TheSamba.com :: View topic - Can-Am style Fiberglass body

Fri Aug 02, 2019 5:00 pm

I am going to pick a Buggy body next week, Does anybody by chance know the manufacture and when it may have been made?

Fri Aug 02, 2019 7:12 pm

Doesn't look like a traditional buggy body as it doesn't have a formed flange to follow the VW pan. Still, I like it - very unusual. I'd be very tempted to put that on a tube frame and mid-engine it.

Fri Aug 02, 2019 8:26 pm

The last picture does show a chassis mounting flange for the cockpit section. Makes me think there might be others we can't see in these pictures.
Fitting a windshield will be interesting.

Paul

Sat Aug 03, 2019 7:19 pm

I intend to make a frame for it, I will have a very limited budget because of unexpected retirement Medical. but I have a 75 Bus drive train 1.8L and automatic I dont think there is enough room from the rear firewall and the fender flares for a mid eng if there is then maybe a 914 trans
this was sent to me, after i get it I will know more
about 11'10" from front of nose to back
about 6'10" 82" wheelbase from center of wheel to center of wheel front to back
about 5'6" side to side at widest point of fender flare

Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:48 pm

Got the Body home and now have a new perspective about it, has a funny car look after seeing it up close, I put my 88 Corvette wheels under it 255-50-16 bring it into focus no matter it will by made into a street / autocross. It may have room for a two seat layout but i'm looking at a single seat. mid engine layout may be possible but will require a big expense for a transaxle and setup,as you can see in the pics i will have to make more mounting pads, all it has right now is just the two in the center

Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:04 pm

Pegasus

There are a number of members of the Manx Club in Reno. The next big meet will be in Mammoth. Most members actually have glass buggies other than Meyers Manxes. Contact them and get some advice on Chassis and stuff. The Bugorama will be in Sacramento 1 Sept.

Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:21 pm

Very nice finding that article BL3Manx. Great info.

Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:23 pm

I've never seen one other than in that article. Rare find!

Thu Aug 08, 2019 5:27 am

^ Nicely done! Never seen one or heard of one. I'd like to see some finish work under the nose and on the sides, but other than that it's cool!

Thu Aug 08, 2019 5:52 am

It is begging for a bumper or something to soften the edges on the front.

Thu Aug 08, 2019 6:51 am

Quote: I'd like to see some finish work under the nose and on the sides, but other than that it's cool!

I more than agree. It does seems like it needs lower body panels like the Sterling. And something in the front as well.

Thu Aug 08, 2019 7:30 am

I thank you for the info. Funny I have a horse named Pegasus also. as i said i will be using the type 4 running gear that i have. i will get more pics of it today sometime. this will be setting for some time as I have to get a lot of other honey dues to finished first, including a 73 super Baja for the wife.

Thu Aug 08, 2019 12:11 pm

jspbtown wrote: Quote: I'd like to see some finish work under the nose and on the sides, but other than that it's cool!

I more than agree. It does seems like it needs lower body panels like the Sterling. And something in the front as well.

I agree this is what i plan on doing with it along this style

Thu Aug 08, 2019 12:13 pm

More Info on the Magazine article May of 1970

Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:45 pm

some underside photos, only mounting in in the center

Thu Aug 08, 2019 1:49 pm

No ID tags or numbers on it. the finish gel coat is dead surface is like sand paper

Fri Aug 09, 2019 5:17 am

You can see in this picture from the Pegasus article that the forward end of the prototype inner "tub"had a pretty much standard glass buggy tub type bulkhead above the Admiral's hat and on both inner fender walls

The reason that its missing from yours is that your body (like pretty much all buggy bodies) was molded in one piece. On other buggies the hood and dash are separate moldings. On your body they molded the hood and dash as part of the body. That made a more rigid structure, however it would have made it physically impossible to also mold the tub's forward bulkhead at the same time.

When you mold a fiberglass buggy body, the mold is usually one big piece. The mold sits upside down and the wet fiberglass is lain in it and allowed to cure, then its lifted straight up and out. If the one piece Pegasus mold also included the forward bulkhead under the dash, the body would be locked into the mold.

I believe the plan with the Pegasus was to mold the forward bulkhead as a separate piece then bond/fiberglass it onto the main body. You can actually see the vertical seam on the left in the picture.

I recommend you find a real cheap, non-running, old beat up, short wheelbase dune buggy, use its chassis and running gear as your basis then cut that forward bulkhead piece off the junk body and bond it to your Pegasus body. They were all originally molded off the Meyers Manx so any one you find would work

Fri Aug 09, 2019 5:31 am

There were glass buggies with mid engine like the Deserter GS but it used a tubular space frame chassis and was longer and basically was wide open behind the seats.

Configuring the Pegasus for mid-engine would mean drastically cutting up the body and it might be the only one in existence.

Its your buggy and you should build it like you want it. I'd aim to make it look like the one in the article

Fri Aug 09, 2019 7:50 am

BL3Manx wrote: You can see in this picture from the Pegasus article that the forward end of the prototype inner "tub"had a pretty much standard glass buggy tub type bulkhead above the Admiral's hat and on both inner fender walls

The reason that its missing from yours is that your body (like pretty much all buggy bodies) was molded in one piece. On other buggies the hood and dash are separate moldings. On your body they molded the hood and dash as part of the body. That made a more rigid structure, however it would have made it physically impossible to also mold the tub's forward bulkhead at the same time.

When you mold a fiberglass buggy body, the mold is usually one big piece. The mold sits upside down and the wet fiberglass is lain in it and allowed to cure, then its lifted straight up and out. If the one piece Pegasus mold also included the forward bulkhead under the dash, the body would be locked into the mold.

I believe the plan with the Pegasus was to mold the forward bulkhead as a separate piece then bond/fiberglass it onto the main body. You can actually see the vertical seam on the left in the picture.

I recommend you find a real cheap, non-running, old beat up, short wheelbase dune buggy, use its chassis and running gear as your basis then cut that forward bulkhead piece off the junk body and bond it to your Pegasus body. They were all originally molded off the Meyers Manx so any one you find would work

I thank you for your insight on the mounting, if I can find a body I will definitely look into it.
at this time I have more time and materials to make a frame, on hand then money. I am still thinking about a front end either type 1 or a A arm.
I am coming up on my 1 year anniversary of being diagnosed with non hodgkin's lymphoma and 6 months of treatment. chemo messes up you brain. As they say F... cancer because it F...s you. nothing more i can do about it and will do what I can with the unknown time I have left. P.S. not looking for sympathy its just reality and I except what I can't change.

Fri Aug 09, 2019 7:58 am

BL3Manx wrote: There were glass buggies with mid engine like the Deserter GS but it used a tubular space frame chassis and was longer and basically was wide open behind the seats.

Configuring the Pegasus for mid-engine would mean drastically cutting up the body and it might be the only one in existence.

Its your buggy and you should build it like you want it. I'd aim to make it look like the one in the article

there will be no cutting on this body other then finishing the front end like the article says trimming of the front fenders and light area and other mountings
I intend to leave it as a tribute to the builders who made it maybe call it the
Pegasus Phoenix.