Looking for a great summer ride? Something unusual? This is the perfect convertible. Super fun ride that gets a tons of looks. Pampered, fair weather driver, always garage kept. She is a proven restored driver for the past 8 years whether locally or to dedicated car shows. She will cruise highway speeds with ease. Multi-award show winner – from Peoples Choice, Best in Class to Best of Show.
This 1974 Volkswagen Thing was purchased as an incomplete rolling project in November 2006 and underwent a subsequent 3.5-year father-son refurbishment that included rust repair, a repaint in Volkswagen L87 Pearl White, and new interior upholstery as well as suspension, fuel, and brake work. Power comes from a 1776cc flat-four built by Chico Performance Racing and paired with an overhauled four-speed manual transmission. Additional modifications consist of a custom powder coated roll cage and luggage rack, a 3″ lift, KC Daylighter lights, custom oak duckboards, and more. Service since fall 2018 include installation of new LED headlights, new tires, new KYB shocks, and suspension bushings along with an oil change, a carburetor adjustment, and an alignment. This Type 181 is offered with build receipts and a clean Texas title in the seller’s name.
New sheet metal installed during the refurbishment included sections of the outer rocker panels, driver-side front fender, rear panel, and floor pans. The body was then treated with Master Series primer and repainted in single-stage Volkswagen Pearl White (L87). New rubber moldings, turn signals, and tail lights were fitted after the paintwork, while LED headlights were installed in February 2019.
Modifications include red powder coated bumpers and step bars, a matching 1.5” roll cage with an integrated luggage rack, polished diamond-plate rocker guards, KC Daylighter lights, and a front skid plate. The body is lifted 3″ on an UpYerBug kit over body-colored 15″x6″ Bolton Classics steel wheels, which wear chrome hubcaps and Toyo A/T Open Country tires mounted in December 2018. AC Industries front disc brake conversion kit was installed along with complete refurbishment of rear drum brakes including emergency brake cables, turned drums, wheel cylinders, pads as well as master cylinder.
The interior tub and trunk were cleaned, prepped and sealed with Master Series. They were top finished in gray Herculiner. Custom oak duckboards are fitted over the floors. VW beetle high-backed front bucket seats were reupholstered with new foam and two-tone cloth upholstery. Three-point front and rear color coordinated seat belts were installed. Additional interior features include a quick-release Grant GT steering wheel, a Gene Berg shifter, and a JVC stereo wired to Kicker speakers mounted in custom fiberglass enclosures.
Instrumentation includes a stock combination gauge as well as a VDO tachometer and oil pressure, oil temperature, and voltage gauges. Just at 3,600 miles are shown on the odometer. The original odometer reflected approximately 75,000 miles (unsure if original). Speedometer was refurbished and reset to zero at time of restoration. Total mileage is unknown. A complete modern GM-style fuse block and wiring harness was installed (purchased from Watson's Streetworks).
The 1776cc flat-four was built by Chico Performance Racing (out of California) and features a powder coated cooling tin and shroud, a remote oil filter, and a ceramic-coated Tri-Mil header. Dual Solex 35mm carburetors draw from a new fuel tank and hard/soft lines. Original type VW Thing transmission was rebuilt by Rancho Performance Transmission. An oil change and carburetor adjustment were performed in fall 2018.
The underside pan and chassis was stripped, treated with Master Series then top coated in two-part POR-15 (color dark blue). Wheel wells were covered in Herculiner. New ball joints, tie rod ends, CV joints and boots, front and rear axle bearings, and a steering damper were installed during the refurbishment. A February 2019 service included an alignment following installation of new KYB KR2 shocks, torsion bar bushings, and sway bar bushings. As noted prior, Toyo Open Country P215/75R15 installed prior to alignment.
Photos of restoration available for serious inquirers. Clean Texas title in my name.
Summary of Restoration Build - 1974 VW Thing
3.5 year full body off restoration completed by current owner who purchased the vehicle November 2006 for personal use.
basically a brand new Thing
As part of restoration process, the following items below were done:
New complete VW floor pans installed
All damaged body sheetmetal was replaced with NOS and reproduction
Exterior sprayed by local Paint and Body Shop. PPG Single Stage L87 VW Pearl White
Grey Herculiner applied to interior tub, trunk and wheel wells
Chassis , pans, inside tub treated with Master Series and top coated in 2-part Por-15
Tub top coated with Master Series prior Herculiner
Suspension/Brakes:
Complete new ball joints, tied rod ends, steering damper etc
adjustable front beam
New AC Industries Disc brake conversion front end
Rear factory drum brakes
New brake hard and soft lines throughout
New emergency brake cables
New master cylinder, wheel cylinders throughout, pads throughout etc
New front and rear axle bearings/seals throughout
New CV joints and boots
Custom built 15 x 6 VW wide 5 smoothie wheels by Bolton Classics
3” Up Yer Bug body lift
Custom fabricated 1 ½” .90 wall tubing roll cage, bumpers and side step bars
Powdered coated cage, roof rack, bumpers and step bars
Custom fabricated front aluminum skid plate
Engine:
Chico Performance Racing built 1776, 110 torque, 85 hp, dual Solex 35mm (build sheet data available). Installed new with restoration.
Remote oil filter
Powder coated fan shroud and engine tin
Tri Mill Ceramic coated header exhaust
Rancho rebuilt correct Thing tranny
Gene Berg shifter
New galvanized fuel tank
New hard and soft fuel lines, sender etc
New clutch cable
Electrical/Gauges:
New modern GM Fuse block and complete wire harness
New tail light assemblies, blinker assemblies, and seals
KC Daylighter off-road lights
Master Battery cut-off switch hidden
Full instrumentation, oil pressure, oil temperature, volt meter, tachometer and speedometer
All new door, windshield, trunk, deck lid rubber seals,
All new body molding, door moldings, body plugs etc
Interior:
High back VW seats
New upholstery and foam
New rear seat upholstery and foam
New 3 point shoulder harness seat belts installed for front and rear seating
Custom made Oak duckboards/floor boards
Color matched roll bar padding
Quick disconnect steering wheel
JVC radio/head unit, Kikker front and rear speakers mounted in custom fiberglass speaker enclosures
Approximately 4000 miles on restoration since driving summer/fall of 2010
Recent Upgrades and Maintenance:
Brand New Toyo Open Country P215/75R15 - Dec 2018
Brand New shocks KYB KR2 - Feb 2019
Brand New torsion housing bushings - Feb 2019
Brand new front sway bar bushings - Feb 2019
4 Wheel alignment - Feb 2019
Carb tune-up late - Dec 2018
Oil change late - Nov 2018
New LED headlight conversion - Feb 2019
