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Hi! I'm new here -- this is my first post. I keep coming across this forum on my searches for information so I thought I'd join for the full experience.
I bought my Rabbit on September 9 2014, a 1981 diesel 4-door. I had actually been looking for a van. I live in Portland but in a month or two I plan to hit the road for at least 6-12 months, living in a vehicle and traveling around. Usually van-dwelling is done in... a van. But then I realized, why not live in a micro-van and get 50mpg? I don't need much space. I spent 3 months this year backpacking the southern half of the PCT (1334 miles), so I know I can survive with only the possessions I can carry on my back. Any car is big enough to be my house! I always thought Rabbits were pretty cool, so more or less on a whim, I decided to do it.
In this thread I'll keep track of my progress as I'm outfitting my microvan for living.
I'm still not sure if I got a good deal on the car or not. It said 204k miles but the odometer was broken when I got it. There was just 1 owner before me. I paid $3000 for it. The body is straight and never wrecked, engine seems to work well (though occasionally hard to start), not much rust because it's an Oregon car and we don't use salt on the roads here. I've fixed a couple of simple problems that improved the driving experience dramatically so I'm feeling pretty optimistic about it now. There are definitely more dings and knicks in the paint that you can't see in the photos, but overall I think it's holding up pretty well for being 33 years old.
List of maintenance items:
Repair/maintenance needed
-Regular windshield wiper speed setting is broken
-Rear-defrost connection needs repair
-Front passenger window became disconnected from whatever slides it up and down
-Windshield fluid line needs to be replaced
-Ceiling needs a headliner or other insulative layer
What I've done so far
-Fixed shift linkage problem
-Took out rear bench and passenger seat
-Adjusted the clutch cable
-Fixed throttle cable housing
-Replaced door posts
-Replaced fuel filter
-Replaced glow plugs
-New windshield wipers
-New tires
-Got a passenger side mirror
-Cleaned out the door latch mechanisms
-Changed transmission fluid
-New struts
-New tie rods
-New horn
-Changed the oil and filter
-Fixed the odometer
-Got a copy of the key
-Temporary (permanent?) fix for steering column rattle
-Installed a decent stereo/receiver that I got for cheap on craigslist
-Wired in some decent sounding Polk bookshelf speakers
-Made a plywood platform to serve as a floor/bed, w/ a hinged part in front to access storage underneath
-Had the windows tinted
-Made some cool blackout curtains with magnets sewn into the edges and snakeskin print on the inside
-Installed new clutch
-Got a new driver's side sun visor
-New rear brakes
-Installed auxiliary battery; powers the stereo, 12V charger
-New master cylinder
-Replaced the plywood platform with a custom sheet metal one, for extra headroom
-Replaced the snakeprint curtains with more functional fabric curtains
-Installed 100W solar panel on roof
-Installed small ventilation fan, also powered by the aux battery
-Removed carpet and insulation, used Al's HNR as an insulative layer
-Coated the whole bottom of the car interior with truck bed liner for a durable surface
-Built a shelf in the back for clothes storage and to hold my speakers in place
I really appreciate and value the knowledge you all have... I'm coming into this project with no VW experience and no mechanical experience other than changing oil and spark plugs. So please let me know of any suggestions you have for me -- especially important things I should check when buying a well-used Rabbit... Thanks!
I bought my Rabbit on September 9 2014, a 1981 diesel 4-door. I had actually been looking for a van. I live in Portland but in a month or two I plan to hit the road for at least 6-12 months, living in a vehicle and traveling around. Usually van-dwelling is done in... a van. But then I realized, why not live in a micro-van and get 50mpg? I don't need much space. I spent 3 months this year backpacking the southern half of the PCT (1334 miles), so I know I can survive with only the possessions I can carry on my back. Any car is big enough to be my house! I always thought Rabbits were pretty cool, so more or less on a whim, I decided to do it.
In this thread I'll keep track of my progress as I'm outfitting my microvan for living.
I'm still not sure if I got a good deal on the car or not. It said 204k miles but the odometer was broken when I got it. There was just 1 owner before me. I paid $3000 for it. The body is straight and never wrecked, engine seems to work well (though occasionally hard to start), not much rust because it's an Oregon car and we don't use salt on the roads here. I've fixed a couple of simple problems that improved the driving experience dramatically so I'm feeling pretty optimistic about it now. There are definitely more dings and knicks in the paint that you can't see in the photos, but overall I think it's holding up pretty well for being 33 years old.





List of maintenance items:
Repair/maintenance needed
-Regular windshield wiper speed setting is broken
-Rear-defrost connection needs repair
-Front passenger window became disconnected from whatever slides it up and down
-Windshield fluid line needs to be replaced
-Ceiling needs a headliner or other insulative layer
What I've done so far
-Fixed shift linkage problem
-Took out rear bench and passenger seat
-Adjusted the clutch cable
-Fixed throttle cable housing
-Replaced door posts
-Replaced fuel filter
-Replaced glow plugs
-New windshield wipers
-New tires
-Got a passenger side mirror
-Cleaned out the door latch mechanisms
-Changed transmission fluid
-New struts
-New tie rods
-New horn
-Changed the oil and filter
-Fixed the odometer
-Got a copy of the key
-Temporary (permanent?) fix for steering column rattle
-Installed a decent stereo/receiver that I got for cheap on craigslist
-Wired in some decent sounding Polk bookshelf speakers
-Made a plywood platform to serve as a floor/bed, w/ a hinged part in front to access storage underneath
-Had the windows tinted
-Made some cool blackout curtains with magnets sewn into the edges and snakeskin print on the inside
-Installed new clutch
-Got a new driver's side sun visor
-New rear brakes
-Installed auxiliary battery; powers the stereo, 12V charger
-New master cylinder
-Replaced the plywood platform with a custom sheet metal one, for extra headroom
-Replaced the snakeprint curtains with more functional fabric curtains
-Installed 100W solar panel on roof
-Installed small ventilation fan, also powered by the aux battery
-Removed carpet and insulation, used Al's HNR as an insulative layer
-Coated the whole bottom of the car interior with truck bed liner for a durable surface
-Built a shelf in the back for clothes storage and to hold my speakers in place
I really appreciate and value the knowledge you all have... I'm coming into this project with no VW experience and no mechanical experience other than changing oil and spark plugs. So please let me know of any suggestions you have for me -- especially important things I should check when buying a well-used Rabbit... Thanks!