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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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#139 ·
Saving this for future reference for 1.6 TD retrofit plans. Those homemade brake lines are looking as clean and classy as the rest of it. Gonna be a shame to get it dirty, but so fun.
 
#138 ·
TD Jetta lasted about 16 years... but my welding and patching skills have improved. Might want to check back in about 25 years for the part out.

Less sleep brings more free time. Been balls to the walls since paint cured. I want it running and off the lift. Also told a buddy it will be 2 weeks after paint, till its done. He laughed at me and he's a mechanic and has done a buncha builds. So I need to make that time frame. 9/23 was paint, 10/7 deadline :D

Some cooling stuff to button up, ran outa 12X20mm hose clamps but will be here tomorrow.
Steering column and wheel... I'll do my own alignment.
Heater, cold start, throttle, hood & clutch cable. Ordered new speedo cable...
Blower & wiper assy. Oh Antennae while I'm there.
Dreading the wiring... Lights and nose wont be bad.

But it will actually roll around now and Stop, Brakes done.
 
#145 ·
The 83--87ish TD cars used a larger turbo, either Garrett or KKK. I like the KKK for the BOV that is cast into the housing. it dont rot off like the Garett.
That is a factory mk1 box and tube. Box mount is the same as the carbureted cars. Also the fuel filter mount is mk1 specific.
This isn't a factory TD car but my recently deceased 83 Jetta was a factory TD car. However I did get that car with an empty engine bay... hadda source everything to put it back to original. Which is where most of these parts came from.
 
#144 · (Edited)
Darn good eye.
Had the prop valves in wrong hole's on master.

I didn't even see it at first. Look how the res was lifting, and look closely at the front tapers on the res.


Before


After


And if you mean the wheels are on the master diagonally. I don't run each circuit as front or rear. One front and one rear on each circuit.
 
#149 ·
Don't quote me on it but I think the Turbo Diesel steering wheel center was Quantum.
Neat but never came across one for a cheep price.

I think this one will be 95% as close to stock as it could get. For a TD mk1... granted it's an 81 and TD wasn't available till 83.

Also scoured the old Ansa, Bosal and Ernst catalogs to get the best compatible OE exhaust fit. There was an early 84 only cabby muffler that is same diameter and fitment to this car. And found one...
 
#155 ·
Ultimate battery connectors. Radio ain't gonna dim out on GP and starts.

Made a set for the 68 bus a while back and they are awesome. Radio has 128gb stick and waiting for it to load takes some time. It used to cut out radio as I hit the key and it started Reading, Reading, Reading, Reading... All over again. Now it cranks like it has no compression and the radio don't cut out.

But only using POS on this car. Should have NOS ground cable that goes to body and block.
 
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