quest for another vw opinions

eakanator · « **Reply #15 on:** December 24, 2010, 07:34:01 AM »

Thanks once again. Never even noticed air intake differences before. I know the guy said he had a Arizona title for it, plus this thing has an oil filter system with a gauge, but this sounds like a add-on by a Previous owner
After you mentioned this, got looking on the Samba and there are some "Things" listed at 73's that don't have the airbox and some that do..
I guess if at some point during 73 to 74 transition and VW did make airboxes on the 73, then would they have the channel heat or still have the gas heater?
* - Acutally after looking on the Samba, the 73's I saw with the rear pods were either added by the PO or it was a Safari and not Thing. interesting.

It looks like safari's have 5 lug & 14" tires, was the Thing 4 lug? Is there other things(no pun) to look at to tell a difference. But hopefully will drive down and take a look.

I'm also assuming that if this is somehow a 74, there should be channel controls on each side of the e-Brake?
ron

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #16 on:** December 24, 2010, 12:00:09 PM »

Like I said before that maybe the last of the '73s got those air boxes. I never have seen one. I have never seen a '74 with boxes that had the gas heater. I would guess the heater control lever would be like a Bug. Non of Things had heat channels like a Bug body. The'74 had heat channels laid next to the tunnel running front to rear. The '73 only had front vents. Mexican Safari never had the air boxes.
U.S. spec '73 Thing had wide-5, 14" rims. (not 14" wide-5 BUS rim) The Thing only 14" rim had a difference "off set" than the Bus . The Bus rim would scrub the inside trailing arm front and rear spring plate badly.
You could get owner to send you the vin # or if you are going to look at it ,check the vin # your self. Its on the rear of the tunnel by the shift coupler ( like a Bug)
Example : 73 would have the first 3 # 183---------, 74 would have the # 184---
Don't get confused by the 181#. All that means that it's a Thing

eakanator · « **Reply #17 on:** December 24, 2010, 12:56:47 PM »

Thanks David.. and seriously, thanks for sharing the knowledge, I appreciate it.

ron

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #18 on:** December 24, 2010, 01:37:40 PM »

You are very welcome. Glad to share. One good thing that comes out of all of this is it shakes up sleeping brain cells about stuff I haven't thought about in years. What fun ! When you get as old as I am its hard enough to remind yourself to breathe in and breathe out.
I'm not P.C.

so MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR

( I hope the ACLU doesn't find out what I wrote here)

travisyoung · « **Reply #19 on:** December 30, 2010, 10:13:53 AM »

http://chattanooga.craigslist.org/cto/2135648544.html on craigslist for 2500

travisyoung · « **Reply #20 on:** December 30, 2010, 10:14:35 AM »

note the bungee to hold the door close, been there done that

eakanator · « **Reply #21 on:** December 30, 2010, 10:32:49 AM »

Actually spoke to this guy last week. Tried to trade him my 2002 Yamaha Grizzly 660 for it. Sent him pics, but never heard back. Seats are mounted on plywood and the plywood screwed to the floor, said it ran good, but he never drove it. accelerator cable broke, etc

I did find one down in woodstock, Ga that I got this week. Hadn't had a chance to post or announce yet. It's not to bad of shape actually, It factory red inside, someone decided they wanted to paint it blue & white outside.
Motor is pretty good cranks right up. Tranny jumps out of reverse. need to replace passenger side floor board. front seats I think are out of a 72 beetle, want to change to black. Anyway nice project and will be looking for some parts. anyone rebuilds trannys or know why it jumps out of reverse.
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/bar/2126701976.html
Will post some pics over the weekend.

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #22 on:** December 30, 2010, 11:16:47 AM »

Ron, I can repair the tranny if you can get it to me . I have done a lot of them. This is a common problem with the later trannys and there is not anything you can do from the outside to repair it. Its all internal. If you can drive it, check the rest of the gear train for noises and or jumping out of any other gear. You can call me if we need to talk more. ph.423-894 3374. I didn't think Things were red. You are lucky to have the hard top

eakanator · « **Reply #23 on:** December 30, 2010, 11:27:47 AM »

Thanks David and will take probably take you up on it. This is a 74 model, couldn't get my hands on a 73. 73's looked like there was about 3 colors, From the color codes it looked 74's had one Red color. and saw a couple on the Samba, but the red ones I saw all had black tops and black interior..( which according below is correct.) since I've got to redo seats anyway will go back black..and maybe trade the white hardtop and white vinyl top for a good black one at some point.

as you mentioned, my vin starts with a 184
below is from a web ring forum I found

The paint code tag for VW 181s built in Mexico was a paper tag stuck on the body in front of the well near where the jack is stored.

In the table below all colours are sorted by paint code.
Salmon Red L30F (G4) LKL030F00 up to 186 2115 959 with black or fitchew grey interior and top

eakanator · « **Reply #24 on:** December 30, 2010, 11:40:23 AM »

Have already picked three manuals(Chiltons, Haynes, and ?) from the Library Tuesday. of course not specifically say for the Thing, but I think you,David, mentioned the motor and tranny are from a beetle? hopefully the manuals will show me how to pull the tranny, never done this part before

Other parts are from a bus and something else. That's what I've got to find out

This is also why I think the front seats are from a 70-72 beetle, It seems there is no modifications what so ever in doing a seat swap with that year.

Hope to pull within the next month or so.

certdubtech · « **Reply #25 on:** December 30, 2010, 11:47:15 AM »

Some parts are beetle, but cv axles, wheels, front suspension, all body and interior (except your dash switches) are thing only if i remember correct. Some parts look like other stuff, but they are unique to the things.

Glad you gots one.

travisyoung · « **Reply #26 on:** December 30, 2010, 12:03:31 PM »

the thing had low back seats

Ret.Bugtech · « **Reply #27 on:** December 30, 2010, 01:23:00 PM »

Quote from: eakanator on December 30, 2010, 11:40:23 AM

Have already picked three manuals(Chiltons, Haynes, and ?) from the Library Tuesday. of course not specifically say for the Thing, but I think you,David, mentioned the motor and tranny are from a beetle? hopefully the manuals will show me how to pull the tranny, never done this part before

Other parts are from a bus and something else. That's what I've got to find out

This is also why I think the front seats are from a 70-72 beetle, It seems there is no modifications what so ever in doing a seat swap with that year.

Hope to pull within the next month or so.

[/quote No big/hard parts are from a Bus. The cv joints are not Beetle or Bus but are the same as 411 and 412 VWs '71-'74. You will need to buy the 8mm spline(seriated sort of allen lookingsocket )for the bolts holding the cv joint to the tranny( same as the Beetle)You will have to clean out the bolt heads really good so you don't strip the splines out of the bolt head. All you need then is a 27mm socket 1/2 inch drive for the rear cradle bolts and a 17mm box end for the the front mount nuts. Your manuals should explaine the shift coupler under the plate by the vin # under back seat. DO NOT take the gear shift lever (up front) out. I'll tell you why later.
Not a hard job at all. Holler if you get in trouble.
You could paint the hard top black.

eakanator · « **Reply #28 on:** December 30, 2010, 01:26:05 PM »

the back seats are low and look Thing specific, just wrong color for me(they're white instead of black). The fronts are high backs and white which look like they're out of a 71-72 beetle, instead of being low too.

eakanator · « **Reply #29 on:** December 30, 2010, 01:32:11 PM »

Thanks David. It's probably more intimidating due to the (and I guessing there's a pressure plate, throw out bearing, etc?)

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