Collectible autos: the Volkswagen 181

In German, the term Kübelwagen means "bucket seat car" and is used to describe a WWII-era German military vehicle which was evenutally updated into the Volkswagen Type 181. Now, the 181 was sold around the world under various names (it was called the Volkswagen Thing here in the US) but I think "bucket seat car" is just about the best name ever for this vehicle.

For all purposes, it's fair to consider the 181 to be a Volkswagen Beetle with the body ripped off a some sheetmetal tacked in its place. All of them have the same Jeep-CJ-style removable top and foldable roof, and most have the standard VW 1600cc air-cooled flat-four driving the rear end. Volkswagen made these little buggers from 1969–1980, although VW ceased US sales after 1974 due to increasing scrutiny of the 181's very poor crash results.

Collectability: Poor. The only thing going for the Thing is that it looks practical.

(+) It's "quirky." When I say that it's "quirky," I mean that it has a sortof unconventional cutesy charm. Nearly every cultural reference I can find to the Thing is as a girly car—sortof like a New Beetle or 1^st generation Miata. This is the sort of car that begs to have big goofy flowers painted all over it—and that has to count for something.

(+) It's mostly a Beetle. Parts and service are easy to find for a Thing because 90% of it is almost exactly the same as the most popular thing Germany was ever responsible for. That's not to say that all mechanical bits are interchangeable—because they aren't.

(-) It's not a Beetle. When it comes to classic cars, scarcity is generally a good thing. In this case, it isn't: not enough people have fond memories of the Thing, and that will make it difficult to sell. I suspect that twenty years from now, Beetles in good shape will sell for more than Things in good shape.

(-) It's not actually all that useful. Yes, the 181 looks utilitarian in the same way that a old Land Cruiser does, but it's got car suspension and is rear-wheel-drive. Oddly, the Beetle is probably a more capable rough-road vehicle, just because it's stiffer and smaller.

(-) It's a tin can. This is one of the few cars that I'd be very wary of actually driving. Both this and the Beetle convertible rely heavily on the floor pan to keep the car together—and that's scary.

Expect to pay: $4,000 for a Thing in good running shape.

What to look for:

• Buy a 181 with a shot engine over a 181 with a shot transmission. The transmissions are much more Thing-specific than the engines.
  
• Rusted or dented floorpans should be avoided. The floorpan on the 181 is the backbone of the car—make sure it's in good shape. The rest of the body is much easier to fix.
  
• Be sure to drive it at high speed. These cars generally drive fantastically up until around 45mph, when they start to feel very uncertain. If you're shopping for a 181 (or any vintage VW), be sure that it's solid at highway speeds.