A Volkswagen known in the US as the 'Thing' emerges after 50 years in storage

A Volkswagen known in the US as the ‘Thing’ has emerged after 50 years in storage.

It wouldn’t feel right to say that this Volkswagen Type 181 had been sitting pretty for the past five decades, but it’s been sitting for a long while.

The ‘Thing’ featured in a recent video by WD Detailing, where the team took it upon themselves to revive the convertible.

And to be fair, it’d held up remarkably well – so no need for Clobber Time.

EXPLORE SBX CARS – Supercar auctions starting soon powered by Supercar Blondie

Taking a closer look at the Volkswagen known as the ‘Thing’

The Type 181 came out back in 1969, originally intended for use in the West German Army.

It soon made its way into the civilian market around the world.

During its short-lived US production run, between 1973 and 1974, it was known as the ‘Thing’.

Why was it called the ‘Thing’?

Well…if you take a look at it, you’ll see it’s remarkably not showy.

There isn’t much star quality about it, it’s just a sturdy, reliable, blocky…thing.

But the economic situation of the time would prove to be its undoing in the US.

You see, back in 1973 and 1974, the US was struggling with oil shortages due to the Oil Embargo.

This left manufacturers to prioritize designing vehicles that were ‘sleek, aerodynamic, and therefore, fuel-efficient’.

The Thing was none of the above, as noted by the Petersen Museum.

The Museum also noted what a stark contrast the Thing drew, in an era of shag carpets and bright colors.

Not that the Thing was totally devoid of color – buyers could get it in Pumpkin Orange, Sunshine Yellow, or Blizzard White.

The car featured on WD Detailing doesn’t fit into any of these categories, so it’s anyone’s guess what happened there.

At any rate, it had 6,800 miles on the clock and had held up remarkably well.

Sure, it was dusty and needed a wash – but wouldn’t you if you’d sat in a barn for 50 years?

Beneath years of grime was the original paintwork.

The WD Detailing team cleaned up the interior, too, and got the engine restored to working order.

WD Detailing has taken on a lot of interesting projects in its time

The WD Detailing team has seen a lot of interesting cars over the years.

The common thread tying them together tends to be that they’ve been hidden away for a considerable amount of time.

One Ford F-250 Ranger had been away for 20 years, while a C4 Corvette sat unused for 30.

But those have nothing on this 1971 Dodge Challenger, which had spent 40 years off the road.

To see WD Detailing looking at the ‘Thing’, head over to their YouTube channel.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie