It's a street Thing

When unveiled in 1969, Volkswagen owners were surprised to discover a new model in the line up with a shape that bore no resemblance whatsoever to the beloved Beetle. The square lines were somewhat reminiscent of the wartime Kübelwagen, but it was marketed as a fun car. It would adopt different names depending on locality, with Europeans generally sticking to VW’s rather austere Type 181 (left-hand drive) and 182 (right-hand drive) nomenclature. German enthusiasts called it the Kübel, for obvious reasons, while Brits preferred Trekker. In the United States, after an open competition to come up with a suitable name, settled on Thing.

The 1974 car you see here, therefore, is a Thing as it belongs to Southern California resident, John Meade, who chose a rather unusual treatment when