Texas Manx Dune Buggy Club
Members Rides
HIS & HERS
HERS?! That’s right! What does a wife do when the kids are grown? Golf? Heck, no!! Not this wife, anyways. Usually you do something that will give you more quality time with your other half. So if your hubby is a VW enthusiast…a VW it is! And, if he’s a really good man, he helps you build a dune buggy.
In September of 2002, I found an article about a newly unveiled dune buggy called a Manxter 2+2, designed by the Master, Bruce Meyers. It had 4 seats, a full chassis and a body with sleek lines and a raked look. It peaked my interest. I started thinking that it would be fun to have my own buggy to buzz around in and take to shows. I asked Tom if he would help me build a buggy if I secured the funds to do it. Surprise!! He said yes! Tom, you’re my hero!
Tom has a FIBERFAB Manx clone which has been on the road since 1998. When he bought it in a 1996 swap meet, it was the proverbial “basket case”. I shuddered, but Tom saw a great project with wonderful potential. Home came a smiling, happy man with this abused, filthy, orange fiberglass body and rusty chassis. The buggy began an odyssey that took it from a homely larva to a beautiful butterfly. Of course, that’s my analogy…he would pick something more manly. (grunt, grunt)
Off he went to have a roll cage designed and the chassis repaired. The magazines and catalogs began to pile up as the search began for the parts and a dream began to clarify. The buggy has evolved from a Plain Jane to a Marvelous Max over the years. Porsche Fuchs were added along with cross-drilled, 911 Porsche rotors and calipers. Then the engine evolved into a 2007 cc beauty with dual 44 mm Webber carbs, and MSD ignition. Recently, parts have been showing up to convert the 2007 to a 2275 cc with dual IDA Webers. The rest of the current stats are listed below.
In 2003, Tom’s buggy was having side pods molded in, the front fenders widened, the lights “frenched” into the body, and new, pearl paint added. Once the body work was complete, the “Fire” artwork was added by Richard Markham. The look was topped off with new Corbeau seats. It looks like a totally different vehicle!
In November 2002, I contacted Meyers Manx Inc. and a contract was signed for Manxter # 16, before production had even started. My parents thought I had lost my marbles when they found out I had purchased a dune buggy. However, my brothers have closely monitored the progress and have been supportive. The kit finally arrived @ the end of July 2003 and the work began. Seeing all the pieces that had to be assembled frightened me. That’s when I thought, “Ooooh, Kathleen! What did you get yourself into?”
Tom was undaunted and got to work. After ordering the kit, Tom began to show me different options to help me clarify what I wanted. I enjoyed this part. It was kind of like decorating the house. I chose colorful, suspension seats by Premier Racing Products (PRP). By the time the kit arrived, I already had a rolling ’74 Bug chassis with Boyd Coddington alloys. The’74 beetle engine was cleaned up, dressed up, and dual Kadron carbs were added. (Since then, I have replaced that engine with a 1914 cc engine). Next, we started to fit the roof support system and the body to the chassis. This is where I found out that everything gets put together multiple times before the final assembly. Oh will it ever be together? Not satisfied to sit on the sidelines while Tom worked, I worked on the car every step of the way. This doesn’t mean I can answer every question I’m asked as I trusted Tom to work out some of the details based on his experience. However, all you men out there, don’t be shy, because I can tell you about her and would be flattered if you asked me. Since there are no dunes in the area, we built street buggies. We enjoy taking our buggies to VW shows and cruise nights. As of this writing, I am the only Meyer’s Manxter completed in Connecticut.
Some of you may be aware that Tom and I went on the Hot Rod Power Tour this year. We drove from Connecticut to Milwaukee, WI to start the tour. The tour took 1 week and led us through many states and some nasty weather. We did the Tour without side curtains. On the day that we started to Birmingham, AL, tropical storm Arlene off the Florida Keys. We drove through 2 terrible storms on that day. Tom got his first taste of severe weather in the Manxter. He didn’t think he would need his rain pants. He said, “How bad can it be? We have a roof. We should be on the highway really soon…” Famous last words! The heavens opened with a fury! The wind was howling through his side of the car carrying the pouring rain with it! He spent the rest of the day in wet shorts. We believe we earned the respect of some of the hot rod and Mopar folks after that days drive. The following day we were headed to Florida and the storm! YIKES!! We took refuge under an ATM awning and a church portico for shelter from electrical storms. Those were just a little too scary to stay out in.! We completed the Power Tour in Kissimmee, FL and then made our way back to Connecticut.
Oh, and there is a moral to this story. If your wife asks you to build a VW, say yes, but make sure (if you are showing your car) that she is in a different class than you. Even though it’s your work and your wife learned from the best, it could be a blow to watch your wife walk away with the first place trophy from your class, like I have done a few times, now!
Kathleen Iacoboni, Manxter # 16
ENGINE - 1914 cc w/ CB Performance aluminum engine case, Scat 69 mm forged crank, 94 mm Mahle/Cima 94 mm forged pistons, CB Performance 5.5” rods, CB Performance 044 heads, 009 distributor with electronic ignition, Bosch Blue coil, Scat pulley, 1 ½ quart oil sump, Melling high volume oil pump w/remote filter, Scat chrome sheet metal, dual 40 mm Empi Kadron carbs from A.J Sims.
CHASSIS - 1974 VW Beetle, 8 point roll cage (part of kit), Bilstein shocks, CB Performance 4 wheel disc brakes, 2 1/2’ drop spindles, 7 x 16 and 9 ½ X 17 Boyd Coddington Blaster 5 wheels with Hankook Ventus Sport K 104 tires 205/55/16, 255/50/17.
TRANSAXLE – Stock 1974 VW.
INTERIOR - PRP bucket seats, Juliano’s 3 point seat belts, Scat shifter, Mountney mahogany steering wheel, mahogany instrument panel, VDO gauges.
BODY - Meyers Manx Manxter 2+2 w/optional side pods, Crystallina metal flake gel coat.
INTERIOR - Corbeau bucket seats, Simpson 5 point seat belts, Scat Drag Fast shifter, custom made dash with VDO gages.
BODY - Fiberfab, bodywork & paint by Cerious Performance, featuring The Art of Richard Markham, Billet Specialties tail lights, Hagan turn signals, custom made headlight mounts.