He had collected them over about 15 years of working on them, mostly diesels but was overrun with house projects and wanted his shed space back.
My buddy in Ames got a solid '80 Rabbit parts car that could be brought back to life.
A local friend got 4 pickups and a Jetta.
I got a nice little bronze 2 door '81 rabbit:
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![Image](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1698/26117528053_113f77a5e7_b.jpg)
![Image](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1635/26448519750_f07437167d_b.jpg)
You can see the left fender and door were changed and repainted. Probably got sideswiped.
Anyone parting a bronze Rabbit with a good fender and door? LE1Z paint code I think.
The rest of the body is very solid.
I'll get pics of the underside and pinch welds that aren't crunched at all.
About 5 years ago I picked up a '85 Jetta TD and I needed to do something with it.
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While the body was tragic, the engine runs good with about 177,000 miles on it.
It was parked for years before and after I got it.
Last fall when I got it started the pump leaked. I ended up installing new mainshaft bushings and reaming them along with the reseal and a mild governor mod.
It sat for months through the winter and I test started it this spring at about 15F.
With the weak battery, MK2 starter, and lame battery cables and connections; the starter turned slow.
All the cylinders sounded even while it was cranking
and when I was begining to think it was going to need a jump it rumbled to life, idled and revved smoothly.
It was a good time for Richard to call because I had been shopping for a solid body to put the TD in.
The brown Rabbit was a gasser so that engine was pulled and the TD engine installed.
It was very mousey inside so the dash got pulled and the heater box and vents were cleaned.
About 8 mud dauber wasp nests were removed.
The fuel tank was full when stored half full when I got it so there was a huge coating of varnished gas solids.
Sooo I dropped the rear, the exhaust and the old tank.
cleaned up rust spots and sprayed them with SP-400 brown wax.
I found a rusty spot on the area near where the rear beam mounts. Usually rust in that area freaks me out but after picking away at it with a hammer and screwdriver it proved to be very solid. I'll post pics of the repair later.
There I got this project thread started.
I'll post more pics later.