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Thing Owners Roll Call!
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bljones
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Joined: February 08, 2002
Posts: 2377
Location: ontario canada
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 12:48 pm    Post subject: Thing Owners Roll Call! Reply with quote

Well, someone was dumb enough to make me the moderator of this forum, so i figure i'd better introduce my omnipresent self.

I'm bl, and i own a 73 ex military german 181. In the very near future, i will post a " Pic thread", and i want to see everyone's cars show up.. hell, I will even post mine just so that timgud doesn't think ti is just a figment of my imagination. I know some of you, like emerson, have tossed up pics here in the past, but i want to breathe some life into this place- it has been too quiet.

Those of you (and you know who you are) who frequent other forums, pass the word-coax, cajole, hijack, or engage in acts of piracy to bring fellow 181 owners here.
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emersonbiggins
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Joined: February 18, 2003
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Location: Nebraska
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 6:46 pm    Post subject: Roll Call Reply with quote

Here.
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TimGud
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Joined: March 03, 2002
Posts: 6459
Location: Rio Rico Arizona
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well...... Until I see a pic it could just very well be a short story (fiction of course) that you have been posting about. I haven't figured out where you get the thing parts to trade out though.
Cant find the original pic anymore so the avatar pic will have to do for now.
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TimGud
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Joined: March 03, 2002
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Location: Rio Rico Arizona
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/144826.jpg

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/144824.jpg


https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/41167.jpg



Been hooked up to a VW IV since 87. Always wanted a Thing ,but none ever came up for sale locally that I could afford. Then this one came up, and the offer was too good to pass up. Built a 1776 with a counterweighted crank/heavy flywheel for good bottom end, located the missing parts ,cleaned it up a bit and drove it as is. It's a blast out in the mountains, and there is enough room for my kids. I also drive a 69 Westfalia ,65 Notchback, 63 sedan, 62 convertible (project car), and a 61 walkthrough panel. My biggest problem is figuring out which one to use today! Confused
Brian, I sure would like to see what those wheels on your 73 look like now that they are cleaned up.


Last edited by TimGud on Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:44 pm; edited 2 times in total
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bljones
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Location: ontario canada
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm seeing lots of names on lots of posts down there- come on folks, toss your intro up here!
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"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"

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Chris181Westy
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Joined: August 05, 2003
Posts: 148
Location: Michigan, The Third Coast!
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello, My name is Chris Marrocco. I am a student at Eastern Michigan University and a part-time tech at Livonia Auto Body and Repair. I am a thrid generation VW owner on both sides of my family, so I grew up in VWs and both of my parents grew up in VWs! Between my Father and I we have VWs from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and from the new millenium. But my latest and greatest project is a 73 Thing. My favorite past time is driving my sandrail on the Silver Lake Sand Dunes located on the coast of beautiful Lake Michigan, but every year the popularity of this offroad paradise is growing, therefore it is incresingly difficult to get my sandrail that is not street legal into the dune area, because of the limited parking space for tow vehicles.
This is why I am now a 181 owner! I can drive my street legal Thing right from the street to the dunes! And with the 2187cc power plant I am building I will be able to climb every hill on the dunes!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/62111.jpg

A pic of my former Thing, my rail, my cousins rail, and my Dads rail in the back.
(I have not had my current Thing on the Dunes yet)
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"So we went for a spin in the country
To feel the wind in our hair
To feel the power of my engine
To feel the thrill of desire"
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emersonbiggins
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Joined: February 18, 2003
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Location: Nebraska
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've owned this Thing for over a year now. I have a frame and new soft top I want to get on it before Spring. Too much snow to get it over to the shop from the storage garage now. Darn Thing wouldn't start last weekend, just too cold outside.https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/145111.jpg Check out my other pics after going to the link.
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Doc*181
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Joined: December 09, 2003
Posts: 479
Location: Belgium
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello, I have a '77 thing. Bought in 2000, and used it as a daily driver for over a year. Now I want to restore it, but have to find some money to start the work Sad Driving it (mostly at week-ends) in Belgium when the weather is good. The best vw-convertible money can buy! Very Happy


https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/145437.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/145435.jpg
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15 windowdelux
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Joined: February 06, 2001
Posts: 432
Location: Hastings, Nebraska
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bl heres a pic for you of my old thing, and emerson is in the photo, and so am I. Just figure out who's who!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/47917.jpg
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fretless
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Joined: October 07, 2002
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Location: Vista, Ca.
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ola bljones , I'm here! 74 thing owned for 6 years now..
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/80335.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/146331.jpg
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fathing
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Joined: February 09, 2004
Posts: 110
Location: Switzerland
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 5:58 pm    Post subject: Hi from Switzerland Reply with quote

I am hooked to VW's since 1986. After a visit to California and a look at the Johny Speed and Chrome Shop, I knew I had to have a Bug. Back in Switzerland I bought a 1966 Bug which I still own today. I had several diffrent VW's in my past. From a VW K70 (the first watercooled Volkswagen in the 70ties) to a Polo (similar to a Fox). I had a 66 Karmann Ghia and a 71 Squareback. Since I was a little kid, I dreamed of owning a Thing. There was a TV production in the seventies which was called "George". It was about a Saint Bernhard Dog, and in this TV series they had a VW 181. I wanted to have one just like it. Well last summer I talked my wife into buying one. I located my Thing on Ebay and won the auction. It is a low milage no rust (thats true) 1975 German military Thing.

Here a Photo of that Thing upon arrival in Switzerland:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/146386.jpg
Here some photos of my kids, wife, cats and bug:
http://www.rundnaund.ch/kids

All the best

Dominique Very Happy
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coad Premium Member
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Joined: September 12, 2002
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't own one now, but my family bought the first one the dealer got back in 1973. Learned to drive on it, used it as my daily driver for 6 years when I lived in Chicago and drove it to work on the expressway every day (30 minutes each way). Drove it to the West Coast twice, Florida once, East Coast dunno how many times. Had it stolen twice, recovered both times. Got hit so many times I lot count. Finally sold it with 109,000 miles on the clock.

If anyone knows of a very banged up 73 Thing in a Chicago junkyard (rustoleum brown exterior/yellow interior) I would love to hear about it)
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Roamingwesty
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Joined: October 02, 2003
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Location: Carmichael, CA 95608
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i have just joined the rank of proud thing owners as of 1 am today.

my buddy bought this '73 thing for his wife 3 months ago. while i visited them around last octo he let me drive it around a bit. that was my first time ever in the thing and i was hooked. turned out the lady wants a scout. so when he told me about it i just flat out told him i'll take it.

i really enjoyed driving that thing around town. the excitement rivals the childhood experience of riding one's new bike. i guess the only part to get used to is where the pedals are positioned; a bit too close a cluster when compared to early busses.

will be posting pics as soon as i can bring it back home from socal to high desert AZ.

and i thought only busses are fun.

ricky
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rfoutch
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Joined: November 04, 2003
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Location: Las Vegas, NV
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Roamingwesty,

Welcome to Thingdom! "Things" will never be the same again. We are a pretty tight group around here, feel free to speak up and share in your knowledge, or soak up someone elses.

You are going to have a blast with summer coming up!

As you pass Vegas, wave Hi!!!

Randy
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Roamingwesty
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Location: Carmichael, CA 95608
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks tim and randy for the welcome. but i might have spoken too soon and set myself up for a hard fall.

what happened was that my buddy's wife put up a classifieds ad and seem to have found a buyer willing to pay at her asking price, which is significantly higher than what we've agreed on. he called me lastnite and asked me if i mind waiting to see how it turned out.

so the jubilation is just a bubble and could burst b4 the weekend's over. my wife was concerned as i've been wearing a long face since.

oh well. but thanks for the welcome, fellas!
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bljones
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Roam, if that one falls through, there are 35 others currently for sale in the classifieds- snatch one up and cure the "Iwanna" disease!
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Author of Original Rant #1
"It stingd itself to dead... now that is control on you"

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rfoutch
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 3:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

also a ton more on the type 181 registry

http://www.type181registry.com

Randy
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TimGud
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 11:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You're welcome roamingwesty. Stop by if you are ever in the neighborhood. I must warn you that once bitten by the Thing bug it's hard to turn away. I have a pic of myself in the local paper in 74 at the age of 12 when VWOA had a roaming Thing sales tent complete with Things in all their colors, abundant literature, and a driving simulator. Boy us kids sure were pests trying to use that simulator as much as possible. There was no hope for me to stay away from them. I will post the pic next time I find it.
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[email protected]
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Joined: August 07, 2002
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Location: Houston, Texas
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 23, 2004 11:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had some neighbors with 6 or 7 kids in the family living up to block in 73 and they got a orange thing with side lettering "THE THING" on it. I used to go over there to play just to see the car. Then I had a VW shop and could never keep a thing on the lot, demand was much greater than supply in the warmer climates. One fateful day I heard about 50 181's for sale in Hamburg, I made an inquiry and it was more like 66 cars, then I asked for paperwork and it was 80+ cars and some parts, well it was 82 cars and the parts from 40 more . 15 containers later I had the largest private army in the US of Former German Army Vehicles. Of course I had to buy a warehouse to keep everything in and still look for good examples to trade. I took over Martha's thing owners listserve about 9 years ago and it is now hosted on topica.com under [email protected].
844 members currently signed up. Our Motto" A Thing of beauty is a joy forever."
I have the lowest milage thing sold in North America ( 4551) and I just show it every other year; But like a new love, so sweet, so fresh... Wink here is my latest http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/index.php?alert+200402200544183171


Last edited by [email protected] on Sat Feb 28, 2004 8:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
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kubeldave
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Joined: February 22, 2004
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Location: Peoria, Az
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 10:57 pm    Post subject: My 1970 Thing Reply with quote

Hey guys, what's up?

My name is Dave and I live in AZ. I currently own a 1970 German built Thing. I also have a 1956 Oval ragtop.

In the past, I have owned 2 other Things as well as a Ghia vert, a ragtop bug, a double cab, and a Squareback. I agree about what others are saying about the ride of a Thing. The sound of the motor, the wind in your face.....it is awesome. It seems like everyday I drive it, someone will give me a thumbs up or ask me a question about the Thing. Often it is "what do you call that thing?"

The only history I know about the car is that a local mechanic imported it from Germany many years ago. The car spent time on his ranch in northern Az and a while on the coast in California. I purchased the Thing from him in November of 2000.

My Thing has the LSD rear end with reduction boxes, type II tailights, early turn signals and an early style steering wheel. It is loaded with lots of stuff from the Thing Shop. Show bar, visors, running boards, seat covers, glove box door, rack for the hood and a soft top w/ powdercoated frame.

Here are a few pictures. Take it easy. Smile

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Last edited by kubeldave on Tue Jan 04, 2005 9:53 pm; edited 2 times in total
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