I am looking for an 80s VW Caddy/Pick-up to restore with the plan of putting an AHU 1.9 TDI engine in it. It doesn't have to run or look good just not have major rust on/in it. The one I have - I found out has some corrosion/rust behind the right front strut so I am looking for one that doesn't. Thanks.
Email me at - stephenheer@sbcglobal.net and or you can call me on my cell at
832-816-1282
Thanks
Stephen
80s VW Caddy/Pick-up
Moderator: Fatmobile
80s VW Caddy/Pick-up
97 Passat - 1Z TDI, 98 Jetta - AHU TDI, 91 Jetta - AAZ TD, and 81 Rabbit Pickup
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Quantum TD
- Turbo Charger
- Posts: 613
- Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:27 pm
- Location: The Dirty South
Most people (and by people, I mean "sellers") won't tell you that the rust in the pass-front strut tower is pretty standard for these trucks, regardless of age, mileage or where they spent their lives.
The problem stems from the fact that the engineers decided to reinforce the inner fenders with a secondary metal plate. Not a bad idea, but the rejects put a huge hole in the middle of the outer plate, to accomodate an emission expansion tank bracket (the tank was fitted on gas models only, but the bracket was fitted to all models). Since VW never seam-welded a single thing in their entire history, the inner reinforcement piece was coated in seam-sealer instead. Apparently, they didn't do such a hot job, since it tended to flake off. This led to sand and water building up between the two plates, leading to the eventual rust.
Strangely, this was only really a problem on the US-Made trucks, since the Cabriolet uses the same design, but the Cabriolets were thoroughly coated in seam-sealer/sound-deadener, and do not exhibit the same rust issues. This may also be due to the fact that the Cabriolets (after 1982) had plastic fenders liners. These help keep that sand/dust and water from even hitting the inner fenders. I think the pickups got the liners only in late 1983-84 (if they ever even saw them).
So, look carefully. That's easier said than done these days. With demand so high, most trucks don't last long in the classifieds, craigslist, or ebay.
The problem stems from the fact that the engineers decided to reinforce the inner fenders with a secondary metal plate. Not a bad idea, but the rejects put a huge hole in the middle of the outer plate, to accomodate an emission expansion tank bracket (the tank was fitted on gas models only, but the bracket was fitted to all models). Since VW never seam-welded a single thing in their entire history, the inner reinforcement piece was coated in seam-sealer instead. Apparently, they didn't do such a hot job, since it tended to flake off. This led to sand and water building up between the two plates, leading to the eventual rust.
Strangely, this was only really a problem on the US-Made trucks, since the Cabriolet uses the same design, but the Cabriolets were thoroughly coated in seam-sealer/sound-deadener, and do not exhibit the same rust issues. This may also be due to the fact that the Cabriolets (after 1982) had plastic fenders liners. These help keep that sand/dust and water from even hitting the inner fenders. I think the pickups got the liners only in late 1983-84 (if they ever even saw them).
So, look carefully. That's easier said than done these days. With demand so high, most trucks don't last long in the classifieds, craigslist, or ebay.
Also, be sure to check the water tray ends and the joint between the firewall and the strut tower, that seam rusts out and the whole front end starts pulling away from the cab. The bulkhead behind the fender bolt points also gets full of swiss cheese, and the floor section below it as well. You need to take a pick with you when buying a caddy to poke it all over and make sure there's no surprises.