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icemanhd
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 275
Location: Camano Island, WA
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 Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:25 am Post subject: 1974 German Army Thing |
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Just picked up this 74 German Army Thing over the weekend and have been going through it. From what I can tell it was originally olive drab (camo paint was added later) and it has had a hood/fender/door replaced at some point but otherwise is in great shape with only 72k KM on it and I'm pretty sure the original AL coded engine. There was a BWB sticker (German Procurement group) added on top of the vin tag in the front along with several other identification plates. Has the gas heater, gun racks in the back, multi position convoy light switch (and lights), reserve gas tank that fits in the spare, and several other goodies.
I haven't been able to figure out what the triangle shaped mark is on the rear lid and front hood, some division/group of the Bundeswehr.
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mrbajadude
Samba Member
Joined: July 12, 2002
Posts: 148
Location: Yerington, NV, home of the VORRA 300 mile off road race
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:32 am Post subject: |
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Congrats on your find!
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cecil
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Joined: February 23, 2005
Posts: 461
Location: Stockton, CA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 10:52 am Post subject: |
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You might want to contact Gary Kline in Orville, Ca. to compare notes. He has a super cool German Army Thing that is near perfect.
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I have this wierd desease called "must tear everything up and put it back together when there's nothing wrong with it...Itus." |
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icemanhd
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 275
Location: Camano Island, WA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:28 am Post subject: |
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Added in pic of the VIN and several other plates, anyone have any idea on the history of what the Thing was originally based on these?
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Schwankster
Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2011
Posts: 65
Location: San Antonio, Texas
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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| That Thing is AWESOME! |
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77kafer
Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2008
Posts: 823
Location: New Windsor, NY
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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Because your Thing is ex-military, the 2310-12-150-1029 would be the NATO stock number.
Here in the US Military, all items have an NSN, National Stock Number. (if you go to any US Army base world wide, the NSN 8010-00-527-0216 would be for: Paint Enamel, Gray, Porch and Deck) It would be the same at an Air Force Base, etc.
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard
Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer" |
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waxhead
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Joined: January 19, 2004
Posts: 946
Location: Philly 'burbs
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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That looks awesome - congrats.
Regarding it's history, were you able to get any info from the PO?
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icemanhd
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 275
Location: Camano Island, WA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Very little info from the PO, he bought it in 2005 from the person that supposedly imported it. I haven't found any paperwork with that name yet but will keep looking as that may have some of the history I am looking for.
I did some more searching and got some hits on "Typ 18-63" indicating it had the M63 military package on it. Was curious on the "129" on the VIN plate that is oriented vertically, the 201-2925 on the tag below the VIN plate, and what division of the Bundeswehr it was used in. I believe the triangle shaped marks with a flag like object on it on the hood and rear have something to do with the division but haven't cracked the code.
Thanks much for all the replies, appreciate the info and please keep it coming.
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Joe 20
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2005
Posts: 655
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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| A triangular pennant symbol sometimes means a headquarters vehicle at battalion division or brigade level. |
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germanbilly
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2013
Posts: 378
Location: Victorville
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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Here are the symbols for the German Military during WWII. The Germans seldom change things so these are used today. There are lots of them just look through them.
GB
http://www.feldgrau.com/articles.php?ID=43 |
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coopster
Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2005
Posts: 54
Location: Glasgow,Scotland, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 5:28 am Post subject: Miltary Ting |
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Try www.vwtrekker.co.uk , most of the ones we get in the uk are ex german army .
Nice to see one with all the accessories |
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Doc*181
Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2003
Posts: 479
Location: Belgium
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 10:17 am Post subject: |
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Lovely 181!
There are a few items that were added later on and are not original Bundeswehr equipment:
- colorscheme, so the miltary symbol could also be fantasy.
- shovel mounted on the side
- interior and top would be in olive. You have a (rare) civilian top and interior in "fitchet grey".
- rollbar
- rack on the bonnet
- front bumper rail
- front fender on the drivers side is not a military one.
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Thing stuff:
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SilverThing 
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2004
Posts: 810
Location: Everett
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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| icemanhd wrote: |
| Was curious on the "129" on the VIN plate that is oriented vertically |
I'm not sure what the number means. I have a 1970 civilian model from Germany and it has 128 in the same place. My 1978 has a completely different style of plate so it is hard to say.
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icemanhd
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 275
Location: Camano Island, WA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks to all for the replies and info. "Joe 20" was right on, I dug up an e mail address for the Bundeswehr and sent them pictures of the mystery symbols (which I believe were reproduced after the camo paint job) and like clockwork they replied. "The affixed sign on your Pkw 0,4t (VW 181) may mean that the car has have seen service in a headquarters detachment of a batallion in the former Territorialheer (Territorial Army) temporarily. I don't know the "triangle on legs" inside the box. A open triangle flag on a pole would mean "Bewegliche Befehlsstelle" (mobile command post). "
Doc 181, I'm with you on removing the "thing bling" that wasn't original to the Bundeswehr setup like the rear trailer hitch, front brush guard, etc.... The PO mentioned he had the front seats and top replaced by the Thing Shop about 8 or so years ago thus the non matching (originally olive drab) top and front seats.
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icemanhd
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 275
Location: Camano Island, WA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:26 am Post subject: |
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Finally figured out (thanks to Zeke's help and translation) how to get the light switch into the convoy (covert) mode using the "Notek" convoy lights. See pics below showing conventional nighttime lights and the covert/convoy mode. There are 3 (Hella) convoy lights on the back, when activated you are supposed to be able to see only 1 of them at 75 ft, 2 at 50 ft, and when 25 ft or closer all 3. There are also some downward projecting lights on the front of the car but I think the bulbs for those are out.
I searched and searched onlineand didn't find the "trick" for the lights switch. There is a small button on the shaft of the switch you have to press in (like with a key or small phillips) which allows you to move the lock out from the right side of the switch to the left. Once you do that you can move the switch into the various covert night time modes. The switch itself is shown in figure 49 and 50 in the German Army Manual posted in the manuals section here
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/1983_1...ge_062.jpg
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imtb
Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2013
Posts: 361
Location: st.l
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| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:33 am Post subject: |
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| What a score! |
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GI Joe
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Joined: April 28, 2005
Posts: 2012
Location: Athens, TN
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strelnik
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Joined: October 01, 2010
Posts: 352
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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| icemanhd wrote: |
Thanks to all for the replies and info. "Joe 20" was right on, I dug up an e mail address for the Bundeswehr and sent them pictures of the mystery symbols (which I believe were reproduced after the camo paint job) and like clockwork they replied. "The affixed sign on your Pkw 0,4t (VW 181) may mean that the car has have seen service in a headquarters detachment of a batallion in the former Territorialheer (Territorial Army) temporarily. I don't know the "triangle on legs" inside the box. A open triangle flag on a pole would mean "Bewegliche Befehlsstelle" (mobile command post). "
Doc 181, I'm with you on removing the "thing bling" that wasn't original to the Bundeswehr setup like the rear trailer hitch, front brush guard, etc.... The PO mentioned he had the front seats and top replaced by the Thing Shop about 8 or so years ago thus the non matching (originally olive drab) top and front seats. |
According to what I have been able toi find out from the APP-6 NATO tactical symbology manual and several websites:
The two dots represent a unit smaller than a standard infantry plastoon, but larger than a squad, what the US would now call a section, run by an E6/Staff Sergeant
The flat line means the unit is separated from the other troops, like part of a separate company
The box means a self-contained permanent unit, as opposed to a task force drawn together for a mission.
The triangle with flag is an older thing I saw in the 80s to designate C3: Command, Control and Communications in the field.
I don't know about the territorial army they were talking about, because in the days I was in Germany, the Bundesgrezschutztruppen-- Federal Border security Troops, aka the BGST-- kind of did that.
This looks to me like the sergeant's section car which doubled as a command post car and a commo vehicle.
Did it come with dual generators or other brackets/items?
In any event, it's a terrific find! Have fun with it!
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icemanhd
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Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 275
Location: Camano Island, WA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the Info strelnik! It did come with a double pulley but the 24V alternator isn't there although I suspect it was there at one time since it has the double pulley. I did get some info from the previous owner that he changed the symbols to what he thought was a mountain division and that the original symbol had the horizontal line with 2 dots at the top and there was an "X" in the box which he understood to be infantry.
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77kafer
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Joined: April 08, 2008
Posts: 823
Location: New Windsor, NY
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| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 5:43 am Post subject: |
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| icemanhd wrote: |
| he changed the symbols to what he thought was a mountain division and that the original symbol had the horizontal line with 2 dots at the top and there was an "X" in the box which he understood to be infantry. |
Don't you just hate un-necessary modifications. 
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard
Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer" |
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