The
Amazing Volkswagen THING
I've owned
probably 50 cars in my lifetime, super fast sports cars, family cars,
you name it. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING gave me as much
pleasure as my 1974 VW THING. I used to drive from WV to Florida
every year, and the trip was brutal. But when I got the THING, I
drove it 4 times to Florida and it was THE most comfortable car I had
ever taken a long trip in. I never had the front doors on the
car, so I drove it the entire distance with them off, and the way
the air hit you was almost nothing. Now, one of the things that
made the trip comfortable was the seats. You see, the seats had been
changed out to nice comfortable buckets, and that made all the
difference.
I made the second biggest mistake in my life when I sold the car around
1986. To this day I kick myself for doing that. It actually
depresses me every time I think about it. You see, this was a special
one owner car with 3000 miles when I bought it. Factory new was the
shape, and everything about the THING was perfect. I've never
tried to replace it, because at this late date, there's no way I could.
I could never find another one like my THING.
|
![VW Thing](Thing1.jpg)
About half the cars in this lineup once belonged to a friend of mine.
![VW THING](Thing3.jpg)
The car I should have never gotten rid of.
![WV THING](Thing2.jpg)
When America stopped building
convertibles, city officials were desperate, so they had me carry Sen
Robert C Byrd in the parade that year.
![WV THING](Thing4.jpg)
My car before I had it painted.
A VERY rare top that my friend Danny
Davidson sold to me.
By this time, I had repainted the car
a more creamy white and added new stripes.
![WV THING](Thing5.jpg)
One of my many trips to Florida in the THING. Best car
for long distance that I ever had.
![WV THING](Thing6.jpg)
![VW THING](Thing8.jpg)
Loved that car.
![VW THING](Thing9.jpg)
Here's how it all started, when I
passed this mans house and saw his THINGS. I found mine just
weeks later.
That's
Danny Davidson on the right and we became best of friends and he helped
me rebuild my engine when I needed it.
![VW THING](Thing9b.jpg)
Here's one of his cars on a trip deep
into coal country.
![VW THING](Thing9c.jpg)
Danny and his wife on one of their
many trips deep into WV
When you're young, you do a lot of stupid things
that you later regret, and selling my beloved THING was the second
dumbest thing I ever did in my life. A man bought my car for his
son to drive to college. Within weeks the boy totaled it.
So that's the end of my car and my story. I'm depressed just
writing this, so I'll quit now. But for you who have THINGS and
love them as much as I did, never sell your car, or you'll regret it
years from now.
|
Main Index