Finally Got a Thing!!!

[oscarsnapkin]

I’ve had 5 Buses, a Ghia, a Squareback and a Super Beetle. Despite always wanting a Thing I’ve never owned one until yesterday. It was a mother getting it on and off the trailer. All four tires were flat, and all four brakes are locked-up. Two hours to get it on, and two hours to get if off.

I bought it sight unseen, only having a few photographs to go by. I was overall very happy with the condition of the vehicle. I was psyched to see that it has what I would assume to be the original AM code engine

The pictures I had seen of it showed it with no roof or side curtains. While it did not come with a roof or frame I found a beautiful set of nice side curtains in the trunk, along with a BN4 that looks like it just came from the factory.

The entire trunk was in immaculate shape. It may even have the original spare tire. The tires are on 15 inch wheels, but the spare is a 14 inch. I would be more inclined to think that it came with 14s. Is there a way to tell (M Plate?) This bag was in the trunk also, is this a Thing part?

The rockers are rock solid both inside and outside. The two rear wheelwells have minimal rust. I’ve gone to look at a lot of Things over the last few years and these are the best wheelwells I’ve seen on a project car.

The front wheelwells are super solid.

The only real rust issue on the body is the storage area behind the rear seats. The car has apparently been sitting outside for a few years with no roof. I know basically nothing about body work, but to me it seems like this would be a fairly easy fix with a replacement from a donor car. I hope.

The upper shelf, while it was covered it dirt, leaves and pine needles looks great.

The floors are total trash, so my first project will most likely be pulling the body off to replace them. I was able to get the engine to turn with a wrench, but it will not move more than 90 degrees. It did not have the air cleaner attached and when I pulled the dipstick there was moisture and zero oil. I’ll mess with it a little bit, but I assume it needs a rebuild. I’m way excited to get to work on it, and I’m sure I’ll be full of questions in the near future. I never would have been able to get my Bus on the road if it wasn’t for thesamba.

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- 1977 CEI Sunroof Bus 2.0L F.I. Hydraulic Lifters
- 1973 Thing

"It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate, it takes strength to be gentle and kind."

[77kafer]

Nice save. Yes, 14" tires would have been on that from the factory. That "bag" is to cover (and protect) the corners of the windshield when it is folded down.
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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"

[obus]

Sweet find! Looks dry for the east coast.(i'm in NJ). Please take pics and add them as you work on it. Mike Basso at Thingparts.com has alot of donor body parts and is located in NY so you should check his site or call him. He has quite a bit of Thing knowledge
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July 1959 Mango Standard Bus aka Obus L346 L347 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=256592&highlight=
June 1973 Pumpkin Orange Thing aka Othing L30H
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=711775&highlight=
1960 Paprika Red Karmann Ghia Convertible aka Schatze L452 built 5/20/60
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=
66 21 window bus built 8/31/65 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=777273

[vws-microcars4jim]

Nice find, it looks very original! I think that spare tire is original, I found a similar one in my '73. It is hard to find that bag. Engine looks correct too. How many miles on the odometer?
Get it up and running, you'll love driving it!

And I agree w Obus, post progress here!

Jim

[jakokombi]

Nice car! That trunk area really looks like a low mileage car and the fact that the engine seems to have all it's parts is cool too.
The 15" wheels are a bonus. Congratulations!
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70 Sunroof Kombi
85 Motherfukinvanagon
73 Thing
72 Baja

[74 Thing]

Nice, you can probably use this site for the exploded diagram for parts and the service manual

https://riverdrivedesigns.com/VW/

and of course these places for parts
thingparts.com
thethingshop.com

[Ron Domeck]

The spare is original tire,

[oscarsnapkin]

Just wanted to start logging the work I’ve gotten done so far on my ‘73. I figure I can upload my pictures here so it’ll be an easy place for me to find them if I need to reference something. The three biggest obstacles that need to be overcome to make this car live again are 1) a running engine, 2) a working brake system, and 3) floorpans. I am keeping the car at my work since it is indoors and there is plenty of room to work on it. I’ll keep it there until I have the floors and brakes squared away. The engine and all of the remaining things (lights, etc...) I figure I can work on at home. I decided to start by removing the frozen brake drums, as none of the four wheels would turn. This turned out to be a hell of a lot more difficult than I had anticipated. I initially started on the rear drums. I could not use a puller because it would simply push the stub axle inwards toward the transmission. I wound up having to remove the hold-down pins, disconnect that wheel cylinders, remove the stub axle, and with a punch inserted through the bolt hole in the backing plate, beat the s#@t out of the wheel cylinders until they broke free. With the axle removed, this allowed the drum to be folded downward, bending the tabs where the shoes sit in the adjusters.

The linings remained stuck to the drums.

The fronts went a lot easier, since I could use a puller to remove the drums. I still had to remove the retaining pins and beat out the wheel cylinders. I was glad to see the bearings were nice and greasy, and not a rusted mess as I had anticipated.

I still need to remove the pedal cluster and either repair or replace it. I can barely get any movement out of the brake or clutch pedals. I’m going to leave the car brakeless until it gets closer to being driveable. My main concern was making it so it could roll on its own wheels. I still haven’t decided how I want to go about tackling the floorpans, either body off or on. In the meantime I decided to start work on removing the engine. With a ratchet I can get the engine to rotate about 320 degrees. It comes to a dead stop in the same position either CW or CCW. I figure there is probably a broken valve. I started pulling the RH valve cover off, and as soon as it started to come loose, water started pouring out.

The picture only shows the beginning of the leak, there was quite a substantial puddle under the car by time it stopped. So that pretty much killed my hopes of having an ‘easy’ fix to getting the engine to run. I decided it wasn’t even worth pursuing anymore since a rebuild (hopefully) is looking imminent. I started to remove the exhaust system and I received a similar surprise, but this time it was an oil/water mixture that came pouring out. The engine must have been so full of water enough that the oil floated into the exhaust. It has been sitting with the carb exposed, but I can’t understand how that much water could have entered.

I’m wondering if it had been submerged. The bottom of the engine is pretty muddy.

So I guess I’ll continue dissembling the engine to see what it looks like on the inside. I’ll probably have to wait until spring to do most of the chassis work since I want to clean/paint everything underneath.
_________________
- 1977 CEI Sunroof Bus 2.0L F.I. Hydraulic Lifters
- 1973 Thing

"It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate, it takes strength to be gentle and kind."

[jakokombi]

Wow, nice work! Did you buy that car from Spongebob?
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70 Sunroof Kombi
85 Motherfukinvanagon
73 Thing
72 Baja

[CraigInPA]

I would put odds that car was in a flood. You don't get an engine full of water just by sitting outside.

Based upon the condition of the front trunk, it looks like the water didn't completely cover the car.

[jakokombi]

Good point, that car looks pretty solid for that much rust in the hubs. Also the amount of crud underneath, yet the clean grease in the axle bearing might suggest a short dip.
Glad it's been rescued.
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70 Sunroof Kombi
85 Motherfukinvanagon
73 Thing
72 Baja

[flat4Imp]

Nice looking original Thing! As soon as I saw the brakes I suspected it was submerged in water. May want to check the lower torsion tube in the beam and the rear torsion tube as well to make sure water isn't trapped in either spot. All in all, still a great project. Sending you a PM...
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"Often immitated, never duplicated."

[oscarsnapkin]

[Semper_Dad]

That box was VWs attempt at a pre OBD standard diagnostic plug. The plug sensor was as well.

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Walküre Restoration Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737492