1974 VW Thing "Acapulco" Edition ALL ORIGINAL * Low Miles, Clean & Runs* Type 18

1974 Volkswagen Thing

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Super cool 1974 VW Thing Acapulco Edition ALL ORIGINAL. This little gem has lived inside and covered it's entire life and certain reflects that in the beautiful condition she's in.
1 year ago the owner had all new hoses and seals replaced including a tune up so she can purr, original blue and white interior with snap on windows if you desire to cut down on the breeze. Please view all the photos and feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to get a answer for you.
This car has low miles with 16,563 on the OD and was taken care of. It's the perfect car to toddle around town in and to show off at car shows.
To follow ALL my other Vintage & Antique Items Check out All my Stuff for Sale on Etsy, Facebook and Instagram at "Auburn Amy's Fresh Picks"
More Information about the "Thing" Taken from Wikkipedia

TheVolkswagen Type 181is atwo-wheel drive, four-door,convertible, manufactured and marketed byVolkswagenfrom 1968 to 1983. Originally developed for theWest German Army, the Type 181 was also sold to the public, as theKurierwagenin West Germany, theTrekker(RHD Type 182) in the United Kingdom, theThingin the United States (1973-74), theSafariin Mexico and South America, andPescacciain Italy. Civilian sales ended after model year 1980.

Manufactured inWolfsburg, West Germany (1968-74),Hannover, West Germany (1974-83),Puebla, Mexico (1970-80), andJakarta, Indonesia (1973-80), the Type 181 shared its mechanicals with Volkswagen'sType 1(Beetle) and the pre-1968Volkswagen Microbus, its floor pan with the Type 1Karmann Ghia, and its concept with the company'sKübelwagen, which had been used by the German military duringWorld War II.

Contents[hide]

• History
• Technology and performance
• See also
• References
• Further reading
• External links

History[edit]

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During the 1960s, several European governments began cooperating on development of a vehicle known as theEuropa Jeep, a lightweight, amphibiousfour-wheel drivevehicle that could be mass-produced for use by various national military and government groups. Development of the vehicle proved time-consuming, however, and the West German government was in need of a limited number of light, inexpensive, durable transport vehicles that could fulfill their basic needs while the Europa Jeep was being developed and put into production.

Although Volkswagen had been approached during the 1950s about building such a vehicle, and had subsequently passed on the proposition, the then-current management of the company saw the project as having some amount of potential as a consumer vehicle; Mexican customers were asking for something that could handle rural roads better than the Type 1, which was a large seller in Mexico at the time, and the popularity of VW-baseddune buggieswithin the U.S. made executives think that a durable, fun, off-road-capable vehicle would become attractive to many buyers. VW could keep cost to a minimum and thus maximize profitability by using existing parts.

Like theWorld War IIeraType 82 Kübelwagen, the Type 181 used mechanical parts and a rear-engine platform,manual transmissionand aflat-4engine derived from that of the Type 1.

The floorpans came from the Type 1Karmann Ghia, which had a wider floorpan than the Beetle. Rear swing axle suspension with reduction gearing from the discontinued split-screenVolkswagen Transporterwas used until 1973, when it was replaced with double-jointed axles used by Porsche and IRS semi-trailing arm setup as used on the 1303 and US-spec Beetles.

Civilian sales began in mainland Europe and Mexico during 1971; in the U.S. in 1972; and briefly in Britain in 1975, where it failed to sell well and was dropped fairly quickly.

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]

TheEuropa Jeepwas the result of aNATOplan to have a vehicle whereby each European NATO makers all combined to build a light-duty patrol vehicle.

The Volkswagen 181 was only supposed to fill in, until the time that the Europa Jeep was ready. From 1968 until 1979, over 50,000 Type 181s were delivered to the NATO forces. By 1979 the Europa Jeep project had fallen apart completely and was abandoned, and the West German government began supplementing their consumption of 181s with the new front-enginedType 183 Iltis.

Despite the West German government's switch to the Type 183, European and Mexican sales of the civilian 181 continued through 1980, and several organizations, including NATO, continued to purchase military-spec Type 181 units through 1983, finding their reliability and low purchase and maintenance costs attractive.

• Make: Volkswagen
• Model: Thing
• Type: Convertible
• Year: 1974
• Mileage: 16,563
• VIN: 1842544931
• Color: White
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Transmission: Manual
• Options: Convertible
• Vehicle Title: Clear
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