Risk's Ragtop Baja Thing Build

[risk]

Have not posted on STF in a while. Mostly in the turbo/efi section from my 67 turbo EFI bug project around a decade ago.

I have had a few baja bugs, and a rail buggy in the past. Always wanted to build a trail rig to ride around in the Ozarks and just have fun with.

Just gathering parts at this point. My plan so far is to build the thing chassis with a new pair of the heavy duty bug pans, then set the ragtop body on it. So a 62 Bug body on a 74 Thing chassis with Bug pans welded in.

The thing body is rough and rusted, the suspension/transaxle is all there, original and in decent shape. Pans are rusted beyond repair.

The bug body is decent, doors open and close well, heater channels are not too bad but the pans are full of rust and pinholes.. Also have all the ragtop parts and they are decent.

Any thoughts or tips? I will be asking plenty of questions along the way so thanks in advance!

[72bajaben]

It’s a shame the thing can’t be revived. I’ve always wanted a Baja thing.

[chuckput]

It’s a shame the thing can’t be revived. I’ve always wanted a Baja thing.

I second that. It's a shame to see the rarer Type 181 sacrificed like that. I, too, would love to have a four seat Thing for prowling around in the desert.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I agree with 73bajaben and Chuckput that, if possible, the Thing would be the "Thing" to have (pun intended).

It looks somewhat rough and might be missing a lot of stuff but if the parts could be found... so cool!

I don't know much about the VW Thing (especially the pan's shape) other than if your buggy has a BJ front end the Thing spindles are one of two things that could help on the off-road bug conversion.

The Thing spindles are formed a bit different that the BJ spindles as the lower BJ can have a BJ that is pressed in from the top of the lower arm and the bolt faces down. The spindle itself is shaped so that the connection for the BJ goes under the arm to connect to the BJ.

The stock BJ lower BJ can be pulled out of the lower arm if a suspension hit is strong enough. The second option is to put suspension stops on the beam.

I've posted pix of both of these things but since we are down at the dunes right now I don't have the pix in this computer. They have been posted here and maybe search could find them. Leaving tomorrow so when I get home I will try to remember to post them here.

Lee

[bajaherbie]

Another vote for the Thing.


Pretty sure Thing pans are the same as a Karman Ghia's, 2 or 3" wider than a Beetle pan.

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[risk]

Hauled the Thing body to the crusher today.. Along with some other junk, old bus bodies with little porthole windows cut in the top, some old military looking thing with a spare tire on the hood, and another one with german symbols that had a propeller in the back! People sure do some crazy things to these VWs!

[dustymojave]

The original version of the Thing was the Kubelwagen. Used by the German Army during WWII. It was very much like the Thing, but with a sloped front hood (didn't open) with the spare tire mounted on it. I've seen a number of VW Things from the 1970s with the spare tire on the hood. I suppose people trying to imitate the original. Same folks tend to paint camouflage on them, although I've never seen historical evidence that the German Army camouflaged their Kubelwagens.

There was another VW military vehicle used by the German Army during WWII that was Amphibious. 4WD, shaped like a bath tub with fenders imitated for the Meyers Manx, spare tire on the front hood, and a propeller on the back for use in water.

What you're describing is people imitating VW military vehicles.

[bajaherbie]

I have the RARE Beetle Formula 1 car....

20220831_063437.jpg

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[dustymojave]

On the left is the Hot Wheels Baja Bug (never seen one with tracks before) that I approved for Production when I was in Product Safety Engineering at Mattel Toys in the early 80s. Middle foreground is on the left a Schwimmwagen, next to it is a Kubelwagen. Interesting collection.