TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat May 15, 2010 11:26 pm

I bought another one.

Ok, for years I've toyed with the idea of getting a Thing. I'm primarily a Split Bus guy, but something about a utilitarian convertible appealed to me. So for months I trawled the classifieds here, Craigslist, swaps, etc and just couldn't find a decent Thing within a thousand miles for a reasonable price.

So I put a "Thing wanted" ad on my local Craigslist and didn't really expect much. Boy, was I wrong. Within a week I had found a clean original paint orange '73 with both tops that hadn't been advertised anywhere. But then right after that deal was done I was offered a '74 Acapulco Thing so cheap I just couldn't say no.

The '73 is a nice driver with an original hardtop, brand new curtains and thrashed soft top. It has a big old dent on the rocker under the LR door but it's fixable. I'm fairly handy with a welder and spray gun.

The '74 was an Acapulco and has been raised with an adjustable beam and some other black magic in the rear which includes 930 CV joints or so I'm told. It's been sitting forever, but I got it fired up and it seems to run good. I initially bought it as a parts car but I think it's too good for that fate. It also came with a ton of extra stuff including a brand new black soft top which will go on the orange '73.

So that's my story. Go easy on me as I learn the Thing ropes. :oops:

Sun May 16, 2010 12:14 am

Welcome to the Thing world. Keep the orange and sell the purple one to fund the resto of the '73. And keep this thread as your build thread for the orange one. Nice finds.

Sun May 16, 2010 5:25 am

I agree,the orange one looks real close to original so you should keep it and sell the other to fund the restoration.Of course you could keep both and have two fun drivers.

Sun May 16, 2010 6:44 am

I say keep 'em both. Drive the '74 as-is while you do a resto on the '73. When you're done, keep the '74 as an of road thrasher, and the '73 as the Sunday cruiser.

Sun May 16, 2010 12:09 pm

Cool Tom.
now between you, me and jason, we have 3 orange thing owners. Sweet.

id love to have an off road beater if you decide to part with the 74

Sun May 16, 2010 1:59 pm

Chad1376 wrote: I say keep 'em both. Drive the '74 as-is while you do a resto on the '73. When you're done, keep the '74 as an of road thrasher, and the '73 as the Sunday cruiser.

Wow, for once, I was trying to give reasonable advice (keep one and sell the other), but keeping both for dual purpose is a cool idea, more like the real me... :twisted: :wink: (see my sig line... #-o )

Sun May 16, 2010 2:32 pm

welcome to the family...

Sun May 16, 2010 3:04 pm

The Sacto Thing crowd is growing! I thought all the stray oranges Things ended up in Boise- congrats. The Acapulco has lost most of it's unique Acapulco-esque features- I echo the "roll it while reconditioning the orange 73" opinion.

Sun May 16, 2010 5:37 pm

I spent most of the last 2 days working on the '74 and driving the '73. I did a ton of wiring work on the '74 and now pretty much everything works. Installed the fuel tank, worked on the brakes and e-brake and drove it up and down the street a few times. It's been off the road longer than I thought - the last registration sticker is '83!

Anyway, it's now had a bath and is parked with some of its siblings.

Mon May 17, 2010 7:46 am

Good Job Tom!

Welcome to the Thing forums - you thought bus folks were odd!

Oh, and you don't need a 2.0l in that Thing either!

Mon May 17, 2010 9:10 am

crofty wrote: Good Job Tom!

Welcome to the Thing forums - you thought bus folks were odd!

Oh, and you don't need a 2.0l in that Thing either!

Ah, this reminds me...I have to give a public "Thank you!" to Sean for answering my unending stream of questions and critiquing countless sale ads for me during my search.

I owe you a beer or six.

Mon May 17, 2010 9:35 am

crofty wrote: Oh, and you don't need a 2.0l in that Thing either! Eh? What? Haven't I given you a ride with the 2.3? Solomon Grundy and Sam recently saw the light :lol:

Mon May 17, 2010 12:15 pm

Ian Epperson wrote: crofty wrote: Oh, and you don't need a 2.0l in that Thing either! Eh? What? Haven't I given you a ride with the 2.3? Solomon Grundy and Sam recently saw the light :lol:

Not yet. I think you were on your second trany replacement or something like that. :D

Mon May 17, 2010 12:16 pm

///Mink wrote: crofty wrote: Good Job Tom!

Welcome to the Thing forums - you thought bus folks were odd!

Oh, and you don't need a 2.0l in that Thing either!

Ah, this reminds me...I have to give a public "Thank you!" to Sean for answering my unending stream of questions and critiquing countless sale ads for me during my search.

I owe you a beer or six.

Awwww, no problem. Will I see it at Sac?

Mon May 17, 2010 12:18 pm

crofty wrote:

Awwww, no problem. Will I see it at Sac?

I think so. We need to bring the Westy so we have a civilized place to hang out, but I might bring the Thing, too.

Mon May 17, 2010 2:03 pm

///Mink wrote: crofty wrote:

Awwww, no problem. Will I see it at Sac?

I think so. We need to bring the Westy so we have a civilized place to hang out, but I might bring the Thing, too.

So you're over-nighting?

Mon May 17, 2010 2:26 pm

crofty wrote:

So you're over-nighting?

Oh, hell no. I did that once...never again. You?

Mon May 17, 2010 2:30 pm

///Mink wrote: crofty wrote:

So you're over-nighting?

Oh, hell no. I did that once...never again. You?

Always!

Mon May 17, 2010 7:14 pm

crofty wrote: ///Mink wrote: crofty wrote:

So you're over-nighting?

Oh, hell no. I did that once...never again. You?

Always!

HEAR HEAR!! Enjoy the BEER!

I can't even consider going without camping out

Mon May 17, 2010 8:23 pm

sixty9fasty wrote: crofty wrote: ///Mink wrote: crofty wrote:

So you're over-nighting?

Oh, hell no. I did that once...never again. You?

Always!

HEAR HEAR!! Enjoy the BEER!

I can't even consider going without camping out

i will overnight with the thing. see you all there