Are these really $15K?

Daily scanning of the local CL yielded this Thing. It appears to be in nice condition, but $15k???

http://gainesville.craigslist.org/cto/2779902273.html

3" super Bug -up lift. Professorially installed Poison Spyder full roll cage.. Porsche 2.0 914 Engine with 1979 VW Bus Trans axle...no rust...nice aluminum wheels with off/on road tires.. call or text for more information

Cheapest one I have found around here is about 4500.

But driving back home from the rec area in Pound, VA, down some winding two lane road on top of a mountain, some fool has like 4 of them in his yard. All of them ready to hop in and drive away....

I can't have a Pinto if the wife can't have a Thing....

I look at them fairly regularly on ebay, call it a soft spot, and I seem them ranging from 2-3k for a borderline basket case and 15k on up for a really nice custom or restore job. I don't think i am ever going to be able to afford another one in this lifetime.

I paid closer to the "basket case" end of the scale for this one last year. Its a nice driver but not perfect. But it's valued around 6-8k and 10-15k is the norm for the better ones out there.

They were only available in the US for 2 years and they are prolific at rotting back into the earth so they have reached a bit of rarity.

Is it really that hard to weld up a replica body out of sheet steel and stick it on a bug pan?

17" Mustang GT wheels?

Javelin wrote: Is it really that hard to weld up a replica body out of sheet steel and stick it on a bug pan?

Theoretically no, but like any replica, it wouldnt be the same. There are differences besides just the body, a 181 body wouldnt fit on a bug chassis, it shares the chassis with the Ghia. The front axle is beefed up and other odds and ends but you could make a replica on a bug.

fastEddie wrote: 17" Mustang GT wheels?

The POs doing, haven't switched them out yet because I can decide between going stock (would need to get the wheels) or using Fuchs (have a set) or going with something else entirely. Other projects have kept me from doing much more than driving this one.

Wow. I had no idea they were that much!!

They used to be cheapity cheap-cheap.

I should have bought one then.

Brett_Murphy wrote: They used to be cheapity cheap-cheap. I should have bought one then.

I remember an older German trim carpenter had one and couldn't wait to get a real truck with a heater for the Chicago winters. He would roll over in his grave if he knew.

"Rich the trimmer".

I don't even remember them being cheap in the mid 80's. My dad was an aircooled nut. I grew up with bugs, busses and ghias all over. Hundreds of the things and when I mentioned wanting one in 87 or so he went off on how overpriced they were.

In the mid to late 90's I had a conversation with a pension actuary guy who told me he was going to sell his 911sc and buy a few things as investments because he was positive they would go through the roof in value.

I kinda hope he did. He really nailed it.

Weren't they called Trekkers in other parts of the world? I like that name better

ditchdigger wrote: I don't even remember them being cheap in the mid 80's. My dad was an aircooled nut. I grew up with bugs, busses and ghias all over. Hundreds of the things and when I mentioned wanting one in 87 or so he went off on how overpriced they were. Weren't they called Trekkers in other parts of the world? I like that name better

They've always been higher on the scale than most other aircooleds but it's been relative. When I was snapping up driver quality bugs for $500 the driver quality 181s were $2000.

In other parts of the world they are the Trekker, the Safari, the Kurierwagen and just plain Type 181. I prefer any of those names to "The Thing"

I remember a magenta one that had been made into a two door and slammed on Fuchs that was in the magazines around 85 or earlier. Loved that thing and I really wanted one to give a similar treatment to...although a different color.

Aww crap. It turns out I still want one.

I looked into those a couple years ago. then looked away after seeing the prices. Ghias are getting up there too but not quite as bad. I'd love to have an oddball aircooled dub, but it looks like it will be a bug at those prices

ditchdigger wrote: Weren't they called Trekkers in other parts of the world?

They were called Kübelwagen in other parts of history!

dyintorace:

I saw that one too, and figured it must be a case of a REALLY expensive paintjob.

If you are in North/Central Florida, these can be found every once and awhile for between $4K and $12k. The one pictured is the most expensive Thing I've seen in awhile. A shop in Jacksonville that specializes in VWs (both air and water cooled) had a "decent" thing about 6 months ago for under $10K. Look them up every now and then at www.hilltopmotor.com.

In reply to Duke:

But it came in a 4x4 and an amphibious version when it was the Kübelwagen

Brett_Murphy wrote: In reply to Duke: But it came in a 4x4 and an amphibious version when it was the Kübelwagen

The 181 and the Kubelwagen have little in common other than a vague resemblance.

And if you think 181 prices are insane, go find a Kubel or better yet a Schwimmwagen.