An Hormiga (ant) is a stake truck made by vw. They made 6 of them in 1976, about 2400 in 1977, and 1194 in 1978. This numbers are not exact since I should check my records to be exact; but the total was 3600 vehicles including some that were produced after july 31th 1978 that should be taken as 79s but were tag as 78s. At least I know of three that were built as motor homes by the vw plant, and some others had close boxes where the flat bed used to be. Only two were fitted with diesel engines from Rabbits
These vehicles should not be confussed with the Safari pick up.
Now, the Thing pick up trucks were sold with the invoice saying: Ranchera; Pick Up; Camioneta; Camion; Redilas; etc. all those names refer to these Things as Stakes; Light Truck; Pick Up truck, etc. They were produce between 76 and 77 and the majority of them in 76 for the power company including a utility box. The power company´s corporate color is still white and so most of these cars. Mine was white but repainted yellow. It is odd that it was privatelly owned since new when it was bought in Iguala Guerrero a small town close to Acapulco. Pick ups are easely recognized when kept stock by the ugly flat sheet metal cab that doesn´t look original enclosing the two front seats; and the presence of stakes all around the rear of the upper body including the top of the doors. These stakes alow the regular operation of both rear doors. It is possible to recognize them also by noticing the lack of devices meant for holding the convertible top in place nor the strap holders. They do not carry rear seats nor the bar that holds the rear seat springs in place. All trucks I have seem have the little flat "European" rear lights as well as small turning lights in the front just like the early Mexican Safaris up to 1973. In some cases the newer front fenders were installed using earlier turning signals. Most vehicles had limited slip differentials using cv joints and the stock 1600 cc engine. Wheels were the same Safari wheels with BF Goodright 185 75 14 . Contrary to all other Safaris of 76 and 77 they didn´t have the possibility of a globe box lid since the dash metal belonge to a pre-74 Safari or pre-Thing in the USA including the 73 Thing small panic bar for the dash.
Safari pick ups are hard to find because they only made 600 and mostly delivered to the goverment owned power company only to be abussed by staff and sold as scrap after several years. Out of the remaining lets say 100 some new owners turned them into soft top Safaris by adding all sorts of devices to clamp or attach a top. I have seem two cut to be shortened as a micro Safari (two door car). On top of that now a days nobody remembers those cars and every time they are adquired by someone else the little metal cab is discarted as non original items not knowing it is original.
I found mine when it was going to be turned into a race car by a young guy; for the good of type 181s history I will get it back to original.