Are Manx's and Baja's fun on the street.

Looking at a Kyote, kind of like a Manx, tomorrow because I am bored and well I could not build the drive-train for what I think I can get it for. Honestly I want something cheap and fun that I can beat up and work on that does not go 170mph on the track and I have to keep literally perfect at all times to keep the value up.

Specifically this one.

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/5835059514.html

Are Baja's and Manx's fun on the street more then the sand. It will be the surf buggy and I will make racks for the top and use it in Mexico a bit. I will do a bit of off-roading with it but mainly street driving around town and when I need something cheap and cheerful. I was looking at it originally to strip out the 2110cc motor and built transmission for a 550 spyder project in the future but figure I could leave it together for a few years until then. Can you have say 1K or so worth of fun in one over the next two years before I strip it down and sell the bits.

Years ago I read a story about someone with a Baja Beetle & he'd drive around hopping parking curbs, medians, etc. Nowhere anything as "extreme" as the vid that was floating around a year or 2 ago, just some (mostly) harmless fun. I've wanted one ever since.

My only experience with a Manx was a LWB model my dad built in the late 80's. You take an underpowered and ill handling car and remove 600lbs from it making it an absolute riot. I learned to drive a manual in that thing with a bad number 2 synchro, too light of a flywheel and a poorly tuned 1776.

There is an older gentleman near my work who daily drives a well worn Manx in the summer. From what I can see he still has a single port motor in it. He is never not smiling when I see him behind the wheel.

They are representative of pure unadulterated automotive joy. I am sure they are a terrible daily driver but I would do it in a second.

If you can't have a thousand dollars worth of fun in that you aren't trying hard enough

Wow that thing looks like it has at least as much ground clearance as my Samurai. I say go for it!

There a blast! The sandrail was a bit more fun because less chance of body damage but for street drivig and light offroad there fun! The one i drove had an 1835 in it.

i have yearned for a baja beetle/sandrail for the longest time. i imagine its just a street legal oversized go-kart

Crap you guys looks like I need to own this thing. Will report back around 1:00 today and tell you how it looks. I was hoping to get it around 5.5-6K but after looking at a few of the pictures he sent me I think it may be underpriced at 7.5K

We've had a Manx on staff for years, and it's a blast. Ours is underpowered, but it's still a grin machine. You need to realize that there are NO safety devices on a buggy like this. It's very much like a 4-wheeled motorcycle. You can install seatbelts in them....but do you really want to be inside if you actually crash? I'd rather take my chances being thrown.

They suck in the rain, are intimidating as Hell on the Interstate (semi wheels are at eye level), but a blast always. If you aren't concerned with dying a premature death......go for it!

Joe Gearin wrote: We've had a Manx on staff for years, and it's a blast. Ours is underpowered, but it's still a grin machine. You need to realize that there are NO safety devices on a buggy like this. It's very much like a 4-wheeled motorcycle. You can install seatbelts in them....but do you really want to be inside if you actually crash? I'd rather take my chances being thrown. They suck in the rain, are intimidating as Hell on the Interstate (semi wheels are at eye level), but a blast always. If you aren't concerned with dying a premature death......go for it!

This one has almost a full cage that is tied to everything, even has a fuel cell, was apparently built by guy I have met at a local high end rock crawler shop. Not going to be using it above 45 MPH 90% of the time so less worried about that.

How would yours have been with around 140-150hp as the motor makes.

I test-drove one with a turbocharged corvair engine in it, back around 1991, courtesy of Jeff at the Corvair Ranch in Gettysburg PA. it did sweet wheelies. I did not buy it because I did not have covered parking at the time. :-(

As Joe noted, Tim built a Manx many years ago, when our now 20-something kids were small. We used to tow it behind a motorhome and use it as a dinghy when we traveled, so we've logged a good number of short-hop street miles in one. It's also been through the school pickup line more than once (and I think that principal is still shaking her head in disapproval). It's a blast on the street, surprisingly (and misleadingly) solid feeling. It's also the one car the kids have made us promise never to sell, if that's any indication.

As I mentioned in another thread, we'll actually have it out Friday evening for the gaslight Christmas parade:

Margie

Well it was a bust. Motor was a monster and transmission was what I wanted but it was basically a baja ready racer. Would have been a shame to cut it up, thing was basically a tube frame racer with a plate that they dropped a buggy body on top of to keep the dust out a bit. Would have been a shame to destroy it so I passed.

Really want a Manx now though with like a 1776cc motor on street tires. That is fun.

Just beware in a sandrail people will treat you like you dont belong on a road. The cutter brake saved us many times.

What should one be priced at? Cosmeticly imperfect, but mechanically sound, more or less. What Craigslist has a good selection? You bastards have me Baja lusting hard.

Appleseed wrote: What should one be priced at? Cosmeticly imperfect, but mechanically sound, more or less. What Craigslist has a good selection? You bastards have me Baja lusting hard.

WIth a more pedestrian engine and tire selection I think you could get a decent runner for 3.5-4K that you can use in the city and for light off-roading. But there are a ton of them out here in California and so the pricing is down a bit more then I expected.

FYI thesamba.com classifieds has a good selection of them for sale at any given time.

I have always wanted to set one up for the street and AutoX (fortunately I don't have any room for one otherwise I would have another project). The super light front end would make tuning it pretty difficult. I of course would put a reverse rotation Corvair engine in one, but that would just make the weight distribution issue worse. I suspect it would end up to more of a drag racer.

I suspect you want a complete car right? I just talked to a guy at my local VW club meeting who has a Manx clone body and frame with a 110 Corvair motor in it. It sounded like a project since he was asking who rebuilds Corvair motors. I am north of you in Ventura county, so I am somewhat local to you.

you guys made me go look on CL last night. For one with no floors, no engine, no wiring, and looks like it has been stored outside under a ripped tarp for the past 20 years.. $5000. For a nice one, $10,000.

I did find one for $500, but it was just an old beat up glassfibre shell, no chassis or anything.

In reply to mad_machine:

Check LA'S Craigslist for massive Baja Bug selection. You'll spend an hour, easy. There was even a legit Class 5 Bug.

Manx, on the other hand...

True Manxs are with big bucks. Even the clones are really pretty up there for what they are. Still like em though, just not as cheap a they used to be.

Here's one:

Buggy

No title is kind of a bummer, though.

(Yes, I saw this thread and immediately ventured to the Oracle of CL, just like the rest of you )

Ours isn't a Manx, its one of the numerous clones.

Bought it a few years ago, broke the drums free and drove it a couple blocks to the in-laws house...all for $300. It has a 1992 Iowa 'reconstruction' title, but was built so poorly (in my view) That we have only had it around the neighborhood a couple time. The wife /loves/ it and has claimed it hers, after I get it street worthy.

In the words of Ferris Bueller: It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.