Itinerant Air-Cooled

Well, after owning my Thing for about 3 years and only driving it maybe 30 miles total before starting a break job 2.75 years ago, I just drove it for the first time in all that time. I am very excited!

I was able to get the break job done and bled enough, and emergency brake adjusted enough, to take a quick 2 mile jaunt. I have to go to DMV and get it off non-op and call insurance to get that tacked on again. So, I won't be going too far with it over the weekend. I still have much to do anyway, like re-adjust the brakes now that I have drove it a tad and see if she stops better. I may still need to bleed a bit to. I will do that after adjust the brakes and see how it does.

Anyway, thanks to anyone that answered my many questions along the way to this point. My questions mostly were on The Samba long ago but I recently asked a few here so thought I would spread the happy cheer. I will make another thread for questions I have. This one is just a thanks to all and hoorah, the Thing actually drive for the first time in years. Even had to remove some mouse houses they made in it. One was right behind the heater in the trunk. Sheesh! Can anyone say De-con.

So, happy Thing-ing.



tj

Congratulations! Always good to hear about another one back on the road!

The Thing - IT LIVES!!

I re-adjusted the brakes today. Much better. I saw the thread here on IAC Forums where colin discussed proper way to adjust brakes. I did this and wow, she stops pretty good now. Much nicer than my maiden voyage yesterday where the pedal had too much play. Adjustments sure make a different. My pedal is nice and firm now. Still no brakes like a modern 2001 TDI Beetle mind you but good enough for me.

Here are some pictures. Don't make fun of my bunjee cords holding the top on. I have to do many adjustments to the metal top as it is out of whack. I need a new top as this one is torn. Need to buy all new metal top hoops and rip out old crappy marine twisty deals the PO put on and learn how to weld new ones on some day so a new top can go on. For now, I bungeed it down so I could have the wind blow through the couple of strands of hair I have left on my aging balding head. hehehe Wink

That is all for today. Onto other tasks.

tj

Thing & Syncro near garage.


Thing & butt of Single Cab


Thing and Single Cab go nighty night in home I had built for them.

Nice looking car, don't think I've ever seen a white one before. Thing, not car. You know.
I go now.

Way to go! =D>

When I did the brakes on my bug (the first brake job I had ever done), I bled and bled and bled thinking I still had air in the system. All it turned out to be was I had not adjusted the brakes properly. Tighten 'em up 'til the wheel stops turning and then back 'em off three clicks! Bug stops on a dime!

What a gorgeous place you have! A very nice home for your very nice VW family!

hambone wrote:Nice looking car, don't think I've ever seen a white one before. Thing, not car. You know.
I go now.

VW had White, Yellow, and Orange. Mine was originally yellow. PO painted white. Not sure what I will do once I get rid of rust and do body work, when I learn that stuff. I like White, but may do Orange. That way my Thing can say it was one of every color VW had.

tj

dtrumbo wrote:Way to go! =D>

When I did the brakes on my bug (the first brake job I had ever done), I bled and bled and bled thinking I still had air in the system. All it turned out to be was I had not adjusted the brakes properly. Tighten 'em up 'til the wheel stops turning and then back 'em off three clicks! Bug stops on a dime!

What a gorgeous place you have! A very nice home for your very nice VW family!

Same for me. Know I know how to adjust brakes in a way that works well.

I don't know if my Thing stops on a dime but maybe a few dollars now. hehehe

Thanks for the compliments!

tj