Linkpin frontend on early Things?

Hebster · Post by **Hebster** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 3:26 am

Did the early Things have linkpin frontends? (T-181's not T-82's, I know Kübels had...)

Bob Ingman · Post by **Bob Ingman** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 9:49 am

Hebster I will attempt to furnish a qualified answer to your question. I say qualified because I am speaking in general terms here and please understand that I am far from being an authority but--
The 181 as delivered to the US 1973-1974 was furnished with a special(181) ball joint front suspension. The Thing of the same year year very well might have been delivered elsewhere in the world with differently configured components. I cannot say.
If you look back on earlier threads here you will find a post by myself entitled "Facts and Figures and Parts Interchange". That will link you to Hannos website where you will find detailed information concerning these matters as related to the international market. Good to see you here on the 181 Forum. Please continue to visit. Best of luck. Bob Ingman

Bruce2 · Post by **Bruce2** » Thu Nov 20, 2003 11:32 pm

The last K&L car built in Germany was made in 1965. The first T181 was made in Germany in 1969.
There has never been a K&L Type 181

Bob Ingman · Post by **Bob Ingman** » Fri Nov 21, 2003 11:01 am

Bruce I tend to agree with you whole heartedly. However I did ues the terms qualified and general in order to avoid the word never because some of our friends in Mexico continue to report strange combinations we have never seen. I assume that other third world countries could have been delivered similar oddities at the end of production runs. Also since Hebster is in Europe I had to consider that he would heve never seen the Thing as we here in North America received it being ours was hencho en Mexico. Thanks for sharing with us and best of luck. Bob Ingman

Bruce2 · Post by **Bruce2** » Sat Nov 22, 2003 1:37 pm

Sometimes the use of the word "Never" brings out info that might not get posted.

Kubelmann · Post by **Kubelmann** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 3:28 pm

We all know that as an offroad front end the link pin is by far stronger than the ball joint could ever be. We also know that the Thing was built as a German, Danish and other Military offroad utility vehicle. So I checked out Hannos and others data that I have compiled and find NO evidence that any link pin Thing ever rolled out of the VW factory. We all know that Things intended to stay in Mexico had rear swing axles. When you look at the very unique and strong Thing front end with their own heavy duty ball joints (both facing down) it become easy to believe that they were always ball joint. This is an interesting issue in that, there are several folks out there (me not included) who have huge knowledge of the Things that hit foreign markets. They include, Pedro Sardas (Last Safari) Ken Crimmin (KubelKen) and PA and Hanno. There is one other guy who has stacks of Thing data from the foriegn markets but he is currently doing time in the VW old timers rehab center in California and his data is unavailable. Cool thread, even though it is very unlikely..
K-mann

lastsafari · Post by **lastsafari** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 6:41 pm

I appreciate your comment.
I can use the "never" word in this case: I have never seem a k&L factory suspencion installed in a Safari in Mexico.

Bob Ingman · Post by **Bob Ingman** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 7:09 pm

Pedro thanks for your input > we enjoy your participation here and your input. Thanks and good luck. Bob Ingman

Kubelmann · Post by **Kubelmann** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 9:28 pm

Pedro ( Amigo a mio)

I have not heard from you since we traded club shirts...

Glad you are still up and kicking...

BtW I wore the Safari Club t shirt to the last Bug In that was featured in the latest copy of VW Trends at Bandimere Speedway in Colorado. The shirt was a total hit.

Tell us more about these fiberglass Thing bodies that have been bolted to Bug frames for Safari rental units out on Isla de Cozamel. Where are the fiberglass bodies coming from and what bumpers are they using??? I know you know.. K-mann

Mattt · Post by **Mattt** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 1:23 am

Just to add fodder to this thread. I may soon have a K/L front ended Thing WITHOUT cutting frame heads.

How you ask, Im going to be acquiring a 57 Ghia pan soon. As most know, the Thing pan and Ghia pan have identical dimensions and shapes. So, a Thing body will be bolted to this pan with k/l framehead, if I dont cut the frame head off and move the beam forward a good 3". The only other necessary change will be converting it to IRS. The early cars are all SA. I think all the way up to a 65 Ghia pan will work the same. We will soon see.

Kubelmann · Post by **Kubelmann** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 10:05 am

Mattt You always come up with the coolest innovations. What is the end use intended to be for this Thing? Are you planning on Ghia disks up front. How about 944 arms and disks in the rear and a bus IRS? Lately I have found 944 four, calipers, rotors and rear arms for $250. K-mann

Bob Ingman · Post by **Bob Ingman** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 11:04 am

Matt as long as you are going to do that much why do`nt you think about sectioning the pan to shorten it while adding an IRS rear portion. Then you could shorten the body to a two door like the one of Gary Cooksey in our choppeded and lowered thread. I love that car. I`ll find that thread and bump it up for you to look at. Look at the first reply by me, then click on the link from David Campbell and go to the last car, the yellow Baja Thing. It was in HVWs last year. Gary has a friend Larry Lund that was doing a T-4 pancake conversion at the same time I was but have`nt heard from him since then to see how it came out. Best of luck. Bob Ingman

Mattt · Post by **Mattt** » Sat Dec 06, 2003 10:50 pm

K-Mann thanks for the compliment. Right now Im just getting the pan for something in the future. If I use this pan it will definitely be off road, thats the whole point of the L/P front. I will probably go more HD off road than Ghia brakes, or 944 arms. Im thinking of cutting the whole a$$ end of the car open and doing something radical like 4"X5" arms and a 10" over beam.

I also want this pan because of the Lefty Smog Nazis here in CA. With this title I will never ever have to worry about smog checks again. There was no smog equipment on '57 cars, hence no smog checks.

Bob, if anything I would like to stretch the car to get a more ideal wheelbase, not so short. Maybe a 6 door Thing?? Ah, but the pan wouldnt be the right car to do that with. I dont know.........

rfoutch · Post by **rfoutch** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 9:35 am

Bob this thread is gone, did a search and it does not come up.

RF

Mattt · Post by **Mattt** » Mon Dec 08, 2003 9:42 am

The thread is called chopped and lowered. Second post down, click the link.