Well-Preserved 1974 Volkswagen Thing

It’s been a hotter-than-average summer in my neck of the woods in North Carolina. Mercy! Fortunately, this bright orange Thing reminds me of a big pumpkin and cooler fall weather that can’t get here fast enough. And speaking of fast enough (or the lack thereof), here’s a well-preserved 1974 Volkswagen Thing, one of the quirkiest vehicles to ever cross the ocean. Based on the photographs and description, it’s a stock, unmolested VW Thing that’s in great shape. It’s located in Long Beach, California, and its condition makes you think it’s been a California Thing for the past 52 years. It is listed for sale here on eBay and as I’m writing this, the bid is up to $8,800 which doesn’t meet the seller’s reserve.

A few readers may not be familiar with the Thing’s story and its two-year run in the U.S., so here goes. Known as the Type 181, it was a utilitarian Jeep knockoff based on VW’s Type 182 Kubelwagen that was used during World War II. It used a Beetle Chassis and driveline from a Transporter Type 2. It had a flat, fold-down windshield, four removable doors, and a phaeton-style convertible top with removable clear plastic side curtains rather than roll-down window glass. Between poor sales and upcoming U.S. Government Safety Standards, the Thing was only sold in the U.S. for the 1973 and 1974 model years. It continued to be built and sold in various parts of the world under different names through 1983.

Given that these “breadboxes,” as they were nicknamed, were so prone to rust, this one is well preserved and has been kept indoors. The Pumpkin Orange paint, as it was called, looks very presentable; the flat windshield folds down as designed, and I’m not spotting any rust in the photos. The underside and floor pans of this Thing look solid as well.

VW Things had an unpretentious, utilitarian interior, to say the least. Not many creature comforts or luxury items can be found in this cabin. Then again, it could be hosed down if needed. The original-style black vinyl bucket seats and matching 3-passenger rear bench seat look very good, as do the factory four-spoke steering wheel, instrument panel, and dash grab bar. The rubber floor mats also appear to be in great shape.

I can just hear this original air-cooled four-banger running, can’t you? Built on the same chassis as the pre-1968 VW Microbus, the Thing used VW’s reliable 46-horsepower, 1600cc flat-floor engine. A four-speed manual transmission was the only tranny available, and as you can imagine, Things were slowwww, with a top speed of about 68 mph. The seller lists 50,000 miles on the odometer, but there’s no mention of whether they’re the original miles or not. The VW Thing was a curiosity 50+ years ago and remains so today. Only about 25,000 were sold in the U.S. over a two-year period, and who knows how many have survived the elements. Overall, this looks like a nice one. To quote the seller, “Whether you are looking for a turn-key classic for summer drives, VW show events, or a solid addition to an air-cooled collection, this 1974 Thing is ready to enjoy!