TheSamba.com :: View topic - What's The Difference Between A 1974 and 75 Thing??

Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:54 pm

My husband is thinking about buying a Thing....Owner says it's a 1974 but his registration paper says "Year Model, 1975", "Year First Sold 1974"....so which is it?

Does anyone know what the differences are between the 74 and 75?

Thanks!

Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:58 pm

There should be no difference between a '74 and a '75. That " '75" is a '74 with first registration in '75. Only 2 model year in the U.S : 1973 and 1974. Now if it comes from Mexico or Europe, that's a different story, it could be a '75...Only VIN number will tell. It should start by 184 xxx xxxx. Hope that helps.

Pierre

Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:09 pm

Pierre G wrote: it could be a '75...Only VIN number will tell. It should start by 184 xxx xxxx.
To clarify a bit, the third digit of the VIN indicates the model year.
183 = '73
184 = '74
185 = '75

Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:20 pm

In general the Thing was a US marketing flop. Many dealers were "required" to take delivery of a set number to keep in good graces with Der VW folks. So in 1975 a good number of Thing still sat lonely lots as new. So , if you bought a "new" Thing in late 75 you ended up with a title or registration with 75. I have seen a good number of these and the VIN on all the "75s" started 184 I even have a Welsh friend that bought a new "Trekker" 182 (right hand drive) in the UK in 1975 with a VIN number starting 184 Many Acapulcos sat lonely on a dealer's lot into 76 because of factory demands that dealers take these "losers"

Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:04 pm

Would love to have a looser Acapulco right now :D

Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:43 pm

In the late 80's there was a fleet of Things at the Garden of the Gods Campground.

40 Things were sold as scrap. Long story short... 40 x 3000 = $120,000

2008 reality: Buy a $19.99 Purex toaster and get a FDIC bank free...

Whatever