TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu May 18, 2006 4:17 am

I'm thinking about getting a Thing. I'm wondering if there are years that are best to buy? A year to avoid?

Thu May 18, 2006 4:43 am

There were only two years that Things were imported to the states (73 an 74), by VW so it would not be much difference if you buy one of these. One of the biggest differences between a 73 and 74 would be the heating system. The 73's used a gas heater located in the hood compartment, with a heating duct setup that ran within a center console setup. The 74's used heater boxes in the exhaust, with fresh air ducts in the dog house fan box that were used for blowing the warmed air from the heater box exhaust into the passenger compartment. I believe some 74's had an EGR exhaust assembly, and these parts could be hard to find. Most owners have replaced this exhaust setup with a non EGR setup over the 30 plus years.

Now if you buy one of the 181's (they were not called "Things" prior to the 73-74's) from Europe, then the differences change, but only primarily in the engine size, and in the military options that were installed. VW started production of the 181's for 1969 delivery to military operations in Europe (German, Swiss, Italian, ond other European militarys). Some had radio equipment, blackout lights, parade lights/sirens, and so forth. Those 181's were produced up through 1972, and since sales declined with the military orders, VW marketing sold them as "Things" in the U.S. during 73-74. Sales were disappointing, and sales discontinued in the states.
Military versions would be easily identified by their taillights. They used the flat, VW Bus style tail light lenses with a red/yellow setup (Turn signal, parking light, and brake light). During the 69 to 72 years, the 181's had different engine sizes (1500 to 1600 dual port), and some were equipped with reduction gears (on the back axle, mounted inward by each brake backing plate). These reduction boxes allowed the 181 to be able to crawl up inclines, and drive through soft sand and loose gravel. The original design for the 181 was to have 4 wheel drive, but this never went to production due to cost. VW had already provided a cost proposal the the German military, and the additional cost for the 4x4 setup would not get paid by the military. If you find one of these prototypes, post it on EBAY, and you'll be a rich man! I met an engineer for VW who said "a few" were made and tested in 1968 in Australia. What ever happened to them, no one seems to know.

Kubalman offers a CD that has some great info about the Things, along with some links to sites that offer some additional history on the 181's (Things). He will chime in and offer this to you if interested.

Hope some of this helps. There are some other minor changes to the 73-74 models that others who own them will share.

If you are still interested in buying one, attend a VW show or a Friday night car cruise and talk with some Thing owners. They are great cars. In my opinion, one of the best along side a clean Westy camper.

Thu May 18, 2006 8:42 am

74 is the best year hands down! lol

Thu May 18, 2006 9:52 am

Nice write-up, Bucko.

Thu May 18, 2006 10:37 am

I have a '73, but prefer the look of the muffs on the '74 - it's purely subjective - I just think they make the car look a little more bad-ass.

I think the heater in the '73 is a little more versatile. You can run it independent of the engine, set it on a timer, etc. Still, it's a little freaky sitting in the driver's seat with both a fuel tank and a fuel-burning device inches apart and right in front of you. It also takes up a little space under the hood, which is not the case in a '74. I don't live in a cold climate, so I really don't know which heating system is better in cold weather. Anyone in snow country care to opine on this? Depending on where you are in Oregon, this may not make much of a difference either.

Bucko's got you covered on the exhaust systems. The '73 uses a divided header/dual muffler setup - right side is completely independent of the left side. Stock replacement cost is about $350. The '74 channels both headers into a single muffler with dual pipes. Replacement cost on that is about $300, but right and left heat exchangers will run you about an additional $100 each. There are probably more aftermarket replacements for the '74 system than for the '73 (anyone care to weigh in on this?).

Some early 1973 models (up to March 1973) used bus-style reduction gears. You don't really see these that often. Gear ratios in 2nd and 4th are also slightly different between some '73s and the '74.

You're most likely to find either a '73 or a '74 here in the States. Either year is good - i.e., no reason that I can think of to avoid one over the other.

Thu May 18, 2006 4:04 pm

Capt: What a great photo!!!! Incredible :D :D 8)

Thu May 18, 2006 4:45 pm

radioman wrote: Capt: What a great photo!!!! Incredible :D :D 8)

Agreed! Where did you get the photo and which country's army has those uniforms? The hats almost look French.
Mark

Thu May 18, 2006 5:39 pm

I actually found two different photos from different sources which I am sure must have been right and left halves of the same shot. So I spliced them together in Photoshop and voilà. Now it's my wallpaper (a 1600x1024 pixel version. :) )

There is a flag flying in the photo. It could be French or Italian.

Thu May 18, 2006 7:28 pm

I've seen the picture before with it identified as french police standing inspection.

Fri May 19, 2006 12:45 pm

Captain Spalding wrote: I actually found two different photos from different sources...

Captain, could you be more accurate about the sources ?

Regards
Pierre-J MACUA
www.181spirit.com

Fri May 19, 2006 2:14 pm

pjmacua,
What about the troops in the picture?
Are they French?

Fri May 19, 2006 4:19 pm

pjmacua wrote: Captain Spalding wrote: I actually found two different photos from different sources...

Captain, could you be more accurate about the sources ?

It took me a while, but I was able to re-trace my steps in finding them. They are both, in fact, from YOUR site. I guess I remembered them from being from two different sites because I had to splice them together to make the single image.

For those of you who haven't been to Pierre's site, you should pay a visit. It is a wealth of fun and information. Thank you Pierre, for your effort and enthusiasm.

To see the photos as I found them, follow the link above, click on the U.S. flag, then Photographs and Videos, then Strange Photographs and Curiosities.

HERE is another fun site with lots of photos.

Fri May 19, 2006 7:45 pm

thanks for the replies. Good info......but for some reason I now have a desire for a Panzer tank :shock:

Sat May 20, 2006 3:24 am

Captain Spalding wrote:

For those of you who haven't been to Pierre's site, you should pay a visit. It is a wealth of fun and information. Thank you Pierre, for your effort and enthusiasm.

Indeed!

Great site and as far as I know it, the most complete site about the 181. I love it. :D

Sat May 20, 2006 3:37 am

bucko wrote:
Military versions would be easily identified by their taillights. They used the flat, VW Bus style tail light lenses with a red/yellow setup (Turn signal, parking light, and brake light).

May i include al little addition? :oops:

In Europe, VW also built and sold a civil version of the military 181.
The bus style lenses were used on every Euro-thing: on military AND civil cars. It's visualy the same car (so with the bus lenses), the military version did have a few extra options and gear (interior and engine).

So if you see a 181 with small taillights, it could be a non-military version. :wink: I think the Euro-civil version is the most rare of all 181's :D

Every 181 built in mexico has the big lenses and is called the Thing. In europe, we use the name 181 or kubelwagen (the latter I don't like because i consider the vw82 as the owner of the name kubelwagen).

Sat May 20, 2006 11:57 am

Captain Spalding and PJ-181, thank you for your comments about my site.

ztnoo, you're right. These troops are french. They are members of a special part of the french army called "gendarmerie".
These pictures were taken in Germany.

Regards
Pierre-J MACUA
www.181spirit.com

Sat May 20, 2006 12:17 pm

pjmacua wrote: Captain Spalding and PJ-181, thank you for your comments about my site.

ztnoo, you're right. These troops are french. They are members of a special part of the french army called "gendarmerie".
These pictures were taken in Germany.

Regards
Pierre-J MACUA
www.181spirit.com

Why Germany?
Stationary French troops? (like Belgium had, till a few years ago)

Sat May 20, 2006 12:42 pm

Control of post-WWII Germany was divided among the four remaining superpowers: America, Great Britain, France, and the USSR. Perhaps these troops were stationed in what was at that time the French Sector.

Sat May 20, 2006 12:50 pm

wings_n_fins wrote: Control of post-WWII Germany was divided among the four remaining superpowers: America, Great Britain, France, and the USSR. Perhaps these troops were stationed in what was at that time the French Sector.

Possible...but that picture was taken 30-40 years after the ending of te war.

Sat May 20, 2006 2:41 pm

Which war? WWl or WWll? Must be the second....40 years would be in mid 80's? What?