An original paint VW Thing is a rarity, considering how often these military rigs turned beach buggies languished outside with the top down. This specimen is a 1973 model and the listing ends tomorrow, and if we’re to believe what’s presented here on eBay, it’s one of the more original examples to pop up in recent years. The seller has placed an asking price of $21K on the Thing with the option to submit a best offer.
Said to be an Arizona car with just 51,000 miles, the Thing shows none of the typical signs of use we usually associate with these outdoor-friendly vehicles. The top appears sound, all four hubcaps are still attached, and the bumpers show no signs of modification or damage. And obviously, the paint is impressively clean for a buggy that typically spends hours in the sun and is left uncovered when parked.
While the seats have been recovered, the rest of the interior is believed to be original. This Thing had to have had a warm garage spot waiting for it every night for the paint on the body and the dash to still look this nice. Coco mats are a great period touch, and the seller says the under-dash tray remains in good condition. In some ways, the seats almost look too nice for the Thing, which is better served with a seat more utilitarian in appearance.
No word on engine health, other than to say it runs out well. There’s enough new-looking parts attached the engine (cap and plugs, some hoses, coil, etc.) that it seems safe to say someone’s been under the hood recently. Will Things appreciate? Hard to say, as it’s a niche vehicle for sure which takes up a lot of space as a novelty item. The price for a preserved specimen like this still seems more than fair to me, however.
The Nazis sure had some fun with these things! Until we crushed the bastards. Shame that nowadays we shake hands with evil dictators instead of vanquishing them. Different times I guess.
Hey, it’s a Porsche! Call Adam. He just loves Der Fuhrer’s car!
my grandfather and granduncles were all in the Luftwaffe, Wehrmacht and Waffen SS, none of them deserve to be called bastards, your arrogance will be your end one day. But i just have to see what you got for president LMAO
I wouldn’t be too proud of having ancestors who served in the Waffen-SS, a criminal organization involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity. I am proud of my old man, who served in the 11th Airborne Division in the Pacific, and my uncle, who was an Army Air Forces mechanic in England during the Normandy invasion.
Thats not the same thing…
What a lovely thing.
Patty and Selma Bouvier approve!
Put a reverse Rotation Kit into a 110 or 140 HP Corvair motor, and jam it in the back. THEN you have something!
Put a 2330ccm Beatle engine with 170hp in it, that’s the way to go!
Didn’t know that existed! Man that’d make this Thing fun. Seems awfully overpriced to me, but more power to the seller if they can get it 💰
I had a 150-70 HP 4 carbed Isky cammed tuneable header, 1900 cc motor in mine as a ridge running nightime coyote hunting rig.
I bought motor brand new for just above what I had bought brand new auto, 1800+U$D.
Kept original motor for everyday family use, wife, myself, 3 young boys and our lab, that included hunting, fishing, grocery trips of each way 50 plus miles, at hwy 18-20 mpg.
Mileage stock while ridge running was no more than 15 mpg
Did have what was a twin stick brake kit a lever for each side rear brake, roll cage, CB, winch, an aftermarket beefed differential and two rear bumber mount 5 gallon gas cans.
In ten years we did not have over 9 grand total and was in as good a shape as this one looks.
Not a fast auto or a canyon carver, at freeway pushing 65 was damn near top, but damned quick on grabel or sand beaches and with 1900 engine surprised many a run of mill Camaros, Stangs and sundry other rigs from stop light to stoplight.
Only real rust to watch for is beneath back seat battery tray.
If one buys this rig and live in cold climate have plenty of fuses and glow plugs for gas heater.
Nostalgia aside this price of 21 K is near top value and just last year I passed on a great stocker for 14K.
Thousands of these as daily drivers in lands South of US Mexico border with most in great condition.
Check out how front and rear fenders are diagonally interchangeable.
Pull windows to store in front trunk over spare and gas tank, tear doors off, lower winshield and hit the hinterlands.
AT Ken,respectfully:
In WWI and WWIi there was no US Air Force, it was Army Air, Naval Air, and Marine Air Corps’.
Those that transfered from there into US Air Force when it was Commisioned were respecfully known as “Brown Soes”.
Gramps had a saying, “Be carefull to never be caught as a kettle calling pot black, when no one iin this world is realy
lily white”.
Ken said his family member served in Army Air Force which was correct 1941 onwards.
Prior to ‘41 it was called Army Air Corps.
US Air Force renaming was 1947.