MANX MANIA SPRING 2011 X.P65
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Spring 2011 Manx Mania The Newsletter for the Serious-Minded Fun Enthusiast Published Quarterly Spring 2011 Pete Condos, Creator of the Thomas Crown Manx By Nelson Sparks STEVE MC QUEEN AND FAYE DUNAWAY REPORTEDLY DID 100% OF FILMING IN THE MANX WITHOUT DOUBLES. IT LACKED A ROLLBAR, BUT THERE WERE NO SEATBELTS ANYWAY. DUNAWAY RIPPED UP THE FLOOR COVERING WITH HER HEELS. In the summer of 1968 at the age megaphone chrome headers, the our own version of the Thomas Crown of 15, I saw a movie that for me engine was as loud as its red orange machine, which I learned was a started a lifelong hobby. Steve Mc- paint, and it raced up, across, and over modified Meyers Manx dune buggy. Queen, the absolute coolest guy who the dunes and splashed through the Within weeks, a tangerine-red Meyers ever starred in a movie, portrayed a surf in the most exciting minutes of Manx kit was in our basement and the thrill-seeking Boston playboy turned Hollywood film I’d seen, at least until work commenced. bank robber in The Thomas Crown McQueen’s next movie, Bullit, came An indispensable part of building a Affair. Among his stable of polo out the following year. dune buggy in the late ’60s was to ponies and exotic vehicles, he owned Even so, the effect on me was read every word published on the and drove the sheer hell out of a car, immediate and I undertook to convince subject in the numerous magazines like I’d never seen before. With twin my father I was ready to help build that covered the subject back then. I (continued page 4) Manx Mania Spring 2011 MARCH 18-20 is the quarterly newsletter publication of The Manx Club, USA It is mailed free of charge to current members and it, along with back issues, are also available to members on-line in color pdf format at: www.manxclub.com Newsletter Editor/Publisher: Anita Kornoff. Contributing Writers: Tom Baker, Louis Brooks, Gene Condon, Scott Drolet, Mel Folkertsma, Don Giovanoni, Norm Hardy, Kathleen Iacoboni, Maurice Liang, Dave Mattoon, Bruce & Winnie Meyers, Lorenzo Pearson, Greg Rardin, Joseph Sellars, Nelson Sparks, Jayne Spittler and Joe Spittler (The opinions expressed here are the views of the DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS MARCH 10. individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the CHECK WEBSITE TO DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION opinions of the Manx Club, its board of directors, and/or volunteer staff members.) FORM IF YOU DIDN’T RECEIVE ONE BY MAIL. Manx Club Board of Directors The Go-To Guys Address Changes/Membership Renewals: Director /Manx Stores Bruce & Winnie Meyers Scott Drolet, Board President/Membership Valley Center, CA email: [email protected] Manx Club Membership P.O. Box 9558 Glendale, CA 91226-9558 Director President/ Run Info and All Other Questions: Membership Chair Bob Hunter, Events Chairperson Scott Drolet Email: [email protected] Glendale, CA Phone: 775/ 771-6428 Director Vice President Meyers Manx Apparel/Buggy Parts Store: Gene Condon Winnie Meyers, Phone: 760/749-6321 Burlingame, CA email: [email protected] Manx Club Website: [email protected] Director Secretary Website design and maintenance services Cynthia Cornelius donated by Ray Azen Murietta, CA For Manx Club Forums go to: http://manxclub.yuku.com See Your Stories and Photos in the Newsletter: Director Treasurer Letters to the editor, your dune buggy stories and photos (not from Tom Iacoboni cell phones please) are welcomed and should be sent to: Vernon, CT Anita Kornoff Email: [email protected] P.O. Box 264, Genoa, NV 89411 Director/Events Phone: 805/368-2271 Chairperson (printing subject to editing and space availability) Bob Hunter Sparks, NV Advertise Your Business in the Mania: Limited space is available in the Manx Mania for paid display Director / Election advertising. Please call Bob Kornoff for affordable rates. Current Committee Chairperson print circulation includes an exclusive dune buggy enthusiast Joe Spittler audience of over six-hundred active Manx Club members. Email: Ringwood, IL [email protected] or call Bob Kornoff. Phone: 805/368-2271 -2- Spring 2011 Manx Mania Message from the President Inside The By Scott Drolet Spring is finally here! Spring Issue: Okay, I’ll admit that message Calico Run–This Year and Last ............... 8 doesn’t carry quite the same impact when you’re sitting in California as it Don Giovanoni’s Buggy Life ................... 7 does in the snow-laden areas. The Event Calendar ....................................... 16 biggest inconvenience I wrestled with this winter was changing my lawn Fold-Down Windshield........................... 10 sprinklers to the rain setting because we once had a quarter-inch of rain. Go To Guys ............................................. 2 But, I know a lot of you heated up your garage and Manx Store ............................................. 14 went to work on your buggy, and the time has finally arrived to roll them out and enjoy all that hard work! We hope Membership Info/Renewal Form .......... 16 you’ll now take the time to share the results of your buggy restoration with us. Send pictures, stories, and whatever Message from the President ................. 3 else you have buggy related and I’ll bet Editor Mohave Mel’s Fiberglass Narcosis ........ 12 Extraordinaire, Anita Kornoff, will figure out a way to include your project in an upcoming edition of Manx Pete Condos’ Thomas Crown Manx ...... 1 Mania. Speaking of weather, sometimes rain can show up Salute to Sponsors ................................. 16 when you least expect it and really spoil the party. That, Ways to Tell if You Have a Real Manx.... 11 unfortunately, is what happened with our Meyers Manx Kick-Out raffle. Once I dived into the logistics of putting Winnie’s Whims ..................................... 6 the raffle together, I found that the State of California has incredibly rigid regulations that not-for-profit 501C7 organi- zations have to meet in order to hold one. Unfortunately, we would need to overcome staggering obstacles . The ManxManx Club’sClub’s BigBig BearBear BashBash biggest? Ninety percent of the proceeds need to benefit a JulyJuly 8th,8th, 9th9th && 10,10, 20112011 charitable organization. That means if the club purchases a $4,995.00 Kick-Out kit for use as a raffle prize, we’d need Camp Tanda to sell a staggering $49,950.00 in raffle tickets to make 90%, or $44,955.00, available for donation. Making matters more difficult is the rule that none of the funds raised from the raffle can benefit our members: we’d need to donate the $44,955.00 to a registered charity within California. Further regulations mandate that the raffle prize be awarded within twelve months from the first ticket sale regardless of the number sold, and there’s even a rule that prohibits us from distributing the tickets over the internet. It soon became apparent that the State really discourages the use of raffles to raise funds. I know a lot of you were looking forward to this contest, as was I. I’ve learned a big lesson through this, and I’m sincerely sorry for letting my Camp Tanda enthusiasm outpace my ability to make it happen. No need to dwell on the negative though, there’s still a The Club’s most popular run lot of promise lying ahead in 2011. Most of my resolutions of the year! Registration/ from last year will carry over into this one: Teach my son Jake how to drive, spend as much time as I can in a buggy, flyers to follow separately. and value every minute I get to spend with you guys. Watch our website Until the next issue, Buggy On! manxclub.com for updates –Scott Drolet -3- Manx Mania Spring 2011 Pete Condos, Creator of the Thomas Crown Manx (continued from front page) learned the surprised, one day Thomas Crown in the Spring of Manx had been 1967, to get a call built by Pete from Steve Mc- Condos, the Queen. He ex- owner of Con- plained that the Ferr, a large script of his next 4WD business film, then titled The and Meyers Crown Caper, (for Manx dealership which McQueen in Burbank, was an uncredited California. I producer) called for mentally filed the a Jeep to be driven information about at speed in the Con-Ferr away PETE CONDOS TEST DRIVING THE RECENTLY COMPLETED THOMAS CROWN MANX. dunes. Having seen until one day in the airborne 2007 when I was Meyers Manx on visiting with Bruce and Winnie and frequent the nearby deserts and moun- the recent (biggest selling) issue of Hot learned they were often in touch with tains and saw firsthand the advantages Rod Magazine, McQueen wanted to Pete and that he was retired in Simi of 4WD in rough terrain. In 1961 he discuss the possibility of using a Valley. Jumping on the chance to bought one of the first International Meyers Manx rather than a Jeep. speak with him, I called and introduced Scouts and immediately wanted to A meeting was held at Paramount myself and then, over a couple of very modify and upgrade it, but seeing an and the basic concept, price, and enjoyable (for me at least) telephone absence of aftermarket accessories, he schedule was hammered out. Pete conversations, interviewed him about designed and built his own. contacted Bruce and a three-way deal the Thomas Crown Manx and his Using his considerable four- was agreed to. For P.R. consideration, career. It was a real Hollywood story. wheeling experience and fabrication Bruce contributed two bodies in white Pete Condos was born in 1925 and skills, he built skid plates, heavy-duty gelcoat, as a primary and spare, which raised in a Northern Chicago suburb.