vw thing (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Threads
196
Messages
2,277
Location
Central valley (Cali)
my buddy is thinking about lifting a thing...has anyone made one or seen one made into 4wd?
 
I've seen a VW bug on 44in. TSL's. It was years ago, but it was running down the road at 45 or 50mph and it didn't seem scary. It looked like it was on a Toyota pickup chaissis(compact pickup with solid axles front and rear). I don't know how big you could go without sticking a Thing body on another chassis, but I've often said that a Thing and a Nash Metropolitan would be the two coolest rock buggies ever.
 
Here's a Metro...oh wait, that's a Geo.

attachment.php


Not sure if this is 4X4, but it's cool.

0702or_02_z+1974_volkswagen_thing_custom_buggy+left_front.jpg


Okay, here's a 4X4.

vwthinga.jpg



Tease

1954-nash-001.jpg
 
my buddy is thinking about lifting a thing...has anyone made one or seen one made into 4wd?
Personally I wouldn't things are actually pretty valuable. I think it would take a huge amount of time and money to do that to a thing and they you would have a vehicle that wold be almost impossible to sell. I'd just enjoy it for what it is or sell it.
 
Personally I wouldn't things are actually pretty valuable. I think it would take a huge amount of time and money to do that to a thing and they you would have a vehicle that wold be almost impossible to sell. I'd just enjoy it for what it is or sell it.

Actually, if you converted one with Vanagon Syncro parts, it would be all VW, and could be really cool.

0702or_13_z+1974_volkswagen_thing_custom_buggy+billet_suspension_components.jpg


Definitely not 4x4, but way cool. Are those spindles custom?

I got to drive G'pa's '74 Thing freely from the time I was 14. We used to take it into the river pretty regularly. It could go through 18" of fast water before the front end started to float. Steering brakes would've let it go even deeper.

Once a buddy and I stalled it mid-river with our GFs. We left them in the river, and hiked to get the Forestry guys to pull us out. On he way, there was a quarry, where we got a big loader started, found a chain, and drove it back down the beach to the very-surprised girls.
 
I guess you saw the link I posted. This is what comes up first in a search for 4X4 VW Thing. There's another write-up on off-road.com.
 
With a mild lift and bigger tires a thing is amazingly functional off road. I would not modify one to work with 4WD.

Actually, go get a Shiwiminwagen (sp??) they were 4wd from the factory..
As was the military version of the first bug (Kommandeurwagen)
 
yea theres a swiminwagon in the fort knox museum i would love to have.....
 
type 181s were 4x4s

you could try and find the driveline from a type 181 vw iltis. they were based on the thing...i think. but the canadian military used them and they show up for sale every once and a while. maybe your buddy can find some iltis parts, or just sell the thing and buy an iltis.
 
man, that orange thing would e the $*^t if i lived in mojave...:D

I love that little metropalitan. why you ask? one word...



...blower:grinpimp:
 
you could try and find the driveline from a type 181 vw iltis. they were based on the thing...i think. but the canadian military used them and they show up for sale every once and a while. maybe your buddy can find some iltis parts, or just sell the thing and buy an iltis.

The Iltis was a type 183, front engine 4x4.

800px-VW_Iltis_001.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom