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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 2:33 pm Post subject: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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A couple years ago, I drove my Thing in the local Jeep Jamboree which was fun and I'm thinking about doing it again. After the road rally, some of us went to the off road park. The Jeep owners I was with were impressed with some of the places I took it.
But at one point, I drove through a creek, and then the Jeep behind me came through much faster, and got some air. And I was a little jealous I hadn't tried that.
So, can I jump it? Can a Thing safely get a little air without breaking a bunch of stuff? (Assuming the front end isn't all rusted to pieces and all that, of course.) Is a stock Thing's motor strong enough to make it get some air??
I found this in the gallery...
_________________ Dave Cook
President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing |
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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2664 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 2:39 pm Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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I thought 'can you jump a Thing' had to do with starting it. I thought, 'of course, why not?' so I clicked on the thread. haha
I'm sure with a properly angled ramp, anything is possible. It's the landing I'd be concerned about. _________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch' |
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 2:49 pm Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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scottyrocks wrote: |
I thought 'can you jump a Thing' had to do with starting it. I thought, 'of course, why not?' so I clicked on the thread. haha
I'm sure with a properly angled ramp, anything is possible. It's the landing I'd be concerned about. |
Yeah, landing is what I'd be afraid of too.
So maybe the question should be made more precise:
Should a Thing be able to safely land a jump of, say, 1 foot? Just a little pop up in the air. What would you consider to be the maximum? _________________ Dave Cook
President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing |
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mondshine Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2006 Posts: 2769 Location: The World's Motor Capital
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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This reminds me of when people ask me if a Thing can go in the water.
I always say "sure, but it won't come out".
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sjbartnik Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011 Posts: 5998 Location: Brooklyn
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 4:02 pm Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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Yeah you can jump it. Once. _________________ 1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
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YDBD Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2017 Posts: 891 Location: Bavaria, Germany
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Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 8:09 pm Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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Yes a Thing will jump, yes the landing will be hard but it will survive.
They are beefed up quite a bit from a type 1, front beams have larger ball joints and mine had braces from the beam to the chassis, not sure if all do. Many Baja's have Thing front beams installed because they sit higher and have more "stock" travel.
I'm not sure on the rear end, I would think it too has heavier components, the engine in mine even had a cage attached to the sump.
All the beef does make it heavier, so more force is applied on the landing, it's not something I would do repeatedly, or at all in a stock Thing, but modified...yeah I'd jump.... _________________ '56 pan Dune Buggy since '69
don't live in the past...but when I did:
'67 bug
'64 baja
'60 dune buggy
'73 Personenkraftwagen Type 182 "Thing" |
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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cecil Samba Member
Joined: February 23, 2005 Posts: 461 Location: Stockton, CA
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 8:01 am Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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Just a quick observation. If you lived “ out west “ and especially knew people like Sam Williams, the question would be “ How far can I jump it? “. Every Tuesday my wife and I ride fire trails ( easy to find, just look for the smoke ). Sometimes we catch air, not a lot, but it becomes addicting. Have fun. _________________ I may not be that funny or athletic or good looking or smart or talented....I forgot where I was going with this
I have this wierd desease called "must tear everything up and put it back together when there's nothing wrong with it...Itus." |
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cousineddy Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2009 Posts: 48 Location: United States
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Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 3:30 pm Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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I've jumped mine a few times,not high,but definitely have gotten a little air,I have Bilstein 5100's on mine but everything else is stock.The landings aren't bad. _________________ 65 bug blow thru 2276 turbo
73 Thing |
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vwwestyman Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004 Posts: 5688 Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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cousineddy Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2009 Posts: 48 Location: United States
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 4:48 am Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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I'll see if I can a pic or two today _________________ 65 bug blow thru 2276 turbo
73 Thing |
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sam_w Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 1479 Location: Petaluma, CA
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:39 pm Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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I can't find the pic on my computer, but the back of my T-short has this pic of me jumping!
When I left college in England and worked as a development engineer for Henry Ford, I took cars to the tank proving ground, the Swedish Rally drivers said they liked to go yumping! That was where we beefed up the factory rally cars, in 1965.
But I really have jumped my Thingster in the desert,
Here is the real pic
Anyone see the photo shop magic! _________________ 63 singlecab
73 thingster
74 Thing |
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mondshine Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2006 Posts: 2769 Location: The World's Motor Capital
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Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 2:48 pm Post subject: Re: Can you Jump a Thing? |
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Yes!
The Thingster casts the shadow of a sand rail.
Keep on yumping!
The Desert Rats (British 7th Armoured) |
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