Buggy Restoration Project by David Helland

 

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This page will document the full restoration of an original Meyers Manx and will provide step-by-step assembly instructions needed to put your own buggy together.


The Texas Starting Point

The starting point for this project is an original Meyers Manx I that I bought in September 1998. The car was brought to my attention by an email message about a dune buggy for sale in Texas. After a few inquiries I found that the car had a genuine Meyers Manx body (see nameplate) that was in good shape (no cracks or holes) but in bad need of a paint job. The car had a transmission but no engine, and the wheels and tires were not much use. The frame (i.e., pan) was a total loss and needed complete replacement. I had a free weekend, so I hooked up a flat-bed trailer and drove to Texas and back (2500 miles) in three days to fetch the buggy. Here are the original pictures of the car in Texas:


The Project Goal

The finished car is to be a duplicate of my current Manx I ("New Yell'r") which has won several awards at Manx Club outings. Check out my specs at the Y.B.D.B. web page.


The Body and Frame

After sevaral months of neglect in my yard I finally got started on the buggy at the beginning of 1999. I removed the body from the old frame and trashed it after it disintegrated into several rusty pieces. I was not concerned as I just happened to have a shortened VW pan in my yard just waiting for a body. So here are some pictures of the parts to be restored as they sat in my California driveway...

Click on photos for larger view...

The Frame

Side View


The Steps to Complete Restoration

1. The Frame (click for details)

2. The Body (click for details)

3. The Gas Tank

4. The Brakes (click for details)

5. The Body Installation

6. The Hood Installation

7. The Seats

8. The Dash

9. The Transmission

9. The Engine (click for details)

10. The Wheels & Tires

10. The Roll Bar & Bumper (click for details)


Last updated Sun July 3 21:25:00 PST 1999 .

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