SP Rides: This Is How We Roll
by Michael Kitchens
The Manx is a rare animal. Once hidden and unseen, it has now become a certified contender on the streets of Oahu. After a successful yet long campaign to legalize the custom-built buggies by Todd Matsumoto and his fellow VW fans, Raymond Carvalho set out to build a prime example of why these hand-made cars are such awesome projects.
“It wasn’t legal,” he says. “People would run it real quick and put it back into the garage.”
But now that the Manx is legal, enthusiasts such as Raymond are free to build to their heart’s content.
Born to a family of auto enthusiasts, Raymond dove into the world of automotive modifications alongside his father and brother in their home garage. Together they worked on projects such as a 1932 5-window Pro Street coupe. Starting at age 12, he learned the art of welding and has used it to propel himself into running his own business, Superior Gate & Fence Works. Now 36, his talents are absolutely perfect for building hot rods and street cars.
“I’ve always loved cars and always loved Volkswagens,” he says.
Fresh out of high school, Raymond started off with lowriders in the mid-90’s and slowly progressed through the automotive ranks. The gorgeous 1965 example you see here is Raymond’s first-ever Manx. Built over the span of six months, the buggie is exceptionally crafted from start to finish. “We had the time, and we definitely had the means,” he tells me.
The first thing you notice is Jason Ko’s immaculate paint job, which covers the body in spectacular silver. In addition, the vibrant green-powder coating was handled by Mekala Powdercoat and absolutely sparkles in the mid-day sun. After the body and frame were prepped, Raymond assembled the pieces and installed the 1914 turbocharged V-Built motor and high-performance Rancho transmission.
Believe it or not, this is actually the second build on the car.
“We mocked it up and built it twice,” Raymond says.
The first naturally aspirated motor was exceptionally loud, thanks to the 48 throttle bodies, and garnered too much attention for Raymond. Fearing the negative reaction, he ripped out the motor and went with a quieter turbo solution. A plus to this secondary attempt was more power to play with, something he wasn’t afraid to demonstrate. Indeed, this thing sounds mean!
You may have noticed the custom paint on the “hood” of the vehicle. It’s definitely a humorous take on the slang, “This is how we roll,” and defines the money it took to make this build possible. Raymond says that although he started off with a budget of $18,000, everything just sort of blew up from there. I believe it’s money well-spent because the car is stunning.
When it comes down to it though, like most automotive enthusiasts, he does it for the love. Raymond believes it keeps you focused and relieves stress.
“It’s a good hobby and keeps you from going crazy,” he says. “Everyone needs that relief.”
I’m positive these are wise words to live by.
