Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

Silly me.

Its been a year since ive graced the mk1 discussion forum with a new buy. I always like to share my wonderful car whoring stories with everyone.

Bouncing around on craigslist - i was actually looking for a Audi S6 wagon. Came across small ad for 1979 Rabbit C Diesel. 98k ( its not 98k, it 129k actually ) Needs transmission - Picture showed repainted White rabbit with chrome bumpers - who doesnt want 40+ MPG?

So i drive 260 miles this morning - Temp when we left my house - was 87 at 745am. Driving a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee up to grab the car was enjoyable - AC is so nice.

Get to the guys place - hatch is locked - i ask for key - he cant find it - he looks and looks and looks - oh its in his pocket. He tells me the hatch doesnt open - i say well that cuz its locked , so i unlock it and open it up - the rear hatch is CLEAN - no rot , nice paint.. Some rust bubbles on lower rear apron along seam - a knick here, bubble here, bubble there....

1978 Rabbit is what 48hp? Its a 4 speed.... but he said 1st gear dont work, have to start in second.

I fire it up - open up hood - new alternator , new / rebuilt injection pump ( its all shiney ) fires right up, ahhh the smell of diesel fuel at 11am - nothing beats it.

I get on the ground and shocked to see - a new cat back exhaust ( maybe there isnt even a cat on a diesel , i dont know , downpipe back , what ever )

So i hope in - he right - hard to get in second - so i do the go into second first, then up to 1st trick - works fine. Putt around town - return ,make him an offer and hope in for my long hot journey back home.

No sunroof , no smoker windows, no ac , not even a power brake booster - He forgot to mention to me on the phone the previous day that the passenger side window regulator dont work - luckily it goes down, but only goes half way up....

Stop at the local CASEYs fill up 4 1/2 gallons of diesel at $3.96 and we are on the way.

After the first hour home, i realize - crap i forgot sunscreen lotion for my arm, which naturally hang out the window.... that gonna hurt later...

car runs great - going up hills - not so much.. 48 HP - WHY? WHY ? even 65 might help ya get up these back hills - so i learned quickly to speed going down hill - so you can actually get up the next one...

Once i got on the interstate and up to 80 MPH - i did great - i stayed around 75-80 on the down hill slides - i was actually passing people which felt good in a 33 year old car.

Got to my cabin - right outside between omaha & lincoln - waved my friend following me in his Jeep a :thumbup: and quickly got out of car and jumped in the lake to cool off my arm and myself.. here the heat index today was 107 - my shirt was drenched, shorts were drenched and i am pretty sure i smelled.

My kids come running up to check out my new found VW and it has 2 external horn buttons - one is a dual air horn - the other sounds like a meat grinder ( you will see it in the pictures )

Silly small town folks......


So i need to find me a 4 speed shifter rebuild kit and a passenger side window regulator - once it cools off tonight, i will probably remove the bug shield and donate it to my 84 year old neighbor for his el camino.....

i should take a pic of my left arm - its RED, might be able to fry an egg on it.....

I did not enjoy the AM radio - on the FM band i couldnt get anything so i did listen to a local baseball game on the sport radio on the AM....























I am not sure if i have ever seen this under hood thing on a car..





Looks like came from PNW -

















interesting sticker





Much better without bug shield















And i will beat everyone else to the famous punch-line - " Yes it will be for sale someday "

Well done!

(and the photos make me miss my gasser '79 mk1)

Sweet! I have the same Harbor Freight air horns (red ones) in my 82 running in parallel with the stock horn - gets people's attention with both of them working.

Car looks great - makes me miss my 79 that I sold to someone who immediately burned the clutch out off it. :~(

i think it needs a oil pan - leaking and looks someone " used valve cover gasket maker " to cover up a crack or something, its leaking on driveway.

Are these different than all other VW pans or all they all the same?

If the oil pan isn't dented up,
there is a rubber oil pan gasket available,.. for MK3s
Love the non-power brakes.

Fatmobile wrote:If the oil pan isn't dented up,
there is a rubber oil pan gasket available,.. for MK3s
Love the non-power brakes.

its been so fricking hot - i am going to attempt to look at it tomorrow - i checked the oil and its pretty darn low - glad it made the almost 3 hour trip home - all that attention and driving must of made the poor car " blow a gasket "

Great Find!
Very nice!

That car looks really clean, for an Iowa car. The Oregon sticker under the hood was a telltale sign it's probably had a dry life. You'll figure out how to drive a 48HP car (with a tailwind) or go insane. It took me probably 6 months to not get pissed off everytime I wanted to pass someone or speed up. It gave me patience in a different way.

I was a little pissed about him coming into Iowa and grabbing our Rabbit,..
but then I remembered I got my 1.7GTD body from a friend of his in Nebraska.