1974 Volkswagen Thing

If there was ever a machine that defined stripped-down, go-anywhere attitude, it is the Volkswagen Thing. Born from military roots as the Type 181 and brought stateside for just a brief window in the early 1970s, these rigs have become cult icons. Their boxy stance, removable panels, and no-nonsense engineering make them one of the most recognizable air-cooled Volkswagens ever built, and far rarer today than their Beetle cousins. This 1974 example cranks that personality up a few notches thanks to its Riviera Motors conversion, a period upgrade package that transformed these already capable machines into true off-road toys.