Author |
Message |
booch Samba Member
Joined: July 03, 2008 Posts: 784 Location: Ambler, Pennsylvania
|
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:41 am Post subject: Things heard while driving your Thing |
|
|
I am a relatively new Thing owner, I drive a '73 almost daily. I have been driving the Thing for about four months and have only had the top down once, until a few days ago. Over the last few days the Pennsylvania weather has been nice enough to drive with the top down. Driving in nice weather reminds me why it's ok to put lots of time and money in to this hobby. I thought that I was adjusted to all of the attention the Thing commands, but with the top down, it is magnified. I love the looks and reactions the Thing generates, from the "nice car" to the simple "thumbs up" to the "puzzled squinty wtf is that look", it's all good. I have been getting quite a laugh out of the comments and quetions heard while driving. Here are some of my favorites so far.
"Is that some kind of go-cart, or is that a real car?"
"What is that?"
"That mother f@!#$%r is old!.....but it's tight!"
"You know that's a Kubelwagen don't you?"
"Isn't that what Hitler drove?"
"Is the engine in the back or just the exhaust?"
"You should put a Porsche engine in that."
"Did you make that car?"
"Where are the windows?"
"Do you have seatbelts?"
"Is that safe, what if you get in an accident?"
What reactions or comments do you get from your Thing? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
TKE381 Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2009 Posts: 84 Location: Stillwater, OK
|
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
My favorite:
"cool"
Makes me smile every time! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
hank0306 Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2010 Posts: 96 Location: Los Angeles, CA
|
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
That's funny. Can't wait to get mine on the road...... |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Van-go108 Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2006 Posts: 2995 Location: Southwestern, NM
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
doublecanister Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2008 Posts: 1184 Location: Richmond, Va
|
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:03 am Post subject: funny looks |
|
|
Yeah, funny looks, double takes, is that a jeep?!?, but wait it's got a VW emblem on it?? WTF!?!
Havent got the is that a hummer? yet, but I'm sure it's coming.
or my favorite one so far, a pretty cougar blonde pulls up next to me at the stop light, I got the top down, radio kinda low, and I hear
HEY I LOVE YOUR THING, I bet they heard that clean over to the 7-11 parking lot! Boy I'm glad the wife wasnt with me on that one! but from our stoplight conversation found out she had a yellow 74 at home.
or the napa jerk, you've got a Vw? you'll be my best customer soon.
Guess what? aint been back to napa since.
Seems like where ever you go you usually get 1 or 2 conversations about the car, I had no idea what I was in for buying a THING, much less the crap i get at work about it, how slow it is, or the ENDLESS THING jokes, but the fun part, is pissin off my corvette buddy when i tell him I can pull more chicks with a 46HP THING or draw more folks at the car show, than he can with his 05' Corvette, I mean , REALLY what's the big deal with a vette anymore???
And on top of that, a THING with a German Stick Grenade shifter, now how can a corvette even come close???
(although I could dig a 63 split window with a 427) _________________ ****************************************
2020 - Mustang Eco Boost [High Performance]
1973 - Thing
1966 - Mustang GT- Fastback
1951 - Ford F1 pickup Flathead V8 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Chad1376 Samba Member
Joined: January 29, 2005 Posts: 1435 Location: Henderson, Nevada
|
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 5:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
This is what I usually hear:
Barooom, cla-chunk, squeek, Baroom Baroom, "Aaaa!", cla-chuck, Baroom...
My pointless post of the day is now complete, on to the next task. _________________ My never ending 1302 Autocross Project:
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&a...02b8f83f22 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Bugshift Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2007 Posts: 101
|
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I was towing my thing home. I got pulled over in southern Utah and the highway patrol officer said. What the @#%$ is that thing. I had to pull out the title to prove it was a Thing. Then he took some pictures of it and drove off. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
norcalmike Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2005 Posts: 4784 Location: Marina, CA
|
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
most common: "my brother/sister/cousin/ etc. used to have a Bug in high school." |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Emeritusx Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2008 Posts: 2775 Location: 12 inches behind the wheel
|
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I usually hear Pink Floyd in my Thing...
I do get into a lot of conversations about it.. I dont think I have ever driven anywhere without someone asking my something about my car.... Such a whore.... _________________ 82 Westy ☢, 66 Splitty ☮, 73 Type 181 ✠ |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Ian Epperson Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2005 Posts: 2262 Location: Alameda, CA
|
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:35 am Post subject: |
|
|
Those that seem to know usually seem to shout: "What is that THING!"
or, "You don't see those around anymore."
On the rare occasions when I have to pick up a part at Pep Boys:
"What make and model" me: "VW Thing"
"OK, what's the year of your bug" me: "No, a THING. It's there, just look"
click click click, "oh"
It seems that more people make more comments when the weather's warmer. _________________ VW-181 shirts and stickers.
http://ian.epperson.com/vw |
|
Back to top |
|
|
uberautowerks Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2005 Posts: 1600 Location: Longmont Co
|
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
Last time we were in The Home Depot parking lot.......
"Is that made outta' plywood or fiberglass?" _________________ --- The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair.
- Douglas Adams -
---
'74 Thing (White)
'71 Single cab (White too)
'70 Weekender (White three)
'05 Evolution VIII (White also!!!)
'68 F-250 (White over black) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Rev. Scott Samba Member
Joined: June 04, 2006 Posts: 770 Location: Philo, Ca.
|
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
i run into a lot of fist pumping bravado accompanied with a guttural shout "the thing!"...apparently its a "mans" vw...?! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Van-go108 Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2006 Posts: 2995 Location: Southwestern, NM
|
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
uberautowerks wrote: |
Last time we were in The Home Depot parking lot.......
"Is that made outta' plywood or fiberglass?" |
That's a good one
So which is it?
I personally can't go anywhere without the whole town knowing I was out. (very few orange anything driving out there these days.) _________________ "Okay, so there's 6 beers and 5 of us. You know what this means don't you? 4 of you are going to have to leave."
1973 Thing
1957 Continental Mark II Click to view image |
|
Back to top |
|
|
rrankin Samba Member
Joined: November 10, 2004 Posts: 287 Location: Austin Texas
|
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
I daily drove my Thing from 1995 to 2000 and off and off daily over the summers for the years following... I've heard lots of stuff. Here are some highlights:
The week I got my Thing, I will filling up at a gas station in Round Rock Texas (Just north of Austin - where I was working for Dell at the time) and I hear:
RR Guy: "Thems float!"
Me: " No, not really"
RR Guy: "Naw I took ane em across lake ponca-train, thems float!"
Me: " Can you show me where to hook up the propeller? I've been wondering?" (Note: there is a piece of channel iron across the rear (stock) bumper and a tow ball attached to it as the previous owner put on to 'store the ball')
RR Guy walks over and looks at the back" " nope! that part was in the water."
Me: " huh. ok Thanks!"
RR Guy gets in his truck and drives off.
---
I frequently head at stop lights:
"Can you take that to the lake?"
"Thaaaaang Duuude!"
"Love your... car?"
Lots of honks and a thumbs up In fact I've owned my car long enough I'm somewhat immune to honks because I don't always see where they came from and figure it's someone giving me a thumbs up or I'll hear from someone - "Hey I saw you ...day in your Thing and honked at you - did you see me?"
---
In parking lots I've had people tell me of the Thing they owned in High School or the one their best friend owned in High School.
I'm asked what is it? If it floats? or I'm told it floats.
---
Last week was a new one for me:
At a stop light a young guy whipped out his cell phone and snapped a picture (or 3) of me and my car at the stop light. No comment, no thumbs up, just cell pictures. I suppose I'm now some social media comment somewhere.
-R _________________ '74 Thing [Fritz]
Austin, TX |
|
Back to top |
|
|
booch Samba Member
Joined: July 03, 2008 Posts: 784 Location: Ambler, Pennsylvania
|
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
rrankin wrote: |
Last week was a new one for me:
At a stop light a young guy whipped out his cell phone and snapped a picture (or 3) of me and my car at the stop light. No comment, no thumbs up, just cell pictures. I suppose I'm now some social media comment somewhere.
-R |
That's funny, I too fell victim to a "photo drive-by" last week. No comments or gestures either, just pictures. I was first in line at a red light, and it was a passenger in a car from the cross traffic. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
uberautowerks Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2005 Posts: 1600 Location: Longmont Co
|
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
When I'm asked if it floats, I reply "Yep, until it sinks" _________________ --- The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair.
- Douglas Adams -
---
'74 Thing (White)
'71 Single cab (White too)
'70 Weekender (White three)
'05 Evolution VIII (White also!!!)
'68 F-250 (White over black) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Doc*181 Samba Member
Joined: December 09, 2003 Posts: 479 Location: Belgium
|
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
Passing a group of old men doing their little walk in the countryside: "Godver, den Duits is hier were".
Because not many of you will talk and read flemish... translated it is something like this: "F*ck... the Jerries are here again!" _________________ Thing stuff:
http://vw181.skynetblogs.be/ |
|
Back to top |
|
|
uberautowerks Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2005 Posts: 1600 Location: Longmont Co
|
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks Doc, now I have to clean soda off my screen and out of my nose!!! _________________ --- The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair.
- Douglas Adams -
---
'74 Thing (White)
'71 Single cab (White too)
'70 Weekender (White three)
'05 Evolution VIII (White also!!!)
'68 F-250 (White over black) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Nijyboy Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2006 Posts: 62 Location: Wellingborough, Northants, UK
|
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
"Did you build it yourself?" or "That's in good nick for WW2 car."
The best one was when I was queuing in traffic and a bloke got out of the car in front and just said "Mate....that is the coolest fu**ing car ever". |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Van-go108 Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2006 Posts: 2995 Location: Southwestern, NM
|
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I was just asked today at lunch, "Is that car yours?". I said, I think so. _________________ "Okay, so there's 6 beers and 5 of us. You know what this means don't you? 4 of you are going to have to leave."
1973 Thing
1957 Continental Mark II Click to view image |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|