CCs come and go in my general part of town. There’s lots of younger folks here, and many are renters, so permanence is not a given. Which makes it possible to keep walking the same streets over and over, year in and year out, and still keep finding new cars to shoot. Like this VW Thing (Type 181) that suddenly popped up here, looking a bit forlorn. But than that rather does go with the character of this car.
There’s gobs of air-cooled Beetles and buses around here, but this is the only Thing I’m aware of as being currently on the streets. I shot and wrote one up some time back, and ran it here last year, but that was by the campus and it soon left again, like so many student-owned cars. This looks a bit more like a scruffy local.
No problem in getting a clear shot of the interior, since the window curtains are gone. So is much of the seat padding and upholstery. Must be fun to sit on. Love that exposed wiper motor, which is attached to the windshield so that it can all fold down.
Was this the only four-door convertible sold in the US since the demise of the Lincoln Continental? Well, I guess the current Jeep four door counts too, sort of.
These were powered by the classic VW 1600 cc engine. But there were two versions, in terms of their rear suspensions. The early one (pre 1973) used the old T1 Transporter set up, with swing axles that had the reduction gears on their ends. After 1973, the T2’s double-jointed rear suspension was used, which I was pretty sure was under this one, given the lack of positive camber on the rear wheels. Well, that and the late-type tail lights borrowed from the Beetle.
Leave nothing to chance; a quick look underneath confirmed that.
I was pretty amazed when VW started building the 181 in 1968. As a kid, I had seen a number of WW2 surplus Kübelwagen in Innsbruck in the 50s; even a Schwimmwagen once. But here it was 25 year later, and VW comes out with what seemed like a very modestly updated version again. It was primarily sold for civilian use, but the collapse of the “Europe Jeep” project put some 50k 181s in the hands of the German Army, until the front engine Type 183 Iltis came along.
But the 181 sold quite well in the US and Mexico, and VW probably could have kept it going longer but the Thing couldn’t meet safety regs in 1975 that required the windshield to be further away from the front seat occupants. If VW could have had it certified it as a truck instead of a passenger car, that might have gotten them around that rule.
But its days were probably numbered anyway, although the Jeep of the mid 70s wasn’t exactly much more civilized either.
And now it makes a nice contrast to the Prius. Welcome to the neighborhood!
Wow, that Thing is rough as a cob. That driver’s seat can’t be very comfortable. I like it, but I can’t fathom what I’d do with something like that…a Type II pickup would be more useful.
If VW had certified the Thing as a truck, the price would have risen substantially under “the chicken tax”.
A few months ago there were 2 or 3 restored Things for sale within a 75 mile radius of me. I guess like Miatas, these cars (?) get put up for sale at the start of “good weather” for borderline ridiculous prices, and those that don’t sell get put away for another 6-8 months.
I like these cars, but the prices on restored examples are way too high for my taste, though I understand the “special” parts are getting VERY expensive.
Here’s the paragraph from Wikipedia, FWIW: The model was dropped from the American lineup for 1975 as it failed to meet new, stricter US safety standards. The Type 181 was reclassified as a passenger vehicle, and thus subject to stricter safety standards. The Windshield Intrusion Rule of the 1975 DOT standard called for a greater distance between the front seat occupants and the front window glass.[2]
It’s vehicles like this that probably singlehandedly helped safety regulations. As fun of a vehicle as it was, it definetely played by its own set of rules, and as dangerous as it likely was in a crash, part of me laments the days where automakers could make vehicles where they could aesthetically do what they wanted.
I remember riding in my buddy’s 80’s Rabbit Cabriolet, and i tell ‘ya….that thing was poorly made. Mind you, it was a very high mileage example, but it felt like it could fall apart at any given time.
Interesting find – and it makes an interesting compare and contrast with (larger) Land Rover we saw last month, another 1940s design off-roader updated for the 1970s and 80s.
Not sure I get the reference that link to the dance video though
“Gimme Dat Ding” – Gimme that thing.
Ah!
I geddit now!
These were only a 2 year wonder (’73-’74) in the US. ’73 only got standard gas heater. They were actually tough for the dealers to sell when new. I’m surprised they were not classified as a truck, seeing as they had the same safety exemptions as the pickup trucks of the day.
I’ve always liked these Things. This one is sure rough (I’d have to do something about that seat!) but it’s got a ton of character. Given the relative lack of rust, lifelong West Coaster I’ll bet.
Also what the heck is going on with the left side of the house’s roof? Oddly placed graffiti? Dropped chemical of some sort?
The powder is roof mold repellent powder. Kills the damaging mold the Pacific Northwest is famous for.
Ok, I thanks for the info. I too was wondering what the white stuff was.
I took another look at the top photo, right hand side and I see the mold you are talking about.
Also, having a tree rubbing against a house is a big ‘no-no” in the south. Termites would use it a vehicle to start invading the house.
That tree (or maybe tall shrubbery) is really asking for trouble. Didn’t notice that mess the first time. If it is a tree that close the foundation is or will be damaged as well.
Maybe. Or not. Normally, it’s sprinkled across the top of the ridge, across the whole roof, so that the rain washes it down to kill the moss. Clearly that’s not the case here. The other side of the roof is where the moss is growing, and there’s none there.
I think someone may have thrown some toilet paper up there, and it’s disintegrating in the rain. Or something like that. Renters do strange things to their places.
Yeah, looks like TP. When we rented a small house near the University for a few months going through the contract with the property manager was hysterical:
“Ok, and this part here says you’re not allowed to park cars on the grass or construct new driveways”
“Why would we do that?”
“Never mind, I usually rent to students. Just initial it.”
That’s the only one I remember but there must have been 20 clauses like that.
Nice thing too. That’s the James Brown option seat, it encourages you to “Get On Offa That Thing” 🙂
Here’s a cropped image of that stuff. I’m not 100% sure it’s TP, but it’s not Moss Be Gone powder. Also, it has been raining every day, so if it were moss powder, it would have been washed off the same day.
Yeah, it’s hard to figure if it’s TP, or white paint or snow coat. Looks like paper bags or boxes are in the mix. Paul’s right, not Moss Be Gone on closer inspection.
Great find! I’ve always had a soft spot for these. I’m glad to see that somebody is driving this Thing and has apparently put some money into it. The top looks new, although it’s obviously not secured properly to the wobbly convertible frame. With a little bit of work, and some new seats, this could be a really fun car for somebody.
I love Type 181’s and I hope this one finds a loving home. It needs it.
Anyone have a pictorial profile comparison of the Thing & the Kübelwagen?
Motor Trend May 73 cover. I tossed that issue decades ago, but sticks in my mind that the article inside may have had that kind of comparison, in pix and specs.
Motor Trend May 73 cover.
Correction: while the web page said that was the May issue, looking at the cover itself, it clearly says March 73
Ah!
I geddit now!
I know this is an inaccurate comparison but tis shot makes me think “Beetle” and “new Beetle”!
“Wheeler Dealers” a UK show shown in the US, fixed one of these up recently. My interest in them has gone way down after seeing their work, particularly on the gas-fired heater.
That convertible top fits ALMOST as well as the Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice tops.
Nice find, the Kubel and schwimwagen are still available reproduction for the fanatics out there, Discussion over one on facebook recently revealed all sorts of useless information it was first identified as one of these things but closer inspection by VW cognoscenti revealed it to be the earlier variety and you can still buy one.
iirc the 73 MT issue article said that dune buggy body makers had been trying to make replica Kubelwagen bodies for years to bolt on to bug frames, but the flat sided body wasn’t strong enough in fiberglass.
I should think Kübelwagens, or replicas thereof, should’ve been in demand back when WW2 movies were common.
Kubel Wagons were made as replicas in the 1970’s , IIRC in England , I used to have a photo layout of a shop full of half built ones , they got chewed up by movie makers .
Those old enough might remember the television commercials that portrayed The Safari as a fun car , showed one driving angled across a slope , always a no no on high center of gravity vehicles and sure enough , a few rolled and there was a huge lawsuit against VWAG that they lost .
A lawyer once told me VW was loosing $ on them by the end .
Sad as I’ve had an enjoyed these rugged little Safari cars .
-Nate
The Thing does not look any more primitive inside that a CJ5. I would suspect it was pulled from the US market due to low sales. I was living in Michigan in the 70s, when the Thing was new, and only recall seeing one, while there were herds of soft top CJs running around.
As to the car/truck classification issue. Sticks in my mind that the US had a protectionist tariff on imported trucks for decades, because I never saw a Volvo truck until the last 30 years or so. Seems I read somewhere that the Japanese pickups skirted the law by having the trucks imported as a cab chassis, so they would be taxed as “parts”, and the box would be built and installed in the US. Don’t know if that is true or not, but I did notice the boxes on those trucks seemed to rust away a lot faster than the cabs.
…until the front engine Type 183 Iltis came along.
This one showed up at the all German show at the Gilmore last year
From Wikipedia, FWIW: The model was dropped from the American lineup for 1975 as it failed to meet new, stricter US safety standards. The Type 181 was reclassified as a passenger vehicle, and thus subject to stricter safety standards. The Windshield Intrusion Rule of the 1975 DOT standard called for a greater distance between the front seat occupants and the front window glass.[2]
I’m not sure if that reclassification was voluntary or forced on them, or what.
Here’s another blurb from a Thing website:
In 1973, Ralph Nader pushed to have the Thing pulled from the U.S. market on the grounds that it failed to meet safety standards for passenger cars. He soon got his wish, as tightened regulations forced VW to stop importation after the 1974 model year. Only about 25,000 examples were imported,
Am I missing something, or is this a speedometer delete car? That’s one spartan interior.
Turf the rear seat cargo, cushion under the driver and I’ll take it. Would prefer a Mehari though.
I can’t remember the last time I saw one of these Things in the flesh, must have been when I was little in the early-mid 90s. It was one of those cars fueled my interest in cars of all shapes and sizes so these will always have a place in my heart.
It’s such an…odd? vehicle to start with and it’s decayed quite a bit. So, what type would drive this thing as an actual utility vehicle? An eccentric, an odd duck, the kind who would toss mystery items onto the roof of his house, possibly in the throes of a fight with his wife over keeping a decaying monster right out in the street. With a ferocious and blessed backspin applied to it, say a gallon of old thickened milk could be winged out the front door and end up on the roof like that. I guess.
As I recall, these were relatively pricey when new. They were also PAINFULLY noisy and pretty slow. They were fun, in an offbeat way, but not a very compelling package.
I saw one today in central New Jersey. Fifty degrees out and top down and good condition. I pumped gas for a guy in the 80s who had a customer with one that was in for service one day. I asked my boss what was wrong with it. He said “this things got a bug in it”. Only joke he ever made.
I haven’t seen one of these in years – the last one I saw was a pristine orange one back in the ’80’s. I always liked them, and they’d be fun as a good-weather toy. With the top down and the doors off they’d likely feel a lot faster than they really are. I hope the owner has the time and money to get it into better shape – I’d hate to see such a rare old beast fall to ruin.
The one pictured above is a ’74. “Hamster cheeks” on the side is the giveaway. When the gasoline heater was ditched for the standard VW “fresh air” heater, these prevented exhaust from being drawn in.
Our Thing is pictured here. A great beach car.
Thanks for the clarification. I had noticed the “cheeks” when they came out and wondered what the deal was with them.
Here’s the earlier cheekless version.