Thing Owners Roll Call!

[mickeything]

Hi all. My name is Angie and my husband bought me my Thing about 2 weeks ago. Haven't had alot of time to drive it because of the weather here in Il, but love it all the same. We bought is from Gus111 here on Samba.

[Towel Rail]

Welcome, Angie!
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1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car

049 > 070 > 053 > 009

[JohnF]

Guess I never signed up on this owners list.

John Fleming.
Was from San Diego up until 4/05. Now a Phoenix resident.
Got my car from a neighbor, one of his "roomies" owed him money and never paid so he kept the Thing (no engine). It sat in his back yard for a year or more until one of my sons talked him into selling it to me for $400.00. I've always had VW's but wasn't really interested. 400 bucks was pretty cheap for anything as different as a Thing so I bought it anyway. It was rough but somebody had really taken care of it well in one of it's lives. It had been undercoated, all repainted, tube bumpers, 6 point roll bar, fiberglass wider fenders in the rear, 15" color-matched spoke wheels,etc. but it's deterorated now,the pans are rusted through in places and there is cancer in the usual spots on the exterior.

I had a 1776 low compression engine built, by Kline VW in Lakeside, from the OG case with a low end cam, added a Weber progressive, external oil cooler/filter and put 4:37 gears in the tranny. It walks pretty slow if I want it to. I use it mostly off road out at Ocotillo Wells now a days. A friend has property there and we squatted an old 5th trailer on it, I go out every other week during the season. I just freshened up the engine in October 06 so it's running great and always gets us back from where-ever we're wandering around in the dez. We did put it on it's side once out there with absolutly zero damage, even the wider fiberglass fenders escaped damage. Flopped it back on it's feet and away we went.

One thing I've noticed is the Thing does NOT like sand. I get stuck pretty easy even aired down so learned to not attempt anything very sandy unless I have backup. It seems to like mud though.

JohnF

[norcalmike]

i've been drooling over this 73 thing since i was 12 years old.
my grandfather bought it in 1985 for 500 with no engine in it.
because the p.o. had converted it to an electric car.
shortly thereafter he bought a rusty 73 thing with a fairly new engine in it for 500 bucks.
after making two into one, he sold the remains for 600 bucks. (way to go gramps!!)
a couple of years ago at a family gathering, my grandfather told me he was selling it.
he had since moved to arizona and the car was down there.
luckily he had not changed the plates so they are still the original.
I quickly gathered up the asking price of 3k and motor-homed down to AZ for a little vacation and to pick up my new toy.
Now, i've had VW's since i was 15, but i had gotten out of them for a few years in the late 90's early 2000's
since aquiring "the Thing", i hav been bitten by the "bug" all over again.
i now own a total of 6 vw's and have no plans of stopping.
someday i hope to give her a full body off resto
my driver:

my project:

[pewe_kodok]

hello all,

I am Ruben from Indonesia
introduce me and my 181, pic can be seen at
http://students.if.itb.ac.id/~if12030/my_Thing/resize

the car is running but missing some part :
1. oil bath air cleaner
2. some engine tin
3. head lights not glow
4. inside brake fluid reservoir cracked and by passed directly to master
5. pad to hold windshield when folded down
6. brake warning light, flasher, gloves compartment

one thing amaze me. my 181 chassis number begin with 261, is it correct?

this forum is great. many useful info (especially about Thing) here
cheers

Ruben

[Spezialist]

There is no Thing Mafia.
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[GSD_Master]

Hey,
I bought my Thing two years ago here on thesamba as my first vehicle ever! It was high school graduation present. My grandma, I think, was expecting me to pick something a little more contemporary. She's finally gotten over I wanted a Thing. I've been using it as a daily driver ever since.
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Is that the new Hummer!

[TikiMojo]

I bought my '74 in 1998 for about $4k here in Portland, Oregon!

Sure is loads of fun! Been able to keep the top down for the past few days by hiding under the carport when it's raining.

Meanwhile, here's a nice summery photo:

[itiot]

Just sold mine last month, but when a friend tipped me last week about a 77 at a dealers i had to buy it so i am now back on the thing.

Glad to be here
Keep them running.

Greetings Andy from denmark

http://Killer-products.dk

[kerinon]

Guess what I got for Mother's Day????? Yeah for me!! Just got my '74 Thing and am loving it!! All of the hard work was already done and she's road ready. We do have just a couple of bugs, but we've already been crusin'!

SO happy to be part of this small club!

Keri in Marietta Ohio

[sathing]

Hi, I bought my Thing about 3 years ago just because I liked the shape and off course because it had an air-cooled engine. I only learned that it was a Thing about six months later after looking for the missing parts i.e. side windows, a soft top and soft top frame.

I drove my Thing at least once a week this summer (mostly dirt roads) and enjoyed every minute of it. I recently finished making the side windows, top frame and top and I’m looking forward to more time with her during this winter.

Oh yes... She is a 1970 182 (Her registration papers calls her a VW Jeep)

[DesertGolfGuy]

Another Phoenician with a thing for Things. Bought it locally, in fairly bad shape with no cancer. Paint, dents, mechanical. But I have driven it to work (23 miles) most of the last two months. Drops a lot of oil so I am pulling the engine next week when I get home from vacation.

Questions and assistance. Assume it has stock tranny. Would I be better off buying freeway flyer since most driving is freeway? (Doesn't that have 5 forward gears?) There is vibration in rear at 65 and up so only had to 70mph downhill. Vibration not wild. How does amateur mechanic find problem...tranny? axes? cv joints? Pls recommend good tranny shop and good engine shop in Phoenix. Want to build my own engine but need to take this one apart and see if it is worth saving.

Thanks!

[Ian Epperson]

[howiesfamily]

I traded my 78 Westy and 64 Notch for a 73 Thing. Now if I can just figure out how to operate this gas heater for this winter.

_________________
member of: Fort Worth Aircoolers Gang

[Ian Epperson]

[KevinMurphy]

Hello,

My name is Kevin Murphy and I have a Thing problem.

Some may remember my son and I from the NEVWTA and two KTEs. Remember that thunderstorm on Skyline Drive and the next one in Roanoke!

Been a member of numerous Thing organizations over the years. Registry, etc. Been out of touch for a few years. Spending time with my teenagers.

Sorry to hear about Basso and how it has affected others.

Have owned a '73 since '79. Disk brakes, 4 lug drums, 4" lift, fiberglas fibers, beetle transmission, custom trailer hitch. Under-built last engine (1991) with jug spacers, just did the electronic points.

Kevin Murphy
Baltimore, Maryland, USA

[[email protected]]

hey kevin,
I am still around and doing much better now, i may be going to asheville in my thing, going back to basics. talk at you soon.
74 black thing
73 white with air conditioning
and 3 or 4 yard cars

[addh79]

who are you planning on stealing from there? I will send the cops!

[cjnfiremn]

My name is Sam and I am from South Central Louisiana, I purchased my first VW Thing today. A '74 needing floor pans, seats, top, and a whole lot of tender loving care and attention. I have been lurking this fourm for a long time reading and learning. When I get a chance I will try to get some pctures of my progress from start to finish.

And you and keep up with my progress at my photobucket album:

http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z11/cjnfiremn/?action=view&current=DSC02276.jpg
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Sam
'69 Std Beetle
God Bless America

[frankfoamydog]

I live near atlantic city. I wanted to get some things together to spend a day to drive to the Cape may /lewes ferry and take a trip to Lewes on the ferry . Then meet up with thingers there, spend a few hours and take the ferry back and perhaps have dinner at Stewarts in northfield nj. Atllantic city is 15 minutes away. I was thinking end of september.
frank
[email protected] or [email protected]