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Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:41 am

Some Thing should tell their story in the "sticky" above in the header "Announcement: Thing owners role call". And don't skimp on the details. :lol: Ron Domeck has a Kubel-thing too btw.

Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:22 am

Used standard fresh air hose to re-connect the heater and defrost ducts in the cabin. Local parts store had the smaller hose, but not the larger correct size. Smaller hose fits inside the plastic ducts, so a little black duct tape, and it's ready to go.

I'm also trying to hook up a sound system, but with only about 30 minutes at a time, it's hard to get much done.

Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:11 am

Just drove it from Marathon to Key West for work. Same thing I do most days.. Probably should give it a tune-up soon.. she seamed to burn a bit more gas than normal.

I hope the rest of you thaw soon!

Rev Chris

Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:27 pm

"Took German grey Kubel restore and turned it over to the Americans."

The WI Guard has to commandeered Wisconsin terrorists vehicles all the time around here.

Snowing Friday 65 tomorrow. Taking the cover off the Thing tonight and starting it for drive to work tomorrow. YeHaa

Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:57 am

Yesterday I had about 45 minutes so I finished off rear driver side brakes and have the drum back on and torqued. Finished brakes on rear passenger side and now just need to clean drum with brake cleaner, slap it on, torque it down, tires back on, and then adjust rear brakes. Hoping to get a few minutes here and there the next couple of days to get that done. Maybe by weekend I can get brake fluid in, bled, and then I can turn to getting the engine started. Been like 6 months since I last had her started so will need to tease here a bit with sprinkle of gas in the carb trick, etc... Almost there! Wow, will get to de-non-op the Thing after all these years. I am a bit ashamed it has taken me this long but life does get in the way. At least now I am making an honest effort to get it on the road. It is far from a daily driver though but that is fine. It will be a summer top down for the time being. Weekend plat toy.

tj

Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:25 pm

Photograhically challegened in the category of posting member:

I put the back seats down and went grocery shopping. 2 days ago i found the lettuce i had been looking for under the seat from a week ago. And if you think thats bad when i found the lettuce i also found the bait i used 2 weeks ago from a fishing trip. The smell was somewhere between a dead cat and a run over skunk smell.

Oh yeah im working on getting all the taillight connections cleaned. Drove home the other night and alomst got wiped out.

Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:38 pm

Skorzeny's G Ride wrote: The smell was somewhere between a dead cat and a run over skunk smell.

And to think I've only been irritated by the slight smell of gas... :lol:

Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:46 am

After 6 months of no engine starting on my Thing, I got her started this morning. Took some loving capfulls of fuel in the top if the carb but finally got the engine running long enough to get that fuel filter full of fuel again. I will later move that filter OUTSIDE of the engine bay <grin>.

Was nice to here the roar of that mighty 1600DP again. hehehe.

Battery was dead so I had a 2nd one laying around to get her started. Original one is now being charged for later.

Now, just need to add brake fluid and bleed, and maybe take for a spin. How much longer will that take is hard to tell but as you can see, I am a determined man at the moment and had progressed much in the last week or two and my goal of driving it this summer will happen. Unless something happens with the engine or tranny god forbid. So, I am praying at the moment things keep going well.

tj

Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:39 pm

Well it was our first 70 degree day here so at noon my stomache started hurting so I came home. As soon as left work it did not hurt any more :lol: I got home opened up the garage doors and went to work. I replaced all brake shoes spring kits and wheel cylenders. Packed all the bearings on front axle. Then I installed my Transmission with new mounts the starter and the clutch cable. I then took the cv joints apart cleaned them and repacked with greese and installed them. Now all I need to do is get my motor all put back together install it and drive it that will happen this weekend.

Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:02 pm

I've been the new owner of my 'thing' for 3 weeks now (although my wife would tend to disagree). As a kid, I remember my dad's friend having one and I thought it was really cool. Helped my dad restore a '59 Tr-3a which is still around, uncle bought it new and gave it to my brother. I brought a '90 convertible rx-7 back from San Diego to Ohio and it finally gave up the ghost last year. Picked up a '73 thing locally that had been stripped down pretty well. The frame and suspension were restored (I'm going to redo the steering as it seems below par) The body has plenty of rust to keep me busy and I've slowly been rewiring everything. I picked up a universal fuse block from summit racing for $15 and made some tin jumpers. It looks to be exactly the same size as the stock except now I can use blade fuses (even tho the left dash panel has not been located yet). Today I maniacally was heard to shout 'IT'S ALIVE!!!' Got the basic wiring up and the motor to start and idle. I have the fuel line hanging down into a gas gan until I get the tank and everything bolted in. Seemed to idle good at first. I tried to rev it a little and it seems to have a flat spot if I rev too quickly (vacuum advance s all hooked up and no intake leaks that I can see). Went back out later and when I give it a little starter fluid it will catch and run for a second but not idle anymore. Gave up for the day.

Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:47 pm

I threw on a new set of Bosch wires today. When I got my Thing, it had different manufacturers plugs and only two matched. Well, I knew the wires set was simalar. Whatever, so I have been developing a "spit" once and a while and a somewhat toxic exhaust. I checked the dwell and timing already and so what's the happening? I may pull the valve covers and check the adjustments there for a piece of mind too. I'm at 6,000-6,500 feet here in NM and I'm not sure I should tweak the air fuel mixture just yet. Any formula I should consider?

Thu Apr 17, 2008 4:32 pm

After getting my Thing back on the road after a 7 year re-build I had issues with the stop light switch, replaced it and also replaced the emergency flasher unit, now the turn signals work great, took it out for a road test :lol:

Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:38 pm

I moved it under the carport to keep it out of the hail storm. 60+ mph sustained winds and baseball sized hail.

Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:42 pm

Bled brakes (my 1st experience doing this), dropped her on all 4 for the first time in some time, torqued wheels, buckled it all up, and drove my Thing about a mile or 2 test drive. 1st time on the road in almost 3 years. I have only driven my Thing like 30 miles before it was put to bed years ago so I am stoked I finally drove it again. Much more to do but what I just did was a giant leap for man, a giant leap for slow as mollasses man kind.

tj

Sat Apr 19, 2008 3:18 pm

Well I stayed up past midnight last night putting my engine back together. Today I installed it. All this started because I lost reverse in the tranny. I bought a different Tranny from Russ Wolfe here on the samba. He is one hell of a guy only 125 dollars with 50 dollar core because I wanted to keep the other one to play with later this summer. Went for a drive and noticed the car shakes like crazy. I figure it is dry rotted tires because as you remember I just re did the brake system complete including the wheel bearings. It also will not idle when at running temp. well it will for a few minutes but then it dies and I can not find my tach/dwell meter to adjust the carb.(34 pict 3) It also has the 009 dizzy in it but only till monday because that is when I get the factory issued one maybe then the flat spot will be gone and I will have found or borrowed a tach/dwell meter and get it all running right. But it sure felt nice on this warm 65 degree day to go for a spin. Oh and I also installed the factory oil bath breather I bought from MichaelB here on the samba almost there now just a couple more tweaks and I will drive the hell out of it while I save some more money then I will take the body off and go to town with the por 15 and a passenger side floor pan and rework the front end. but for now it's time for fishing... :lol:

Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:45 pm

Re-opped my Thing at DMV and have insurance on her again for driving on the road. So, my Thing can play now, when weather is nice enough.

So, now I am gonna replace fuel hoses in engine bay and put fuel filter behind driver rear tire and get it out of the engine bay.

tj

Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:41 pm

Cleaned the gas tank and primed it. Worked on the wiring. Ups showed up and got my master cylinder, carb kit and plugs. Need to tweak mixture, choke and idle but now I can start it with no starter fluid and it idles decently. My new problem is that when I put the right turn signal on, the left back-up light blinks along with the right rear. Also, the indicator in the speedo bliks the first blink and then stops even tho everything else works (does this both left, and right turns).

Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:04 pm

Fuel filter now outside of the engine bay. New hoses inside engine bay and even did the wire around hose clamp to carb trick to keep the outlet from popping off (per Splittie forum conversation). Replaced hose above rear driver side tire and that is where the cheapie plastic filter resides. More tomorrow when I can. Need to start it back up and get her running since I tinkered with fuel lines. Also buy some more hose clamps. I seem to run out of stuff like this while on the job. The ones I purchased today were bloody $1.98 each (x4). They had cheaper next size up but really gaudy too big for engine hose line. They said these little ones were German made and just cost them more. They did seem nicer than the normal hose clamps. I went ahead and did 4 to make the engine bay happy. I think I will get cheapie ones next time. Gotta go to town again. Argh!

tj

Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:36 am

I've had my 71' a year now and have put a new 1914 with dual 44 weber's with extra remote oil cooler above transaxle. Sold it, got it back and am now almost done stripping two coats of paint off of everything on the inside down to either original paint or bare metal and the original paint wasn't even scuffed up for the other paint job.. I'll be spraying all the inside with rust bullet in a day or so. I've been taking pic's, so as soon as I figure out how to find them on this new computer I'll post them.

Fri Apr 25, 2008 1:26 pm

Threw in a double box of fire extinguishers into the Thing and drove into town and gassed up for first time in 3 years. Added some STP Carb and Injector cleaner for good measure. Longest drive yet in my Thing. About 25 to 30 miles or so. Ran well enough. Was nice sunny day and to be in my Thing.

tj