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So I bought a Thing...and then...
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Semper_Dad
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

///Mink wrote:
More progress. Repainted the rear bumper, assembled and installed the doors, wiper assembly, top and bottom windshield frame seals.

Gotta do something about the ugly Vanagon seats, but they'll have to do for now.


Looking nice. The seats don't look bad either if recovered in something more "Thinglike". Not feeling the the see-through headrests. I like the look of some of the older Rabbit or Golf seats with adjustable headrests.

How are the seats mounted? Are the sitting on Thing bottom frames?
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///Mink
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Semper_Dad wrote:


How are the seats mounted? Are the sitting on Thing bottom frames?


Yes, exactly. I'm open to seat ideas, but these just have to go.
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norcalmike
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

///Mink wrote:
Semper_Dad wrote:


How are the seats mounted? Are the sitting on Thing bottom frames?


Yes, exactly. I'm open to seat ideas, but these just have to go.


Stock Thing seats or 71/72 beetle seats if you like headrests. if not, the beetle seats can be hacked and modified to ditch the headrests.
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icekoffee
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you don't have thing seats is it possible to put 65-67 back rests on 71-72 beetle seat bottoms?
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1952 Zwitter
1959 23 Window
1963 Doubleturd
1958 Patina Beetle EJ25
1984 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
1964 Lifted Mouse Grey Standard
1967 21 Window
1968 Double Bubble
1969 Westfalia
1961 Ragtop Beetle
1984 GTI
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norcalmike
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

icekoffee wrote:
If you don't have thing seats is it possible to put 65-67 back rests on 71-72 beetle seat bottoms?


im not sure. but i know that Mink has welding skills and he could cut the headrests out of the frames and weld a piece straight across and make them lo backs. chances are, you can find some 71/72 seats locally that need to be recovered anyway and get them cheap too.
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wolfywho
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congratulations, Mink! It's looking fantastic! Truly inspiring. Makes me not want to sell mine now (it's currently for sale).
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///Mink
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So as much as I loved the look of the huge tires, I really needed to change them out:

1. They rubbed the rear fenders.
2. They were ancient.
3. They bogged the little 1600 down something fierce.

So when a set of cheap 15x5.5 baja rims popped up on Craigslist I grabbed them and mounted a set of 205/75R15 all-terrains. It is SO much more drivable now, I should have done this sooner (even if it doesn't look as cool).


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Semper_Dad
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice job. Wheels/tires look great!
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///Mink
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spent the last few days working on the top frame. I straightened it out and then reinforced it by welding in some 3/4" square tubing along the long rails. Much stronger now. I also repaired a badly oblonged hole at one of the pivot points by removing the rivet, welding in the hogged-out metal and filing it back out to be a perfect fit.

The car came with a brand-new Robbins top which had never been unfolded. I think this is an older Robbins - it had pre-punched holes and very nice hold-downs. Hopefully some of the wrinkles will mellow out once I get it in the sun (assuming the sun ever comes out again).

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SgtSamy
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My god, this is beautiful. Congrat! You have skillz!
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Shoyrtt
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I see you have it up for sale. Great price too. Cool
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norcalmike
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

that is a great price! Great job on bringing it back to life. someone is gonna get a nice Thing Cool
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///Mink
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys. I figured I'd clear out some garage space and concentrate on the '73, which will not be for sale. Very Happy
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///Mink
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PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2011 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, as promised, I started to work on the rocker and fender damage on the orange '73, which is still in original paint. Here's the damage, thankfully the door was unscathed:

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I got a decent used fender through the classifieds here and took it down to bare metal and got it into etch primer.

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I was also lucky enough to pick up an NOS rocker which I'll use to repair the rear half of my own.

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But I got impatient and wanted to see how close (or far off) the paint match was. So I shot the fender and bolted it up to see. Unfortunately, it wasn't very close. Of course, I really couldn't tell how bad it really was without buffing out of the faded original paint. So I did (oy!) and the match looked a lot better, but it's still not perfect. I'll probably just live with it and move on to the rocker repair. Pics of that to come in the next couple of weeks.

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Shiny!
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norcalmike
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PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2011 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Who Mixed your paint Tom? Jerry's?
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///Mink
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PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2011 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

norcalmike wrote:
Who Mixed your paint Tom? Jerry's?


Yes, but they don't do this line of paint (Nason) any more.
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dells68
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PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2011 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Tom, you mentioned changing tires to make the engine happier. I'm getting ready to put 15's on my thing - suspension lifted 2" along with 2" body lift. I'm planning on running 235 75 15's on the back and 225 75 15's on the front. Is that the size you got rid of?
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///Mink
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PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2011 10:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dells68 wrote:
Hey Tom, you mentioned changing tires to make the engine happier. I'm getting ready to put 15's on my thing - suspension lifted 2" along with 2" body lift. I'm planning on running 235 75 15's on the back and 225 75 15's on the front. Is that the size you got rid of?


The fronts were E78-15 Pos-a-tractions and the rears were L78-15 Armstrong Norsemans. I think the front size was about equivalent to a 235/75R15. the rears were a lot bigger, probably on the order of a 30x9.50R15.
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dells68
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PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2011 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Tom!!! That car looks awesome. I can't believe you got it done in such a short time frame. I've been working on mine for about 1 year and 9 months and it has about whipped me!!! I'm bound and determined to get it finished in time to take it to KTE in July!! Thanks again for the tire info.

Dell
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bmundy
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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 5:13 pm    Post subject: New owner of the Thing Tom worked on Reply with quote

I am happy to report I am the new owner of Tom's Thing. I am working on it, bit by bit - not that it really needed anything. I am teaching my teenage son how to do some basic auto work. It has become my daily commute car, which is much more economical than my H2. I am also happy to report it just won an award at a local VW car show that had about 200 entries.
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