Author |
Message |
swhitcomb Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003 Posts: 5673 Location: Inwood WV
|
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 6:13 pm Post subject: Re: Shannon's 73 Thing |
|
|
Built a little upgrade for the Thing today.
_________________ My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster |
|
Back to top |
|
|
swhitcomb Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003 Posts: 5673 Location: Inwood WV
|
Posted: Wed May 02, 2018 9:05 am Post subject: Re: Shannon's 73 Thing |
|
|
So we got a new set of wheels and had them powder coated. They were given to us by a neighbor who bought a Thing that they were on when he got it. He decided to sell it, and gave them to us. Being that they were on a Thing, even though it had been a few years since I had seen them on it, I didn’t even think about fitment issues. After getting them coated and getting tires and having them mounted, turns out the rear are too wide. They’re 9”. So anyway, I ordered a set of 5” wheels for the front, had them coated, and the 6” in the front will move to the rear. Saturday I got home from work, and decided to play with the car. I’m going to raise the rear a little. I put it up on a jack, and started measuring the spring plate angle. As I had it in the air, I was staring at the rocker and the horrendous patch that has bothered me since we bought the car in 2011. I never dig into it because I have too many other projects and I want it to run and drive for her. Anyway, I started picking at it. Before I knew it, it was 530pm and I had the entire rocker down to bare metal and the patch gone. It was surprising how poorly it was done. Duct tin, pop riveted to the rust hole, the edges bent it and it bondoed to almost flush. Some of the holes had masking tape wadded up and bondo built on to the tape. Anyway, Shannon comes out to see the mess and is mad because she doesn’t think I’ll fix, and there’s a car show she wants to go to this Sunday. I ran to Home Depot, and bought a few sheets of 22 gauge. Started on it Saturday, and worked on it all day Sunday. I still need to clean up the welds, but here are the results.
Sorry, a little out of order. _________________ My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster |
|
Back to top |
|
|
swhitcomb Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003 Posts: 5673 Location: Inwood WV
|
Posted: Wed May 02, 2018 9:09 am Post subject: Re: Shannon's 73 Thing |
|
|
This was a complicated patch in the corner
Didn’t take pics of the rest before I painted it. _________________ My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster |
|
Back to top |
|
|
[email protected] Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2003 Posts: 510
|
Posted: Wed May 02, 2018 6:13 pm Post subject: Re: Shannon's 73 Thing |
|
|
I'm hoping after all the work she at least apologizes, its probably much better than it was with all the bondocrap. A little appreciation LOVE would help also, just saying. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
vws-microcars4jim Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2005 Posts: 337 Location: Chicago
|
Posted: Thu May 03, 2018 2:59 pm Post subject: Re: Shannon's 73 Thing |
|
|
Nice job making quick work of a difficult rocker repair.
I like your duckboards! Did the cost/labor to build them outweigh just buying a set?
Thanks for posting good pictures! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
swhitcomb Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003 Posts: 5673 Location: Inwood WV
|
Posted: Thu May 03, 2018 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: Shannon's 73 Thing |
|
|
I was going to just buy them, but no body had them for sale. Probably good that they didn’t, when I replaced the floors I don’t think I got the seat tracks inthe exact position and the off the shelf set probably wouldn’t fit. It’s been a while since I made them but if I remember right I’m in them for about $50. I used pine instead of oak or teak because she wanted a lighter shade of wood to match her them she’s going for. Car is from Hawaii and she wants a Beachy theme.
Currently I’m struggling with this:
Pics are out of order. Trying to raise the rear end. Bent the spring plate. Got one from Thingparts.com on the way. I should’ve k own better then to start something like that at 5pm after working all day. _________________ My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster |
|
Back to top |
|
|
swhitcomb Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003 Posts: 5673 Location: Inwood WV
|
Posted: Sun May 06, 2018 5:37 pm Post subject: Re: Shannon's 73 Thing |
|
|
Well, I’ve been struggling with the rear end of the Thing since Wednesday. Everything that could go wrong did. From bending a spring plate to the used pair I ordered needing longer springs then the ones I had, and an entire weekend of rain. It’s finally back together and sits about right. However, on my trip around the block, as soon as I hit the brakes hard, the front drags. Luckily, I already ordered adjusters. I’ll have to raise the rear again to get it even. Also, my friend Dustin saved me by having the right springs I needed.
_________________ My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster |
|
Back to top |
|
|
swhitcomb Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003 Posts: 5673 Location: Inwood WV
|
Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2019 4:59 pm Post subject: Re: Shannon's 73 Thing |
|
|
Last year we bought widened fenders for the Thing because the wheel and tire combo was too wide. The tires rubbed the fenders on turns and stops. Last weekend I finally fitted the new fenders.
_________________ My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|