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Here's the Thing...
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emilyfberry
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:44 am    Post subject: Here's the Thing... Reply with quote

The journey I have been through with my Thing has been unlike anything I imagined, and it's not over yet. I rescued the Thing along with the help of my friend and avid Aircooled Junkie, Brennan, one night in June of 2013. For the entire 5 hour trip to East Tennessee, Brennan told me repeatedly that we were NOT bringing this car home if it was a hunk of junk. As fate would have it, when we finally got to the car (nearing midnight) I immediately fell in love with the rusted, crappy, torn apart, sorry excuse for an automobile. I knew I had to take it home. (Brennan was less than thrilled, and reminds me every time I get frustrated that "I told you not to buy that POS.")

Once we got it home and in the light, it really became obvious to me for the first time the amount of work that would have to go into this project.

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Just hangin with the new roommate. (what is in present time a fully finished, beautiful Squareback)

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The real work began. The car was torn down to its most basic form. The body was put aside, and I focused on the chassis. Pans were welded in, disc brakes added to the front, beam adjusters, drop spindles, all new brake lines and cylinders, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc. Everything was replaced (and everything needed to be replaced.)

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The package tray was practically made of paper, and I was too cheap to buy a replacement panel, so I got cozy with the bead roller and made some pieces of my own.

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The bulging front turn signals just weren't for me, so I cut those bad boys out. I even got my mother (Queen of High Maintenance) to help out in the shop!

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The filler neck had been almost nearly completely rotted out, so I replaced it with a panel from a door and made the switch to a Beetle gas tank with an under-the-hood filler.

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I also replaced the passenger rocker, but apparently took zero pictures of that awesome endeavor.


If your windshield frame has a manifestation of ants, this is the proper, textbook approved route of removal, right? Right!?

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I took a much needed break from body work and moved on to the engine, easily my favorite part of this build to date.

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Let me tell you about things that make your heart sink: finding this sucker sitting on the work bench after the heads had already been torqued. (OOPS)

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But after tearing it back down, and building it back up, it turned out just fine.


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Then it was time to go back to body work, and get this Thing painted. I'd like to take this time to make a sweeping declaration that I hate body work. I hate it. I hate sanding. I hate filling. I hate priming. I hate sanding again. I hate all of it. But by god, it was worth it in the end.

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The trans had been rebuilt early on in the project by Billy over at Rusty Bottom Garage. I rebuilt the axels, installed the shift rod, and mounted the trans. I think there are probably very few things in the world messier than rebuilding axels, yeah?

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The next obstacle was mounting seats to the pan. I knew I wanted to keep the low-back, VW look, but that I wanted something a little more comfortable (and a little more easily found at the junkyard). I settled on a set of old Mercedes seats, and Brennan's grandfather recovered them.

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The shifter and the pedals were put in place.

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And it was time to put the body back on!! This in and of itself was one of my largest obstacles. We had placed the body on the pan the night before to mark when exactly on the pan holes needed to be drilled in order to fasten the body back on. For whatever reason, the holes ended up about a quarter of an inch off, and we had to resort to ridiculousness to get it to go together. Cue terrible idea in 3.. 2.. 1..



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But hey, it worked!!

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As of now, the decklid is on, the fenders are on and beaded, the taillights and head lights are wired, the front bumper is in place, and things are moving along smoothly. I have the daunting task of finding tires that will not only fit the thin VW wheels, but also fit in the teeny tiny space I have created for myself between the fender and the wheel. Barring any huge complications, I plan to have this baby running and driving by the end of September. Here's to not pulling my hair out!

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GI Joe
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 4:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Emily,
Let me be the first to tell you welcome, and a humongous.......
Fantastic job you've done there!!! Cool

You went ballistic on that Thing and showed it some true love, and the dividends are obvious! The colors are great(don't think I've seen a brandy wine(?) Thing before)...

On the tire issue, I have heard the term "smart car tires" used on plenty of Slammed Vdub posts..... Not sure if that's a general term for a teeny tire, or the actual size of a Smart Car tire....... Maybe something you can look into??
Hate to see you run donut spares, a buddy here does that and they sure don't last long....

You're not too far off, sure hope to see it at some TN shows sometime!

Good job, young lady!! Wink

P.s. Your mom rocks, too!! Lol

P.s.s- reference your first pic..... Was that loading or unloading?? Either way, I'd bet it'd go better if BOTH ramps were on the trailer!! Wink
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emilyfberry
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 5:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the welcome! I had hoped Smart Car tires would work for me, however they are 155/60/15s, giving me about 3.66" of tire beyond the edge of the wheel (and I only have about 2.5" to work with considering suspension travel).

I'm hoping to try the 165/45/15s again this weekend in hopes that I will prove myself wrong, alas I do not think there is anyway they will go on, much less bead properly, on a 4" wheel.

And for your curiosity, the trailer failure was unloading. Sleep deprivation, poor placement, and lack of caring led to the ramp falling off mid-push. It was just lovely.
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galencurrington
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 5:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

in my experience with lowering a thing you don't have to run drop spindles and an adj beam. the adj beam alone will get you low. i did one a few years back you can check out my pics.
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mkparker
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 5:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome Thing story! It sure is fun watching one happen so quickly (in forum time)! Great job so far and please keep us updated.
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Jonny Rock
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great job!
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CraigInPA
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think you're challenging the Domeck brothers for the award "Best transformation of a rusty POS into a gem of a Thing".

Great job, and I enjoyed the picture journey!
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Bashr52
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

galencurrington wrote:
in my experience with lowering a thing you don't have to run drop spindles and an adj beam. the adj beam alone will get you low. i did one a few years back you can check out my pics.


I went with Ghia spindles on mine, with an adjustable beam. I welded the adjusters so when they were adjusted to their highest location, the arms would sit at the same hieght as they did with a stock beam (giving me maximum lowering ability). Just swaping the spindles got me low enough that I have to have the beam cranked all the way up to stop from rubbing.

Going to a set of beetle/ghia drop spindles will get you an additional 2.5" lower over just switching to stock beetle/ghia spindles. That by itself would put the tires against the fenders, without even having to adjust the beam!
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Fiatdude
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great Job -- Great Talent -- that Thing was such a POS -- that I might of let the window fire consume the whole thing -- --

I agree with you that Body work suks -- -- I have to buy my POS's with it done or I just hire it done by someone else -- or trade for Mechanical work LOL

But I know what it is like to see something and you have to make it yours -- Happened with my Fiat -- which I had put VW trans and engine into -- The picture at the left shows the fun you can have in a VW powered Fiat LOL

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Shoyrtt
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

emilyfberry wrote:
Thanks for the welcome! I had hoped Smart Car tires would work for me, however they are 155/60/15s, giving me about 3.66" of tire beyond the edge of the wheel (and I only have about 2.5" to work with considering suspension travel).

I'm hoping to try the 165/45/15s again this weekend in hopes that I will prove myself wrong, alas I do not think there is anyway they will go on, much less bead properly, on a 4" wheel.


Great work! 30 years ago (I know I'm dating myself big time) when the whole "Cal Look" lowering of ACVWs really started to take off, we used to run 135s with inner tubes up front and 165s in the rear. 30 years later those tires are still available, although you wont get the traction and handling of a modern tire. For mock up, I put a set of old school 135s on my car on a 2" narrowed beam and there was plenty of room. Wink
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hobie16
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wowsers! Nice work.
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P-garage
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Coker has the 135's that will work.

Nice work! That is one incredible save/build. You should get the "Vision" award for 2014. Most people, would have walked away from that one.
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Ron Domeck
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice save. We would much more like to work on rough cars than the ones we take apart clean, paint and put back together, boring. We like to see cars brought back to life than parted out. Hope to see that car around some Thing events. We do have a Thing drive in Louisville from time to time and Kubel Treffen Thing show around the states. Now enjoy the car.
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Yarkle
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW!!!! Very Happy awesome!
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FreakCitySF
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent photos and I'm wishing I could work on my car right now with a small team :)
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

P-garage wrote:
I think Coker has the 135's that will work.


CIP1 has 135s: http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ACC-C10-6651

and the tube: http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ACC-C10-6644
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emilyfberry
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the info, guys!

Unfortunately, my understanding of 135R15s is the they are an 80 series tire, thereby giving me 4.25" of tire to deal with, which is just way too much to fit under the fender.

I would just raise the car up a little, however as many of you have pointed out, using bug drop spindles AND adjusters was a little bit overkill, and I've now put myself in a predicament. I have 2.5" of space between the fender and the wheel at the beam's highest possible setting.

The spindles can't be changed out without pressing the ball joints (which are currently pressed in upside down) out and back in and changing the calipers on my disc brake setup. The other option would be to tear the beam back apart and change the angle of the adjusters. Both options sound like a giant pain in my rear.

I think my best option may be to run donut spares in the front, just to get through the end of show season, and then look for a wider wheel setup.
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A 165/45/15s is 2.9" in height. You can use this calculator: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

or check out this thread to see 165/45/15s on a Bug:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392082&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

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surferdudedav
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks awesome! Ive got a Lifted and a Lowered THING.. Stock is boring:)
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citroen
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

from the other Domeck Brother great job it is great to see other projects and I agree that body work sucks that's why I do all the greasy work on our rebuilds and brother Ron does the body work he does not like grease and I don't like bondo dust so it works out for us I make them run and he makes them pretty. Again very nice job.
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