Fun Factor - 1973 Type 181

If you’re looking for a VW that’ll make you smile every time you get in it, then look no further than a Type 181 

42-year-old Simon Geraghty from Barnsley got into VWs at the height of the boom in the late ’80s He started with a ’72 Bay Window and had many years of VW-based fun in that, but in 2005 he located the similar vintage Type 181 you see here. 

The history of this particular Type 181 isn’t fully known but, while sand-blasting it in preparation for its metalwork restoration, Simon tells us they discovered some Red Cross logos on the doors and bonnet, suggesting it probably wasn’t a civilian version and may have been a mercy wagon in a former life. Either way, the elements had shown little mercy to the old bucket and it was in serious need of some love. While there are specialists out there that can supply parts for these vehicles, they’re few and far between, so taking on the restoration of one can be trying at best. In fact this is the area of the project that Simon tells us caused him the most trouble, though he did manage to locate a decent set of wings and a replacement rear corner. New inner and outer sills weren’t quite so easy to find, one coming from Germany, the other from a guy in Poland that had some 181 parts made. The windscreen frame had also suffered badly and needed to be reconstructed at both the top and bottom, as well as receiving a new custom-made green tint ’screen. Even the centre section of both bumpers are now new steel, with original end sections welded on.

While Simon and his mate Julian had the welder out and were doing all this bodywork, a consignment of trim, roof and hood parts, along with a Thing-only exhaust system, were winging their way over from The Thing Shop in Chandler, Arizona (see www.thethingshop.com). If you’re working on one of these cars and haven’t already, it’s worth checking out these guys as their website is a mine of information and difficult-to-find parts, while their knowledge of Things is second to none. 

With the metal repairs done, Simon enlisted the help of his mate Steve at nearby Spraymeks to assist him in laying on the fresh top coats of VW Velvet Green (and later to rewire the car, too).

Fortunately, the rest of the restoration proved to be somewhat more straightforward, especially as Simon chose to ditch some of the 181-only front suspension parts in favour of the infinitely more common Beetle versions. With a pair of Beetle stub axles attached to the original (though now fitted with adjusters) front beam in place of the raised 181 versions, brakes and balljoints could also be swapped for standard Beetle items and the 181 brought a whole lot nearer terra firma. When we asked Simon for specifics on how much his ride was lowered by, he simply replied “not enough.” It looks well to us though, especially when combined with a two-spline drop at the rear and a set of 50 series low-profile boots all round.

The engine, gearbox and all the rest of the mechanical parts were left bone stock, just freshened up and replaced where necessary, so Simon now has a reliable and useable ride with looks that kill. 

As anyone who has been in one will know when it comes to interiors they’re not exactly plush. In fact, they’re not exactly trimmed at all. There are wooden duckboards on the floor, no door panels, removable side screens and just a thin smear of vinyl over some insignificant padding protecting your backside from the springs that comprise the seat base. While this makes comfort a thing of the past, it makes re-trimming a thing of great cheapness especially when, like Simon, you opt to simply replace the front seats with a pair of buckets – well what else would you put in a bucket car? As well as marginally improving the comfort, they help emphasise the lowness of the car by putting Simon in a low-slung driving position that makes him look like he’s nicked his dad’s car for the weekend. The dashboard has been sported up with a Les Leston woodrim steering wheel with a custom-made bullet horn cover, which was specially made for him by his mate Woody – presumably though not the one from Toy Story.