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Wrap Your Arms Around This Rare Beach Thing As It Hits the Auction Block

If you have spent any time in Mexico since the early 70s, especially in the coastal towns on the Baja such as Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan, this VW style will certainly be recognizable.
VW Thing 8 photos
Photo: Barrett-Jackson
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Known as the Safari in Mexico, most Americans know this model as a Thing, and while you did not come across many in the states, going south of the border, they were omnipresent. Just as they paint donkeys to look like zebras, the colorful Mexican people would adorn their Safari taxis in wild graffiti-like art and many are still in service to this day.

This fully restored 1974 gem up for auction was part of a 3-month production run and is a Safari model originally built for the luxurious Las Brisas Hotel. The exterior finish is a base Cream with Aqua Blue accents with a color-matching interior. The Safari/Thing models were not known for their bells and whistles. In fact, they were rather bland in style, but fit the beach scene very well. They were marketed as a turn-key dune buggy with removable doors and top for that wind-in-your-hair driving experience.

Taking a page from the Jeeps back in the day, the windshield folds down onto the hood, mimicking an ultimate convertible. This particular car up for auction at Barrett-Jackson Houston, features side steps, surrey top, whitewall tires, striped interior and exterior features that combine to make it a true Acapulco buggy. This model is powered by a 1,600 cc engine with a 4-speed manual transmission and shows all the factory decals in their proper location.

The Safari/Thing known as Type 181 was somewhat of a mutt in the automaker's lineup sharing the basic mechanicals as the Type 1 Beetle, its floor pan with the Type 1 Karmann Ghia, and its overall concept with the German military vehicle, the Kubelwagen. It was offered in several countries from 1968 to 1983, but it was only available in the States in 1973 and 1974, due to it not meeting safety standards.

This cool little beach buggy will hit the auction block in Houston this evening October 21, under Lot#334 and is being sold as No Reserve.
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