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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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 Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 10:22 pm Post subject: Back in the saddle... my 73 build |
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I sold my 74 thing about 3 1/2 years ago after swearing I never would...I was washing it one day a guy pulled up and asked "How much you want?" I said not for sale...he said come on man everything has its price...I said okay I'll take $25,000...he flipped me off and sped away...Jerk... but when you're self employed and the bills gotta get paid sometimes the most liquid asset you've got is parked in the garage!
Well long story, I swore when I finished my house remodel I was going to pick up another project and the craigslist gods were smiling one day and I was able to pick up a 73 & a 74 for a great price...definitely projects, but I'm excited.
The 73 had an on-board heater fire, so the front is toast...but salvageable. The pan is very solid (that's the beauty of the good old dry deserts of the southwest).
I'm going to build the 73 as my driver and the 74 I'm going to Baja.
The 74 is missing a few pieces, but also a good foundation. Looks like at one time it had a Pinto motor in it. Fronts been cut for a radiator, backs been hacked...even pinto badges on the ear muffs.
I started looking for parts because I'm missing doors, deck lid, windshield frame, etc. I'm also looking for a type I bj beam to narrow so I can put in the 73. Again looking at craigslist and call a guy with a bj beam. When I go to look at it I ask if he has any other VW parts...? He asks what I need...I ask if he has any gas tanks? we start walking over to a 63 bug he has in the backyard and I'm stepping over a thing back seat...I say got any thing parts. He says I got a whole thing. I ask where...he points to a overgrown spot behind the bug...I still don't see it. I walk over and there it is. Buried under old boxes and lumber and branches. I ask is it complete...Sure he says. I ask if it has doors? windshield? deck lid? the unobtanium wiper motor? Sure he says. It was a driver when I put it here...
Needless to say I now have 3 Things where before I had none. This last one was a super score. It came with 5 doors, 2 complete windshield frames (upper & lower pieces), the elusive wiper motors, decklid, seats...really the only thing missing is a convertible top frame...he said "I thought I had one...I'll keep looking" even got a roll bar and 2 type 1 bj beams.
Anyway...getting excited. Gratefully my neighbors are good sports and no HOA to deal with. I'll get it contained to my side yard & garage soon enough.
Wish me luck...nothing like jumping into the deep end all at once.
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Arkansauced
Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2014
Posts: 52
Location: Colleyville, TX
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 8:10 am Post subject: |
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This is great. Reminds that at one point when I was in highschool my dad and I had somehow accumulate 2 Things, a baja, a super and a Bradley GT. We just couldn't pass up the deals when we came across them!]
Sounds like you have a great start! will you fix up all three? |
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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I'm gonna build 2 out of the 3. I have 2 titles, so one of the 74's will be a donor. The 73 had the front clip replaced at some point and it's a piss poor match up.
1/2" thick bondo... 
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GI Joe
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Joined: April 28, 2005
Posts: 2012
Location: Athens, TN
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brian rogers
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Joined: April 14, 2002
Posts: 137
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
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| Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 5:37 am Post subject: |
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| Good to see you back with VWs. Hope all goes well for ya. Chopping another beam? I need to keep in touch for advice. Gotta make some more progress on the vert this year. |
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 9:14 am Post subject: |
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I'm going to slam my driver. Narrow a bug beam w/ adjusters. I started tearing into the 73 and found the whole front clip had been replaced somewhere down the line. The guy that grafted it in really got things misaligned... At first glance I wondered why the hood wasn't lining up, then I realized he'd stretched the front out somehow. He couldn't figure out how to get it realigned either...thus these awesome hold-downs! 
The front is 1/2" to 3/4" wider than the hood on each side...I know the hood didn't shrink... Guess I'll look into it. Good thing I have another entire car to tear into... 
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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I wish there was a ThingSelecta... well, next best thing...
Thinking about Mango Green for my driver.
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tbdean
Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Lawrenceville (Atlanta), GA
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| Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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| lowsquare wrote: |
| I wish there was a ThingSelecta... well, next best thing... |
Where did you get those graphics? We could make a Thing Selecta |
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GI Joe
Samba Member
Joined: April 28, 2005
Posts: 2012
Location: Athens, TN
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 8:14 pm Post subject: time to strip my thing... |
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Started to tear into the 73 today. Got a lot done in only a couple of hours.
tbdean Go to BusSelecta.com, on the bug page top right are 3 tabs. Go to the special tab and they have a Heb, Kubel, Schwimm & Baja... The Kubel is as close as you can get.
Thinking Orange for my Baja Thing...
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:46 pm Post subject: keep on breaking it down... |
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Took a break till the weather got warmer...
Cut the front clip off car #3
Took a load of parts to the blaster...curious what lies beneath all the bondo?
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 12:14 pm Post subject: Parts back from the blaster... |
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Just picked up my blasted fenders & hood... Much easier to see what I have to work with...
Didn't see a few of those dings...but I did know there was a lot of bondo in the front right fender...but all in all not bad. Now to get going on this body work.
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brian rogers
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Joined: April 14, 2002
Posts: 137
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
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| Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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Any progress?
None on mine gotta delli to run.
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 11:40 am Post subject: |
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Only progress lately was taking 2 rear fenders and making one good one. I still have to do a little more work...but I think it turned out pretty good. I had one very good fender but the flange to attach to body was completely rusted away...found a fender someone had butchered up but has a good flange.
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Metal Twister
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Joined: January 24, 2013
Posts: 405
Location: licking, MO.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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Wow... Ready, Set, Go! sweet project and keep the pics coming. Nice thing about projects like that is the neighbors really appreciating the yard art till its done! Congrats on the find.
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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Just got my new compressor installed and working...excited to start spraying out some of my parts as they're coming back from the blaster. Probably should have got a little more CFM...but it's what I could afford.
Gonna be a little easier than my little 6 gallon Porter-Cable!!
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 9:01 pm Post subject: Narrowed beam |
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The disc brake kit showed up right on time this week...
Gonna install a bug beam. Narrowed 5" but added back in 2" with the adjusters. The shock towers had to be modified to fit...(not hit the body). Didn't take too many pics...I've done a pictorial before when I narrowed a beam 4" and added back 2" with the adjusters.
Putting it back together. Bottom ball joints were fine, I ended up waiting a day to have the top ball joints pressed in...
Because it is a total of 3" narrowed, the shock towers were modified so they would fit.
The brake kit arrived right on time and I couldn't wait to install it. Took about 1.5 hours...much easier when the beam is out
I hope I won't be disappointed. They are the EMPI brand and I've read tons of mixed reviews...but these seem to be a newer style ( I think they call them the "Chevy" style). They are just like the calipers that was on my Astro Van... and those were very solid. I hope these will work the same!
Everything's looking purty...
Tomorrow will be PRIMER DAY. I've been getting several parts blasted over the last couple weeks and I'm running out of dry storage room. Gotta get some of these pieces at least primered so I can store for a few more weeks while doing body work. I know it's dry in AZ (and freaking HOT) but the garage is full and we're still experiencing some of our summer monsoons and the last thing I need is to have paid several hundred bucks for surface rust 
I picked up my front clip and windshield frame today.
Bondo sure hides a lot! Found the usual crap poked in the holes...aluminum foil, steel wool, cloth  What the crap...?
I'll post more tomorrow after getting these blasted parts in primer.
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2015 12:18 pm Post subject: Getting parts in primer... |
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Early start to my Saturday...got all prepped and parts in primer before lunch. At least now I can rest a little easier about flash rust while I'm sanding & fixing...
now to get this front swapped out and welded together...
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lowsquare
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Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 10:32 am Post subject: |
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Decided to sell the 74 to keep bringing in funds for the 73. I was able to get several needed parts including a convertible top frame and $$... I've been keeping the UPS guy busy. Between TS classifieds and online purchases, I'm getting a visit nearly every day
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lowsquare
Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2004
Posts: 287
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
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| Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2015 7:39 pm Post subject: Building a dolly |
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Had a couple hours this afternoon so I stopped by the local metal place... love Davis Scrap in PHX by the way... I was able to get some very nice material and then to HF and scored some nice casters. I'm building this so its wide enough to roll over the pan so once I've separated the body I'll be able to park both the body & pan in the same space only stacked... If that makes sense?
I built it mostly from 2 x 2 square tubing with a piece of 1 x 1 as a strut. Gusseted the corners...probably didn't need too...but it looks sturdy.
My gas regulator took a crap on me and froze up  I'll take it to the shop on Monday & see whats up. So only got the two sides built.
I'm going to use 2 x 2 angle for the horizontal pieces to tie the two sides together...Guess I've got to wait till Monday.
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