Manky Monkey Motors

Hi, new here, but not to customising. Found this place on "ChopperBuilder", and it looks nice and eccentric.
I have just finished building a '47 Morris 8 "Rat" and also have an Indian Chop.

and here is the trike pic

mr desperate welcome !!just sent you your tapes and a photo you may like.....

Desperate as in Mr Dan?
If so, then a huge welcome Sir to our 'umble little site! In fact welcome anyway, whether you're a megastar or not!
I simply love your work dahling. We must do lunch sometime. Been a fan of your machinery for years. I recognise the Indian from one of the mags & the pickup looks great. Just my kinda stuff!
Lost track of you after Great Yarmouth. Are you still in business? What happened to the Merc? Was discussing "Lowlife" with a mate the other day -is it still about?
Hope you'll stick around now you've found us -I didn't even know we were linked to ChopperBuilder!  ;D

Thank Critch, he put a link in (and so did I after having a look around). ChopperBuilder now has a Hotrod section.
Yes, it is I, Chris Ireland. No longer trading due to a Nervous Breakdown years ago (too stressful) but still building in my shed.
Sold the Mercedes but never got paid (buyer went bankrupt on me).
I remember your "Postie" trike. Always thought it was the nicest Reliant trike ever built.
Lowlife is still on the road, we re-supercharged it the other year.

Yeah, I know all about the stress bit. Only got half a dozen projects on the go at the moment & already feeling like I'm drowning in a sea of tubing! Thank you for your praise Sir, very much appreciated :D
Unlikely you can learn anything new here, but pull up a comfy beanbag & make yourself at home. I'll put the kettle on.
Always trying to encourage others to contribute, but with little success so far -don't suppose you want to send a few piccies in to Yodie? Would be nice to add a little more variety. We're into just about anything automotive here -& a few things that aren't, so anything & everything gratefully received! Won't hassle you though, just happy to have you aboard. ;)

Hey DD, while you're here, got any opinions on Jags? With luck my brother may have found me a running 4.2 straight 6 for my hotrod, (I picked up a '27 T body & chassis at Avon Park last year). Had originally planned to use Rover V8 power. How do they compare? What sort of performance can I expect from the Jag in a lightweight 'glas bodied roadster? Anything I should be wary of?

I gotta go play with Critch's bits -we're putting together a hardtail Reliant frame for his missus, but I'll be back later. Try not to break anything while I'm gone. ;)

:o :o :o :o :o ;D

A lot of folk think I'm just into bikes and trikes. Very wrong. Used to buy HotRod as a boy, went to see Bikini Beach at the flicks, and my Dad took me to Santa Pod for my 16th birthday (1967). At 18 I was driving a V8 Pilot, and have owned dozens of Yanks. Had a chopped V8 Devon, Caddy powered Pop, and have done several roof chops (even a CA van), all for myself.
Jag power for the Rod? Well, everyone and his dog uses the Rover! I once had a Mk11 Zodiac with a 3.4 in it. Bloody fast. The best engine they did was the 3.8 with triple carbs. They're all superb engines with TONS of power. I think my most favourite car of all time, Satan's Pawn, was Jag powered. So was Stagecoach, and wasn't Stripteaser? Georgeous looking engines too. Only drawback....heavy. But so's a big-block!
I'll see what I can do regarding a few 'photos. Why does EVERYONE mention Lowlife? Here's one of my boy Jim on it. He's 26 now!!!
Chris Ireland....PetrolHead.
PS Hows about some history regarding this site.

Piccie doesn't seem to have uploaded mate. Try again.
Lowlife? Well, for me it was an iconic trike. The first true custom, ground up, one off trike, built as a complete design rather than just a bike conversion. It was unlike anything else on the road, (still is!), & to use one of those horrible American phrases, really pushed the envelope of vehicle design. Never really even seen it imitated successfully, let alone bettered. The nearest I've seen to it is the V8 Rover I photographed at Avon Park last year -see Motors, 3 Wheels & also featured on Yoda's site, "BikerLifestyle".
You're right about the Rover motors -common as muck, but plentiful. Pop Browns, who originally built the T body I've got, do loads of performance & dress up parts for the V8. I guess the Jag doesn't NEED prettying up though! The weight did concern me, (the car's, not mine, though that's a concern too!). Had visions of it standing on it's nose when we drop the motor in! I guess it'd make the steering heavier wouldn't it? I'm aiming for a very, very basic ratrod, no frills whatsoever., with the MMMotors logo in peeling, faded paint on the doors like the mock-up on the Homepage, (one of Yodie's virtual masterpieces). I've got an old Sherpa van sat in my lockup at the moment that I plan to relieve of it's beam front axle, suspension, steering etc.
Please, please, please send in some of your car piccies! If you scan a bunch of 'em & email 'em to Yoda, (contact address on the Homepage), & ask him nicely he'll make up a page for you in the Motors section. Some details or annecdotes would be nice. Keep asking for old Biker Photos & vintage drag racing piccies too. Sorry, not trying to lean on you & make you work for your forum membership, but it's a shame not to share all that stuff with an appreciative audience.
What history would you like to know?

History? Well, I'm bloody nosey. This is a great site. What made you start it? How long's it been going? You know the sort of thing. Me, I just like f*cking about and building silly things. Even triked my lawnmower. Wanna picture?
If you're interested in a page of pics, I'll mail you some samples. Give me a ring. Chris

......................

......................

............................

I'd definately use the Jag! Steering won't be that heavy. Are you using a rack or steering box?

My kind of Moggie Thou, I approve :)

Built it for the missus a couple of years ago.

Fabulous piccies Chris!
I'd forgotten the NSU. What a beast that was -how did it handle? Looks very top heavy. Coupled with the long forks that must've been an interesting ride!
Yup, still think Lowlife was a classic. You've set a few trends in your time haven't you. Wonder how many Beach Bastard copies there are bimbling about now.
What was the motor in the Moggy? I used to run a matt black Minor pick up with fibreglass flip front, steel roll top pick up bed, fat Weller 8 spokes, coil over shocks, discs, beer barrel petrol tank, bench seat, paisley print interior & a 1600 twin cam SuperMirafiori with 5 speed box. Most unreliable car I've ever owned but went like a rocket & never failed to make me grin. ;D Wish I had some piccies of it. :(
The rod will use the Sherpa steering box. I've loved classic 50s hotrods since I was a schoolboy in the late 70s & also harboured a penchant for custom vans, but got into bikes cos I needed transport to do my printing apprenticeship when I left school & I could ride a 250 on L plates without taking a test. Started with a CB200 Honda then moved up to a 650 Bonny after a year or so. Happy memories! So never really built an entire car from scratch. I'm trusting to my older brother Steve's greater experience & guidance but I know what I like! The Ruffrodders link on our links page gets mentioned a lot here, but they're running exactly the kind of machinery I'm into.

Chris can we have a little featurette on the pick up? Check the Motors section for what's needed. A dozen piccies & as many words as you feel like scribbling & wizz 'em off to Yodie. Good to see some interesting stuff in the forum but I'd like to show 'em off a bit more in the relevant Motors pages please. As I said before, feel free to send in anything you want. We'll find room for it somewhere! -Ooh, Yodie's gonna hate me for volunteering him!
You asked about the site's history. Well, not much to tell really. We've only been up & running for 6 months or so. I own the site & would love to take the credit for it but it's all down to Yoda, the Wheeled Wonder. If you attend a show anywhere in the country this year or open a bike mag you're bound to see him. He's the nutter with the maniacal grin in the wheelchair. I think he's planning World media domination. He handles all the clever techy bits of the site, which is why I direct any contributors to his address. I write & take piccies but haven't got a clue how to actually manage my own site. Very keen to learn, but hampered by inate stupidity I'm afraid. Sorting out photos for the new Merchandise page at the moment so I hope to be visiting Yodie Mansions in Birmingham for some hands on tuition, (!!), when we set the page up.
I've always been creative -not necessarily talented, but creative. At school it was art, then it was bike building & now it's triketeering, photography & writing. Once all the present projects are out of the way I'd really like to try my hand at metal sculpture too. As a teenager I belonged to a local MCC. The Fox & Hounds MCC in Newbury, Berks, (guess which pub we met in). I was a member for 10 years or so before moving out of the area & losing touch. The Club's now long since gone but a couple of years ago the secretary started a website to reunite old faces. I got involved, started writing little show reports & posting piccies & found I got a real buzz from it. That site's now closed down but some of the pieces I wrote are hereabouts, including the trike frame building chapters, which need editing to remove references to club members actually. I've also written articles for various bike magazines over the years.
So this little site is an outlet for an overactive creative streak, &, I hope, somewhere for others to show off their own talents. I'm constantly badgering people to add their two pennys worth. The more variety of machinery & writing styles the better -& it'll stop me from whittering on too much!
Oh, & the name? My mate Darren, ("Flap" -his little girls' nickname for his canvas roofed Landrover), & I have been messing about putting a bright orange trike together for him for what seems like several lifetimes now. He kept calling me Manky instead of Andy. I retalliated with Manky Monkey & we eventually became Manky Monkey Motors, builders of motor tricycles to discerning gentlefolk.
As the Homepage says, we're not a business or even a club, just a little band of mates setting fire to things in various lock up garages.
How's that? Anything else you'd like to know?! ;D

And I post here

 ;D
Borgy, man of few words!

"Nasty Nasty" (title of a 999 punk record) was powered by a 1200cc air-cooled NSU car engine. If you look closely, all the weight is actually low down, and the handling was SUPERB! It'd leave CB750 Hondas standing! I built another one with a blower on it, "Mad Dog".  My next project is also NSU powered, took 18 months just to find an engine.
The Minor had a tuned 1100 engine, lowered, discs, servo, 7" Alleycats and far too many mods to mention. It was totally rotten and took 10 months to rebuild. I'm currently helping my mate with a Moggy pickup. From the ground to the top of the roof....48". My fastest vehicle ever was a trike. Not the Merc, but "Captain Penis", a Preying Mantis with a full-race 2-litre Fiat twincam in the back.
I realise "Desperates" had a lot to answer for when we built the first "Beach Bastard". The first one, featured in BSH, with the Stars'n'Stripes paintwork, took 3 days to build from being a car to riding out of the workshop.
Many thanks for the history. No need to tell me what it's like to have a creative streak, mate. Sometimes it hurts 'cause there's not enough time (or money).
I've been looking for a car site for ages. Most seem too serious, and I'm a very unserious person. This one seems to tick all the boxes. I've been on Chopperbuilder for a while, now. It's an excellent site, with no stupid prats on it.
I'll do something on my Morris-8. Have to do some more pics. The only standard bit left is the beam axle and chassis. It's only got a little engine, Suzuki Santana 1000cc OHC and five-speed, but it's had an aweful lot done to it. It's my only form of transport, my daily drive, hence the small motor.
Here's that pic of my lawnmower, the Morris flip-front behind it is my compressor house. Also, another of the pickup.
Give me a ring sometime & I'll let you know what I'm up to.
Chris

I remember many moons ago walking into your shop in Layton Buzzard I think it was then when you where building Low Life.[1] I still remember how friendly you all where to my Trike virgin questions that you must have answered a thousand times before.

In fact you got me into Trikes, well the longing for one. So now I own 2 :)


[1] Think also you was building something for a Doctor as well called the Tradis

[2] Ther past may be confused with other parts of my life and realities from other worlds though

Hey Desperate,

You're the man I have only ever heard about, but never met.  A legend in your own garage I believe.   My dad (Jacko), bought a trike off you about 8/9 years ago and oddly enough it is stamped near the passenger seat "captain penis".    He's accessorised it since you last saw it, but takes it to all the local shows, I used to hang off the back of it, recording our outings until I passed my bike test.  Glad to have met you honourable Sir.  The trike generates interest whereever Jacko takes it.  Thanks very much for making my old pop a happy one.  A toast to you!!!

Janie_postie

Hi Jane. Are you another postperson? My best mate's a postman! Your Dad looks younger than me!
Well, it's definately not "Captain Penis", that was BANANA yellow and had a Fiat TwinCam in the back, and telescopic forks. But it had the same chassis. It's a Preying Mantis. And that looks to be an exceptional example. I think I made the Girders too. It seems to ring a bell, especially the paint. Is it powder-coated? That louvred box should contain the battery. They were a really nice-handling VW trike, took us several years to develop, and that's quite a late model, a Mk111. No unexpected wheelies with those babies! The first one I ever built (for myself) was supercharged!
These were the first VW trikes on the market with no bodyshell. Why cover up a bloody nice chassis? If you look at the frame number, it'll tell you when it was built, and how many we had already done that year. If you post it, I'll tell you. Also, if it has castors on the back, we used to nick Tesco trolleys for them.

Borgy, the reason we were nice and friendly to you was, basically, because we are. No room for attitudes. The only reason I started the shop was to have the facilities and money to build my own machines.

Andy....That yellow trike I sent you a pic of (5 wheels) had bunches of banana's painted on the back, and underneath them, this legend...."Fresh Ripe Bananas Delivered to your Door". Across the mudguards was signwritten ..."Express Banana Delivery Service". It was called "LongLife", it's smaller brother was, of course, LowLife. Funny how we're both into Bananas. I was out on it one day and an old lady stopped me and asked if I could deliver 2lb to her house.

Yes, rumour has it I am a postie.  Funny.... thought there was a lot of letters around the office each day when I go to work.   Thinks.... shall have to ask someone at work what I'm supposed to do with them.

As for the trike, next time I see Jacko I'll get him to take some closeups for you.  I've been asking him for ages to write something for Andy.   By the way, don't get confused - I tend to call my dad by his nickname.

Janie_postie (fleet, hampshire branch).

...........................

 ;D
Haven't checked my email yet today but no piccies from you last night Chris. A banana fetish? You sure you're on the right site? Glad you like it here. We're not a big site -I've been checking the counter this week -about 30 hits a day -but hopefully there's enough variety for you to find something you like. If not, get on your keyboard & write something!
Janie, go find a nice photogenic spot & take a few snaps of Jacko's beloved trike & scribble some words & we'll selotape it all in the Motors section for you. Same goes for the rest of you -if you want to show off your machinery this is the very place. The more the merrier. Bikes, trikes, cars, traction engines...lawn mowers. No anti mower attitudes here! Can we have a piece on the chopped Moggy too please Chris? If you PM me your phone number I'll give you a bell.

Hold a piece of paper over the back wheel. What do you see? Lowlife, of course!

Hello, what happened there? Things are definitely running a bit slow here today. Janie & Yodie managed to sneak posts in ahead of me!
I overslept this morning -spent too long nattering in here last night. Didn't wake up till 5.30 & I'm usually at work by 4.30! I too seem to have lots of letters to deal with Janie, but I find they burn really well & also make excellent loft insulation. ;)
I've just realised the shots of Jacko & his trike are mine aren't they! That was last year's trike day at the Ace Cafe wasn't it. Mid March -bloomin' freezing! The one of Jacko was at the Berkshire Triumph Owners' show where he picked up the Best Trike trophy.