2003/02 When the ball joint was replaced, the valve under the tank started to leak gas so the bonnet and the fuel tank had to be removed again to solve the leak. As I couldn’t find the OEM part I made my own part with what was left of the old device. Also, the seats have been mounted a bit lower than before.

Above is the finished work with the silencer plus the rims will look like they do on the pictures, at least for the moment. I’ll probably get a new set of chromed rims till summer 2004. I have mounted a tachometer, fog lights and a set of speakers. Now I just have to get the engine to idle smoothly and make an appointment with the MOT, we’ll see what they have to say.

Here by the end of fall 2002 the car is gradually starting to look the way I want it to. Even though it’s missing side pods and I still haven’t decided how I want the rims. A detail not shown in the pictures is that the break system has been rebuilt, a new master cylinder has been fitted and new break callipers and pads are mounted in the front. The rear brakes have only been bleed and adjusted for now.

Here by the end of fall 2002 the car is gradually starting to look the way I want it to. Even though it’s missing side pods and I still haven’t decided how I want the rims. A detail not shown in the pictures is that the break system has been rebuilt, a new master cylinder has been fitted and new break callipers and pads are mounted in the front. The rear brakes have only been bleed and adjusted for now.

Here is the 1500cc engine that came with the car, its amazingly capable of providing 45 wild horse power. A larger silencer is to be fitted to keep the guys at the M.O.T. happy. I have thought about replacing the engine for an “even wilder” one or maybe rebuild the one I have but its not high priority at the moment so we’ll see about that…

A fire extinguisher was fitted, not only because I’m the one responsible of the electrical system but also because is one of those things I feel is a must in any car. I also joined a veteran car club, Stockholm V-Dubs, a small club dedicated to old VWs.

Here is the almost finished interior, you can see the new seats and seat belts mounted, the “new” steering wheel, the CD-player and that the floor mat is cut and fitted. I have thought about remounting the seats 7-8cm lower to keep the passangers heads under the roll bar, just in case.

When the arms on the front beam were to be painted, a broken ball joint boot was discovered. As you might know the ball joints require some heavy duty pressure tools to be removed from the arms. The exhaust system got a new silencer and a repaint and the side pods have finally arrived so soon they are to be fitted and the car to be repainted.

New sport seats and seat belts were bought. The old woody style steering wheel was with some effort modified into a nice leather wheel and the front suspension was painted. Overkill perhaps but it looks nice with a clean car. The interior was gradually improved with a floor mat covering the whole pan and rubber mats by the passengers feet, a CD-player was also fitted.

The electrical system needed some attention as well and as I stood without schematics I decided it was better to go through everything to make sure nothing would cause an fire. On the last picture is my beloved assistant posing after hours of hard work =) with the carpet.

The car was initially built during summer 1983by the brothers L & B Johansson in Älta, Sweden and remained in their possession until 2002 when I found it and bought it. This is what it looked like when I picked it up, the builders dedication to it had died out gradually and the car really needed someone to take care of it. The body is a Swedish replica of the FiberTech Manx manufactured sometime in the early 80’s.

As you can see in the last two pictures, a great deal of the buggy was taken apart, one of the first things to be thrown away were the horrible Mazda seats. The pan was cleaned from rust and painted with the same colour as the roll bar and the windshields frame.