My 30 year-ago Thing returns.

[Syncroincity]

Need some help, folks...

This '73 has been equipped with these 15" steel rims since the 1980s, when I first owned it. Has anyone seen another set, or heard of a custom made set by anyone. Unable to find ANY info or other sets of this wheel, and I need one that was lost over the years as the spare tire.

This Thing has come back to me 30 years exactly after I originally owned it as an Air Force newbie in Holloman AFB in Alamagordo, NM. She showed up on my computer a bit ago, half done and needing a good strip down and repaint, but very much the same way I last saw her at age 18... There was no question about doing the purchase. Still is very good shape, and surprisingly a rather low price for the shape and what is essentially an unchanged vehicle from 30 years ago. Here we go, lads, the parts from The Thing Shop are already there, this puppy is going to get the complete strip, rust repair and an exact copy of the yellow and black paint job. Stay tuned for updates.

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'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=

[Arkansauced]

Were those aftermarket ear muffs on the early pics?

I bought a 73 when I was 15 that had the yellow and black scheme going on and just re-bought it a year back (although it was from my uncle so not quite as miraculous)

Congrats on finding her again, best of luck. Sorry I can't help on the wheel.

She looks lifted, any details on that?

[74 Thing]

They may have been made by a company named Cal Star back in the days.

[randybriscoe]

Can I vote for an all yellow paint scene, and maybe some vintage Centerline wheels? Sometimes it's best to leave the past, in the past.

[Syncroincity]

Basically the only thing different here is the covers on the welded roll bars. The extended '74 left metal intake cover is still there, a few parts were separated but are not lost. The roll cage is expertly made, the seats are mounted to it on cross bars, not bolted to the floor.

I'm sticking with yellow and black... all body and floor will be stripped and treated for any rust and redone in those colors, although I may pick a slightly different yellow. Also considering having it done in Monstaliner instead, which results in a semi-gloss finish that is pebbled, but not stuffed with rubber like most coatings. They have about 40 colors available so far, lots of Jeeps and a few Vanagons have been done and it's a very nice finish if you're into it. Not made the choice, have to think where I want to go.

Color list

http://www.monstaliner.com/forms/monstaliner_colors.htm

Vehicles done with the Monstaliner finish as the entire finish

http://www.monstaliner.com/monstaliner_photos_video.htm
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'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=

[williamM]

YA- if my 54 rag showed up- I would definately go for it-- ANY body in Susanville get a 54 in 1968 with a bad trans????
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some days I get up and just sit and think. Some days I just sit.

opinion untempered by fact is ignorance.

Don't step in any!

[GI Joe]

That is awesome!

Love the story, love the look!! The wheels are pretty cool, sorry I can't offer a tip on getting the spare..... It'll take a bit of searching the interwebs to locate that oddball!

She still looks pretty solid, and being in NM, I'm sure she is....

Congrats on the reunion, can't wait to see the future of this relationship!
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'74 Thing, "Our Thing"....
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...p;start=60
'71 Beetle RPU
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8080337#8080337
www.NLEOMF.com
Respect, Honor, Remember

[Syncroincity]

Well, I've located a wheel manufacturer called Diamond Racing Wheels in Milwaukee, WI that will produce a replacement spare for me, at the 15" wheel size, I can take it down to narrow as 6" wide, which will allow me to mount a tire that will live comfortable in the trunk of the Thing. They will build it with the matching 10 square-D holes, and have it powder coated in white, for $90.

Of course, I could just use any old narrow 15" 205mm mount pattern wheel... Paint it white, slap a used tire on it and call it done. Let's see how this works out, the restorere says he has a few wheels lying around.
_________________
'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=

[Arkansauced]

$90 sounds like a helluva deal for a matching set!

[oldthingguy]

Very cool you got it back - I sold my original Thing in 1980 and would love to find it again....I too had a yellow car with the wider black rear fenders and white off road wheels. Brought back many memories.
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73 914 2.0 - sold
63 single cab
73, 73 and 74 Thing - gone
64 notch - gone
60 23 window - gone
57 oval - gone
plus a few others I should have kept

[GMByers]

Glad you were able to get it back. Still looks in rather good shape.
Somewhere between 92-94 I bought my 74 Thing in Las Cruces when I lived at White Sands Missile Range. I'm the third owner and still have it.
Good luck on making it yours again.
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And then there were two...downsized to 83 Doka &
74 Thing.

[Syncroincity]

Wow, very nice DOKA in your collection! Getting ready to send my Vanagon out for motor and paint work.
_________________
'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=

[Wildthings]

I have wondered what happened to my first Thing. It got traded around my area for most of a decade after I sold it without my ever seeing it on the road. I just kept getting letters from the DMV that people were wanting to title it but the old signed title and documents had been lost, but apparently they never got it titled because the letters kept coming ever year or two. I was really glad that I had signed the papers with the DMV to start with that I had sold the car and no longer claimed any ownership rights. I did see the car parked here and there over the decade and it slowly looked worse and worse. It was rusty by western standards when I first traded it off and then slowly got stripped of useful parts.

Eventually I got papers from Idaho once again asking about ownership bit after this I never heard about the car again so maybe it got back on the road, or maybe it sank into the earth and was overtaken by the weeds.

Glad your old rig has had a better outcome.

[Syncroincity]

I just got the title for this one, Louisiana and was issued in May of 1998 so it's been in the area for quite a while. I will be getting a New York title issued for it coming up soon.
_________________
'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=

[Syncroincity]

PHOTO, PHOTO!!!!

Here's a few of the latest work to have been done... she's is small pieces at this point, with stacks of new parts rolling in. Who the hell needs to save up for retirement?

Many small rust holes, and a couple of BAD damaged metal, one rear motor mount had actually cracked. Will more than likely use a different pan, as the original is about to fall apart.

_________________
'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=