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notchboy Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2002 Posts: 22416 Location: Escondido CA
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engineerscott Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2005 Posts: 455
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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How stiff is the body off road? Do you feel any torsional twisting on uneven terrain or is it pretty tight? |
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vintagemx0 Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2005 Posts: 427 Location: Portland, Oregon USA
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Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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It's pretty tight. When I was building the car, I had heard of kubel doors opening themselves when the body would experience torsion, so I made the latches for my doors pretty long. They engage the pillars about 3/4". I crawled up and down some steep hills with moon-sized craters that must have put some severe torsional stress on the body. You could hear the doors making some clanking racket but they never opened. _________________ Where ever you go, there you are. |
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Flywheel Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2009 Posts: 7 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:38 am Post subject: |
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Great pics and build.
You are probably the best person to ask this question of - could a Type 181 trekker chassis be adapted for building an exact type 82 Kubel replica body on. After changing the floor pans - what other major modifcations would need to be done to fit as replica body?
is the trekker front axle and rear wider than a type 82 Kubel?
Cheers
Andy |
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autohausdolby Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2005 Posts: 57 Location: Sheffield, England
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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:58 am Post subject: |
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Great thread |
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Bruce Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2003 Posts: 17273 Location: Left coast, Canada
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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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Flywheel wrote: |
- could a Type 181 trekker chassis be adapted for building an exact type 82 Kubel replica body on. |
It could, but it would make more sense to start with a Beetle chassis. A real Kubel shares the same chassis as a Beetle of the same year. _________________
overheard at the portland Swap Meet... wrote: |
..... a steering wheel made from a mastadon tusk..... |
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vintagemx0 Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2005 Posts: 427 Location: Portland, Oregon USA
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Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:03 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not very familiar with the 181, but I'm sure the chassis would work if the Ghia pans were replaced with Beetle pans. It may be interesting to see how the suspension components may be adapted too.
I just had to throw in a shot I took the other day of my car in a glossy environment.
Regards,
Ken _________________ Where ever you go, there you are. |
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Doc*181 Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2003 Posts: 479 Location: Belgium
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Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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Flywheel wrote: |
Great pics and build.
You are probably the best person to ask this question of - could a Type 181 trekker chassis be adapted for building an exact type 82 Kubel replica body on. After changing the floor pans - what other major modifcations would need to be done to fit as replica body?
is the trekker front axle and rear wider than a type 82 Kubel?
Cheers
Andy |
A 181 is much wider.
_________________ Thing stuff:
http://vw181.skynetblogs.be/ |
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henry roberts Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2003 Posts: 1274 Location: australia
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 1:05 am Post subject: |
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hi ken. i love this thread, not only did you build an amazing car but the pics of it in use really make it even better.
do you still have the pics etc of the jigs and press set up you used to form the ribs? the links to the other forum are long gone.
thanks. |
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Flywheel Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2009 Posts: 7 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 10:51 am Post subject: |
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Doc*181 wrote: |
Flywheel wrote: |
Great pics and build.
You are probably the best person to ask this question of - could a Type 181 trekker chassis be adapted for building an exact type 82 Kubel replica body on. After changing the floor pans - what other major modifcations would need to be done to fit as replica body?
is the trekker front axle and rear wider than a type 82 Kubel?
Cheers
Andy |
A 181 is much wider.
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Is it?? or just way the pic make it looks - measure the distance between the middle of front tyres in the photo and theres not much in it.
Just got vehicle specs .... they are close
Type 82 Kubelwagen
Wheelbase 240 cm (94 in)
Length 374 cm (147 in)
Width 160 cm (63 in
Type 181 Trekker
Wheelbase 2,400 mm (94.5 in)
Length 3,780 mm (148.8 in)
Width 1,640 mm (64.6 in)
Thanks
Andy |
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engineerscott Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2005 Posts: 455
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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Flywheel wrote: |
Is it?? or just way the pic make it looks - measure the distance between the middle of front tyres in the photo and theres not much in it.
Just got vehicle specs .... they are close
Type 82 Kubelwagen
Wheelbase 240 cm (94 in)
Length 374 cm (147 in)
Width 160 cm (63 in
Type 181 Trekker
Wheelbase 2,400 mm (94.5 in)
Length 3,780 mm (148.8 in)
Width 1,640 mm (64.6 in)
Thanks
Andy |
The body is wider in that it more encompasses the wheels, but I think your right, from center wheel to center wheel they are very similar. And of course, the Ghia pan is wider as well. The 181 does have more passenger room but it's just because they're making more efficient use of the wheelbase.
However, you would think that a bug would be a better starting point than a 181 because the pan would be closer. |
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splitjunkie Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006 Posts: 4083
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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The pan of the thing is the same as a type 1. The only difference is the KG pans. The Thing has differences in the suspension but other dimensions are same as the type 1 pan. _________________ Chris
You know, a lot of these scratches will buff right out... Jerry Seinfeld |
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vintagemx0 Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2005 Posts: 427 Location: Portland, Oregon USA
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Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2011 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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Ja Ja Ja, so if you had a type 181 chassis and removed the pans and replaced them with beetle pans, it would work. I think the essential question is --- Wouldn't it be best to just use a Beetle chassis as the platform?. I for one would think it less of a loss to see a beetle pan used for a replica vehicle than a rarer type 181. _________________ Where ever you go, there you are. |
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vintagemx0 Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2005 Posts: 427 Location: Portland, Oregon USA
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Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 10:16 pm Post subject: Trip to Albany Oregon |
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Today was an interesting day. We went to a car show, but t turned-out to be a pretty small event and we didn't stay around too long. Driving home, we were trying to decide what to do for the day. My wife suggested we drive the kubel to the beach. I thought about it for a short while, and had concerns about the warm temperatures and people flocking to the beach. Then I suggested we drive to my childhood town of Albany. My wife was totallly into that, so we spent the day driving there, going through GIGANTIC antique stores while we were there, then driving home.
We drove back-road highways there from Portland - probably about 200 miles round-trip, averaging about 50 MPH. The car ran great and we had a good time. Driving a long distance through Oregon's Willamette valley on a warm sunny day is just beautiful.
Here is a photo of the kubel in front of the Linn County Court House. It was built in 1940 and is a fine example of US Government building design from that era. I grew up a block away from this building.
Day well spent - It was nice to go back to my childhood romping-grounds, and it was really nice to drive the car on such a long journey with no issues and to just enjoy the day.
Regards,
Ken _________________ Where ever you go, there you are. |
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splitjunkie Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006 Posts: 4083
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Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 8:18 am Post subject: |
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vintagemx0 wrote: |
Ja Ja Ja, so if you had a type 181 chassis and removed the pans and replaced them with beetle pans, it would work. I think the essential question is --- Wouldn't it be best to just use a Beetle chassis as the platform?. I for one would think it less of a loss to see a beetle pan used for a replica vehicle than a rarer type 181. |
The thing came with swing axles with reduction gears and also came with IRS rear end. I think the US bound ones all came with IRS but I am not an expert on the Thing.
The front end looks like a standard sedan front end with the exception of some reinforcements on the shock towers. You can see some drawings in the parts manual.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/thing_parts_manual.php
I agree, It would be better to modify and sedan pan unless you find a Thing pan with no body. They are much rarer. _________________ Chris
You know, a lot of these scratches will buff right out... Jerry Seinfeld |
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tstracy39 Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2008 Posts: 3294 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 2:44 am Post subject: |
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If you ever decide it'd be cool to make a speedo with a functioning odometer, you can start with one of these (old programmable electronic speedo with non-LCD odometer and tripodometer)
The 120MPH version would probably not be any help, but the instructions say there is an 85mph version too. They stopped making these several years ago. Late model high end Porsches had a similar electic speedometer, and some of the US models were required by law to have an 85mph speedo, so it might be possible to find one of those. You can also try experimenting with the older VDO electronic tachometer with in-dial non-LCD hourmeter, those are out of production too but not as hard to find. _________________ Check my classifieds for kewl gauges:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php?username=tstracy39
EverettB wrote: |
I like your fork. |
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jackcai2008 Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Shenzhen,China
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 1:19 am Post subject: |
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Hi,Ken
Cool work to rebuild a kubelwagen.
Best rgds,
Jack |
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vintagemx0 Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2005 Posts: 427 Location: Portland, Oregon USA
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Posted: Wed May 29, 2013 8:01 pm Post subject: In the woods |
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_________________ Where ever you go, there you are. |
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MIKE VL Samba Member
Joined: January 17, 2014 Posts: 1 Location: Buenos Aires-Argentina
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 8:50 pm Post subject: Questions... |
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Hellovintage mx0! My name is Mike and I write from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I've been really impressed by your excellent work and make been very inspiring for me.
I will begin to build a replica of the Kubelwagen from scratch and with your permission, I will make you a lot of queries.
To begin, I need to know if it is possible to mount a Kubelwagen on a chassis of a 1958 beetle and if the mechanics are EXACTLY the same.
How do you make the doors panel's mouldings? Do you use a mold ?
Where have you got:
headlights
gas tank?
Thank you very much! And congratulations again! |
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jdub63 Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2008 Posts: 225 Location: Azle
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Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 9:15 am Post subject: |
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Everytime this thread pops up I'm amazed at the workmanship and time that went into this build.... Awesome work.
jdub |
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