It's not pretty, but this highly original 1974 Volkswagen thing would make a great addition to any car collection
While we all like to ogle streamline supercars and gawp over timeless classics, looks aren’t everything. Something aptly demonstrated by this 1974 Volkswagen Thing — that’s not us being derogatory, ‘Thing’ is actually its name. This honest little car is heading to GAA’s auction this coming Saturday.
This Volkswagen isn’t the prettiest of cars, but the highly original Thing is beautiful in many other ways. Its rear-mounted 1.6-liter engine has been well preserved, as has its spartan interior. The orange paintwork is original, but more impressively, so are the wooden duckboards on the floor. It even comes with its original tool kit and owners manual.
The Volkswagen Thing was sold in Germany as the Kurierwagen and as the Trekker for a brief spell in the UK. It was originally designed to be a cheap method of troop transport for NATO called the Type 181, but Volkswagen also saw its potential as a more rugged model in its lineup. This affordable yet hardy machine went on sale in America in 1972, however, it was discontinued in 1975 due to stricter DOT safety regulations it could not meet.
This example is a genuine US car with just over 43,000 miles on the clock, most of which has been accumulated throughout its life in Texas. The VW sports all of the utilitarian features that it did from the factory including, a removable windscreen, removable doors, and a drain plug in the floor. The idea being that this car could be used for commuting during the week, and a beach buggy at the weekend. 18,000 Things were sold in America, but today these German classics are a rare sight.
More on the GAA auction
- Motorious’ Picks Of Cars That Crossed The GAA Block Thursday
- Let The Bidding Begin: Watch The GAA Livestream Now
If you fancy adding a quirky piece of German automotive history to your garage, this Volkswagen Thing hits the auction block on Saturday 2 March 2019.
Source: Greensboro Auto Auction
