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ThingDriver
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Southern CA
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 Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:26 am Post subject: |
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| suntour wrote: |
Lifting a Thing is such a vague term that it’s hard to give you any answers. To one person it’s a 3” body lift, to another it’s a cut and turned front end and re-index the rear torsion bars. (See the off-road forum sticky on this subject) any then there is the mid to long travel suspension with a combination of body modifications to fit the tires.
If you’re serious about the whole coil-over thing you need to make a serious commitment of time, money and fabrication skill to make it happen. Those mid to long travel off-road machines start around 30k and only go up. Just the rear shocks and springs start around $1800. This is not something to half-ass, you’ll just end up trashing a perfectly good Thing or worst case killing yourself when the suspension fails.
At this point wouldn’t you just be better off with a Jeep or something? |
Suntour, you are a smart man. Take all the above, and may I add I had over $3K just in parts in my front end (racer net $$$ @ Kartek). Anyone doing this, make sure you take the time to pencil it out thoroughly. It gets real spendy, real quick. Did I say it was funs as heck when it was done?  |
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Thingggg
Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2004
Posts: 353
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| Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Would one have to graft a king front end from a Ghia pan or bug. Isn’t the pan on a Thing a Ghia. Asking I do not know. |
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suntour
Samba Member
Joined: November 25, 2004
Posts: 443
Location: Woodinville, WA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 12:45 am Post subject: |
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Yes, from what I understand the Ghia and Thing pans are dimensionally the same. The Thing pan is reinforced for off-road in the front and the rear shock towers are unique but will fit under a Ghia or vise-versa.
You can graft a king and link front end on to your pan. The Thing Shop sells the reinforcement plates that are welded under the pan for bracing the front beam. Your end result would be a rather stock looking setup with a K&L front end. Or you can tube the front end and move the beam forward a bit just like you see on a lot a Baja’s. Also check out ThingDriver's photo's and look at his tubed front end. That is a work of art.
I have also heard of one-off adaptors for connecting a K&L to a ball joint frame head. However I have no idea how safe these would be in the long run. There might be a reason no one is mass-producing these considering the off-road demand for a IRS rear with a K&L front.
alsehendo34, I am well aware of the fine work produced by Jake. I have an odd little Type IV that I bought from Jake sitting in my garage right now.
I should have been more descriptive in my bloody expensive comment. I was commenting more on the larger 2270 or larger engines. Your right, the stock sized 1700-2000cc Type IV engines can be converted for a REALLY reasonable amount of money and produce huge amounts of torque and reliability.
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Order of the Voodoo Spoon |
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GOOTJR
Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2005
Posts: 53
Location: S CALIF
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| Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:44 am Post subject: Body Lifts |
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Does anyone know of a company making a Thing body lift.
Thanks for any help.
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GOOTJR's Baja
www.extremebajakarts.com |
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emmas54
Samba Member
Joined: June 08, 2006
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 7:34 pm Post subject: Re: lifting a thing |
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| vwthingrcer wrote: |
| im looking to lift my thing with out using the lift kit. any ways I can lift it? coilovers? |
I have just finished the process and can talk you through it. I lifted the car with minimal money and while keeping the integrity of the THING. I can forward pictures also so you can get an idea of what it will look like and perform. |
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GOOTJR
Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2005
Posts: 53
Location: S CALIF
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| Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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That would be great did you make your own lift or did you buy it from up Yer Bug. I talked to them today and figured I could make a kit very inexpensive. Some pictures would be great. I just finished my Baja a while back and just starting this new project.
Thanks
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GOOTJR's Baja
www.extremebajakarts.com |
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1965rpm
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2007
Posts: 4
Location: San Diego, CA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 8:23 am Post subject: Re: lifting a thing |
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| Hi folks! I'm on my 3rd Thing and decided this one is a keeper. What I have done on all 3 has worked great. As mentioned above, you must cut and turn the front beam. Replace the original leaf springs with after market performance ones. You will want to replace the rear torsion bars with performance ones as well to prevent it from sagging. You can get these at latestrage.net. Bilstien makes an awesome shock for this set up. Put on the biggest off road tires that will fit and you are good! You will want a 1835 motor or bigger to really have fun with it. The icing on the cake is rebuilding the transmission to add a first gear that will let you spin the tires all day!!! |
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ALANSD
Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2015
Posts: 341
Location: Woodstock, GA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 9:30 am Post subject: Re: lifting a thing |
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how about some photos of our lifted Thing(s)?
Mine is higher than normal, but its mostly due to tires, wheels and air suspension in the rear, not sure as I did not do it ..it came that way |
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63ziggy
Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2005
Posts: 1100
Location: The Woodlands, Texas
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| Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:03 am Post subject: Re: lifting a thing |
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request for picks of lifted Things. Maybe we should start a separate thread
Here's mine
3" body lift, KYB Gas-a-just shocks. 2" raised rear plates, beam adjusters (not really cranked) with 2" raised front spindles.
Tires are LT235/75R15 Goodyear Duratrac with AC Industries front disc brakes.
Motor was built by CPR/Chico Racing. 1776 dual 35 carbs, cam etc. roughly 85hp and 105 ft # torque.
weekend cruiser, she moves well and will run 65-70 on freeway. Have been 75 but then reality hits driving a 41 yr old box on wheels. Not quite the safest thing
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sam_w
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 1479
Location: Petaluma, CA
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| Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2016 12:11 am Post subject: Re: lifting a thing |
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I will put up some recent pics of the Thingster.
3 1/2 lifted front beam, and 31x10.5 tyres on twisted rear torsion bars.
I have added a 6 inch extension to widen the rear fenders.
I have a quaife LSD and a 2054 motor with Weber 40's.
I regret that I am using the standard 4.125 differential as I do 25 MPH per 1000 RPM in top gear.
I have to get to 50 in 3rd before changing into top gear, but it cruises great at 70-75 all day.
I had her up to 89 MPH by my GPS and I think it would have gone faster if I kept on going. I was stopped by the CHP for doing 79 and just given a warning, as I said the front tures make the speedometer read slow.
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63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing |
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