Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

This is the door jig I made to mark the top and bottom of the door. I used the door hing to bolt to. This made it easy to mark both cars so I could cut them. I made a left side and right jig.

This is whats left over. The floors are bad on the 84 Rabbit but I have new floor pans, I think I have my work cut out for me.

next time, just remove the windshield, cut the 2 posts close to the top, and splice there.... a lot less welding and very little warpage and finishing. your roof will be one piece and you only have to put the windshield back in.


also slice the rear doors just ahead of the black window post and make the cab area into an extended cab... working rear windows to boot.

Not that I have any clues about body work but I think a quad-cab would be a real show stopper. I also think joat's ideas has merit as well.

all it takes is lots of time (and money).......

joat wrote:all it takes is lots of time (and money).......

You for got about the skill required. I have to sell my creations in Florida because they look like alligators.

joat wrote:
also slice the rear doors just ahead of the black window post and make the cab area into an extended cab... working rear windows to boot.

I was thinking the same thing. Man would it be great to have some more leg room. I wouldn't have to hear everyone who rides shotgun whine about how small it is either.

I like the stock truck look that is why I didn't opt for the extended truck. I have it welded together. The door shut great it came out real nice. I am going to use tiger hair bondo on the roof. It will need to be leveled out from the welding. I am having a blast on this project. I can wait to get it done. Should I paint it silver or white?

I am impressed! As for color, white tends to hide small imperfections, but it's not real exciting. My 82 Caddy was silver and looked pretty good. Wish I'd kept it!

I've been anxiously waiting for a pic of how far along you were, and here it is. I am quite impressed. I can fix mechanical things, but when it comes to welding and body work, I'm lost. Why did you cut it where you did? You have to admit, it is an odd place to splice two pieces together.

For the legroom comment, I've wanted to get a caddy for years, but the legroom would be an issue. In my Rabbit, I had the seat track extended about 4" to get more legroom. Can't do that much in a Caddy. I did look for a pic of that 4 door caddy I saw online and must not have saved a pic. Would love to see one again. Talk about unique.......

Looking good.

Silver, White? Maybe both...? The Caddy I recently sold was white with silver-grey below the waterline. Worked well, IMO.

If I had to do it over again I would cut at the window piller. I made my self alot of extra work welding and putting bondo on the roof. I would cut the bottom part in the same spot. It worked out great so I could slide one frame inside of the other. I have a lot of work left body work, break lines, fuel lines, pant, trim. I am thinking I will have it done in about two-three weeks. I will keep posting how the progress is going.

Did you weld under the car and inside the car to do the bottom. To make kind of a lap joint. I know some of the Honda's are just over lapped and spot welded. Real easy to drill the welds out and split but a T-bone accident will just about split these car's in two. Really not that hard a hit and the floor will separate right where the back seat floor is.

Turns out the top looks like too much trouble to get straight with bondo, so I took the top off one of my parts Rabbits and I am going spot weld that into place and bondo the outer edges. As for the floor I cut a piece of two inch wide metal and welded to both sides of the center hump. The floor on the drivers side and the passengers side I cut out and welded in new floors from a donor car. I also reinforced the inner rocker panels. I think it will be plenty strong.

I thought I would put this on here just for shits and grins. Some of you may rember a post I started a year ago about my turbo diesel. It was red in that post. Well this is it after I painted it silver I think it look better now.