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Davii Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: New Orleans
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Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 9:48 pm Post subject: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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I’ve always like the Thing, long story about youth and a girl, the best ones. The wife has also always loved them, mentioned many times how she’d love to have one “someday”. Well, I just retired from the Marines and a recent very bad health scare from the wife made me decide, damnit, it’s time to start doing these things we keep talking about.
Started looking around. Found a lot of rotted out garbage for too much money. A friend called me up,he found a Thing on a buddies property out in the woods. It’s been in a storage container out in the country for a few years. Story is the guy bought it for his wife at some VW thing in a Texas, drove it to cruising the coast, etc for a number of years. She had a rollover wreck in a different vehicle and decided she didn’t want to drive the Thing anymore due to the danger. So it got put in a storage container.
The guy’s property was awesome, like an episode of American Pickers. All sorts of great vintage cars, a service station replica, gas pumps everywhere, etc.
Got the car, towed it to a friends shop. Put some oil in the cylinders, turned it by hand. Good compression on all 4 cylinders. Guy said it ran when parked. It’s solid, nothing more than surface rust, still original paint.
All new brakes (to include disc on front), completely new fuel system, and all new ignition (electronic) and it should be ready to surprise her.
She has no idea. She’s going to love it!
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Deckard Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2012 Posts: 296 Location: Knoxville, TN
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 5:44 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Looks great, and it has the expensive, hard to find VW Thing-only parts like rearview mirrors, gas heater, and top.
I believe both the upholstery and top are aftermarket. Do a search in the archives and download/print the documents relating to the Thing.
I also think that Lexus dealerships sell the giant red bow. which apparently is the only acceptable way to present a car to your wife |
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74 Thing Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7369
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:30 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Nice, get it good and clean and go through all of the fluids, do the brakes (including hoses), back the wheel bearings, go through the engine for a tune up, the electrical connections clean and check and clean the fuse block and the light and emergency switch contacts, and clean and flush the gas tank, and it you want to remove the decals get an eraser wheel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24ySxkMJ4Hg |
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74 Thing Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7369
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:37 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Nice, get it good and clean and go through all of the fluids, do the brakes (including hoses), back the wheel bearings, go through the engine for a tune up, the electrical connections clean and check and clean the fuse block and the light and emergency switch contacts, and clean and flush the gas tank, and it you want to remove the decals get an eraser wheel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24ySxkMJ4Hg |
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Davii Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: New Orleans
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 2:02 pm Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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74 Thing wrote: |
Nice, get it good and clean and go through all of the fluids, do the brakes (including hoses), back the wheel bearings, go through the engine for a tune up, the electrical connections clean and check and clean the fuse block and the light and emergency switch contacts, and clean and flush the gas tank, and it you want to remove the decals get an eraser wheel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24ySxkMJ4Hg |
Exactly the plan. All new brakes to include lines, new fuel tank with filter and pump, and I cleaned the lines using carb cleaner and compressed air.
Question: is there no screen or "sock" in the gas tank? When I put the new one on it was just an elbow straight into the line. |
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74 Thing Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7369
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:49 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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There should be one, but it may have not been replaced and I have seen ones that are made out of some sort of metal eaten away over time. |
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ente_kaefer Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2013 Posts: 241 Location: St Louis, MO
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:13 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Very nice vehicle ! Your time permitting, take a look at the rims on the vehicle, going by the hub caps, they appear to be from a 1967 VW Bug. The rims should be 15 inch, and from research that I have done appear to be the only stock, air cooled rims that have an offset and backspace that is close to the Thing 14 inch rim. |
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Davii Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: New Orleans
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 4:01 pm Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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ente_kaefer wrote: |
Very nice vehicle ! Your time permitting, take a look at the rims on the vehicle, going by the hub caps, they appear to be from a 1967 VW Bug. The rims should be 15 inch, and from research that I have done appear to be the only stock, air cooled rims that have an offset and backspace that is close to the Thing 14 inch rim. |
Great eye and you're awesome! I was trying to figure that out as the tires have a 15 stamped on them but no other identifying marks for size that I could find. I measured the wheels and they are 15s, but that was where my knowledge ended.
I was going to order empi wheels as I ordered the wide 5 ac industries kit for disc brakes, but I didn't when I realized those are 15s. So, is that all good? Are these good rims to have?
I'm trying to figure out what size tires as well. 190-70-15 seems to be the suggestion? |
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KAmes Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014 Posts: 876 Location: Illinois
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 3:49 pm Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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I have the wide 5 AC Industries kit on mine with generic replacement 15" beetle rims, fits really well. I'll bet the rims you have will be just fine, I would certainly try them first. These are 205/75/15 so 190/70/15 should fit easy and would look a little more stock.
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Davii Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: New Orleans
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 5:04 pm Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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KAmes wrote: |
I have the wide 5 AC Industries kit on mine with generic replacement 15" beetle rims, fits really well. I'll bet the rims you have will be just fine, I would certainly try them first. These are 205/75/15 so 190/70/15 should fit easy and would look a little more stock.
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Looks great! Thank you for the info.
I installed the front discs today, the wheels fit perfectly. I'll finish up the tears next weekend and then turn to on the rest of the ignition and fuel system. Should be ready in the next two or three weeks. |
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74 Thing Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7369
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KAmes Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014 Posts: 876 Location: Illinois
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:20 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Davii wrote: |
Looks great! Thank you for the info.
I installed the front discs today, the wheels fit perfectly. I'll finish up the tears next weekend and then turn to on the rest of the ignition and fuel system. Should be ready in the next two or three weeks. |
Cool! It looks like a great project. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out. |
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Davii Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: New Orleans
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 8:16 pm Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Looking to order the fuel pump, I need to know whether I have a generator or an alternator. How do I tell the difference? |
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74 Thing Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7369
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 10:47 pm Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Post a photo of the engine compartment. |
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RWK Samba Member
Joined: June 24, 2009 Posts: 1337 Location: S.W. MI
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 4:20 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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"Should" be a generator if stock. _________________ 73 Type 181
63 Type 113
63 Type 261- 428 071
62 Type 241-378 025 178 530 |
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Davii Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: New Orleans
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 8:53 pm Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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74 Thing wrote: |
Post a photo of the engine compartment. |
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Bashr52 Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2006 Posts: 5666 Location: On an island in VA
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:54 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Davii wrote: |
74 Thing wrote: |
Post a photo of the engine compartment. |
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Yup, that's a generator with what looks like a bugspray carb? |
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Davii Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2018 Posts: 15 Location: New Orleans
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 2:03 pm Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Bashr52 wrote: |
Davii wrote: |
74 Thing wrote: |
Post a photo of the engine compartment. |
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Yup, that's a generator with what looks like a bugspray carb? |
That’s what the prior owner said, a bug spray. I am looking at ordering the stock carb from Jbugs as it’s cheaper than a rebuild kit plus the work.
Thoughts? |
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Bashr52 Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2006 Posts: 5666 Location: On an island in VA
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:43 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Davii wrote: |
Bashr52 wrote: |
Davii wrote: |
74 Thing wrote: |
Post a photo of the engine compartment. |
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Yup, that's a generator with what looks like a bugspray carb? |
That’s what the prior owner said, a bug spray. I am looking at ordering the stock carb from Jbugs as it’s cheaper than a rebuild kit plus the work.
Thoughts? |
Kads, Ict's, baby dells, 36 Dells, or 40 IDF |
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74 Thing Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2004 Posts: 7369
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2018 6:29 am Post subject: Re: Surprising the wife with a Thing |
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Pull the engine and go though it or at least go through the fan shroud/tin and clean it up and get the missing tin and take a look at the clutch/throwout bearing and exhaust etc... and clean and replace what is needed. Probably a good time for new tune up parts as well
Dual carb kits usually come with air cleaners and will perform better and provide better gas mileage.
If you go back to stock you are missing the stock oil air bath cleaner and elbow as well as the stock distributor so that will add to your cost. A rebuilt Solex carb is better than the new Bocar carbs IMO. You can check out sites like thingparts.com to see if they have what you need. |
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