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gintaras
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2012
Posts: 523
Location: Louisville
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 Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 7:54 am Post subject: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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Guys, I was interested in looking at this Thing in the classifieds, but after looking closely at each picture, it looks like the odometer says ATF?
How possible is it for this Thing to have 33000 miles on it, is it possible that this is the original gauge? When I called the guy, all he did was fight with me (typical used car salesman), and tell me that it was a Mexican Thing.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1939365
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1979 Deluxe Westy in Mexico Beige |
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77kafer
Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2008
Posts: 823
Location: New Windsor, NY
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| Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 8:25 am Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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Speedometer was replaced, it also has the rear window defogger icon (look just below the 20)
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Supposed to be 77käfer, but there are no umlauts on an american keyboard
Overheard on 27 June 07, one lady to another when they saw my Harli in a parking lot at West Point, "maybe he found it on the clearance aisle at the Volkswagen dealer" |
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gintaras
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2012
Posts: 523
Location: Louisville
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| Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 8:59 am Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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Thanks for the reply, the guy lost a sale because of his shadyness.
I am looking for a clean Thing, as I will be living in either Jacksonville or Pensacola, FL.
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1979 Deluxe Westy in Mexico Beige |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2003
Posts: 510
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| Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 10:08 am Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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| It is entirely possible for a Thing to have only 33,000 miles. Ours went over 33K last weekend going from Pittsburgh up to Niagara Falls for the "June Jitterbug". |
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gintaras
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2012
Posts: 523
Location: Louisville
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| Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 12:36 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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| [email protected] wrote: |
| It is entirely possible for a Thing to have only 33,000 miles. Ours went over 33K last weekend going from Pittsburgh up to Niagara Falls for the "June Jitterbug". |
Understood, but the fact that I pointed out to him that that was the wrong speedometer, and his reply was to be defensive and tell me that it is a "Mexican" speedometer and that it was correct, raised red flags for me.
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1979 Deluxe Westy in Mexico Beige |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50349
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| Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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Looks pretty good for 40 year old paint, I would guess it is much younger. The rusty underside has been sprayed with a layer of undercoating to cover up rust and who know what all else as well. My first Thing had 28K miles on it when I bought it in '78 IIRC so I really doubt that this one will have only run up 33K miles 38 years later.
Really classy paint on the horn button to boot. If the seller can't clean that mess up prior to putting it up for sale, he hasn't made any effort to fix anything of worth at all.
Also the seller claims matching numbers for the engine and transmission. Is this info even available anywhere? |
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GI Joe
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Joined: April 28, 2005
Posts: 2012
Location: Athens, TN
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wbailey2112
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2015
Posts: 483
Location: Grove City, OH
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 4:43 am Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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I saw this posting in the classifieds and what caught my eye was the paint on the steering wheel cover and the goop on the bottom of the pan. Might be a decent vehicle to start out with but not at that price. Like many sellers this person thinks they have something that's worth a lot more than it really is.
Good luck with your search. As Alton Brown used to always say your patience will be rewarded. |
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hobie16
Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2013
Posts: 244
Location: Maui
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 6:15 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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| gintaras wrote: |
| ... his reply was to be defensive and tell me that it is a "Mexican" speedometer... |
Was his name Donald?
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citroen
Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2010
Posts: 1578
Location: louisville ky
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 8:51 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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| Its amazing how many all originals things had beetle mufflers on them |
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Semper_Dad
Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2005
Posts: 3510
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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| gintaras wrote: |
Thanks for the reply, the guy lost a sale because of his shadyness.
I am looking for a clean Thing, as I will be living in either Jacksonville or Pensacola, FL. |
I would expect a lot more for my 14K. Beetle pea-shooter exhaust, Looked as if there is some bubbling in the rear rockers and perhaps the driver's side engine compartment; $$$$. Horn cover (minor detail)
If the engine # doesn't start with "AM", it won't be "matching". Only way to confirm that would be to send off for a "birth certificate" from VW. ....and that wouldn't be 100% because the Mexican records are pretty iffy.
This would not be a car that I would consider buying unless I could touch it with my own hands.
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Walküre Restoration Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737492 |
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[email protected] 
Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2003
Posts: 868
Location: Clifton Park NY Saratoga County
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| Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 1:17 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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That very well can be an original thing speedometer
When they ran out of the regular speedo at the factory, they just replaced it with whatever was available
I have stacks of speedometers in my pile that were removed from things
many of them have the ATF on them...
Its a myth that all things did not have an ATF light.....
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Michael Basso
http://www.thingparts.com
New and Used VW Thing Parts Free advice
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kubelmann
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2003
Posts: 3266
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 5:53 am Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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| This car came from the factory with Pumpkin Orange paint. There is no record anywhere of the serial number for the engine/transmission of any VW Thing ever produced anywhere. It is impossible to have "matching numbers" on something that has "NO" recorded numbers. The guy must think he has a white 56 t-bird port hole with two tops But this guy would claim the soft asn hard top for the t bird had "matching numbers".... Something is not obvious on that car... I also smell a rat... |
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GI Joe
Samba Member
Joined: April 28, 2005
Posts: 2012
Location: Athens, TN
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50349
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 9:45 am Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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| $14,000 and the brakes need adjustment. Right, if they only needed fifteen minutes of a mechanic's time this would probably have been done. More likely the brakes are a rusted frozen up mess that will need virtually every part replaced. |
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1madmanx
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2007
Posts: 686
Location: Wilmington, NC
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| Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 12:32 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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| [email protected] wrote: |
That very well can be an original thing speedometer
When they ran out of the regular speedo at the factory, they just replaced it with whatever was available
I have stacks of speedometers in my pile that were removed from things
many of them have the ATF on them...
Its a myth that all things did not have an ATF light..... |
I'm glad you said that because here is the speedo in my '74. While I can't be 100% sure its original, based on the rest of the car, I would say it is.
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Bud (1Madmanx)
Wilmington, NC
'68 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy M1996F826S
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'73 Thing
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SilverThing
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2004
Posts: 810
Location: Everett
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| Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 6:25 pm Post subject: Re: Beetle Odometer on this one? |
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Something to check on the speedometers is the date that is on the backside.
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"I like how everyone likes talking about Zeke's Thing yet he's the only one that's ever seen it." - Katie
"I've seen pictures..." - Jeremy |
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