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Sun Aug 28, 2022 2:02 pm

Also got the 2110cc engine assembled and ready for carbs. Modified the doghouse for a type 4 cooler.

Engine bay ready for oil filter hookup
and ignition…. 😎

Sat Sep 24, 2022 5:16 am

Finished type 4 cooler tins.. installed Magnaspark Ignition. Fuel rails made. 😎

Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:28 pm

Installed engine today 😎

Fri Oct 07, 2022 3:13 pm

Prepped car for the road today. Tag and insurance. Did a couple of neighborhood test and tuning drives today. Waiting for seat belts to arrive before we hit the road. 😎. Almost there 😎

Sun Oct 16, 2022 3:13 pm

It was in the 60's today so I took possibly the last drive of the year. Hoping to sneak in another next weekend if the weather cooperates.
Filled it up with fuel and took about an hour drive through the metroparks.
Had to grab a pic with some fall color.

Fri Oct 21, 2022 3:42 pm

Installed a new steering wheel, it's a VWOA accessory wheel we've had forever but not gotten installed for various reasons. Very happy with it. About 1 1/2" smaller diameter than the stock wheel so getting in and out of the car is much easier for me and my hockey-thighs. Side view w/Kat an old photo to show how it looks from that angle. Depth pretty much identical to the stock wheel.

Sat Oct 22, 2022 5:09 pm

Attended a Halloween event that included Car decorating. One hour notice. Totally inprov on my part. Won 1st place.

Sat Apr 29, 2023 3:46 am

Finished installing a remote oil filter mount along with a 96 plate oil cooler above the transmission. Only issue found is crank pulley is grinding on oil pump plate. Ordered a sand seal pulley kit to hopefully fix the problem.

Sun May 28, 2023 2:27 pm

Finally installed the rear tire carrier. My 15” spare won’t fit in the trunk

Sun Jun 04, 2023 7:04 am

We ran the Tail of the Dragon yesterday. Joined East Tennessee Air Cooled on “Buggin the Dragon” 😎

Tue Jun 13, 2023 8:51 am

I received it! That's right, I just got my Thing today. It was in Denver, a trade in at a Lexus dealer. Anyways, the transporter just dropped it off. (Orlando, FL) I had never seen it in person, All I knew was the PO drove it in. That was all the info I needed.
Its got front disc brakes, Dual port motor with Delorto 40's, and an alternator, Five point harness mounted in soft bucket seats!
My history, I'm 55. Its been about 25 years since I have owned an Air cooled VW. Before that, I have owned 12 VW's, 2 buses, 2 Ghia's, 8 beetles.
Just ordered New top, side curtains, service manual, a Jack, and some other odds and ends.I do not plan on a full restore. But I will fix it up and make a great beach driver out of it..

Tue Jun 13, 2023 12:40 pm

Awesome score!!!
😂😎
Who the heck traded a VW thing in for a Lexus? 😂😂😂

Tue Jun 13, 2023 2:41 pm

HammerFLA wrote: I received it! That's right, I just got my Thing today.
Just ordered New top, side curtains

Nice score. Unique rollbar. Hope it fits under that new top. The windshield looks a raked back a bit. Thing shop has braces that puts it in correct alignment.

Enjoy!

Tue Jun 13, 2023 6:08 pm

Windshield is raked back. cause the 4 screws were busted out. others were loose. I removed the lower frame from windshield, but having a terrible time removing 2 of the broken screws..I even tried Carbide tips in my drill press..
I did rework the hood latch, Works great. All new stainless hard for windshield from Ace Hardware
From all the issues with lower frames, I might fabricate one just for fun.

Found out Motor was built by Painters (grinding) in Denver, they built my friends motor in 1984..It was strong, a 1776, that beat most 1835"s..Wish I could figure out what size motor I got..

Tue Jun 13, 2023 6:16 pm

fastmc25 wrote: Who the heck traded a VW thing in for a Lexus? 😂😂😂

Yeah, WTF, especially in 2023?!?

Wed Jun 14, 2023 3:02 pm

Semper_Dad wrote: HammerFLA wrote: I received it! That's right, I just got my Thing today.
Just ordered New top, side curtains

Nice score. Unique rollbar. Hope it fits under that new top. The windshield looks a raked back a bit. Thing shop has braces that puts it in correct alignment.

Enjoy!

Yikes How is the roll bar supposed to look?

Wed Jun 14, 2023 5:59 pm

HammerFLA wrote:

Yikes How is the roll bar supposed to look?

There must be a dozen variations of rollbars. VWOA however, only licensed 2 versions. Sometimes referred to a "West Coast" and "East Coast" styles. You rarely see roll bars on European 181s. Most if not all of VWOA's accessories were either produced or sourced within the USA.

I suspect they contracted two different manufacturers to produce them with one version being predominantly sold on the east coast and the other on the west. I believe the 4 point bar was the West Coast bar and the East Coast was a 5 point. I'm not sure whether my 4 point is a VWOA.

Here's what the 4 point (West Coast) bar looked like in a Thing Brochure

A 5 point Bar (East Coat Bar)

Here's a sampling of bars from the gallery

Anyway,....Both VWOA bars would fit under either the convertible or fiberglass hard top. I'd wager to say that most of the other bars would fit..... at least the soft top. I've seen several hard tops that had to be trimmed and fitted to accommodate a roll bar.

It may just be an optical illusion from your windshield being raked back that makes your roll bar look a bit tall. FTR, the top of my roll bar including padding is approximately 18 inches from the top of my doors. I believe the roll bar has several inches clearance above it.

Wed Sep 27, 2023 9:44 pm

Made some speaker plates out of $5.00 worth of 20ga sheet metal : 👌🏽

Thu Sep 28, 2023 2:24 pm

Installed a Bully Atv Bluetooth sound bar. Bolts to roll bar and is 12v powered. Sounds pretty good and can be easily heard with the top down at highway speed. It’s fully weatherproof.

Comes with a remote to control from the drivers seat along with my phone.

Thu Nov 23, 2023 1:31 pm

A couple of weeks ago I installed some BMW seats.

Today I added Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus to cruise with me during the
Holiday season.