Thing 6 Status report

[Thing #6]

After a comedy of errors, I got to California, scooped up Thing 6, and got it back home.

The comedy wasn't over, as I couldn't find the VIN. Was this to be relegated to off road only? NO, I found it, under several layers of paint (thus faint) and hidden under the seat belt latches, which had been added at some point. I'll get the Sheriff's Office out to do a VIN check, then go for the administrative proctology at DMV.

Looking it over, I also discovered that the engine is a 1970 1600 -- with 60 whole HP of screaming energy -- and it has an EMPI shift lever. This may be cause of the reported no-reverse condition. Once I get a battery in it (we used a borrowed battery to fire it up for loading on the trailer), I can psych this out.

FO had bought wheel bearings, so that will probably happen next weekend. While I have it on the lift, I'll get a good luck underneath, and see what 50 years' worth of owners have done under there. I'll also see what has to be done to add a rear engine cage, and figure out what has to be done to get the parking brake back in (I'm not interested in doing a remake of "The Gods Must Be Crazy" gate scene).

Current plan is to take care of the above, then add a tap to operate the lights for towing.

Okay, so it's not orange, and doesn't have "01" on the side, but still, YEE-HAW!!!

[Thing #6]

Okay, got the VIN check done by the Sheriff's Office, so will get to DMV and get it titled here.

Pulled the LR wheel and drum. Obviously the oil seal has failed, no biggie, I have bearing and seal sets to put in for both rear wheels.

. . .but WAITAMINNITT!

Front wheels are 4-lug.

Rear wheels are 5-lug!

Going to have to psych this out.

Checking YouTube for bearing-replacement videos . . .

[slayer61]

[Thing #6]

[Thing #6]

UPDATE 10 MAR 22

The bearing was good -- oil seal bad, easily replaced.

WX and work kept me doing other things until the other day, but this gave time to see if the oil seal was going to work.

Ran it a couple of times on the dirt across from my place. Total of about a mile. Needs a couple of things done.

Turned out to have disc on the front, standard swing axle rear. Since the spare is a 4-lug, I'm just going to get an adapter so that I can use it on the rear if necessary.

Needs tires.

I replaced the shifter bushing today. Gee . . .what . . .fun . . .

[oprn]

Discs are available in the wide 5 bolt pattern but discs on the front of a light Buggy are a waste in my view unless you are doing high speeds on the freeway. Drums provide all the braking power you will ever need around town and on the trails. Our Buggies are heavily weight biased on the rear and lighter than stock on the front.

I have both a street Buggy and an off road one and do not carry a spare in either car. A risk I take but with the quality and construction of tires these days flats are rare. I have run the rail now for 10 years, street one for 4 years with no flats. The street Buggy picked up a nail somewhere 2 summers ago but it hit the steel belts in the tire and turned sideways so we just pulled it out, no leak.
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We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[Thing #6]

The Thing is probably lighter than most.

As far as a spare tire, the places that I will be going, I really want the added insurance. A lot of them, I can't count on anyone showing up to rescue, so I have to be as self-sufficient as possible.

I got the shifter bushing replacement done this morning, and put on urethane couplers. I went out for a 5 mile drive, and need to adjust the shift lever a bit to the side (it goes into reverse where 2nd is supposed to be, and makes a bit of a whine in 3rd and 4th).

The engine hesitates on acceleration, but a look into the carb throat shows that the accelerator pump is squirting gas. The mechanical advance operates smoothly when I twist the rotor and release it. I'm figuring that the static timing isn't right.

Other than that, it just needs a little TLC to be ready for prime time. I'm looking forward to running the desert this summer.

[oprn]

Try retiming it but chances are that you have a mismatched carb/distributor combination. Most air cooled VW engines today do. Or a vacuum leak...
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[Thing #6]

Okay, how do I check for a mismatched carb and distributor?

[oprn]

There is a chart on this site somewhere that lists the years, carb and distributor model numbers that matched. I don't see it at the moment. Get the numbers off yours and post them here and we can point you in the right direction. There has been a variety of pulley makings over the years to so you need to know which pulley you have or find TDC and mark the correct degrees on it for your carb/ distributor combination.
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[Thing #6]

There's an aluminum tag on my carb, but it is blank on both sides.

The casting says 34 PICT 3, but nothing about any particular sub-model.

Is there any way to tell by looking at it?

[oprn]

If it is an actual VW built carb it will have a number stamped on the base too starting with VW and a series of numbers. An aftermarket clone may not have that. The distributor that matches will have a number that ends in 205A with another letter, A,J,K etc. It will have both centrifugal and vacuum advance.
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[joemama]

If ypu have an 009 (mechanical advance only, and not cast iron, then it probably is), it is not a good match for your 34pict 3 carb. But should work. Also, the 009 distributor is timed best with a timing light, and for maximum advance of 32 degrees.

[oprn]

Just a guess from far away but it likely is a 009 and that is why he has a problem. He has not come back yet with the number off the distributor. Yes they will run with a 009 and a 34 pict 3 but not properly.
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[Thing #6]

I think it's a Bosch.

It has the Pertronix Ver 1 electronic ignition module.

I should also note that I'm at 4200 feet altitude, so wondering if there is a carb-jet issue. The guy I got it from was at about 1500 feet.

[oprn]

It does look German, that is a plus. The problem with the 009 is that the advance curve is not that well suited to a street driven car. Whether it has points or upgraded to electronic trigger does not change that. It has a notchy curve. Most guys just richen up the mixture until it mostly goes away but then the fuel economy suffers.

That distributor was developed for stationary engines I understand that run at one rpm at full or close to full load. Back in the 60's the drag racers discovered them and used them extensively. They worked well for them because a drag race engine is basically the same, full load, max rpm. No interest in drivability.

And of course the street guys always copy the drag racers right?

What is happening is that your engine is needing more advance at low rpm and light throttle than an 009 will ever give it.
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[Thing #6]

So, I just need to put on a vac-advanced distributor?

Is there a particular number that I should look for (or avoid)?