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Got a Free 81 Rabbit D, Think I want a Refund!!

35K views 302 replies 25 participants last post by  vwpieces 
#1 · (Edited)
Might as well make a thread on this car.
Build in Progress.

Quick story of this car:
A real good friend had it for about a year. Did some work on it and quit. Had to have it moved from where it was kept during that time. He knew I was looking for something to replace the 83 TD and said I could have it. Told him Nothing is Free... I did some work on a couple of his other cars, 73 Bus panel van and his 67 Beetle. Didn't charge him for the work, figured that would get him motivated to get the Rabbit to me. It worked, Rabbit was at my house in a week.

Been joking with my buddy as I find issues with the car. I keep telling him I want a refund. He laughs and says I cant afford to pay the repair bill.

The last PA inspection on this car is 1994. I had it running the day it arrived. Was missing a lot of parts but between my buddy being a VW nut too and my Hoard I really haven't had to buy much. And I think I'm under $290 in parts. Kinda funny, another friend in NH who is also a MK1 guy just got a CIS Rabbit too. Seeing who is spending the least on them is fun. I do have him beat simply from the free car standpoint. I also just posted the engine and trans FS. If I sell it I just might be on the Plus side.

Had to buy list so far from RA
rear muffler $57 Ansa
hatch strut $12 and it was a Stabilis
New heater core $28

Another order from Potterman, parts4vws.com
Needed 2 front hubs and a 16V Rocco P-brake cable. $57 total

And a consumables restock of 3/16 Nickel Copper brake line 50ft. $53

TSC for GREEN Paint $15

Yet another Parts Order 7/30, from AutohausAZ for $68
Needed the Lower coolant hose from front water neck to pump & oil warmer. The "Y" one. That is the only hose out of All the hoses I didn't have in the Hoard. Of course there were a few more things to ad to the order "while I was there"
Front Y hose $14
MK2 coolant Pipe $25
48.5mm exhaust clamp $3.50 But was refunded as out of stock and one arrived anyway.
Some washers for the AC sensor, to fill the hole, prolly wont use, but I was out of stock $0.21ea 3X
Blue expansion tank cap. Febi China. Yeah I might reuse the Old. $2.60
And the gasket for the turbo to down pipe. $3.50







 
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4
#301 · (Edited)
Radio repairs... Again.

Radio stopped working, jiggling power connector seemed to bring it back. It had the wrong connector so I swapped it out from the black to the white and new terminals.
Circuit component Wood Electronic component Hardware programmer Passive circuit component
Motor vehicle Bumper Automotive exterior Gas Automotive tire
Automotive tire Bumper Automotive exterior Font Auto part


Connector didn't cure it. Took over to the bench and started messing with it. Found the lower cover seemed to cause an issue as it worked when cover was off. Thought it was pinching a wire or something after I did the NOS Vol SW install couple years back. Nope... Got it to turn off by pushing power board and flexing chassis a bit. Then I found this solder connection from power board to chassis. Cranked up the heat on the Iron and re-melted it back.
Woo-Hoo, works again and I can't get it to randomly turn off.
Actually sounds much better too.
Circuit component Hardware programmer Gadget Computer hardware Technology
Passive circuit component Circuit component Hardware programmer Electronic instrument Microcontroller
Automotive tire Bumper Gas Automotive exterior Automotive wheel system
 

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#4 · (Edited)
Solid... Kinda. By no means Great. But still much better than the 83 TD Jetta after 15 years of winter duty.
Supposed to be taking all the parts off the TD and swapping them onto this Rabbit. But I keep pulling parts out of the Hoard and haven't had to take anything off it yet. Oh, I am using the TD's battery. And it will be getting the engine ant trans... Soon.

Had this car about one month and a lot has happened in that time. Shop got some Goodies and the rabbit has been, well, worked on. I'll get some pics of the Rabbit progress uploaded soon.
Also had to get another phone in the past month, still dealing with moving SHTUFF from old.

Current pic of the 83 TD Jetta
 
#5 · (Edited)
Since I got the car, I bought a 2 post lift. Shop didn't have 220V so I installed a new 100A sub panel.

Only had some help getting the lift from shipping terminal. Did all the rest myself. Panel is now completely tied in and had to re-do some things to separate some receps, move lights etc. Lift install wasn't bad at all. So far no leaks for the Cheepest Chinese lift. I did change out the O-rings on all the fittings with Viton before even tightening them together. Ceiling in my shop is only 10ft. Baseplate style is my only option. I can easily get under most small cars & it sure beats crawling roun under cars on concrete. Even with it lower and using a rolly chair. Getting too Old for this Stuff.





 
#7 ·
Everyone should have a lift. When I built my shop, 16ft ceilings and an extra tall rack certainly would prevent me from damaging clients cars. Mercedes hoods can go straight up and they need that extra height.

You just need a good compressor and dehydrator for that set up.
 
#8 ·
Hanger is listed as OEM but brand is CRP. Wont have it inhand till the end of the week.
https://parts4vws.com/products/1074920044?_pos=1&_sid=398dde76d&_ss=r

My larger compressor is still in the garage under house due to the previous lack of 220V. The skatblast cabinet in there too. Only have a smaller V-twin 3hp 120V hiding behind the Vidmar box, under the stairs. I kinda cobbled that one together from a couple cheep or freebies. Thing is awesome for what it is. Super quiet and has great cfm for a smaller unit. And I put it on a separate recepticle with a switch at the door to just turn it off as I leave. I did some plumbing for shop air and keep that red storage tank hooked up for more capacity. Hardly use air anymore in shop cept for occasional small cut offs or rol-loc discs, die grinders. Mostly just blow gun use. Milwaukee changed that...
I did make a space for the big compressor and wired it but just haven't the need for it to motivate me to bring it over. Even when I do bring it into he shop I'll still primarily use the small unit. It can run all night and no one cares its so quiet. I have also dialed in the two units so that the small one will run first with 135 PSI cut off and Larger one at 125 PSi to kick in as secondary. Plans... but just didn't get there yet.
 
#9 ·
That’s the Mercedes style hanger. I spoke with Collin at TT about it and he mentioned it’s larger. Let us know if it works... I can’t see it not working and I need 1 more.


Hardly use air anymore in shop cept for occasional small cut offs or rol-loc discs, die grinders. Mostly just blow gun use. Milwaukee changed that....

Funny you say that... I’m kinda the same way, other than the occasional HVLP need. I got into the M12 and M18 line and it’s been a game changer.

-Todd
 
#10 · (Edited)
All this grinding and wire wheeling sealer off is working on my OCD for keeping shop clean.


This car was hit in RF pretty hard. bee clipped in front of strut tower on RF and about 1 foot back on LF. Been cleaning up the mess of old repairs. Patching a few things.
Don't need this Mount anyway




the side that matters


Found a new sender seal in the Hoard. Gotta close up the tank from more dirt.
Nice to have Special tools when you remember you have them and can find them. Might as well breakout the Nice German ratchet too for this Special Tool Occasion.


 
#11 · (Edited)
I'm no fabricator nor welder. But I did impress my self with this repair and fitment. LR frame from beam mount to back, under the trunk.










That is 16ga sheet too. Buddy gave me this Old B&D sheer tool. It didn't work... I went through it, brushes, repacked bearings, sharpened the anvils and adjusted it. Been through HeII but runs like a sewing machine now. Cuts that 16ga like butter and does circles with ease.





 
#13 ·
Thanks for sharing this build. I'm in for fixing rather than buying as a theme. đź‘Ťđź‘Ť
 
#14 ·
That's like the rabbit I used to have! You mentioned it had a 1.5? Didn't that body style have the 1.6? Mine had a 1.5 too, but that was because someone swapped a used one in. When I got it, that engine was bad due to a piston pin clip being missing, which allowed the pin to make a nice groove in the cylinder... I got another 1.5 from a local guy and swapped it in. Drove it until the rings went, then built a 1.5/1.6 hybrid, using 1.6 block and head, but 1.5 rotating assembly and pistons. But, I made a mistake and cheaped out and didn't replace the bearings, since they looked good still... I spun a rod bearing two weeks after the rebuild, and ended up selling the car for $800 not running...

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk
 
#16 · (Edited)
#19 ·
When I built my shop, I used fiber reinforced concrete and dug down so the rack mounts had at least 6" of thickness. Probably more like 8". The rest of the floor is around 4". I'm no engineer, but if you are pouring a floor, it's best to do it right and a bit overkill. I thought about metal reinforcing, but I passed on that idea. Too expensive and not enough time to get it done before the cement guys came and poured.

Although my Rotary lift is overkill for what I do, I certainly do not want to have issues with a $500,000 car falling off or the rack failing. As cheap as some racks are, they are affordable for amateur/DIY'er as long as the wife is happy with it. It's more important than a compressor in my book.
 
#22 ·
Title changed, thanks Matt.

Running out of welding wire (0.030) and wanted to try some 0.024ish smaller. None in stock around here. Got the 2# of 0.030 at HFT. Coupon of course $7.

And I know I had one of those spot blasters with rubber sealing tip and bag to reclaim media. Have not seen it in the past 2 years since I moved and cant find it... So got another from TSC for $13. Wasn't worth the time spent looking for that $. Need it to get into the rusty pits and crap weld I need to repair from the previous front clip repair.
 
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