1974 Prerunner VW Thing

S

Scardesigns

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2011
Posts
16
RDC Crypto
1
Location
San Diego
I have decided to start a thread for the build I started last year. After researching my options for a California street legal, pre smog, family friendly desert worthy car. (I know thats asking a lot) I decided to take a 1974 VW Thing and turn it into something that would come farely close to performing well in Baja as an agressively driven toy, but could also be dragged behind my RV for family trips to the Grand Canyon etc... or maybe even driven to work if its a nice sunny day.

I found a mutant version of a 1974 Thing in Arizona. (It had Bug and Thing components and had most of its interior and drivetrain missing). After $1100 and a long drive back to San Diego, she was parked in my garage and I started pulling out the small amount of parts that had survived its long nap in the desert. A two page wish list of parts was created and I took on a second job after reviewing how much this was going to set me back. I am a blue collar guy who has a family and cant afford to blow $70,000 on a dream machine so I was going to have to get creative.

Photos to come...
 
You found a mutant "Thing" in the desert and "dragged" it back to S.D.....??


[video=youtube;YX4Hva5ZAXw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX4Hva5ZAXw&playnext=1&list=PLC2C2ADBFEAF19B8D&feature=results_main[/video]
 
Advertising supports this site
Check out some of the wild stretched and widened A-arm Thing/Safari/181 builds in the shop section, like "my big thing," then remember a stock thing will carry five people, and still have space behind the front seat and under the hood.

I had a 1974 181 back in the day, with a mild 1835 "torquer" type 1. With a cut and turned front end, good balljoints, a set of yellow Bilsteins, and four 28/8.50 BFG AT tires, it worked pretty well everywhere but sand. That was tricky, at best.

Today, I think I'd look into a Subaru engine and an 091 transmission, but what are your plans for your dinghy, Scarde?

They're fun little cars, with the doors off and the windshield down, almost as open as a buggy.
 
This is what she looked like in AZ. Her original beam had been replaced with something that was mangled and pretty beat up. She had Beetle front arms and spindles and various thing body parts.(Mutant parts) Whoever had it before me decided to roll on interior house paint with a roller making her appearance even more lovely.
phone 578.JPG

This is kind of what Im going for.
thingbanner.jpg
 
After having her sandblasted and primed, the body work began.
6.3.JPG6.4.JPG
6.1.JPG6.2.JPG
phone 651.jpg

I planned on using Herculiner on the interior of the car so any patching on the inside was done with little regard for appearance as it will just be covered up by layers of liner.
door.JPGdoor2.JPG
7.1.JPG
 
Last edited:
Advertising supports this site
Save EVERY part you take off of it. You would be amazed what you can sell original Thing parts for.
 
 
Bodywork has been completed and I reprimed the metal.
Fibertech in Santee is working on the frame since I wanted to go full tube chassis.
primed1.JPG8.JPG
 
Thats a big reason why I steared away from a baja bug or manx. So much more room with the thing. Plus the option of doors and windshield. Your right with the 091 but Im gonna use a 3 Liter V6 to get that extra power. I want something dependable without running turbo or pushing a smaller motor to its limits etc...

Ol' Curmudgeon said:
Check out some of the wild stretched and widened A-arm Thing/Safari/181 builds in the shop section, like "my big thing," then remember a stock thing will carry five people, and still have space behind the front seat and under the hood.

I had a 1974 181 back in the day, with a mild 1835 "torquer" type 1. With a cut and turned front end, good balljoints, a set of yellow Bilsteins, and four 28/8.50 BFG AT tires, it worked pretty well everywhere but sand. That was tricky, at best.

Today, I think I'd look into a Subaru engine and an 091 transmission, but what are your plans for your dinghy, Scarde?

They're fun little cars, with the doors off and the windshield down, almost as open as a buggy.
Click to expand...
 
Advertising supports this site
The interior has been covered in 3 layers of Herculiner making it easy to wash out the car since it will be an open car. The interior of the doors were painted and the internal hardware has been restored.
interior.JPG
 
First guy I remember putting a V-6 in a Thing was JR Cauble, circa '83. Couldn't hardly keep the front end on the ground!

You're well on your way. Nice project.
 
I made it out of aluminum sheet, bent the top to fit over the stock Thing dash and radius bent the bottom. I might end up just mounting it to the cross bar in the cage though. Well see once the frame comes back from fibertech. Ive added some more fuses and switches, intercom and gauges. Ill update photos soon.
ThingOw181 said:
I want one of those dashes. Is that setup to run across a cross bar in your cage, or just over the top of where the existing dash would be?
Click to expand...
 
Advertising supports this site
Cut the car in half today. Used a laser to divide the car evenly.
The extra leg room and longer wheel base will be nice.
No turning back now. At least my little guy likes it so far.
9.JPG10.JPG
11.JPG12.JPG
 
Back
Top