MANX BUGGIES
The long and
short of it
Whether youre a traditionalist or a modernist,
the Meyers Manx offers something for everyone
Words Mike Pye Photos Lyndon McNeil
What with this year (2014) being
W
the 50th anniversary of the Meyers
Manx, we though it apt to look
at how far Bruce Meyers humble
Beach Buggy has come in half a
century, and who better to go to find
out than Mark Dryden at Flatlands
Engineering in Norfolk. Mark has been building show-
winning Buggies in this country now for many years,
and has honed his art to the point where, with just one
assistant, he can assemble a turnkey, short-wheelbase
Buggy in a week. Thats not your average 40-hour
week, admittedly, and Marks the first to admit its
only possible because of the investment he has made
in stock and a chain of trusted suppliers and services
he can rely on, but it does sum up the whole ethos
behind what started out as a cheap, quick to build, fun
car movement. While Bruce Meyers wasnt the first to
build a stripped-down car for blasting around the sand
dunes, he was the first to marry the inherent benefits of
the lightweight, self-contained, air-cooled Volkswagen
chassis with a pretty-looking, glass fibre body. In actual
fact, he didnt use the Beetle floorpan at all on his first
run of Manx Buggies, just the main chassis components
bolted to a monocoque tub, but he quickly developed
that into the traditional Buggy layout of a separate body
bolted to a shorted floorpan. In doing so, he started
what rapidly became the biggest single fad the VW
scene has ever seen.
And while there has been a resurgence in interest
in traditional, 1960s and 70s-style Beach Buggies
in recent years, there has also been a shift change in
motoring laws and safety legislation across the globe,
which is what led Meyers to, as he put it, address
the limitations of the original Meyers Manx.
Those were primarily a lack of space, a lack of
safety provision and the inaccessibility of some
mechanical items.
FEBRUARY 2014 0 3 7
 MANX BUGGIES MANX BUGGIES

1600cc twin-port
motor has been
rebuilt by Alex Bruce
to stock specs and
sensibly detailed.
It uses a Split Bus oil
bath air cleaner and
deep sump as it will
see plenty of heat
and sand in Tenerife.
Both cars have
chromed Manx
Sidewinder exhausts

His answer was the Manxster 2+2, a completely

updated, long-wheelbase Buggy with room for, as the
name suggests, 2+2 people, an integrated, six-point
rollcage structure with side impact bars and provision
for seat belts, and an opening engine lid and bonnet. Stock four-
bolt steels arent
Mark liked his choice of colour so
much that he ordered a Manx-style
TECH INFO
Alternative thinking something youll see
body from one of his suppliers in the Body: Authentic
With the introduction in the UK of first SVA (Single on a Buggy too often.
same colour, and when his customer SWB Manx-style Stock balljoint axle has been rebuilt with
Vehicle Approval), and its replacement, BIVA (Basic These are off-the- approached him about building a body, RAL blue all new parts for longevity, and adjusters to
Individual Vehicle Approval), Mark feared the writing shelf 5.5s on the front
basic, no-frills, reliable Buggy he gel coat fine tune the tyre-to-wheelarch gap. Polished
might potentially be on the wall for the traditional and widened sevens could hire out on Tenerife, that body Engine: rebuilt stainless front nudge bar was a later addition
style of Buggy with a cut n welded floorpan. I started on the rear fell into the mix. 1600cc twin requested by the cars owner
looking around at an alternative Buggy we could offer Mark: He asked me how much it port; oil bath air
one that used an unmodified floorpan and wouldnt would cost to build a real basic Buggy, and I said I didnt cleaner; dynamo, Budget didnt
have to go through BIVA. The Manxster 2+2 was, in know exactly, but that wed build it and see. He left the Manx Sidewinder stretch even to chrome
my opinion, the only good looking long wheelbase one spec of it pretty much up to us and, fortunately, it came exhaust tail light housings,
round. Because the basic kit is more comprehensive, in at a price he was happy with, so he said hed have it. GEARBOX: but silver paint gives
they are more expensive to build, and were finding Although Mark was reluctant to reveal exact build costs stock 1300, new a similar effect. Note
they attract a different kind as he stressed it is entirely down bearings, re- these units have to
of customer generally older to the customers choice of shimmed, media be modified to fit the
body as neatly as this

It would be
people, not necessarily in components, when pushed he blasted
the VW scene as such, who did say he thought it would be Suspension:
prioritise practicality and safety possible for someone to build a Stock balljoint
over looks.
So, with one of each kind of possible to similar SWB Buggy for around
the six grand mark, if they were
front beam with
adjuster; stock
Interior couldnt
be more simple if it
Buggy in matching RAL blue gel
coat finishes in the Flatlands build a similar prepared to put in the legwork
and clean up old parts and
4-bolt drum
brakes
tried late model
steering column,

SWB Buggy for

Engineering workshop at the make them work. You have to WHEELS and single stock gauge in
same time, we were keen to remember though, weve got TYRES: 5.5 and the dash, stock shifter
7 x 15 4-bolt and a Grant 12-inch

around the six

find out just how different the chassis already shortened and
owners are. Mark: Theyre painted in stock, refurbished steels, 195/60 and steering wheel.
both overseas buyers, the short- and powder coated original 235/70 x 15 tyres Oh, and no wipers
wheelbase Manx was built for
an old customer of ours and
has now been shipped out to
grand mark components on the shelves, our
line of stainless products we
have developed over the years
INTERIOR:
Not much, but
padded Buggy
Tenerife, while the Manxster is and I have a list with Ben at VW buckets for a little
for a car dealer in Switzerland. He actually chose the Heritage, so I can call him up and ask him to send me a extra comfort
colour and had a lot of input into the overall look of his Buggy package thats all the new bearings, seals, track
car, even going as far as ordering the seats in the States rod ends, steering box, master cylinder etc. I need to
and having them shipped direct to me. To be honest, put one together. And we always do that as I wont cut
they were the one part of the build I was a bit concerned any corners on the mechanical side of things. If you
about as I thought they were a bit bulky. Plus, weve have to pay for parts to be blasted and painted, or pay
learned from building Manxsters that you really need to someone to shorten a chassis for you, you could easily
use fold-forward seats in the front or it makes access to end up spending more. Lets not forget, its also harder
the rear seats a bit difficult, to say the least. and harder to find cheap donor Beetles these days.
0 3 8 FEBRUARY 2014 FEBRUARY 2014 0 3 9
 MANX BUGGIES MANX BUGGIES

1776cc motor
has a few extras
like the Pertronix
Flamethrower dizzy,
but this is Flatlands
basic level of fit and
finish. Neat, huh?

5-spoke pervs
might be surprised
to hear these are
Torque Thrust Ds, not
Despite the same colour gel coats, there is a clear Manxster body is
parts are new, theyve both got nicely
difference in the styling of the two cars the Manxster designed to take flat,
detailed pans and parts like our TECH INFO IIs, but have since
been discontinued
using a full complement of Auto Meter gauges, chromed aftermarket, elephants
stainless steel headlights, coated Body: Manxster in chrome. Tyres are
American Racing Equipment wheels, Poly Performance feet light units. You
pushrod tubes, heatproof paint on the 2+2 body, RAL 215/60 and 275/60s,
Mastercraft suspension seats and a VW Heritage- might choose to barrels and neatly trimmed tinware blue gel coat what Mark calls the
supplied 1776cc dual Weber-fed motor, while the Manx change those on the engines. What the short- Engine: VW standard size for
has four-bolt steels with hubcaps, a single stock speedo, wheelbase one hasnt got is chrome Heritage 1776cc; Manxsters
basic Buggy seats and a rebuilt, but internally stock, that would have pushed the budget! he laughs. twin Weber
1600cc motor. Underneath, however, is a different The bottom line, I suppose, is you pays your money 40IDFs; Manx
matter apart from the small matter of a missing 14 and you takes your choice. Though it is true to say Sidewinder Manxters cockpit
inches out of the Manxs floorpan, both are remarkably the Manxster shown here cost a little over double that exhaust; breather is a bit more high
similar in specification. Both of the Manx to build, it is an box kit, full flow spec, with a full
use VW Heritage heavy duty entirely different product. oil filter complement of Auto

The result of
replacement floorpan halves, Even without the fancy GEARBOX: Stock Meters in the standard
both have stock balljoint front chromed wheels and bigger rebuilt unit with Manxster LHD dash
4.125 ring and insert (Flatlands make

nigh-on half a
beams and swing axle rear engine, its the result of nigh
suspensions and both have on half a century of beach pinion from VW their own for RHD
standard VW brakes all round Buggy development, and what Heritage cars), EMPI shifter
the Manx relying on drums at
all four corners, the Manxster century of it lacks in cute looks it offers
in other, more practical ways.
Suspension:
Standard balljoint
and Grant wood rim.
Cigarette lighter is a

Beach Buggy
discs at the front. To make the Mark: For a Buggy, or any beam with powerpoint socket
most of the extra power from plastic-bodied car, its really adjusters; VW

development
the 1776, the Manxster also quite sturdy and inflexible. discs / drums; From this angle
benefits from a rebuilt gearbox The rollcage ties into the front all hubs drilled you really see the
from VW Heritage with a 4.125 beam and the rear frame horns to Chevy 5 x 4 difference that extra
ring and pinion. As with the and sandwiches the body to stud pattern 14 inches in the
Manx, the brief was for a drivetrain that was reliable the pan. And with the added benefits of seat belts, WHEELS and floorpan makes, but
and not stressed, only this time with a little more power headrests, wing mirrors and side impact bars, theres TYRES: 6 and also the Manxster
than a stock 1600. Its a great little combination, Mark no doubt it feels a whole lot safer place to be out on the 10 x 15 chromed 2+2s comprehensive
says. If you put your foot down, theres enough there road. The really great thing though is that these days American Racing rollcage structure that
to make you smile, but theyre totally reliable and not you have the choice. Despite initial worries, and not Torque Thrust has side impact bars
mega expensive either. a little scaremongering on the internet, it is still quite Ds; 215/60 and encased within the
feasible and legal to put a short-wheelbase Buggy 275/60 tyres body tub. An elevating
Back scuttling through a BIVA test and come out smelling of roses. But INTERIOR: hard top can be
Itll come as no surprise to anyone familiar with if you dont want the hassle of that, or just fancy a bit of Poly Performance purchased with the kit
Flatlands Engineerings work that, despite the obvious the bigger Buggy experience, the Manxster 2+2 could be seats; Auto
differences in budget, the two cars are similarly detailed the one for you. Meter Traditional
throughout, and both stand up to close scrutiny from Chrome gauges;
lying on your back underneath, should you be that way Thanks: Just Steve, for holding the fort while I wander Grant wood rim
inclined. Whatever the budget, I wont compromise on round the countryside in the van collecting and
quality, says Mark adamantly. So all the replaceable dropping off parts.
0 4 0 FEBRUARY 2014 FEBRUARY 2014 0 4 1