1973 Volkswagen Thing 80894 Miles Lime Green Roadster 1600 CC 4 Speed Manual

Description

What is a Thing? Volkswagen's attempt at a Jeep? A 4-door convertible sedan? Whatever it is, the name is appropriate, and this 1973 Volkswagen Thing is a great example of why these funky things are perennially popular. With that high-impact paint job, it's far, far cleaner than the beat-up one your weird neighbor used to have and you'll probably discover that with the passage of time, the Thing has become an icon in its own right. It's pretty rare to... see one of these finished to this level despite being incredibly rare today. Volkswagen only imported about 25,000 Model 795 Things in 1973 and 1974, so finding one today is getting harder all the time. It was finished a few years ago yet remains in good condition, and that comes from starting with good base stock. It looks like the bodywork was solid (these are known to rust in pretty demonic ways) before they started and while it's certainly not a show piece, it sure looks good heading for the beach. The paint is two-stage urethane and that Day-Glo green is just about the most perfect Thing color you can imagine. All the various angles and reinforcing ribs are plainly visible here, which is probably why Things are so endearing. How could you not love something that lives so far outside the norm? Its angular body is almost like the anti-Beetle or something. However you want to define it, you'll quickly realize that you've never seen one this nice, and probably never will again. It's cool inside, too, with a nicely upholstered interior featuring tan buckets up front and a split folding bench in back. The funkiness continues with sisal floor mats, a grab bar on the dash, and compartments built right into the doors. A big, skinny steering wheel is easy to grab and if you've ever driven a Beetle, you'll feel right at home after you see the single round instrument pod with speedometer and built-in fuel gauge. An EMPI 4-speed shifter between the seats offers a surprisingly direct feel, and the driving position offers great sight-lines and a commanding view. There's a modern AM/FM/CD stereo under the dash, along with a set of speakers that look weatherproof, plus a full folding top that offers a modicum of protection when the weather turns foul. The forward-mounted trunk is functional, too, with a full-sized spare that's been painted to match, and there's plenty of cargo room behind the rear seats. The familiar 1600 cc flat-four engine does a great job here, moving the Thing with gusto and that famous VW sound. Service access is great in the larger Thing's engine bay and there are no major deviations from stock, including the Bosch coil and heater ducts, although someone did add a bit of chrome to make it look nice. The quality of the older restoration shows everywhere you look and the engine bay remains quite clean. Underneath, the pans are in good order and you can see evidence of lots of recent work, from recent shocks to new axles. The exhaust sounds great, the 4-speed manual transmission has well-spaced gears, and the brakes are perfectly adequate for the Thing's performance and weight. And to their credit, they resisted the urge to upgrade the rolling stock, choosing stock steel wheels and hubcaps and wrapping them in 165/80/15 blackwall radials. You don't see many of these for sale for a reason, and they're growing more popular by the day. Shockingly affordable, it's a unique kind of fun that only the VW faithful will fully understand. Call today!