1973 Volkswagen Thing

1600 Dual Port

Manual

Clear

1973 Original Paint Pumpkin Orange Volkswagen Thing Here is an eye catching, solid, and dependable 1973 VW Thing. It has been driven daily for the last few years without as much as a hiccup! This VW is a beautiful example of a hard to find classic that was only imported into the US for 2 years (1973-74). This is not a car for someone who wants to blend in with everyone else- people will ask you about it every time you get behind the wheel! A true survivor, this car will bring endless amounts of fun and conversation. I purchased this car in 2007 with 52k miles on the odometer and though I have actual documentation, I believe that was the original mileage- the car is that clean. There's a lot that can be hidden in a restored car even if it's a "concourse ' restoration. An original unrestored car has nothing to hide and therefore is a much more valuable find. The body and paint look amazing for a car that has NEVER been repainted. As you would expect on a 39 year old daily driver there are some small imperfections like chips, some small rust spots and a wrinkled rear fender (the previous owner lost the rear tire flat towing it home) All of the doors, fenders, the hood and decklid are original to the car and have never been replaced and why should they, this car has never been wrecked! All door locks and ignition work properly with one key. Side curtains are in good condition without tears and are still soft and pliable. The optional factory VW hardtop is in good condition with all of its original glass and newer rubber seals. The front windshield frame appears to be in great shape and still holds the original Sigla windshield that has never been removed but it does have chips and a crack as you'd expect from a car of this vintage. As I mentioned before the body components are original to the car as are the bumpers. The tires are in excellent condition and have a lot of tread left. I switched out the stock 14” rims and tires with the Sprintstar Rims you see pictured. If the winning bidder isinterested in the original rims we can discuss thatt auctions end as they are not included in this auction. The interior has all of its original paint showing and is just as nice as the outside of the vehicle. The original recovered low-back seats are in great condition with no holes or tears present. Rubber mats cover the pan which is in excellent condition front and rear (there has been a repair to the battery tray). Carpet covers the tunnel where you will find an original VW dealer optional accessory parcel tray as well as a optional chrome VW Sport shifter. As your eyes make their way up to the dash’s pristine paint you will notice that all switches and knobs are where they should be and are fully functional. You will also see that a rare optional VW Dealer Formula Vee Sport steering wheel has been installed as well as a cd player. The dash also features the optional power socket, ashtray, map light and an additional switch for the Hella H3 driving lights mounted up front to the Thing Shop HD brush bumper. Mechanically, everything is ready to go! I replaced the entire brake system (minus the hard line in the tunnel) including all wheel cylinders, soft lines, shoes as well as the master cylinder. CV joints have been disassembled, repacked with new grease and covered with new Heavy Duty boots. Clutch and accelerator cable and German cloth fuel lines are newer as well. All running and brake lights, wipers, signals, interior lights, dash lights function as they should. The head lights have been upgraded to H4 units with low beam only HID ballasts which make driving at night a breeze. The only non working electrical item is the fuel gauge The Eberspacher BN4 gas heater under the hood also works great! This Volkswagen Thing is turnkey and ready to drive. I have been doing just that the last 4 years! Engine is a 1600 Dual Port, air-cooled Volkswagen engine. The AH series case and components are all stock and correct for the year, with the exception of an upgraded Bosch Alternator and Petronix electronic ignition ( no more points!). Engine also features the original oil bath aircleaner, hard to find 1973 Thing only doghouse fan shroud, correct 1973 lower factory Thing skid plates. The engine also has the VW factory mufflers installed on it which adds additional ground clearance and allows the exhaust to exit through the bumper as it should. This engine also features the rare hand crank-start set-up which includes an original crank start pulley nut and original VW crank-start handle This is the kind of car a true automobile afficianado is looking for. Original paint, running and driving cars of this vintage are getting harder and harder to find and are more valuable than cars that have been restored as they can only be original once. I will be out of town beginning July 26 to August 2nd and cannot answer any questions at that time. .