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Mon May 07, 2007 7:49 pm

So here's the situation:

My wife and I have a 10th anniversary coming up. We also have a 4-month old son. I've got a '74 Thing, in decent daily driver shape. My wife won't drive it (manual drum brakes and low seating position freak her out), and we can't use it as a family right now because neither of us is comfortable putting the baby seat in it.

I've got about $3K set aside to do the last remaining stuff on the Thing (bedliner on the inside, new paint, new top, and a few remaining mechanical things).

I know that my wife wants a "fun" vehicle to drive. I used to have a Jeep Wrangler that she loved.

Given our life situation, I'm really, really tempted to sell the Thing (I figure I could get about $4000-5000 in its current condition), take that plus the money I've set aside for resto, and buy us another Jeep for our 10th anniversary. That way, she can drive it, it's safer for everyone (real rollbar vs. the Thing's show bar, air bags, baby seat anchors, etc.), and I get to spend more time with my family and less time tinkering on an old VW.

I'm really torn. I really do like the Thing -- it's pretty fun to drive, and it gets lots of neat attention. But it does take up time, and it's not really anything that I can share with the family (which I want to do, unlike some ;-) ).

What would you do in this situation? Would you step back from the ledge, keep and finish the Thing resto ... or would you jump, giving up a cool, rare vehicle for more family fun?

Mon May 07, 2007 7:51 pm

Whew...thats a terrible dilema. I see both sides of the deal there...you gotta do what gotta do to do right by your family! Does your wife really want you to get rid of it? (Oh and congrats on the new baby!)

Mon May 07, 2007 8:00 pm

She's never said a word about getting rid of it -- she actually has said that she likes that I have something cool to work on. It's just not anything that she can participate in.

I also haven't been able to spend any time on my other hobby, playing music. I have a home recording studio that has sat idle for at least two years now.

And thanks! He's my pride and joy. He has a blog and gallery at http://campbell.haygoods.org.

Mon May 07, 2007 8:04 pm

Oh my, cute baby!

Well how about we look at it this way...what could possibly be cooler than on your son's 16th birthday handing over the keys to a nicely restored VW Thing? It could be a good way to teach him all about cars as he's growing up too, and maybe the wife can get into the mix and learn some too?

(PS about that 16th birthday thing...a good insurance policy on the Thing might be in order LOL I remember being 16!)

Mon May 07, 2007 8:14 pm

If mama aint happy, no ones happy :roll:

Mon May 07, 2007 8:30 pm

I have a one year old daughter. My Thing is my hobby, and my wife respects that. When we travel as a family, we drive the Scion. Once my daughter is older, then we might drive in the Thing. Is it as safe as a modern vehicle? Of course not! But consider getting everyone in the family a motorcycle, and the Thing seems a lot safer...

Mon May 07, 2007 8:54 pm

It's a tough time right now - he doesn't fit well in the car. That car seat hassle, too much sun, yeah, you know. When my boys were that age, my wife sat in the rear and we put the baby seat in the front passenger seat facing backwards. That was tough and we didn't drive much with the kids then.

Now, they LOVE the car. From about 3 years onward, they'd play in the car if I let them. I've left the top down and let them play in it to come and find them asleep in the back an hour later. Maybe they would like a Jeep just as much, but I'm not so sure.

Mon May 07, 2007 9:18 pm

jeeps are cool, there i said it!, but it better be a cj!!! if it has "bags" its worthless off road! my boys have been raised (so far) in dubs. bus's are great for the little ones...a big comfortable changing station, or "time out" place. my year old nephew loves my thing; would cry if i got rid of it. all the kids "play" in the thing when its parked. spend the cash on brakes and a good seat (and belts); pass on the bed liner for now; and/or get a lite weight camp trailor and find a way to include the thing and the family...or just sign the pink over to me (your better off without this conundrum) and jump baby jump!!!!

Mon May 07, 2007 9:23 pm

Kids love being picked up from school in cool cars too. 8) For me the Jeep isn't very cool because everyone and their grandma owns one.

Mon May 07, 2007 9:37 pm

deafen wrote: . . . we can't use it as a family right now because neither of us is comfortable putting the baby seat in it.

My daughters are 2 and 6 years old. I have a child seat in my Thing. Tomorrow I'll post pix of how I mounted it. It works great. My kids love driving in the Thing! I know it seems impractical now because your little one is only four months old, but as soon as you can change his seat to a forward facing configuration, I think you'll feel differently.

Many Thing owners who are worried about safety consider switching their front seats out for high-back Bug seats, and getting a roll bar which allows the use of shoulder belts. Do a search for "shoulder belts" in this forum and you will find a lot of information.

Re: the Jeep - I can tell you from experience that 2-door vehicles and child seats are a huge pain.

Below is a photo taken the night I brought my Thing home to the family for the first time. For my daughter, then 4 years old, it was love at first sight.

Tue May 08, 2007 11:40 am

If you can possibly afford to keep the THING do it. I sold my acapulco and moped around for 6 years until I bought another. My girls 11 and 15 love the attention. They love being dropped off and picked up at school in dads very cool car! Even their teachers comment to them about it... If you can swing it, keep it...! :lol:

Tue May 08, 2007 11:40 am

Here's a photo of my child seat installation. The seat is belted in with the stock seat belt. For the seat's upper strap, I looped a piece of 1" tubular webbing (rated at 4800 lbs.) through the attachment point on the package shelf, slipped on a welded steel ring, and tied a water knot. Clip the strap onto the ring, and presto.

Tue May 08, 2007 1:21 pm

My daughter will be one year old on the 25th of this month. I'm looking forward facing her car seat forward and maybe taking some family drives in the Thing together...

Tue May 08, 2007 4:08 pm

GSD_Master wrote: Kids love being picked up from school in cool cars too. 8) For me the Jeep isn't very cool because everyone and their grandma owns one.

Thats what My dad thought too when i was a kid , But being picked up in his Low Rider with snoopy painted on the headrest and having the family get out so we could make it over the speed bumps without ruining his twice pipes was not Cool. I hated it.

The funny thing is years later I built a 64 Galaxie 500 convertible with lake pipes Supream's and a full air bag suspension with 8 switches. It laid frame and I let everyone know it. I don't have kids to traumatize so my wife was my victim . 8)

Tue May 08, 2007 6:56 pm

I sat in a car seat in the front of my parents' Thing (which is now mine) back in the 70's, and I turned out OK! It was in the front seat, facing forward - I still remember the steering wheel with the squeaky horn! I'm not sure how it was attached, but car seats in those days probably only required a lap belt.

Our first baby is due August, and my wife has been bugging me to sell it (she's always hated it!), but that ain't gonna happen.

Even so, I'm still unsure of "baby appropriateness." I'll probably wait until the baby is a little older until I take her in The Thing, and probably only occasionally, for short drives around town.

Tue May 08, 2007 9:00 pm

Big Luni wrote: IOur first baby is due August, and my wife has been bugging me to sell it

Wow, is that legal in Connecticut? Some days I wish it were legal in California!

:lol:

Wed May 09, 2007 10:18 am

Realize your 8k Jeep Wrangler will be worth 1 k less every year.

Buy your wife a 6K used Golf. Use the money saved on less $4.00 Gas to fix up your Thing somewhere down the line.

Obviously if you want to go hardcore off road chuck the Thing and get the Jeep.

A cop asked me if I was crazy, letting my kid ride in my Thing, I thought about it and went home and we both hoped on the HD :roll:

Wed May 09, 2007 11:02 am

Quote: Our first baby is due August, and my wife has been bugging me to sell it

Yes, what were you looking to get for the baby? Would your wife consider a trade?

I've got a set of new-ish 15" chrome rims (with new rubber) and a stock set of 14" rims (a bit rusty with some old rubber) available for trade. If the baby is cute I'd be willing to part with my hardtop (not in the greatest condition, but fixable), a set of doors and a stock exhaust system (with heater boxes in really good condition).

Also, how soon will the baby be able to mow lawns, take out the garbage and rake leaves?

Just curious.

Wed May 09, 2007 11:27 am

Hmm... Already have Chrome 15s. Not a hardtop, though, and since you're already in CT, it would be an easy swap. I'll run it by the Mrs., but since she's not too crazy about The Thing as it is, she might be hesitant to trade a new baby for Thing parts. Throw in a case of Schlitz, though, and we may have a deal...

Wed May 09, 2007 12:51 pm

Done!

Thanks Samba for another great deal!