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richtrek
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2006
Posts: 204
Location: Santa Clarita Valley Area
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 Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 1:12 pm Post subject: Disappointed in Thing Shop roll cage/beauty bar |
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I recently ordered a Thing Shop beauty bar and discovered that the bar mounting holes do not line up with the pre-drilled (factory) holes in my 74 Thing.
anyone else had this problem?  |
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Ferretkona
Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2005
Posts: 1306
Location: Columbia, CA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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| I did not know there were predrilled holes in a Thing. If the dealer had once mounted a roll bar they often have lot guys do it and it could end up being drilled anywhere. |
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markie61
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005
Posts: 583
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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I was thinking he meant the holes on the door post between the front and back doors.
My understanding is that the VWOA rollcage was a dealer-installed option. Other than the holes on the door post (also used for the hardtop support bolts), I haven't had any rollcage holes per se on either of my Things.
Mark
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Whut is that-there Thang!?
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Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!? |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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The seatbelt hanger holes? Could you be more specific as to how they don't fit? You can always shim the bars "up" from below.
Mine fit fine -- after a little "encouragement" into the warped body.  |
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markie61
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005
Posts: 583
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Towel Rail wrote: |
| The seatbelt hanger holes? |
On both my Things, above and below the seatbelt hanger holes there were two black plastic plugs that covered threaded inserts (8mm?) that were used to bolt in the hardtop center support and/or flat metal flanges from a rollbar. I never have had a rollcage, so I used them to hold the hardtop support.
Mark
_________________
Whut is that-there Thang!?
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Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!? |
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MedicTed
Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2005
Posts: 2110
Location: King of Prussia, PA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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Mine fit well when I installed it.
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Ted Wojton
70 VW Bus Westfalia camper
2003 GMC Sierra |
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radioman
Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2004
Posts: 430
Location: Irmo, SC
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 3:43 am Post subject: |
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Mark: You are correct....they are 8mm and do indeed mount the bar. Mine fit fine also....and seems to improve the body integrity.
_________________
It's a Southern Thing, 73, stock.
Bill |
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chinarider
Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2002
Posts: 276
Location: San Francisco, CA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:49 am Post subject: |
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Sounds odd if we're talking about the 8mm, threaded side-post holes (i.e., the ones that are also used for the hard top supports). My ThingShop show bar lined up with them without any problems. As far as I recall, the show bar's holes are also oval, so you have a little lattitude when lining them up.
If we're talking about holes drilled into either the pan or the rear tub, well, that's another story. After 30+ years, anything goes.
Can you fill and redrill as necessary? |
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FreakCitySF
Samba Member
Joined: June 08, 2004
Posts: 642
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:27 am Post subject: |
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| wiggle things around, put in the tubes without bolting them in and see if you can line them up, possibly the bolt on bars had their holes drilled in to far ? |
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richtrek
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2006
Posts: 204
Location: Santa Clarita Valley Area
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| Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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EVERYONE, thanks for the input.
On my 74 Thing there are corresponding holes at the top rear area where the tubes meet at a "V," at the send rear deck area where the rear tubes are to be attached, and near the rear of the front seats. These holes were there when I bought her and look like they were meant for the Thing Shop roll bar, but they do not line up well. The comment about tweaking the bars to fit sounds like my situation, but they really do not seem to line up well at all... like a 1.5 inch off at the front, 2 inches off meeting at the back (V) area, etc.
All of the holes look "clean." Meaning they do not look like some minimal mechanic - like myself - drilled them out for an add-on roll cage. The holes are not "threaded."
The suggestion about unbolting the tubes and fastening the other pieces, and then go back to tighten down the center tubes is a good idea... however, I am planning on having the center tubes welded, I don't like the basic "bolt together" configuration. No, I did not get it powder coated. I invite suggestions about the welding process...
It sounds as if some of you also have Things with holes in similar locations.
Thanks again...
Richard  |
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mattt
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2004
Posts: 1143
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:43 am Post subject: |
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| Those holes are not factory. The Thing never came with a rollbar from the factory, hence no pre-drilled holes. |
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Ian Epperson
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2005
Posts: 2262
Location: Alameda, CA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:11 am Post subject: |
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| Matt, I disagree. There WAS a factory roll bar, and there are mount points for it. I had my custom bar modified (reinforced) to also bolt to those points. |
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mattt
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2004
Posts: 1143
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:56 am Post subject: |
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| Ian Epperson wrote: |
| Matt, I disagree. There WAS a factory roll bar, and there are mount points for it. I had my custom bar modified (reinforced) to also bolt to those points. |
Fine, be that way!!  You agreed with me in the other thread, but couldnt do two for two???  
We are both right, its all about how you put the words together.
I said "The Thing never came with a rollbar from the factory."
Ian said "There WAS a factory roll bar."
Both statements are correct. The factory roll bar was offered as an accessory to be installed at the dealer level. What holes/mounts did you had your bar modified to bolt to? |
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Ian Epperson
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Joined: January 12, 2005
Posts: 2262
Location: Alameda, CA
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:40 am Post subject: |
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OK, NOW I agree!
Would that now be 2 for 2? Do we need an ajudication?
No wait! I still disagree about the mounting points! Drat!
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mattt
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2004
Posts: 1143
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| Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:52 am Post subject: |
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| Ian Epperson wrote: |
OK, NOW I agree!
Would that now be 2 for 2? Do we need an ajudication?
No wait! I still disagree about the mounting points! Drat!
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I knew we always saw eye to eye. Its all about how you say it.
I'd still like to know which mounting points you are talking about.
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radioman
Samba Member
Joined: April 15, 2004
Posts: 430
Location: Irmo, SC
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:30 am Post subject: |
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My bar from theTS needed holes drilled to accomodate the "feet" and the underside reinforcing plates. The only "factory" holes were the ones on each side in the door posts. (the 8mm's). It took me a couple hours to get mine in, just fitted it up, wiggled it here, pushed it there, adjusted a bit, drank beer and then tightened everything up!!! Covered most of it with roll bar padding from the local hot rod shop. I like it fine
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It's a Southern Thing, 73, stock.
Bill |
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