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Since the new year approaches rapidly and I find myself the new owner of a 1974 thing I am doing some planning.
What I`m thinking is installing a T-4 engine into this new Thing in pancake configuaration. I have just made arrangements to sell my freshly converted and uprighted T-4 engine to be installed into a Porsche 356. After having a T-4 powered thing I am not so willing to return to T-1 engines.The DTM kits are currently not available.
The thing I bought had been fitted with a body lift kit. For this reason I think I can install the T-4 engine without being uprighted. The tins should be about 3" below the engine bay.
Another advantage offered is that the engine can be tipped to accept the type 2 transaxle without interference. In other words the hockey stick(which is 2" higher in the bus) can be bolted directly to the T-1 shift coupler and remain in the tunnel. Matt Lahr has done his T-2 trans conversion this way though it was done using a T-1 upright engine.
I plan on installing a set of 2x3 rear trailing arms.On these I`ll use bus axles and 944 CVs. In front a turned and widened beam are planned. So overall the stance will be increased by about 3".
I`m going to be less concerned with cosmetics than I was last year when fixing up my 73. The gun metal gray paint and Ultra wheels look great but where I live are out of place. Conditions are too rough for a lot of cosmetic improvement. I think I`ll stay with the B/W color scheme as is present currently. I still wish to have a lot of sheet aluninum applied to the interior. A newly constructed al. dash with locking glove box and center council w/gauges is planned. I`ll keep my roller pedal and steering wheel though I`ll have to change the shaft and bushings to do so. Love that wheel.
Anyone else with 2003 plans for their Things? Tell us about them. Good luck. Bob Ingman

[This message has been edited by Bob Ingman (edited 12-28-2002).]

My plan for this year are to FINALLY swap my Things engine for the Type IV. It has become obvious over the last few months that I wont be getting my hands on a DTM. I was also considering doing a pancake swap. In the Type4um under T4 pics Baja T4 has a nice looking setup in his baja without swapping to an upright. Maybe I'll get time to take some measurements this weekend. Let me know what happens with yours Bob. Suspension work will come right after this project.

LB I`ve been looking at that car also. The exhaust is very simple and dirt cheap. Just turned the head pipes around toward the front and used 180 deg pipes to rearward. Just like the old dune buggy exhaust. The advantage to that is that he is not sucking hot air that is coming off the exhaust into the fan. However before resorting to this I will attempt to continue using my 914 exhaust. It is up high. Perhaps high enough to clear the fresh air intake to the fan.I`m going to get that pancake in there beleive me. The thing has a lot of room unlike a bug or Ghia. Good luck. Bob Ingman

LB you sound as if you have a T-4 engine there to measure. If so measure the length of the engine from the front of the bell to the back of the shroud(front is front). That is the critical measurement. We already know that the width is going to be OK because the T-4 fits into a T-1 side to side when uprighted. This would mean that if tin is trimmed that the intakes will clear the sides. I have a Weber Progressive I`m sure will work if the duals won`t go but I now have dual Dells on BIG manifolds and they go, So it`s length that will be crucial.
I`m going to use a 5-rib trans also as I feel this will simplify the installation.I should be able to install and remove them as a unit just as in a van.Hook up the front mount and raise the engine up into position. No having to have the engine back and start the studs into the trans. See what I mean.
Heres something you might think about. I once had a Baja that had a lift installed as a wedge. In the rear it was lifted but tapered to being not lifted in the front. Lots of tire clearance but no complications with steering shaft etc.
I have a photo of my new thing from the rear showing the crank pulley below the rear body apron of the car. This is the reason I`m confident that the pancake will go in there. You might think of spacing the body up in the rear in this fashion. Then tipping the engine to use the bus trans brings it all back together again. If you get what I mean.Good luck. Bob Ingman

Bob, I will try and measure the engine tomorrow. I was going to drag the thing out of the garage today but I installed a carpet kit in my camaro which took the whole day. What a pain! So I will try and get to that tomorrow. That is an interesting idea you had about a wedge type of lift. I don't like body lifts but if it makes gettting a sweet engine and tranny in as well as the bigger tires that seems like a good idea. Using the stock tin sounds like a good alternative with the state of the DTM kit. I might as well change to a bus tranny too with all the pluses I can get with better gearing and strength. Its just so confusing since it isn't covered in our Bible of offroad VWs. Also everyone does it differently and there is no accepted way that everyone does it. So you will be using Porshe CVs which are a bolt in? Should make a good combo.

One thing I forgot to talk to you about. Do you think there is a problem with the air intake of the Type IV when offroading? I mean the intake is so low and maybe I would need a body lift just so it would not be blocked by the body. We talked about that guys baja with the modified exhaust reduces how much the air is preheated before running through the engine which was a good idea. I'll figure out all that crap when I take my measurements. Cool to have such a good resource to talk about all these ideas.

LB, I put a T-4 pancake in my cousins sandrail(read offroad vehicle)last year he`s been on the dunes with it many times since then and no problems with sucking sand. He says hell never go back to a bug engine. Likes the wheelies to much.
Yes the 924/944 CVs are interchangable with bus/Thing and are commonly available on ebay. Good luck. Bob Ingman

[This message has been edited by Bob Ingman (edited 12-29-2002).]