­ered simply the suitable answer. The Mark II Manx is just not a full fiberglass bathtub, though it nonetheless seems to be like one; it is a fiberglass physique that bolts onto a Volkswagen bellypan. This resulted in a shorter, stiffer, higher using, higher dealing with, lighter, stronger, cheaper Manx, and Meyers the perfectionist was happy.

Nearly. He want to market the Manx as a accomplished automobile (in addition to a package), constructed to the shopper’s actual specs, however he cannot be­trigger Volkswagen will not promote him Beetles with out our bodies. Assembling all of the items from the VW elements bin would run the labor prices up too excessive, and Bruce F. Meyers is not the sort of man who would promote you a automobile constructed from elements scrounged from wrecks (not until he checked ev­erything, proper right down to the final nut and bolt). Perhaps an important enterprise­man would promote you a automobile like that, however not Bruce F. Meyers.

So the Meyers Manx is simply avail­ready as a package automobile, and destined to re­essential so till Volkswagen relents­—if it ever does. (Volkswagen would not promote sub-assemblies to anyone ex­cept a small firm making VW-­based mostly mail vans for the German authorities.) In the meantime, it is prob­ably simply as properly; the individuals who have put Manx kits collectively have beloved each minute of it. It is a sort of occupational remedy; there’s nothing just like the satisfaction you may absorb one thing you constructed your self.

The $498 Manx package consists of a fantastically completed, laminated fiber­glass physique shell and entrance deck lid, and a vacuum-formed Cycolac sprint­board. The $635 package contains the above, plus windshield and body, headlight housings, cowl body, rear deck cowl, aluminum trim, rubber weatherstripping, fender welts, and all the required {hardware}. The one work on the physique consists of sanding the fender edges and drilling a number of holes. The colour is impregnated into the fiberglass; you may choose from Tangerine Purple, Royal Blue, Yuma Yellow, Marine Inexperienced, or Off White as commonplace colours.

Making ready the VW chassis to re­ceive the Manx physique is a bit more concerned, as a result of it have to be brief­ened 14¼ inches. This may be finished with a torch, chisel or perhaps a hack­noticed, however likelihood is you will need to have it finished by the identical people who must weld it again collectively for you, after all of the cables and such contained in the spine tunnel are brief­ened the corresponding quantity.

From there on in, it is a snap, be­trigger all of the VW stuff bolts proper in, both to its unique mounts or to mounts offered within the Manx. Even the inventory VW wiring harness is used. So far, Meyers has bought 245 of those kits, plus 12 of the outdated automobiles, making B. F. Meyers and Firm Amer­ica’s seventh-largest auto maker (after Common Motors, Ford, Chrys­ler, American, Shelby, and Checker), and Manxes are being cranked out on the price of three a day to fulfill closely backlogged orders.

The Manx we examined had been put collectively by Meyers himself and is one thing of a rolling showcase. There are fancier Manxes round, and loads of sooner ones. A well-­identified “millionaire-sportsman” is having one constructed with a 210-horse­energy Porsche Carrera 6 engine and a five-speed gearbox. The fitness center­khana championship automobile is pow­ered by a hopped-up, turbocharged Corvair engine and might flip over 100 mph within the quarter-mile. Bruce’s private Manx is a little bit chubby, being one of many early prototypes, and it is powered by a drained outdated push­rod Porsche engine Bruce picked up someplace for $650. Its operating gear and transmission are inventory VW, excluding the wheels and tires (a Porsche gearbox might be used, however is not on this automobile).

As a result of Manx’s distinctive styling, virtually any mixture of wheel and tire could also be used. Bruce’s Manx has outlandishly giant Goodyear Components One tires snitched from the Honda staff, and the wide-rim wheels bought as an possibility for the automobile. The paint job, a blinding metallic­flake gold, can be an possibility, as are the fiberglass hardtop, the facet cur­tains, and the roll bar. Usually, VW seats and devices are re­tained, however Bruce’s automobile has Triumph Spitfire seats and Porsche instru­ments. There are additionally a number of off­-the-road choices, like twin rear handbrakes for guiding the facility to the wheel that has traction within the sand, air-lift shocks on the again for fast modifications in camber and floor clearance, and a tool for fast adjustment of the entrance torsion bar angle. Bruce’s Manx additionally sports activities a wooden shift knob and a wood-rim steering wheel.

This Manx, specifically, was dif­ficult to get into or out of as a result of the windshield has been minimize down three inches for a extra rakish ap­pearance, and the steering column lowered an inch on the cowl for a sportier driving place. The Tri­umph seats are tilted barely aft, making them one hundred pc extra consolation­ready than as positioned within the Spit­hearth, however their angle additionally difficult entry and exit. It is nonetheless simpler than, say, clambering into an Excalibur SS or a Lotus Seven. Anyway, not having any doorways makes for an ex­tremely rattle-free construction, which in any other case won’t be the case.

The inside is surprisingly roomy, with greater than ample room for 2 individuals and, on the carpeted shelf behind them, their baggage. There’s a recess within the shelf for the spare tire, however not one of the skilled Manx house owners carries one. There may be so little weight on the entrance finish that the automobile will be pushed to a service station with out damaging a flat entrance tire. If a rear tire blows, it is merely swapped for one of many fronts. Because the VW floorpan is shortened behind the entrance seats, legroom is at the least equal to the VW’s. With the Spitfire seats, it’s measurably higher.

The Manx’s aerodynamics are poor, and high-gear acceleration above 70 mph is gradual with the 88-hp Porsche engine. Many Manx house owners use the 1500-cc engine from VW transporters and ’67 Beetles and might outdig the Porsche-engined automobile as much as 50 mph. The most effective compromise appears to be a VW engine with Corvair barrels and pistons, a 1700-cc setup that offers very excessive torque within the low pace ranges, and sufficient on the prime finish to cruise simply at 80 mph. Even a Manx with an outdated 25-hp Beetle en­gine strikes out fairly neatly be­trigger the automobile weighs a 3rd lower than the Volkswagen sedan.

Bruce’s automobile had a surprisingly gentle and supple trip, contemplating the stiffness of the Goodyear racing tires. Nearly any mixture of trip and dealing with is feasible. Along with the just about limitless com­binations of wheels and tires, there may be quite a lot of different-rate torsion bars from the VW elements catalog, dif­ferent anti-sway bars (or the For­mula V trick of uncoupling the up­per torsion bar peg in order that it acts like an anti-sway bar), and a variety of shock absorbers and han­dling tools from outdoors sup­pliers, like Ted Trevor—he of the Pikes Peak assault—and his Crown Manufacturing Firm (651 W. 17 St., Costa Mesa, Calif.). Trevor, working in shut conjunction with Meyers, developed the twin rear handbrake and plenty of particular sus­pension items, in addition to the Cor­vair conversion kits.

One merchandise sorely missed on Bruce’s automobile was the rear bumper. It is a pretty sturdy one, obtainable as an possibility and strongly advisable, however was off the check automobile for chroming. The Manx’s solely sensible disadvantage is the truth that it is so open. The engine hanging below the tail could be a temptation in the event you left it parked in a nasty neighborhood, however few automobiles have locking engine compartments any­method. You possibly can mount a lock on the entrance decklid to maintain your valuables secure, however in any other case you will should take them with you.

In order that’s Bruce F. Meyers and his Manx. You possibly can duplicate the one proven right here for lower than $2500. You possibly can construct a significantly much less in­teresting one for as little as $800, or an all-out mannequin for as a lot as $4000. Irrespective of the way you slice the cheese, if ever there was a greater mousetrap, this has bought to be it. A bit of scout automobile with the efficiency of a sports activities automobile. A dune duster that is as sensible as any road roadster ever constructed. An off-the-road automobile that handles on pavement like a racing automobile. A pushrod Porsche­-powered bug with the acceleration of a 911. A VW-based package with high quality and workmanship to match the Beetle itself. A do-it-yourself proj­ect which you can get serviced any­the place. Transportation that is each sensible and enjoyable. If Rommel had had this stuff within the North Afri­can marketing campaign, it might need been Monty who was pinned to the desert flooring at El Alamein.

Do your self a favor. This spring, construct a Meyers and put a little bit Manx in your life.