$108,000 1974 VW Thing Restomod Has Nardo Grey Paint, 202 HP Turbo Stroker

The Thing began life in the 1960s as a military vehicle for West Germany, where it was known as the Type 181. This was after the war, and the economy wasn’t doing too great, so Volkswagen couldn’t develop something advanced, and it was only supposed to be a stop-gap while the “Europa Jeep” was being developed.

But Volkswagen wanted to sell the Thing as a commercial vehicle right from the beginning. Customers in Mexico wanted something which could handle dirt roads better than a Beetle, which was very popular at the time, and America was falling in love with VW Buggy conversions.

The Thing is made with parts that were readily available. The floor pan is from the Karmann Ghia, which is a little bit wider than the Bug. The mechanicals, rear-engined platform, flat-4 and manual gearbox are derived from the Type 1 Beetle

The car was made locally in Mexico (20,364 produced), where it was called the Safari. But VW couldn’t call it the Safari because Pontiac owned the name, so it was dubbed the Thing.

By today’s standards, the 1974 Volkswagen Thing can be described as slow, strange-looking, outdated, and poorly equipped. It has four simple doors which are interchangeable, rubber floor mats, and a basic metal interior. It also doesn’t have any safety features, which is why it was dropped from the American market after 1975.

The VW Thing is also a very popular collector car. People like the way it looks, and because many parts are interchangeable with the Beetle, it’s easy to work on. However, we’ve never seen a project that’s this expensive, essentially a full VW Thing restomod.

Probably the most expensive VW Thing in the world

The body was removed and stripped down to the metal. It’s been slightly modified with rear fenders that are 2 inches wider, making room for 17-inch Falcon classic wheels and fat tires. The paint chosen is Audi’s famous Nardo Gray, known from performance vehicles such as the RS7.

Like a modern car, the VW Thing restomod also featured blacked-out trim, including the bumpers, door handles, and mirrors. LED headlights and taillights, smoked lenses and custom fog lights all upgrade this otherwise rudimentary-looking car.

The interior also features massive improvements. The new seats are done with memory foam, have heating functions and red diamond-stitched upholstery. The Thing restomod has everything you’d expect from a modern car, including USB ports, navigation, cup holders, carpeted floor, and a billet e-brake.

But the engine compartment has maybe the best restomod goodies. The original engine was a VW 1,585cc making 46 hp. It’s been swapped out for a turbocharged 2,276 cc stroker that makes 202 horsepower. From what we understand, this is like a turn-key crate motor for old VWs and it features some pretty nice parts, like a magnesium stroker block and forged pistons.

The engine might be one of the main reasons why Volo Auto is selling this 1974 VW Thing restomod for $108,000. Of course, the brakes and suspension have also been upgraded to handle four times the original power. If it sells, this will be the most expensive Thing we’ve ever seen, as the record currently sits at $62,500.

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