Hello everyone, my name is Chad. I’ve been lurking for a bit now but decided to join up as the folks on this forum look to be top notch. I’ve always been enticed by cars, which led to acquiring a part-time job in high school working at a local business that deals in mostly in race engine building (primarily muscle car stuff), but have also had a chance to tinker with a few older European makes. I can’t pinpoint when I decided to start my search for a MK1 Rabbit, but I had kept my eyes open for a few years. I found ‘my car’ this past August while on a routine Craigslist search. It’s was a 1981 Rabbit Diesel L, 2 Door, 4 speed (GP) and only 68,128 actual miles on the clock.
I was expecting the worst as I went to take a look at the car, as most Craigslist ads are far from reality, but it was quite the opposite. I was informed by the current owner (at the time) that the car had only one previous owner and that he had passed on and left the car for his daughter (who sold it). He pulled out a tiny ringed notepad that had mileage recordings, along with how much fuel was added to calculate the mileage. The entries are somewhat random at times, but I was astonished to see such an item accompanying the vehicle. Nearly everything mechanical/body wise is original to the vehicle. The previous owner swapped in some mint front seats, and I’ve since located a rear seat and parcel shelf. I don’t know too much else about the car’s history, but I know it was purchased by the previous owner in Montana and it has NY State inspection stickers from 1983 and 1984 in the windshield.
I’ve since added the ‘Avus’ wheels (thanks Chad@SCI) and a few other misc. items here and there.
I could discuss more, but I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
From the day I looked at it:
As of yesterday:
More pictures can be seen here.
Thanks for looking!
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Thread: Introducing....
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03-21-2008 11:27 AM #1
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- Mar 2008
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- Nordeast
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- 562
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- T-IDI - M-TDI - TDI
Introducing....
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03-21-2008 11:33 AM #2
- Join Date
- Feb 2008
- Location
- The Land of 10,000 Beers
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- 3,354
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- E90 328
We should just call this the Diesel rabbit club! Welcome and nice car!
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03-21-2008 11:46 AM #3
- Join Date
- Aug 2005
- Location
- Austin, TX
- Posts
- 6,382
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- Jetta Wagon 1.8T/Golf TDI
she's a beauty! welcome
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03-21-2008 12:02 PM #4
- Join Date
- Aug 2005
- Location
- Blaine
- Posts
- 5,013
- Car
- 855 Turbo x2
Welcome. Your Rabbit is HOT.
nice and clean!!
Nobody sits like this rock sits. You rock, rock. The rock just sits and is. You show us how to just sit here and that's what we need.
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03-21-2008 12:08 PM #5
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Location
- St. Paul
- Posts
- 5,953
- Car
- the toilet
Welcome... rad... and I hate you for not having rust
Haha. Great car brother!
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03-21-2008 12:27 PM #6
- Join Date
- Aug 2005
- Location
- Mound
- Posts
- 39,997
- Car
- 72 911T, 1980 Golf, 300D
man, that thing looks phenomenal
come see our 4 mk1's here at my place sometime
"Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t. " - M. Thatcher
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03-21-2008 01:34 PM #7
- Join Date
- Aug 2007
- Location
- Chaska, MN
- Posts
- 2,034
- Car
- Audi A4
nice rabbit!!
Originally Posted by wonword
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03-21-2008 01:44 PM #8
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
- Location
- Just across the border
- Posts
- 304
- Car
- 91 Golf Gl
Welcome nice looking rabbit
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03-21-2008 02:05 PM #9
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Location
- Bloomingtown
- Posts
- 6,327
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- My Saab
Awesome!
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03-21-2008 04:52 PM #10
- Join Date
- Oct 2007
- Location
- esspee
- Posts
- 2,440
- Car
- some cars and junk
That thing is ultra clean, welcome.
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03-21-2008 06:34 PM #11
- Join Date
- Sep 2007
- Location
- duluth
- Posts
- 16,319
- Car
- old passat wagon.
Whoa, very, very, very nice! Welcome! Keep it exactly as is! I love the stripe!
For me, diesel vw=
When I began reading this thread, I thought it was about the car that the guy I bought my rabbit from owned. I'm kicking myself for not buying it. It was a black '81, diesel, 4sp, red int, very nice, and the waterpump leaked. $1k. I've tried to contact the guy since then, as I'd like to buy it now. Originally Posted by Driv3r
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03-21-2008 11:44 PM #12
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
- Location
- Nordeast
- Posts
- 562
- Car
- T-IDI - M-TDI - TDI
Thanks for the kind comments. I'm planning on keeping it looking as original as possible, with some hints of my own personal style here and there. That and I'm sort of on a very tight budget of nearly nothing right now...
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03-22-2008 01:06 AM #13
- Join Date
- Aug 2005
- Location
- Mound
- Posts
- 39,997
- Car
- 72 911T, 1980 Golf, 300D
good plan
"Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t. " - M. Thatcher
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03-22-2008 08:38 AM #14
- Join Date
- Sep 2007
- Location
- duluth
- Posts
- 16,319
- Car
- old passat wagon.
you're just in melrose? That's not that far away from me. I thought for sure I was in the only guy in about 50 mi that didn't think rabbits were pieces of shit.
Originally Posted by Driv3r
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03-22-2008 08:41 AM #15
- Join Date
- Sep 2007
- Location
- duluth
- Posts
- 16,319
- Car
- old passat wagon.
Wow, you're pretty close to me. I thought I was the only guy in about 50 mi that didn't think rabbits and other old vw's were pieces of shit.
Originally Posted by Driv3r
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