My 74 Body Off Restoration

[63ziggy]

I thought I would share of my project. I have been posting in Readers Rides forum. I figure maybe I would post the link here. I have been learning alot along the way and maybe the project pics will help others.

Hope you enjoy


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=271590

[kme_eone]

Did you have rust where the foot rest plastic panels crew to? I am doing a 74 restoration on two THINGs.
_________________
Chris Blankenship
South Wind parts and service
907-276-3397
Anchorage, AK

[63ziggy]

fortunately, the metal was clean behind the foot rests. There was rust on opposite area (trunk bulkhead) down low where 4 main large bolts hold body to pan. Beside patching that flat stock area, I drilled 3/4 holes behind foot rests and then sprayed rust encapsulator in the cavities.

I used Master series and a "engine washing" gun sprayer that hooks to air hose and has a 1/4" pickup hose. Anywhere I suspected a cavity that did not get opened or seam area of 2 pieces of metal, I sprayed inside. I have learned with the Things, they rust from inside out. So I did what ever I could to seal the inside and stop any potential rust. Think where most Thing builders would be today if these vehicles had treated metal inside areas such as rockers etc.

[Fun 181]

Ziggy,
I'm not mad that you chose to highlight your resto in the Reader's Rides forum instead of the Thing forum, I'm disappointed.


Keep up the good work! I love reading about all the details and checking out the photos of in-depth projects like this.

[63ziggy]

Thanks and I am with you on watching builds. Keeps the motivation.

Should have thought twice. The community is definite tight right here.

More to come hopefully sooner.

[THINGONER]

I tried to use an engine degreaser a while ago to spray rust bullit-however I could not get it to suction the paint correctly-did you do anything to prime the gun? My degreaser seems like the same one you have. Thanks

[63ziggy]

nothing special other than cranked the pressure and shortened the hose. I did find out after a thorough cleaning of my first gun, it only worked one additional time. seals trashed I guess so had to buy a second one.

high pressure, short hose should do the trick.

it was a Home Depot $12 special with 1/4" pick up tube

good luck.

[lorencherylp]

Thank you for sharing! Keep up the good work!

[63ziggy]

OK, finally after 7-8 months , she is home. Paint came out well. Shop hit me harder than expected. That's the breaks when dealing with friends of friends.

Overall pleased. I do need to hang fenders, hood and decklid then return her to the shop for final buff out. Also learned that some folks are not as thorough as I assumed. The shop missed spraying the inside of the ear muffs as well as failed to spray the engine bay. They will do this when I return for buff.

Will be nice to get her home for good so I can focus on reconstruction.

hope you enjoy

[63ziggy]

quick flash back when I dropped her off at the shop

[Pierre G]

^^ Nice cabinets in that shop !! I'm kidding. Nice Thing. What wheels are you planning to bolt on that beast ?
_________________
1976 181/Thing, 1967 fastback, 1973 squareback, 1964 microbus, 1967 Double Cab, 1969 westfalia (currently under resto), 1972 LM1C dune buggy, 1974 jean's bug, 1974 1303 (super beetle, currently under reassembly after new paint).

[caseydenise]

[63ziggy]

Thanks for compliment.

Wheels will be widened 15" beetles. I will be meeting with powdercoat shop this weekend. Another referral, hopefully price will be right and quick turn around.

15x6. second photo shows stock Thing wheel next to widened 15" beetle.

She will see larger offroad tires and stock hubcaps. May change in the future. I like the wide 5 smoothie look.

Good luck on paint project. Post us some pics.

[CBDZ_CBDZ]

Where did you find the widened wheels? I am looking to do something like that for my Manx Buggy.

[63ziggy]

I cut out the centers and shipped them to Boltons Classic wheels. some pics buried in my gallery of how I cut the centers out.

Here's info on Boltons

Bolton’s Classic Wheels
16516 S. Western Ave.
Gardena, CA 90247

310 765 6621

http://www.boltonsclassicwheels.com/

OG wide to 15x6 wide 5. Great service, excellent turnaround. Very fair price I thought. $65 per wheel widened with my center cores.

[Ferretkona]

Look at that, right down the street.
I had a rim shop do that for me on some Volvo rims. The guy mis understood me and made the tire stem on the inside toward the axle. I guess that is a rodders thought, you use the longer offset valve stems that are used on dualies for a cleaner look. You can specify your offset when you do this.
_________________
74 181 Thing
2008 Ford Sport Trac V8 4x4
2008 Ford Escape V6

[63ziggy]

quick update, photos to follow.

she is back home for good from the body shop. I had to take her back so they could spray the engine bay and inside the ear muffs. They missed those areas. They also finished buffing out the paint.

Just glad to get her home where I can clean the dust and grime from sitting in the corner of the shop. Time to start the reconstruction phase.

Maybe we will get on the road before the end of summer. I have more things I want to do.

[63ziggy]

Been putting her together. pushed her out of the garage today to get some pics.

fenders installed, new windshield, seal, frame installed, ear muffs installed with new seals and aluminum rivets, nice color matched engine bay, started putting dash trim and handle back on, still need to modify steering due to lift. windshield wiper arms cleaned and fresh paint with new blades. cleaned wiper motor and replaced old grease inside.

ran into problems with old pedal assembly. could not get apart prior to rebuild. clutch pedal and brake pedal hang up. brake spring too weak. could not get pin out, rusted solid and maybe metal issue. replaced with new so will be swapping pedals over. found out new replacement had a wider spreader on clutch pedal. heated up metal and slightly bent her in. much better clearance now with body member by foot wall.

all but one door handles installed with cleaned up and freshly lubed latch/catches. keeping deck lid off for now until get to engine.

enjoy pics.

[63ziggy]

German Technology duel

Love at first site?

[caseydenise]

Great work. I love putting all the clean stuff back together. I actually broke the clutch hook on my dunebuggy over the winter and swapped my Thing pedals to keep it cruising. I rebuilt my dunebuggy pedals and put them in the Thing and never put them back I use a roller pedal on bothe cars. Just like it with my size 13 foot. Easier to get it over to the brake pedal in my opinion.

Great build, keep it up. Is that your S class?
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Central Jersey Volkswagen Society - President