1973 VOLKSWAGEN THING very nice rebuilt original engine & trans, RV tow behind

1973 Volkswagen Thing THING BY VOLKSWAGEN Description

I recently purchased this 73 Volkswagen Thing for my daughter because it was a good deal but she's got a few years before she can drive and my wife's not too keen onthe carsitting in the car port while we pay insurance on it. So we decided to put a Buy It Now price or best offer andsee if she sells; shecould make someone pretty happy, otherwise we'll just wait and see.

I am a mechanic with+40 years of experience,ASE Master Mechanic, factory trained GM World Class Mechanic and Ford Senior Master Mechanic basically I've been doing this sort of thing for a long time.When I purchased this Thing the seller claimed the engine and transmission were rebuiltusing all German parts; he didn't have receipts but upon close inspection I see no reason to doubt him. However, it was missing a few things, neededsome adjustmentsandhad a brake issue, carb synchronization and throttle application problems, timing curve was wrong, valve adjustment, door latch and hingegrease had become hard making the doors not close with the nice soft "click" one expects from German autos, top latches were not there and she needed a really good cleaning. All of these concerns have been addressed in addition she has a very new Robbins top, new set oftires, recent 4 KYB HD gas charged shocks, new upholstery with high density foam padding and new Thing shop glass windows up front and optional Duk boards. Also I just paid the registration until 2017 and added a personalized plate so if you live in California we'll throw in a brand new DMV issued pair of "THINGY" back plates and you'll only need to cover transfer costs.

I installed all new brake shoes and the rear hardware and completely flushedthe entire system. It stops quickly with nice pedal feel, no fade and no pulling. I adjusted the valve lash and corrected the timing curve in the distributor.Distributor isa Bosch 009 with a Compufireelectronic conversion and all new Bosch secondary components.The Webers 34 ICT were new when I purchased her a month ago but had never been sync'd properly. That is done. She idles smoothly with a slight hint of cam overlap and the engine pulls cleanly with no smoking and it does not burn or leak oil. Let me clarify that: the engine design is 70 some odd years old so it does "sweat" some oil just due to the design of the engine and the dissimilar metals involved; it does not leak oil though. The exhaust is a new dual muffler system with what appears to be a jet hot coating. Fuel pump, hoses and filter are all new anda newauxiliary, external fuel pump was added under the fuel tank. She shifts perfectly, does not grind or pop out of gear. I changed thegear lube; it didn't need to be based on the condition of the lube, but I wanted tolook for signs of wear; I dobelieve the trans was recently rebuilt as the previous owner had stated. All the lights, turn signals, warning indicators work correctly. Below is what the previous owners ad stated about the engine:

Rebuild details (as per PO):

AH Case was line bored then matched with new main bearings

New German crankshaft

New German rods, polished and balanced.

New German pistons and cylinders

Matched and updated rebuilt heads.

New heavy duty oil pump

New Bosch generator,

New fuel pump

New 009 distributor with CompuFire ignition

New Bosch ignition coil and spark plug wires.

New dual Weber 34 ICT carbs

New Germans Sachs clutch, pressure plate and throwout bearing.

The transmission was completely gone through as well.

The front beam is original and has no signs of damage. All the VW factory Thing reinforcements are in place, as is the correct fan shroud, proper CV joints and axles, not bus replacements,original transmission, engine cases and pan. All the old style chassis lube and oils were completely flushed out and replaced with thehighest grade synthetics. Just a really great corefor an easyConcours type restoration or drive it as an investmentand just enjoy an easy to maintain, trouble free VW.

This Thing is basically original paint with some touch up spots; it does havea spot in front of each rear fender where there is somerot;it has not gotten to the pan and would be a relatively simple repair sincethey areflat panels. The jacking points are also solid and have not bee effected by the rot.It was hit in the left quarter once and repaired nicely. You can't tell at all from the outside but if you look closely at the inner fender apron one can tell it had been straightened. Just mentioning this to be open. This car very presentable. On the positive side the pan is excellent with no rust whatsoever and very straight rails; it does not appear to have ever been off road.

The original gas fired heater isall thereand appears to work? I've never operated one but if someone really needs to know I'll Google, try it and email back my findings. Common to Things is the outside mirror Most mount threads stripping but these are perfect and have not been stripped or re-welded. She has her optional, original Sapphire AM radio and rare VolkswagenThing speakerwith enclosure. Someone installed an antenna in front on the fold down windshield not realizing the windshield folds over so I'llprobably change that or throw in the correct antenna before you pick her up.

She is turn key and very reliable. I drove her last week as my daily driver, 45 miles one way to work. We have driven her to the beach a few times now and done a couple of highway trips.She's actually growing on us a bit. It definitely is an attention getter and it's common to hear"that's so cute" from the girls and young ladies, car guys just appreciate it being so darn original and you'll find yourself hearing "it's called a Thing" or "look- there goes a Thing". The common thread is everyone seems to have a story about owning or riding in a Thing that brings back found memories.