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Metal Twister
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Joined: January 24, 2013
Posts: 405
Location: licking, MO.
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 Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 2:53 pm Post subject: Raising the fenders for on and off road use... |
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Well My hope is to take possession of my Thing around the first of the year. With that said Ive been looking at what I want to achieve as soon as possible after I get it. It has already been lifted, the adjustable front beam installed as well as after market 2" longer arms on the back. While my intent is to keep this a 60 Percent on road and a 40 percent off road car there are a few things that I have seen that I really like that have not been executed as of yet.
The original fenders are gone and new plastic fenders are waiting to be installed. I saw only one pic of this blue Thing on line and I think it is the direction Id like to go with mine. My question is for those of you that have them already what would be involved with raising the fenders to a similar height as these? Mine is a 73 so the boxes are not an issue. Body trimming? Moving things around inside the body for any reason? Thanks in advance so I can be making some plans.
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Captain Spalding
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Joined: February 19, 2005
Posts: 2519
Location: . . . in denial.
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| Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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| On the photo you posted it looks like body cutting front and rear, and cutting of stock fenders. It kind of looks like the fenders were tack welded to the body after paint. |
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GI Joe
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Joined: April 28, 2005
Posts: 2013
Location: Athens, TN
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77kafer
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Joined: April 08, 2008
Posts: 840
Location: New Windsor, NY
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| Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="GI Joe"]I don't see much body cuttin on the blue one... Just a little on the rear 1/4 panel....
quote]
Take another look at that photo, look across the hood at how high the driver side front fender is and compare it to yours or any other stock thing. The body metal below the fender has all been removed.
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard
Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer" |
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GI Joe
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Joined: April 28, 2005
Posts: 2013
Location: Athens, TN
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77kafer
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Joined: April 08, 2008
Posts: 840
Location: New Windsor, NY
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| Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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You are right, it is an optical illusion. I didn't realize that the add on fenders jutted up.
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard
Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer" |
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Metal Twister
Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2013
Posts: 405
Location: licking, MO.
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| Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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I Spent a few minutes tonight searching for more pics of his car and I actually found a couple. This shows the front a lot better and I see shinny bolt heads in there? Heck I can fab up some raised fenders no problem.
After getting abetter look at the back fenders Im not so sure I like them as much as I did in the desert shot...
Thanks for the pic of the yellow fender that helps me a lot! I'm thinking seriously about cutting off the front of the front fender like he did. Then build a doubler plate off the body under the fender and removing the turn indicator and installing a pair of small rectangular head lights on top of the fender where the turn indicators are now. I will use a couple of the new DOT button LED's for turn indicator and clearance lights.
These are the high low beam head lights I was thinking of using on the street. For off road I will run an assortment of LED's...
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Rectangular-Headlights-Halogen-Bulb,35742.html
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Shoyrtt
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Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1096
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Metal Twister wrote: |
Thanks for the pic of the yellow fender that helps me a lot! I'm thinking seriously about cutting off the front of the front fender like he did. |
Here is a picture of the yellow fender on the car before paint. I picked them up from Brian Coats Fabrication in Huntington Beach.
These were direct bolt on replacements for the stock fenders. I wanted to run a larger tire, but I didn't want to run a body lift or cut any of the sheetmetal. I also liked that Brian's fenders didn't have any provisions for a turn signal up top.
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Metal Twister
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Joined: January 24, 2013
Posts: 405
Location: licking, MO.
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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A little off topic but I sure like your cage design. Did you twist it up or is that something someone is selling? I've seen a little red thing with a similar cage and really like the simple, functional, and nice lines of your cage.
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Shoyrtt
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Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1096
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Metal Twister wrote: |
| A little off topic but I sure like your cage design. Did you twist it up or is that something someone is selling? I've seen a little red thing with a similar cage and really like the simple, functional, and nice lines of your cage. |
Are you talking about this car?
I had this car in mind when I had the cage fabricated. It also is a nice example of fenders both front and rear.  |
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Metal Twister
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Joined: January 24, 2013
Posts: 405
Location: licking, MO.
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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That's it, I didn't recognize it all blown apart like that. I'm thinking something like that would be just perfect... Then I saw yours. How is the entry head room for the back seats? Enough clearance for the head or is it a head thumper?
The pic I was looking at...
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Shoyrtt
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Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1096
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm running stock rear seats and if you are over 5'9" the horizontal bar at the "C" pillar is a head thumper. You would need to move it to the rear to clear. |
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Metal Twister
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Joined: January 24, 2013
Posts: 405
Location: licking, MO.
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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Naaa, just keep the big folks out of the back of the car. As often as it will be used for full sized folks I like the looks of the cage as it is. Do like the cops when they are putting cuffed guys in the back seat, put your hands between the cage and their noggins when getting in. LOL Thanks for the input its very helpful.
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Shoyrtt
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Joined: August 21, 2010
Posts: 1096
Location: Redlands, CA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Metal Twister wrote: |
| Naaa, just keep the big folks out of the back of the car. As often as it will be used for full sized folks I like the looks of the cage as it is. Do like the cops when they are putting cuffed guys in the back seat, put your hands between the cage and their noggins when getting in. LOL Thanks for the input its very helpful. |
The noggin knocker is an equal opportunity employer "getting in" to the car. Like any cage you get used to where the bar is upon entry. The bar I'm talking about runs horizontal between the two "C" pillars. Back seat passengers (especially when you hit a bump) can hit their foreheads on that bar. No full sized people back there unless they wear a helmet. LOL
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Metal Twister
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Joined: January 24, 2013
Posts: 405
Location: licking, MO.
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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Oh that bar... I have a old friend who knows that bar very well!
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Ratt
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Joined: April 15, 2003
Posts: 753
Location: Puyallup, Wa
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Shoyrtt wrote: |
| Metal Twister wrote: |
| A little off topic but I sure like your cage design. Did you twist it up or is that something someone is selling? I've seen a little red thing with a similar cage and really like the simple, functional, and nice lines of your cage. |
Are you talking about this car?
I had this car in mind when I had the cage fabricated. It also is a nice example of fenders both front and rear. |
Who's thing is this, and any more photos of the cage? I'm trying to figure out what I am doing for my suspension. |
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saddlesore1
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Joined: November 20, 2006
Posts: 548
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:28 am Post subject: |
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Here is another shot of Brian's fenders on my car. As far as I am concerned they are the best out there.
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Metal Twister
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Joined: January 24, 2013
Posts: 405
Location: licking, MO.
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 10:18 am Post subject: |
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After really studying all the fenders available, even the different fenders cut up I like the ones on your Thing the best. Very nice width and full length and look right at home on your thing. Very Nice.
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mattt
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Joined: January 20, 2004
Posts: 1146
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 11:04 am Post subject: |
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As far as I know, there are 3 different raised/widened front fenders available for the Thing. The first available were from Socal Imports and are about 2.5" wider and taller than stock. I have Socal Imports front on my Thing. Then the ones from Kustom 1 were made available as 'glass knock-offs of the first all steel set of widened/raised fenders that were hand made by Brent?, the builder of "Leopard Thing." In the last few years, saddlesore has been selling the fenders from Brian? I don't know their width/height.
As far as rears, for higher fenders there aren't many options. The Kustom 1 fenders bolt with well nuts to the outside of the body. Again....made by the builder of "Leopard Thing." The only other rears that were taller were made in Mexico back in the day, and I have a set on my Thing. They bolt in the stock rr fender mounting holes but wrap outside the fender opening so they are wider and taller than stock. I haven't seen another set like the rears I have in the US. The only others I saw were on a Thing that lives/lived in Mexico and I saw it in San Diego one time. I had to have a set and took a few trips south to get them. You can see pics of the fenders and Thing in my gallery pics, complete car is back on page 3. Soon after someone stopped by my place to buy some Thing parts, and checking out my 181, the other rears that are made by Brian? & mount in the stock fender mount holes, and wrap up higher and wider appeared for sale. Coincidence.....
Last edited by mattt on Tue Dec 02, 2014 11:44 am; edited 2 times in total |
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saddlesore1
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Joined: November 20, 2006
Posts: 548
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 11:19 am Post subject: |
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| mattt wrote: |
As far as I know, there are 3 different raised/widened front fenders available for the Thing. The first available were from Socal Imports and are about 2.5" wider and taller than stock. I have Socal Imports front on my Thing. Then the ones from Kustom 1 were made available as 'glass knock-offs of the first all steel set of widened/raised fenders that were hand made by Brent?, the builder of "Leopard Thing." In the last few years, saddlesore has been selling the fenders from Brian? I don't know their width/height.
As far as rears, for higher fenders there aren't many options. The Kustom 1 fenders bolt with well nuts to the outside of the body. Again....made by the builder of "Leopard Thing." The only other rears that were taller were made in Mexico back in the day, and I have a set on my Thing. I haven't seen another set like the rears I have in the US. The only others I saw were on a Thing that lives/lived in Mexico and I saw it in San Diego one time. I had to have a set and took a few trips south to get them. You can see pics of the fenders and Thing in my gallery pics. Soon after someone stopped by my place to buy some Thing parts, and checking out my 181, the other rears that are made by Brian? & mount in the stock fender mount holes, and wrap up higher and wider appeared for sale. Coincidence..... |
Not sure what you are inferring Matt.
I have Brian Coats' and yes I advertise for him because I said I would. I get nothing by the way. I promote his because like I said in the past I believe they are the best.
They are similar to all the other "raised and wider" except for the fact that the ugly turn signals have been removed. They are also slightly thicker and are preprimed out of the mold. if you scratch your paint while driving it hard you do not see raw fiberglass. You see the original color that was shipped to you.
As for the rears they are completely different than any others available. They bolt in the stock location so guys like me do not have to drill holes in the side of the body to get the look they want and have them raised 2" and wider to match the front. They look like they belong together.
for these reasons they are "in my opinion" THE BEST AVAILABLE.
Oh did I mention he should have the mold done for the 74's with earmuffs. |
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