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Sat Jun 30, 2007 5:49 pm

I would like to be able to use--just for fun--a hand crank to start the engine on my stock '73 Thing. So I have a few questions:

1. Do the cranks from the early busses work on a Thing?

2. Does the crankshaft handcrank receiver nut fitting on the early bus have the same threads and diameter as the 1600CC DP stock '73 Thing engine?

3. Where can I get a handcrank and the crankshaft nut?

I know that I'll need to change the engine tin to get the handcrank in, but the bumper is already stamped with a slotted hole.

Any other issues that I should know about?

Thanks in advance for your help.

IXLR8

Sat Jun 30, 2007 11:33 pm

IXLR8 wrote: I would like to be able to use--just for fun--a hand crank to start the engine on my stock '73 Thing. So I have a few questions:

1. Do the cranks from the early busses work on a Thing?

2. Does the crankshaft handcrank receiver nut fitting on the early bus have the same threads and diameter as the 1600CC DP stock '73 Thing engine?

3. Where can I get a handcrank and the crankshaft nut?

I know that I'll need to change the engine tin to get the handcrank in, but the bumper is already stamped with a slotted hole.

Any other issues that I should know about?

Thanks in advance for your help.

IXLR8

Yes, yes, and you'll want to keep an eye on the Classifieds here. Good luck! I got everything installed on my car, only to find out that the frame horns are too bent to use the crank yet. :( Hopefully once it's restored, that whole system will work.

'Cause, y'know, I don't get enough weird looks for this thing yet. ;)

- Scott

Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:48 am

Mike Crisp who hosts Kubeltreffen East sells a repro kit, nut and bar. I picked one up at the show (KTE) a few years ago and have been happy.
There are two issues though that I have not yet addressed.
1 - When you put a hole in your tin you get hot air from the muffler in the engine compartment. The original configuration came with a spring loaded flap, but they are hard to come by. If you come up with a solution for this let me know!
2 - I bought a Gene Berg Equalizer pulley. They sell a nut with longer threads to compensate for the increased thickness. I think most hand crank nuts are designed for the stock pulley.
Mike

Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:58 pm

Mike Edwards wrote: 1 - When you put a hole in your tin you get hot air from the muffler in the engine compartment. The original configuration came with a spring loaded flap, but they are hard to come by. If you come up with a solution for this let me know!

My plan is to make a small flap like the original and use a thin ring of epoxy around the hole to take up most of the space. Still on the drawing board though.

Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:50 pm

just use duct tape.

Wed Jul 04, 2007 12:06 pm

How 'bout a rubber cork to plug your hole? Hehehe... not like that.

Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:10 pm

Wed Jul 04, 2007 4:09 pm

So how do I find one of these, contact info / email / webpage, and what do these cranks look like? :roll:

Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:32 pm

the crank pully nut is in towel rails avatar thingy... heres the crank handle, bottom pully nut, and the 24V pllug stuff all off my '72 army trekker.....

im hoping to have a hi-po turbo engine in mine... but im still keeping the crank handle and pully nut... lol

Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:56 pm

You're not supposed to hand-crank your Thing! :lol:

They left that feature off of our North American Things because we might hurt ourselves! I guess Europeans are smarter than us?...

Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:33 pm

Woreign wrote: You're not supposed to hand-crank your Thing! :lol:

They left that feature off of our North American Things because we might hurt ourselves! I guess Europeans are smarter than us?...

At least they gave us the right bumpers to let us do it. ;)

Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:46 pm

Towel Rail wrote: Mike Edwards wrote: 1 - When you put a hole in your tin you get hot air from the muffler in the engine compartment. The original configuration came with a spring loaded flap, but they are hard to come by. If you come up with a solution for this let me know!

My plan is to make a small flap like the original and use a thin ring of epoxy around the hole to take up most of the space. Still on the drawing board though.

How about adapting a trailer electrical socket

Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:36 pm

Looks like all the necessary parts are simple enough for The Thing Shop to manufacture a reproduction "crank start kit." Botom tin w/ spring-loaded flap, nut and crank... with their pricing scale, $975 per kit (+ shipping) should do it. I'll start saving now!

Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:59 pm

alex1916v wrote: im hoping to have a hi-po turbo engine in mine... but im still keeping the crank handle and pully nut... lol

Now you can save weight by removing the starter! ;)

Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:39 pm

when I try to find a notch at crankshaft pulley, I turn the pulley by twisting generator pulley.

If I twist gen pulley, I twist crankshaft multiply by2. (without any slip or power loss) It is easier to turn gen pulley rather than crankshaft pulley

dang :D why We don't crank start at gen pulley? I think it is easier

why VW engineer put special crank nut at crankshaft pulley not gen pulley
:)

Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:57 pm

It may turn twice as easy, but also twice as slowly. Fast enough to start the engine?

Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:26 am

Ian Epperson wrote: It may turn twice as easy, but also twice as slowly. Fast enough to start the engine?

I sometimes crank-start my 181 to entertain people on the meetings and in fact when crank-starting, I use only 90°degree swing of the crank. Well tuned engine fires right up!

Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:54 pm

Just bought my thing today and the cranks still under the front hood sometimes lifes just GOOD!!

Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:50 pm

Years ago I came across a pull starter for Volkswagens.It was a thin leather strap with a T handle.The end of the strap had a rivet in it, which was positioned into a hole in the generator pulley,and thenthe strap was wound around the pulley.You turned the key on,made sure it was in neutral, and then started the engine just like your lawn mower.It worked great on my beetle and I still have it,but it wont work well on a Thing because the body gets in the way.

I also have a 1913 Model T Ford which I crank start and one thing I know about hand cranking is that you must be careful.Never wrap your thumb around the handle and only pull upward.

Tue Aug 07, 2007 1:41 am

BCEASE wrote: Just bought my thing today and the cranks still under the front hood sometimes lifes just GOOD!!

the crank should be located in metal clamps near the engine..I´ll take you a pic if you want