1979 Volkswagen Rabbit

1.5L Hatchback

4 - Cyl.

Manual

1793503997

Clear

Diesel

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 This '79 is the old-school Rabbit model from West Germany, and was made just before VW production was ramped up in the US. It has the original 4 speed manual transmission and a 4 cylinder 1.5L diesel engine. This car has only had two owners. (passed down in my family--decent people). My grandparents purchased this VW new, and passed it along to me about 20 years later. I know the history of this vehicle well and should be able to answer any questions you may have. I have a few extra parts, some trim, original manual, service manual, new spare tire (old rim) and original jack that will be included in the sale. Also I have 4 extra rims/tires that you are welcome to take if you want them. You'll get the title (clear) and a lot of service documentation as well. Status of Engine and Systems The odometer rolls over after reaching 99999 so I'm quite sure the correct reading is currently 239,564. That number does not hold much significance however because the engine head, injection pump, glow plugs, clutch, starter, brakes, cv joints, suspension, wheel bearings, all new exhaust system (including header pipe), and probably some things I'm forgetting have all been rebuilt or replaced in the time-frame of 2001-2003. The car has not been starting reliably year-round due to low compression in the cylinders. All summer however, she has been starting right up without hesitation. When it’s colder, after cranking for 5 to 30 seconds she will start up and runs well with no stalling and has good acceleration (injection pump is strong). I've installed a nice Canadian-made block heater and that helps with starting in some situations. In any case the pistons need new rings at the very least. Oil is getting into the air filter and I've heard that this is very common with older diesels, so I've purchased an "oil baffle" to resolve this issue and a new valve cover gasket (both included with sale). Also the brakes lost 95% of their pressure a few months ago (essentially no brakes). I haven't determined where they are failing and don't plan to. Smooth shifting. Emergency brake is operational. The exhaust is in decent shape but has some rattle and is not a perfectly tight system. The headlights work, high and low beams. All running lights work. Hazard lights and blinkers on driver's side don't blink-- perhaps a relay problem. The passenger side rear light housing is partly busted up but the bulbs still light. Brake lights and backup lights come on. Horn works a little bit…sometimes. Last I checked, the vents and defrost blew air (hot air and outside air), but I cannot locate the nob to turn them on or off (why did I ever take it off?!) The wipers are not moving at all--a short or blown fuse is my guess. Tires have good tread. Brand new German fuel cap. Status of Body and Cosmetics The original paint color was Canyon Red and is still visible on the interior of the car. The current "Sea Foam" paint was sprayed on in 2002 (high quality primer and auto paint) and is still solid in most areas. Surface rust began to develop in some areas a couple years ago but has been ground off and primed in order to forestall more serious damage. There are a few areas that require body work--a couple areas of serious rot that can be clearly seen in the photos and some dings along the passenger side. The sunroof works but the seal needs replacing, so for now I have it sealed shut (can’t be opened but at least it’s waterproof). The original front seats lost all of their suspension so I put in a pair of very comfortable Jetta seats (early 90's). The mounting was almost identical, so the seats are safe and secure, but some minor differences make the adjustments difficult (not impossible). Also Jettas are 4 door cars, so having Jetta seats in the Rabbit makes getting into the back "interesting" (again not impossible). The headliner, floor, seats and hatch area display the wear that you would expect in a historic, well-used vehicle. The pictures are fair representations. The original radio is gone and the CD player in the pictures (no face) no longer functions. There are a number of sections of trim that are missing from the exterior of the car- I have most of it, but many of them are damaged in some way or missing clips. I have some additional small parts that I pulled from other vehicles which may be useful. The antenna is snapped off except for a few inches. Passenger mirror is busted off. The windows are not rolling up very well due to the gearing striping out -- both windows require assistance and this is why the door panel on the passenger’s side is removed. All of the hubcaps are on, however they are stuck on with clear caulk for the time being because the clips that normally hold the hubcaps in place are all broken. I have since gotten some replacement clips that should enable you to properly install the hubcaps. There is ding in the front bumper and the driver side end-cap is missing from it (see all pics please). This car needs restoration, but not an overwhelming amount. It’s running and is far from a hunk of junk. If in doubt, consider these points: -Awesome styling, classic German edition of the legendary Rabbit -Super-efficient diesel engine regularly getting 45 MPG (fine tuned, it can achieve over 50 MPG) -Responsive handling---a blast to drive! -Excellent candidate for Biodiesel or Straight Vegetable Oil conversion Payment and pickup: Deposit payment through PayPal is required. Deposit of $300 is due within 24 hours of auction end. Balance of payment due within 7 days and may be through PayPal or Cashier's Check. Buyer is responsible for arranging pickup/shipping.