1980 2Door Rabbit Diesel C White on Lipstick Red

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gtiguy1994
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1980 2Door Rabbit Diesel C White on Lipstick Red

Post by gtiguy1994 »

Hello, I enjoy this site..even though I dont post much.
I need this like I need a hole in my head. But the price was too good to be true.
Cliffs:
Found for sale on a Minot local car forum
Went to look at it, couldn't believe my eyes at the condition it was in. Kept poker face
The only story I got was the mileage is true.:rolleyes: (can anyone run the VIN?)The PO said the head gasket went out, they replaced it, the head gasket blew 30 miles later. Bought a 1.6D/5speed engine/trans. Never got around to installing it.
They let it sit for ~10 years under a tree.
Strut towers look clean and rust free.
I towed it home, pulled the engine, cleaned up the engine bay. swapped in said good engine this evening. Will try to get it running sometime soon.
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Successfully fired up the engine tonight, very happy to hear it run. I had doubts that it was a good engine. In the middle of getting items back together. I am currently looking for a upper trans mount bracket (as posted earlier in this thread), an alternator for a 1.6D. Any one have any parts laying around for sale?
Im not entirely sure what I want to do with this yet. Keep it, lower it, install some nice wheels on it, drive it, or sell it and keep the remodeling process going on in my basement. Argh...
her is a pix as it sits now
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Had to "make do" with what I had laying around to get the battery hooked up. I will do it the proper way one I am sure the engine is good to go with new belts/pulleys. The tank needs removed and cleaned. There is a ton of mold in it. :/ That is why I am running diesel out of a Howes bottle. I need to replace some rubber fuel lines as well. I have a list of "to-do's"
The video and sound are out of sync for some reason.
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small update.
The D/S window was inoperable. It was off the "keeper" that had a ton of rust in it. I pulled it apart and clean out the rust and soaked the rubber in wd-40. I am ready to put it back together but I believe this is what is causing the issue now. Is this supposed to be connected to something? A tube?
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clean the rust out of the keeper
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The list of items needed to be taken care of.
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I may need to sell this. I had surgery on my back on Feb 14. I am unable to work for a month. I hope to keep it but...bills are just more important that a car.
Ill keep you fellas posted.
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sneakyboy1
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Re: 1980 2Door Rabbit Diesel C White on Lipstick Red

Post by sneakyboy1 »

Awesome little gem ya picked up!

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kompressorgolf
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Re: 1980 2Door Rabbit Diesel C White on Lipstick Red

Post by kompressorgolf »

clean rabbit! they probably reused the factory stretch headstuds and lost the gasket the second time. Running great it would fetch some nice change!
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gtiguy1994
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Re: 1980 2Door Rabbit Diesel C White on Lipstick Red

Post by gtiguy1994 »

kompressorgolf wrote:clean rabbit! they probably reused the factory stretch headstuds and lost the gasket the second time. Running great it would fetch some nice change!
wow! I never thought of that! Thats probably exactly what they did. The PO wasnt the smartest.
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bigmontana
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Re: 1980 2Door Rabbit Diesel C White on Lipstick Red

Post by bigmontana »

Dude any info on my 90 GLI you got
I want it back badly

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gtiguy1994
Kicking the tires...
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Re: 1980 2Door Rabbit Diesel C White on Lipstick Red

Post by gtiguy1994 »

bigmontana wrote:Dude any info on my 90 GLI you got
I want it back badly

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Bad news. The girl I bought it off of let it go to shit. I fixed some things on it, then sold it to fund other projects. the next owner beat the living day lights of the car until it reached its final demise. It was in a front end accident and then parted out. I hated myself for a week when I saw it. It was then taken to the scrapper and the owner got what it was worth in scrap weight. FML
Im sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
He she is the day I sold her.
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gtiguy1994
Kicking the tires...
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Re: 1980 2Door Rabbit Diesel C White on Lipstick Red

Post by gtiguy1994 »

Hmm, Its still a project thread :) I drove it today. 23 miles on the highway and a few around town. It was very windy on the highway. Snow was creating some icy spots on the highway. Had it up to 63 mph. Clutch needs adjusted. I passed a pick up truck that was going 55mph, I chuckled, then he passed me...probably not to be behind a diesel Rabbit. lol. I am going to replace the thermostat. I had no heat. I used my laser thermometer and had head flange temps at 165 and bottom of the radiator temps around 120ish IIRC. I really dont remember since the bottom hose/flange temps werent too high. The temp light is on though. Even from the start. No major vibrations, the tires are shot. I believe the heater control lever is broke. I cant move it. It went into all 5 gears. Although the white plastic ball piece was breaking up. I think there is an exhaust leak from an exhaust gasket.
Waiting on word for the guy in Seattle with the 5 speed swap parts.
Installed the top transmission mount today along with a new battery.

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