1981 Volkswagen Rabbit

Standard Cab Pickup

1.6l diesel

Manual

1V1KG0171BV186687

Clear

Diesel

This Caddy has been my daily driver and close companion for the past 8 years. It's taken me cross country four times and been to 47 states. A new job has allowed me to purchase a new car so this Rabbit has more or less sat for six months (and starts right up without question after weeks of sitting). An astute buyer may notice the '87+ engine with hydraulic cam followers that was installed by a previous owner. Engine mileage is unknown but it's not particularly low. This little truck also has the desirable 5-speed transmission with optimum gearing (FF code, I believe?) Interior accoutrements are sparse. The AM/FM/Cassette stereo only works on AM, usually only from the left speaker. The heater works. Windows roll up and down as they should. Vent windows have been upgraded to Cabriolet units to eliminate the quick disconnect stock vent windows. Accessory Hella driving lights work and are a very helpful upgrade for those long treks across otherwise inky black desert. Upon purchasing the truck, I immediately resealed the injector pump with a viton seal kit, to remedy the all too common leaky pump. It's been running dripless ever since. Injectors were rebuilt and calibrated with new Bosch nozzles (4 years ago). More recently (2 years), due to a cracked cylinder head, I installed a newly manufactured Topline head and Continental timing belt. An abrupt encounter with a whitetail deer in eastern Idaho (see missing grille), 1000 miles and the first day into cross-country trip #3 resulted in the ultimate replacement of the radiator with a brand new unit (also 2 years ago). The radiator replacement was only preventative, and complementary to the head R&R as the folded up original never leaked a drop in that trip to the east coast and in the regular commuter abuse that followed. The brakes have been overhauled with new hoses, pads, shoes and wheel cylinders within the past 6 years. The starter motor was replaced in the past 2-3 years with a gear reduction unit. The battery has about 3 years on it. Engine mounts have been replaced with HD units from Techtonics tuning and have about 5 years on them. The body is solid, almost straight and nearly rust free. The glow plug system works correctly with no lame hillbilly hacks. The bad: Beyond being a 35 year old, disposable econobox that should have never seen this side of 1990 (that's aging gracefully), this truck does have a few issues. First off, the engine is getting tired. Compression wasn't far out of spec at ~390 psi when I last checked, but it is getting cantankerous in cold conditions (below about 30°F) and fuel economy has fallen from a high of 49.6 mpg to the upper 30s/low 40s. Obviously the grille is missing and there is some lingering damage to the core support that could be easily managed by a competent body guy. One parking brake cable is broken. The horn doesn't work but the relay does. Both seat belt receptacles are broken and need to be replaced. The vacuum pump diaphragm is once again ripped so there is no brake power assist (a common problem but I got tired of swapping diaphragms every year). Some rust is beginning to appear below the rear window. Otherwise it's showing the wear of 35 years of regular use. Please refer to the photos for any cosmetic specifics. Included is a white fiberglass camper shell (not shown). If interested, I also have a complete ALH TDi swap available for an additional cost, with 85,000 miles. Included are the complete engine with all ancillaries, 6-speed trans with cable shifter and section of floor to graft to an earlier car, wiring harness, ECU, instruments, and maybe a few other things.