Barn Find THING, Full Restoration, 27,000 Original Miles.

[randybriscoe]

Yes, factory seems will be preserved or recreated. Check out the rust-out that the Redi-Strip process revealed. New owner wants all metal repairs! All the corrosion is gone now, and the metal is e-coat encapsulated. The shop that did the e-coat is in Romulus Michigan. Click on the image for more detail.

[randybriscoe]

Interesting close up of door hinge w/vendor logo. Click for detail.

[randybriscoe]

Ultra close up near drivers feet/pedals. Note the pinhole texture on the original sheet metal. Possibly the tooling mark from what ever feeds the sheet into the die? Click it, to see it close up. One of the benefits of a chemical strip, vs sand blasting, metal looks like it did when it was pulled from the die.

[randybriscoe]

Body Shop work continues. This is the right side, obviously. Click Pic for more detail.

[randybriscoe]

At the Body Shop, the rear.

[randybriscoe]

Redi-Strip drilled holes in the lower rocker panels to drain fluid. Bob wanted metal repairs, so here they are welded up. Same holds true for any rust repairs.

[randybriscoe]

All great societies are built on the backs of cheap, or slave labor. In the case of this restoration, underage conscripted workers. These guys are only 15. Even so, the one guy looks like he could tear a telephone book in half (good for lifting engines etc.). They have never worked on a car before, so I'm sure they're getting some valuable life lessons, like, never do this again! Here they are cleaning the front suspension. We are using 3 Garages for this project, yeah 3! In the back is the donor engine, and an Envemo Super 90 Chassis setting on edge.

[randybriscoe]

So here's something we ran across while working on the front end. The original factory shocks came off, but the steel bushing that had been pressed into the rubber on the lower mount, was rusted to the swing arms stud. So I used the die-grinder to slice almost all the way through the frozen bushing. Then I took a chisel and drove it off. We don't do this everyday, and aren't metal workers/fabricators, so we were pretty proud of ourselves. I was sure the stud was going to be snapped off, but every thing worked out great.

[randybriscoe]

[randybriscoe]

[waxhead]

[GI Joe]

Excellent progress!! And what a great character building, appreciation for simple mechanics, learning opportunities you're providing those two young men.,! They'll be better for it and they'll appreciate the time they had.....someday..... Lol...

I'm throwing the ignorant card here.... I searched envemo super 90 and got a bunch of pics of a Porsche 356 coupe?? Or Extremely similar.....learn me please!!!!
_________________
'74 Thing, "Our Thing"....
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'71 Beetle RPU
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www.NLEOMF.com
Respect, Honor, Remember

[randybriscoe]

The chassis in the back is for a parallel build of an Envemo Super 90. Updates on that can be found in the Kit Car Forum, even though it's a factory built production car. And in the 356 Forum under Pros and Cons of a real 356 vs a Replica. And now back to the THING

[randybriscoe]

So I have been officially advised that there is such a thing as a budget. I looked into this concept, and have to say, I'm not sure I can work under those kinds of constraints. But, I'm going to try.

So here is my first effort.

The front torsion bar tubes, "beam" as we always called it. Was replcaed on this car, at the dealer, 6 months before the car was put into storage. Four guys took turns cleaning it with degreaser, sandpaper, wirebrush, & Scotch BritePads. Mechanically, it's been left just as it was in 1978. After we complete the whole vehicle assemble. We'll get new ball joints, tie rod ends & new bushings for the sway-bar (anti-roll). Till then, it's been budgeted and fast tracked.

Always remember: There may not be enough time to do it right, but there's all ways enough time to do it over.

[randybriscoe]

The Engine:The necessity of a budget has put my plans for one of those 4 cylinder, modified 911 engines "on the shelf".

So instead, here's the engine. A low dollar 2275cc. It's the original crankcase w/parallel line bore (cam & mains), shuffle pins, oil squirters, full flow oiling etc. Welded 82mm x 94mm. Stock brazilian heads w/around 8.5 to 8.8 compression (I forgot the exact numbers!). combustion chambers measured 54cc's. Can always lower it.

So it's a large displacement engine, with moderate/high compression. May try it in the Envemo first (Envemo Engine background).

[randybriscoe]

Wow! is the rocker arm geometry on this engine goofy. And these dual springs are supper heavy! May switch to a pair of high milage Vanagon Wasser Boxer springs to reduce drag. With these springs, you won't need a parking brake.

And you creepers, stop looking at my engine serial number!

[randybriscoe]

This is the first time I saw a VW Thing in person, February 1973, the Chicago Auto Show. We ordered a Red colored one from a corporate level friend at the show. I think it was delivered late May or Early June. It was Orange of course, because they didn't import Red. Downers Grove VW told us we couldn't have the car for a couple of months, until they received a stocking order. They explained that most dealers were getting one car for showroom display only.

We sent letters from an attorney friend about legal action, and had corporate lean on them a little. After a few days we took delivery. Car had no windows! Dealer claimed that they were shipped "Knocked Down", and that they had thrown the windows away, still in boxes, by mistake. Who knows. So no windows for about a month. The one overwhelming memory of the car, at delivery, was the rubber smell of those factory floor mats. That and the semi gloss orange paint. Not a lot of vehicles painted semi-gloss, then or now.

[randybriscoe]

OK. Just about ready for color.

[randybriscoe]

[randybriscoe]