What do you think?

[ghiafreek]

I just came across a '74 thing. It has a new vinyl top with all the side curtains in good shape. The motor runs but will probably need some help with exhaust. All seats are present, guages and electrical work.
The only rust I see is a small 3" area in the rear quarter just in front of the fender. The pans will definitely have to be replaced completely.
I know its difficult to ascertain what a decent price would be for such a project. But what do you think?

thanks for any input,
ghiafreek

[bljones]

Any pics?
how hard did you look for rust? Things can be sneaky, especially if you are used to hardtop ghias and bugs, because they rust in different places.
check behind the rear seatbacks, the bottoms of the doors, and if the pans need to be completely repaced, take a close look at the framehead and the front beam. Is there any sign of bodywork? How is the bottom of the windshield frame? take a good look at the fender bolt flanges on all four fenders as well.

Personally, I have a $1500 limit on project Things. There is ALWAYS more rust than you think, and parts are often spendier than you expect.
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OG JHC
Author of Original Rant #1
"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"

2%

[Buckly]

What is the seller asking? Are you sure the pans are bad? do they have holes rusted through them? If not a little por-15 and they'er better than new. A new top and side curtains are a huge plus. I'd have to see the car or atleast pics, but $1500 would be a good price taking in mind the top and curtains. Of course less is better.
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Cool runnins,
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Bucky

[ghiafreek]

Yes, the pans are completely gone. You can see the ground on both sides in the back area and the front of the pans have more crazy rust.

[Buckly]

You better look into how much a pan goes for, I think its around $350 each. Its not an easy job to replace them. Body off, alittle cutting and a little welding. giha pans are the same shape but don't have the ribs for extra strength.
Whats it going for? If its alot of hard earned, wait for a better deal.
_________________
Cool runnins,
_______________________
Bucky

[nthang]

The 3" spot is in the rocker panel? That's serious restoration/pro welding replacing rocker panels.

The pans are a weekend project with a mig welder and grinder. Some use the $80 kg pans.

What's it worth? At least $1500 if its all there and not beat to hell. If you can get if for less than that, all the better for you. Nice stock Things are going from $3000 to $30,000. Whatever you want, its out there somewhere. Arn't you about 4 hours from Laredo?
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NTHANG, LLC

[suntour]

Rocker panel rust is a tricky little bugger. I had a hole about 2” where the rocker meets the back fender and the only hole in the pan was where the battery was located. When I pulled the body off the complete lower section of the driver side rocker stuck to the pan and tore right off. It was completely rusted out from the inside but you couldn’t tell from the outside. In the end I welded a piece of 1/8” channel iron on the bottom of the rocker to replace what I had lost. It looks like crap but it will never rust out again in my lifetime.

[Big Luni]

That area on the outer rocker is a common rot spot. You can cut it out & replace it with either a piece of another rocker panel or use a piece of an old Thing door. The corrogations can be matched. If the inside and outside is rotted like mine was, you might want to cut up a donor car. I got mine from the old Things Unlimited out west many years ago. I'd talk to Mike Basso about getting donor panels if that's what you need.