MANXTER #23
Buggy #23 is being built for a customer in Delaware. The #23 kit arrived at ECR the usual way, via the guys at Stewart Transport in their specially designed rig. The basic kit was looking good as it was removed from the truck and moved inside the ECR facility to begin its assembly. The metal flake Orange is a real eye opener. This buggy will be noticed everywhere it goes!
Once inside the ECR facility we inspect and catalog the entire kit. If anything needs attention or if parts have been left out of your kit, we take care of all that at this early stage so that it can be handled quickly and easily. You'll notice in the image above that #23 is getting side pods in the same Orange flake. This will be one great looking buggy.
A great looking buggy deserve a great engine. This buggy will be getting a Type IV 2300 cc engine from Air Cooled Technologies. Why a Type IV? The customer for this buggy plans to use it for more than just a sunny day vehicle. He wants to drive it a lot, and he wanted some good power. So instead of taking a Type I engine to the max and making an engine that would be pretty high strung and not last that long, we went with the Type IV so that it will have the power it needs, but will also last long term and remain reliable. We tricked out the engine with a stainless free flow exhaust and a Mallory Uni-Lite distributor so that it can be as trouble free as possible. Even with reliability is mind you can see from the dyno results above that the Type IV from Jake at A.C.T. will do everything we need it to do. Yup, you read it right, that is nearly 160 horsepower and over 166 foot pounds of torque! In the 1960s Manx buggies started to win all kinds of races, they simply did amazing things. A lot of the race sanctioning bodies banned Manx buggies for winning too many races. The Manxter follows in the same foot steps, it not only looks cool, but this buggy will have nearly the same power to weight ratio as a 2003 Porsche GT3!! Fun in the sun looks, and muscle to baffle the senses. What could be better?
Here you can see the Type IV engine on the dyno at ACT getting its final run in and tune set. The engine uses the ACT shroud set up for a clean install and a well performing engine that will not be over-cooled by a Porsche style fan. Let alone the cost of the Porsche system. Check out the ultra trick stainless steel exhaust system, hand made in Germany.
In the image above you can see we have removed the ACT shroud and have primed and painted it in matching orange metal-flake in our 1,000,000 BTU spray/bake booth, for a truly custom look to the buggy's engine bay. Once this last metal-flake coat is done we will apply the multiple clear coats to make the shroud look exactly like the buggy body. This will really give a custom look to the rear of the Manxter.
Here you can see the ACT Type IV engine nearly completed and almost ready to bolt in. The custom air shroud painted to match the buggy body will add a great custom look to the finished buggy.
To cover that Type IV powerplant (or a Type I for that matter) we have made a new rear engine cover for the buggy. The stock one (on the left) is too shallow for a Type IV, so we made a new cover (the one on the right) that is deeper and will be trimmed to fit so that the buggy looks great, without any spacers or trimming. As you can see in the image above the ECR built engine cover is exactly the same color and size flake and is a perfect match for the body.
Now that the fiberglass work to fit the engine correctly is complete, we have started getting the pan ready. As you can see we have completely stripped the pan of all its suspension parts and pieces. The fabrication guys at ECR will now fix any damage that the pan has and make it good as new.
Items like heat temperature controls and seat bases need to cut off the pan and ground smooth to make it ready for the simple buggy body. We also weld up weak areas and install mounts for skid plates at this time, so that all the welding is done at this stage. Once the pan is perfect and fully modified as needed, we will media blast it to white metal and send it to the paint department for PPG epoxy primers and paint.
Here you can see that the restored pan has been media blasted back to white metal, then epoxy primed and painted with numerous coats of each in our 1,000,000 BTU spray/bake booth.
This image shows the pan with its coating of Rhino Lining applied to help keep it rust free for a long time. The coating will also help keep road noise down in the buggy. Now it is time to move the pan back to the assembly side of ECR and start the build up of the suspension.
The newly restored and rust proofed pan is now ready for assembly of all its new parts. Everything from disc brakes to stainless steel lines and a CNC hydraulic clutch will make this on top of the line buggy, and it all needs to start out on a top notch pan/chassis just like this one.
In the paint shop we have stripped the front beam back to bare metal and we will now apply numerous coats of PPG primer and black PPG Concept 9300 to keep the adjustable beam from rust, and to make it look great. Once the beam is painted we will install the new Sway away leaf springs and set it up on the chassis.
In this image you can see that the buggies rolling chassis is starting to take shape. The T1 transaxle has been installed along with the brakes and front and rear suspension.
Up front we have installed a raised adjustable front beam with Sway Away medium duty leaf springs. We also have set the front end up with all new ball joints, wheel bearings, tie rod ends, etc. Everything is either new or completely rebuilt from the ground up. New KYB shocks will handle the front end as this buggy is mostly street, but with some vacation off road work on the weekends. To stop the buggy we have installed a set of CB Performance disc brakes and we have set up all the hard pipes and flex lines in stainless steel for longevity.
In the rear we have continued to update the brakes with a set of CB Performance rear discs giving the buggy 4 wheel discs. We have installed all new seals and bearings in the rear as well, along with Empi T2 stub axles so that the buggy will be running T2 CV joints with HD axle shafts. We installed urethane bushings in the torsion bars as well as in the IRS pivot locations for better handling and longer life. In this image you can see just how good the ECR restored pans look. The PPG Black paint and the bed liner on both sides make this pan not only look great, but give it the ability to keep rust away for decades to come. Next we will install the shifting system and get the custom hydraulic clutch system installed.
For the clutch system in this buggy we have done away with the clutch cable and installed our hydraulic clutch system that utilizes a CNC clutch slave cylinder on a slave saver bracket. In the image above you can see the clutch master has been installed and the stock Bug pedal assembly adapted to run the hydraulics. The Girling master cylinder and the stainless lines and flex hose will make clutch operation smooth and trouble free.
To shift the buggy through the gears with ease and quick shifts we have installed a Gene Berg locking shifter mated to all new shift rod bushings and couplers. This set up makes for smooth shifts and allows for extra security of the buggy as it can be locked in gear when you leave the vehicle to keep the joy riders out of your Manxter. The Berg shifter also does away with the need to push and pull to locate reverse gear. You simply push the button on the shifter at your thumb and put it in reverse, no pushing down to find the gear.
Now at the rolling chassis stage, on some old rims and tires, the built up pan is nearly ready for the metal flake Manxter body. We'll be installing that next.
In this image you can see we have test fit the body and are ready to mate it to the pan. At this stage the roll cage and side bars are test fit and changes are made if required prior to epoxy priming and painting.
Here you can see that we have done the final install on the T4 engine and all of the running gear. The metal flake engine shroud stands out nicely and really completes the overall look of the orange metal flake buggy.
This image shows the epoxy primer coats being applied to the top support cage. Once the coats of primer dry in the bake booth we will apply 3 coats of 9300 Black top coat to make the cage and side bars look great and stay protected from rust.
Here you can see that the cage has been completed with the needed modification for the radio mount and has been installed into the buggy. The side bars and front bumper brackets are all in place as well. Now it is time to hook up the steering systems and start to assemble the dashboard area.
Now that the cage is installed we can start to do some of the smaller items, like installing the lights, test fitting the roll cage covers and running the wires for the sound system. Now it really starts to look like a buggy and in only a few weeks it will be on the road for a summer, and lifetime, full of fun.
Here you can see that we have installed the lower dash tub, the dash panel and the full compliment of VDO Vision gauges. We have also installed the roll cage padding and covers, steering column and the windshield frame.
These gauges include fuel, oil pressure, oil temp, tachometer, speedo, and cylinder head temperature.
In the rear of the buggy we have now installed the T4 performance exhaust system.
This system not only looks great and offers great performance, but it is made from stainless steel so runs on the beach will not eat up your exhaust system in a few seasons.
In the front of the buggy we have installed the fuel tank, VDO fuel sender and electric fuel pump. All the plumbing for the fuel system is done with full stainless steel lines were possible to ensure long life and a fuel system that the customer will not have to mess with for years to come. You can also see we have installed the brake fluid reservoir and have bled both the brakes and the hydraulic clutch systems, tested each fitting for any leaks and adjusted everything as required.
Here you can see more front end work going on. The front bumper and turn signals are installed as are the hood bumpers and front hinge. Once the wheels and tires arrive this Manxter will start to look complete. There are still a lot of small items to finish up, but this Manxter will be ready for fun in the sun shortly.
In case your "fun in the sun" turns into "stuck in the sand" we have fabricated two recovery points for the front of the buggy. These are heavy duty units that are bolted on with the front beam and front bumper mount so that in case you do get bogged down in the sand, your friends will have a safe and secure place to hook on a cable or rope to give you a tug out without risk of bending anything in your suspension or front bumper.
Behind the dash of the buggy we have started to install the wiring harness. The micro fuse, twin relay harness will support all the items that a top line buggy like this has (electric fuel pump, full gauges, radio, oil cooler fan, 12v power point, etc.). A standard buggy harness won't cut the mustard. In the image above you can see the dash area nearly complete. The fuse box is easy to get to and the entire harness is protected by a maxi-fuse in case something bad happens, it won't burn out your wiring harness.
This image shows the rear bumper system starting to come together. The T4 engine makes the standard kit pieces for the rear bumper not fit correctly, so we have fabricated our own set up that will keep the same look, but be wide enough to handle the T4 engine and exhaust system, as you can see the rear bumper side bars are spread wider to clear the exhaust.
A new lower cross brace needed to be fabricated as well to hold the lower arms of the bumper side bars. It needed to be wider and reach back a little further. This piece will now go to our paint department for epoxy prime and paint in 9300 Black along with the modified top brackets.
Here you can see the rear end of the buggy coming together. The rear bumper is nearly complete and the wiring has been run to the rear of the buggy ready for install onto the engine systems.
The tires and wheels have arrived and have been installed with a heavy duty stud kit for ease of uses. Also the roll cage padding and covers have been installed to make the buggy look almost road ready.
Here you can see the under hood area of the buggy. Everything in this area is now complete except for the wiper system install. A new fuel tank with a simple fuel fill has been installed as well as all the wiring and other systems.
This image shows the dash area nearly complete. The speakers have been installed in the body, the dash system is fully installed, steering wheel, gauges, idiot lights, etc. all in place and ready for summer fun.
The locking glove box is a nice feature on the Manxter 2 plus 2, and here you can see we have completed the install to almost finish up the dash area.
Here you can see the Beard Street L seat in black EBS on our lowered seat tracks. The fit is very comfortable and the seat has a lot of travel for all sizes of drivers.
At this stage it is time to fit the side pods to the buggy. A little trimming here and there is required, but the pods make the buggy look great.
Here you can see the ECR engine cover installed on the Manxter. It operates the same way as the stock unit but will fully close even over this much larger Type Iv engine and alternator. The stock gas struts and hardware is used to make the engine cover tilt up for engine access.
The images above the ECR engine cover closed on the Manxter. You can see that the cover closes completely over the alternator with room to spare. The license plate light and license plate can be installed as intended on the engine cover without any cutting or need for spacers. Keep in mind this buggy has the T4 engine that is longer than a stock T1 engine. We think this gives a nice finished look to the buggy without any spacers or small cut out for pulleys.
Here you can see we have installed the white hardtop on the buggy. At this stage we have started to road test the buggy and we only have a few things to finish up, like the rear bumper and the rear seat. The hardtop makes a nice sun shield for those long road trips and it might even keep a few drops of rain off you if you get caught in a shower. The hardtop can be easily removed and is a nice touch on the Manxter.
This image shows the completed front section. The only parts still to come up here are wiper arms and blades. The Super Beetle wiper system has been installed and wired up and all the wiring finalized and wrapped.
The rear of the buggy is now nearly complete as well. We have installed a remote spin on oil filter system and an oil cooler with an electrically controlled thermostatic fan. This will keep the engine oil cool even on the hottest of days and make for a long term reliable buggy.
Inside the buggy we have finished up the CD player install and mounted the Alpine head unit into the ECR radio mount. This keeps the radio in plain view, easy to reach and makes for a clean custom install of your favorite tunes.
Instead of drilling a large hole in the body of the buggy for the AM/FM antenna we used a hidden antenna from Custom Auto Sound. This unit neatly sticks on the back of the windshield and is hidden out of the way, but still gives radio reception without the need to an unsightly antenna on the body.
Here you can see the interior of the buggy complete and ready to roll. The new turn signal and wiper switches have been installed along with a new key and ignition switch. The rear view mirrors have been installed and the top is on.
Short of the rear bumper, side pods, the rear seat and some details here are some images of the Manxter, nearly complete. and ready for testing.
Here you can see that we have installed our new rear bumper system. It retains the look of the stock piece, and is made of brushed stainless steel, but it is wider to allow for the T4 engine and exhaust system.
Underneath the engine we have installed an alloy skid plate to protect the engine's oil system, the exhaust and to add side to side strength to the rear bumper system. This simple skid plate will make sure that no stray rock takes out all the work that ACT put into that Type IV 2300cc engine.
Inside the buggy we have now installed the rear bench seat and the seat belts for the kids in the back.
Between the front seats we made a custom black leather cover to hide the workings of the hand brake. This soft trim piece is held in place by a simple, but nice looking brushed aluminum trim ring. It sure looks better than the factory rubber piece, or just leaving the e-brake cables exposed.
Here you can see the completed buggy, Manxter #23, road tested, cleaned up and ready for delivery to the customer in Delaware for a lifetime of fun and memories. If you have buggy needs, from a simple repair, to your own custom build Manxter 2 plus 2, contact ECR, we'll be glad to help.
This buggy was recently delivered to the client and he had this to say, "The buggy really looks great and the workmanship appears outstanding let your guys know I appreciate their work. Don't hesitate to use me as a referral."
Mike Long, Delaware
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ECR
21 Tolman Road
Warren, ME 04864
ph: 207-594-8086
fax 207-594-8120
email: ecrover@midcoast.com