Mondshine, how is the new Thing coming along?

[74 Thing]

Mondshine, how is the new Thing coming along?

We are waiting for an update.

Saw the post about going to Type III rear brakes-nice!

[mondshine]

Hi 74; thanks for your interest.
Right now, I am dead in the water.
I need to wait a few weeks until the temperature here in Detroit is consistently below about 45º. Then I can use my lift to swap our regular car's tires to Winter tires. Once that's done, the lift will be free until Spring.

I have a long "to-do" list; so far with about 40 tasks.

I plan to remove the original AM engine and crate it (taking the usual steps for long term storage) because I have a very fresh 1776 from the old car.
I plan to try running this engine with a re-jetted 34 PICT. Tim at Volkzbitz has it now. I have a new Vintage Speed quiet Thing exhaust with his J tubes ready to go on.

Front brakes will be Karmann Ghia discs, and rear brakes will be Type 3.
So I will be switching to 4 lug wheels. The wheels and tires are here, stinking up my family room.

The heater fuel pump works, but that's all I have tested so far. The heater was not installed (because the car is from Florida), but I have all of the pieces.

Fred Winterburn has repaired my CD ignition, which was damaged in the big bang.

I will re-install my old dash panels with the Westach gauges, radio, etc.
Also, Accusump, cruise control, compressor & horns, and on, and on, and on.

So I have lots of work to do, and I will post photos once I can get started.

Meanwhile, an "artist's conception":

[74 Thing]

Looks like a solid car! Where did you find it?

Is the top a Robbins or Thing Shop?

Moving from a 74 to a 73 please let us know how you like the gas heater when you get it up and running. Will you be doing anything to get more air into the engine compartment like the tube mod you did on the side scoop for your 74?

[mondshine]

I drove down to Florida to look at & buy this car.
It was shipped to Detroit via Reliable Carriers. Their service was friendly, competent, and well...reliable.

Most of the "restoration" was done by a "spare no expense" type of guy.
The top & frame is a brand new Thing Shop piece.

Unfortunately, the last 10% of the "restoration" was done by a jackknife barber, so there are several details that need attention (nothing serious; just hasty work). I don't really blame the guy, the difference is in whether somebody does this for love vs. money.

I probably over paid for the car, but it is absolutely solid, very complete, and... I had my old wreck as a source for misc. parts to swap over.
First swap was the front door handles, engine lid latch and ignition switch lock, so that I could keep my old key.

On the gas heater, I have owned a few VW's before with gas heaters, but they were all BN2's. Those were cars that I drove through the (Michigan) Winter.
I am confident the BN4 will be fine.
My '74 with heat exchangers would burn my right foot; I believe the BN4 will keep me warm.

I do not want to do the boob tube modification to this '73.
Although on the '74 it lowered the (freeway speed) CHT by a good 40º, everybody I have asked about this has told me that the '73 models run cooler than the '74's, so I will let my first road trip in this new one reveal the truth.
I do intend to install my 19 row Setrab fan pack (through an oil thermostat) just like the old car had. In the '74, I could see (watching the oil temp gauge) when the oil thermostat opened, and the aux oil cooler only really "came into play" after 30-40 minutes at freeway speed.

So I have high hopes for this; my third Thing in 40 years.
It has got to be the most expensive mistress I have ever had, but I think that's just part of growing old.

Anyway, money is just like fertilizer... it doesn't do any good unless you spread it around.

[74 Thing]

It is looking good. Please keep us posted.

I did not know about the cooler running 73 and am looking forward to your data!

[flat4Imp]

I do not want to do the boob tube modification to this '73.
Although on the '74 it lowered the (freeway speed) CHT by a good 40º, everybody I have asked about this has told me that the '73 models run cooler than the '74's, so I will let my first road trip in this new one reveal the truth.
I do intend to install my 19 row Setrab fan pack (through an oil thermostat) just like the old car had. In the '74, I could see (watching the oil temp gauge) when the oil thermostat opened, and the aux oil cooler only really "came into play" after 30-40 minutes at freeway speed.

"Boob Tube" mod? I did a search and didn't see anything on this. I'm beginning work on our 74 and I'm curious what it's about?
BTW, new car looks like a great start!
_________________
"Often immitated, never duplicated."

[mondshine]

[flat4Imp]

[mondshine]

So far, I have removed the engine, drive axles and brakes.
The steering column and fuel tank are out. The dash panels are off, and all of the main wiring harness is laying on the floor.

I have installed my "old" Bilstein shocks, Karmann Ghia front brakes, and Type 3 rear brakes.

Next on the list is to remove the seats, shifter, brake lever and pedals.
I want to add some wires to the main wiring harness (gauges, cruise control, amplifier, etc.) so I think I will remove any wires related to the diagnostic plug (if there are any), and add what I need. I hope it's not as thick as a telephone pole when it's done. If the modified wiring harness turns out to be too thick, I will run a secondary harness along the driver's side rocker like on the old car.
If I finish the wiring by the end of December, I should be in good shape.
More later, Mondshine

[74 Thing]

If you can post photos of the Type III rear brakes if you get a chance I would love to see them.

[mondshine]

I am waiting for a pair of hand brake cables to arrive; the old (original?) ones had about a million cracks in the outer housings (with rust seeping through the cracks).
I will make some photos when the new cables are in.

Basically, the Type 3 rear brakes (including the T3 backing plates) were a direct swap.
The drums are a larger diameter than Thing drums, and the brake shoes are considerably wider than Thing shoes (maybe half again). The Type 3 wheel cylinders are slightly different; the mounting bolt "ear" is different, but the cylinder bore diameter is the same.

The Thing stub axles had some radial wiggle, so I have replaced the rear wheel bearings & seals. Now they feel right, and I know what's in there.

I have finished removing the main wiring harness, and stripped off the jacket. As usual, the black ignition wire had been overheated and had been repaired in 3 different places. In one instance, the guy just ran a new (too skinny) black wire along the outside of the jacket.
In case I wasn't convinced already, that circuit should be fused. (I am convinced.)

I have decided to remove the diagnostic plug from the engine compartment in an attempt to reduce the bulk of the main harness. Disappointingly, there were only 2 or 3 wires from the diagnostic plug that run to the front of the car.
So I am down to 9 wires running back to front.
I want to add about 8 more wires for gauges and cruise control, etc.
20 AWG wire will be more than adequate for sensors, etc.
I plan to substitute an 8 AWG (fused at the battery) for the red/white "main artery" that runs to the front "30".
I hope it all fits into that "raceway/guard" that runs along the tunnel.
If not, Plan B will be to substitute a 20 AWG wire for the heavy red/black Terminal 50 wire at the ignition switch to trigger a relay (hot start style) to power the starter solenoid. That would reduce the bulk of the main harness somewhat; it would contain only one 8 AWG, one 12 AWG, and lots of skinny wires.

That's about it for now. Fixin' to spend some money at the powder coater in the next few days.

More later, Mondshine

[av8shunmeckaneck]

[mondshine]

[av8shunmeckaneck]

[mondshine]

[mondshine]

I have finished the plumbing for the oil cooler, oil thermostat and Accusump.

Although made from an odd angle. this photo shows the oil filter, thermostat and cooler location.

Two 3/8 NPT x -8 bulkhead fittings serve as the mount for the thermostat.

Here it is as seen inside the engine compartment.
Oil from the pump enters the filter at the bottom. Oil to the engine exits from the (capped off) JIC fitting.
The odd hose at the "T" fitting is from the Accusump. The check valve assures that oil from the Accusump can only flow toward the engine.

Only one million more tasks to complete before top-down weather returns to Michigan.

[wbailey2112]

I see that your rear B6 Bilsteins are also black with blue dust shields. When I installed mine this summer I thought it was odd that the fronts were the usual yellow paint but the rears were painted black. Thought I might have been shipped the wrong model for the rears.

Strange thing though is when I ordered a full set of B6s for our Westy a few months later the rears were yellow with blue dust shields and matched the yellow fronts...go figure.
_________________
'74 Thing
'83 Westfalia

[mondshine]

Added a couple more small pieces.

My repaired Winterburn CDI (damaged in the Big Bang) is now in place.
It is mounted on an ABS panel; attached with some of the existing M5 studs on the bulkhead. There are connection points for ignition power, and points / tach., along with a fuse holder for the reverse lights, and a chassis ground point.

I also installed the Blaze Cut on the "ceiling" of the engine compartment.
As with the old car, I went with the letter "S" shape, but about 2/3 of the tube is on the driver's side (where the fuel is). Just five 1/4" holes; don't want to Swiss Cheese this car (much).

Slow progress; still lots of work to do.

[74 Thing]

I always look forward to your updates and most importantly when you get everything completed and up and running and enjoying your new Thing next year!

What are the three holes in the lower right portion of the body for? I thought there was only one hole there originally for the alt or generator wires and the other wires for the engine, lights, and test box.

[mondshine]

74-
The two holes with the rubber grommets are for hoses that run to the fuel evap. can that is mounted above the transaxle. One is connected to the fan shroud, and one to the air filter.

The big hole is for the main wiring harness. That one ordinarily takes a special rubber grommet, but that's TBD once I get the harness put together.

I hope to have the wiring harness done by the end of the year.
All of my engine sheet metal stuff is at the powder coater, and I probably won't see it until January.

The old car had a small air compressor and tank under the rear seat bench opposite the battery. This car has two battery mounts, one on each side (with the mounting bolt toward the rear. I will try to fabricate a plate shaped like the base of the battery to mount the compressor & tank to this second battery bracket, so I don't have to Swiss Cheese the floor.

Fun stuff.