Nor sure if its an idi

[84TD]

But I bought a 1979 Rabbit Diesel. All I know about it so far is its a N/A 1.5l with a 4 speed and it gets 48mpg. Needs a clutch and a starter. Going to paint it in a few weeks. I am going to use the rustoleum heavy rust primer and then I am looking for what I believe is John Deere black tractor paint. I saw it on a rat rod once, its kind of a semi flat paint and it has a little texture to it. Anybody know anything about these things? I want to do the 50/50 wmo/diesel in it.

on edit: glow plugs dont work but it still starts after some cranking!!! So far I have $487 invested afer my trip to advance for some seafoam, amsoil diesel stuff and some bulbs

 

[typ4]

There is a fast glow kit available and if you cant get parts let me know. I love those things, check the timing belt, the seals leak and the belt goes then the valves lose there concentricity if you know what I mean. It is an IDI. Also the windshield leaks onto the fuse box and cooks things. clutch is not to hard to do. have fun with it.

 

[Cheaper Jeeper]

I'm on the hunt for a diesel car myself. Missed an 89 Jetta listed on CraigsList for $300 on Thursday. The guy listed it at 6:30 PM and was instantly innundated with calls and emails, and by the time I got hold of him at 8:00 AM Friday morning it was long gone. Guess the guy who bought it came and got it within 2 hours of it being listed.

I asked the seller, just out of curiousity, why so cheap - what was wrong with it. His reply was "it was a $300 car - the body wasn't really beat up and it started, ran, & drove OK - but the interior wasn't that great."

I had to bite my tongue to keep from telling him "dude, there is no such thing as a running $300 diesel car in this area - you could have got 3-4 times that much for it at a minimum." But I didn't want to make him feel bad so I juat thanked him and hung up....

 

[84TD]

Yea, people just dont realize what these are worth, I usually see these for around 2K in similar condition. The price was $800 but I ended up getting it for $400 cause of all the stuff wrong with it so I am a happy camper.

Typ4, do you know alot about these? I do need a timing belt, it looks original to me, I am wondering if it is worth doing a trans swap when I do the clutch, is a 5 speed worth it? It get 48mpg as-is with the 4 speed. Any good mods you know of? I want to do the Fast GP if you can get me a source. I am glad it is an IDI

 

[Agnem]

PAFixItMan bought one of those with the intent of getting it back on the road, but I believe he let it go due to time issues. Bet he wishes he'd had kept it!

 

[dairieman36]

i had one of those in highschool loved it girlfriend made me get rid of it she said it was ugly and wouldnt ride in it (looking back i think i should have gottin rid of the girlfriend)

 

[FordGuy100]

i had one of those in highschool loved it girlfriend made me get rid of it she said it was ugly and wouldnt ride in it (looking back i think i should have gottin rid of the girlfriend)

When my parents first met, my dad was driving around his 1970 Dodge Challenger SE (383 4bbl, auto). She was driving around an early 80's VW rabbit. She for some reason hated that Challenger, and sold my dad her rabbit, and bought something else. She would be seen in his Challenger .

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Yea, people just dont realize what these are worth, I usually see these for around 2K in similar condition. The price was $800 but I ended up getting it for $400 cause of all the stuff wrong with it so I am a happy camper.

Typ4, do you know alot about these? I do need a timing belt, it looks original to me, I am wondering if it is worth doing a trans swap when I do the clutch, is a 5 speed worth it? It get 48mpg as-is with the 4 speed. Any good mods you know of? I want to do the Fast GP if you can get me a source. I am glad it is an IDI

I wouldn't bother with the five speed on at 1.5 liter. I believe the 5 speed only came with the 1.6 which actually had alot more pep than the 1.5 I just sold a 1.6 with a 4 speed and am not sure a 5 speed would have helped it much. Of course it was compressionally challenged when I sold it.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Great buy for $400!

I actually own 3 of them right now, one is my daily driver (81 4 door with a 5 speed) one will be ready to sell as of tomorrow, (1980 4 door 4speed) and the other is actually a Caddy Pickup diesel with a 5speed, That will be up for sale soon as well.

Definatly get the timing belt done, it is cheap insurance. If you need a clutch I may have one new in the box,let me know what you need and I can check tomorrow.

Here is a pic of my daily driver, I have about $1600 invested with new Jetta Wheels and nice set of Blizzack snow tires. the car has about 250K on it and the motor has about 3000 miles on a rebuild. It is suprisingly quick with the pump tuned up a little, I get about 37-40 MPG with my heavy foot.

 

[sassyrel]

darren--some of those came with a hair dryer--try to run one down--then youll really have a rocket!!

 

[KMD]

I used to have a 1984 Rabbit 2 door with a factory 1.6l turbo diesel. It was a great little car.

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[high psi]

I just put a TD from an '85 Jetta in our Rabbit. It is like night and day from the NA engine. You don't have to wait for a 1/4 mile gap to pull out into heavy traffic. It almost seems like a gas engine except for the smoke & noise. Good find & enjoy it. You can get lots of good info at vwdiesel.net

 

[vegas39]

It's funny how diesel cars have appreciated over the years. 15 years ago, I bought a clean 81 rabbit diesel for 400 bucks and a 79 olds diesel with a bad head gasket for 100. Now it seems like you cant touch anything for less than 1500 even in bad shape.