I really hope you all enjoy Part 2 of the rescue on this little Rabbit! Our next video will be an update on the GMC Motorhome, followed by Part 2 on the Falcon Wagon 🙂 I hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Absolutely fantastic mate, what's a brilliant vehicle, love the VW golf!!! Had a mk 1 many years ago and it was the dam best. Thank you for bringing her back to life !!!!
My wife had a MK1 Rabbit white 4 door. Wasn’t a diesel but just as slow with a 4 speed. If you are looking to sell that one, HMU, would def be interested and just down in North Georgia.
Love it, my first three cars were VW Golfs, or Rabbits to you guys. The first two we're Mk1's and needed some love, especially my first from 1976! Great job on this one, much love from England.
I know it slows you down, but it's so important that you teach the kids how to do this and the quality time will be remembered by them forever. Great work
thats how i learned between dad blowing cars up and grandpa thanks to that i can fix my own cars most of the time. so yes def teach young kids that it will save them money as they get older and memories too
I think the value is in keeping it original. I'd like to see you guys fix the rust areas around the windshield and the other areas too. I think you could just have paint matched to the original and just repair the bad areas and it would look great. Nice work bringing this one back!
Honestly the interior and the running gear are both SO good that I'd like to see an original restoration. Maybe get that steel bumper re-chromed, or just run the aluminum one since it's OEM. Knock the whisky dents out of it, take care of that rust, give her a fresh coat of the original color, and finish up some of the other maintenance stuff. I'd go ahead and replace all the brake lines, shoes, pads, and hardware anyway just in case. Yours and your family's safety is worth it. Everybody does the euro conversion, coilovers, etc. Be original by keeping it original.
Back in 1988, there was a hired squatter loving in the abandoned house next to my dad's place. The guy needed cash so he sold a 1981 Rabbit Diesel 2 door hatchback to my dad for $50! Clean title and all. My dad gave it to me, I sold to a buddy that lived in Tijuana, Mexico for $250. My buddy put a whole interior in tartan butterscotch(the car was a nice metallic copper), a basic servicing and newish tires on BBS style wheels. I think he said he spent $200ish on it. It flipped for $1200! The body, paint & glass were in excellent shape, it was just the interior that was shoddy. I saw the car before my buddy sold it. It looked practically brand new! Enjoyed watching this build, brought back memories.
in 1983 I first got my Drivers license, my first car, was a 1967 VW Bug, I drove my bug for almost 10 years, and then traded it for a 1983 Diesel Rabbit. I wish I had my Rabbit today, but I am back to driving a Boxer engine vehicle, in the form of an 04 Subaru Impreza
That was so satisfying to watch. When I was young and broke, I bought a 1981 Rabbit Diesel I saw for sale at a mall parking lot. I didn’t even know until I registered it that it had a salvage title. But that little thing was clean and it took me everywhere I needed to go for very little money, and I swear one tank of diesel would last me til the next paycheck. The AC even worked! I could park it anywhere downtown cuz no one would be interested in stealing it 😂
I just bought a 'barn find' 1982 Rabbit LS Diesel 4-Door for $200 that's in similar condition, but with no body damage or rust. I'm going to clean it up and get it running just like you did with this one, with the addition of doing a paint restoration. I'll be making videos of the whole process and posting them. Wish me luck!
Keep it bone stock, and have it professionally repainted in the original color. An oil pressure test gauge, can be inexpensively made from a $15 pressure gauge, like from NAPA auto parts, and one of their grease gun "whip hoses," and a threaded female/female coupler. The whip hose is pipe thread, but it will HAND THREAD into the cylinder head oil sensor port, and also the port down on the oil filter stantion. Great job with the cleanup, and with bringing back to life.
My dad was the General Manager of a VW dealership in the 80s and early 90s. As a 15 year old, I washed many a Rabbit like this to keep the sales lot inventory shining in the summer sun. Great car; great save; great memories! Thanks.
Plz repair the dents and rust and leave it original as possible. You're right - this is a time capsule. Have fun and stay healthy! Best regards from Germany, Gero
That interior cleaned up so nice and the carpet was in remarkable condition! And you definitely showed why it's good to hold on to spare parts too. Always been a big fan of these cars and to see you and your family bringing it new life makes it even more awesome!! What a gem! Can't wait to see more of the RV too!
I would get a automotive paint store to mix a couple of cans of original paint color and spray over the rust spots and the area on the hood and call it good. I love that car. Those stripped down cars with a 5 speed stick and no thrills are my favorites. I learned how to drive on a 76 Corolla that was their cheapest new car. Your Golf reminded me of it and how much fun it was to bang those gears. Love your videos and this one was a treat. Can't wait to see what you guys do with the motor home again. Many blessings...peace out!
First car I ever drove was a 1984 Rabbit gas engine 4 speed. It was black with red interior. Not the GTI, but close :) My parents car. That interior on yours is CLEAN! Good score. Leave it stock, fix the body and paint. Keep it original. There isn't many of these left in this condition.
Same here! My first new car was a 1979 Rabbit, also white with two doors and the 4 speed manual. I was 18 years old at the time, and at that age! You know how exciting it is!
In my old 1.6 Diesel in my rabbit pickup the oil light would always flicker at idle it ran over 400,000 miles. I have an 1998 ABA swap in it with 1,000 miles from a wreck does the same. If you wanted to adjust the idle up it will go away, but no worries as we had a brand new rabbit in 1983 did the same with the oil light flicker. 👍
Please keep it stock. Take the windscreen out and sort the rust on the scuttle. Keep the original paint and perhaps colour match (as close a you can) the bonnet, wing and door. Awesome resurrection 👍🏻
7:30 I recommend dry ice cleaning because it kills 100% of all mold and makes everything clean again, and it is also very gentle. Perfect for cars like this.
A great thing to use on old carpet and upholstery is Resolve Pet stain remover, it’s about the best fabric cleaner I’ve ever found, nice residual smell it leaves too 👍
My first car in High School was a white 81 VW Rabbit stick shift I bought running for $800. It was clean,custom slide back rag sunroof, wood grain dash and ran solid but all the kids in school laughed at it because it wasn't a new car. I took it off roading one day and blew a hole in the oil pan... Good memories
Everything is so nice and original, I'd repair the rust spots, and do a sympathetic paint restoration touching up only the damaged spots, and preserving the original paint. Do a little PDR on the door crease, maybe polish the aluminum bumper a bit, put a modern-retro radio in it, and just drive it.
That is a time capsule. I bet the university that put a new car in a vault underground as a time capsule, had just had a shed for it. There vault leaked water and destroyed it. I think you little helper and fan club enjoyed the ride. Good clean up and nice to hear your dad talking on camera. Keep it stock, it's too clean and original to change.
My first car was a '77 Volkswagen Rabbit 2 door. Bali green, brown interior, 4 speed manual and the EE code 1.6 liter engine with 78 hp. That little car weighed 1800 pounds and would run to 60 mph in about 9.5 seconds, meaning it was just as fast as a GTI. I managed to get it to go 100 mph on a back country road in the Mexican town known as Temperance, Michigan and due to the concrete construction of Mexico highway M151, the rusted floorboards allowed enough flex for the body to get into a resonance that nearly caused me to lose control of the car! One of the great parts of this car: An oil change took 20 minutes. Four quarts plus an oil filter easily accessible from the open hood cost me all of $20. It literally took longer to properly dispose of the old oil than to change it... I loved the car, the Bali green was excellent, and nobody would have thought that this car would beat most "malaise era" American cars in a drag race but it would do just that! I found an upper windshield sticker that said "Wabbit" and everyone called it that from that point on. Finally, one day I plopped my ample 6'1" and 145 pound frame on the seat one day and the whole thing fell right through the rusted floor. My mom threw a fit, and my parents helped me replace the rusted car with an '85 Volkswagen Scirocco Turbo. We welded the floorboards and sold it on the cheap. How to tell if a Rabbit was built in Wolfsburg versus Westmoreland: If the side marker lights are vertical, it is from Westmoreland, Pennsylvania. If they are horizontal, the car was built in Wolfsburg. 1980 and later are all American built cars, as this one was. Another way are round headlights: These were from Germany, American hares had square headlights.
My girlfriend in Highschool had a Golf Mark 1 GTI and I loved it as much as I loved her... we always looked across the pond at the Rabbit version with a different bumper and headlights and loved those too... so keep those cars original 🙌🏻
As always, having breakfast and I gotta say...I am so enjoying this. Brings back memories. I bought a rabbit GTI in Queens, N.Y. in 1991 and drove it to Miami. Stopped in Rocky Mount. Got myself a bucket at KFC and a 6-pack of Miller Genuine Draft and went to work on it. New spark plugs. Air filter. The interior was good. Carpet was dirty. And the rear where the tire was, was just really rusty. Sanded that down with a grinder, to the bare metal. Sprayed it with Rustoleum. Had the car for 16 months. Took it all across the Southern U.S.A. to L.A. and left it with my friend in Vegas. Long time ago...but that was the life..on a low budget...I was 25 years old. Great memories. Smiling like a little kid here. You guys rock...Rob, Cairns, Australia
1979 my buddy had rabbit and the sleet storm of the century hit atlanta Ga we tide a rope the bumper and a truck enter tube and drove all over the city pulling each other what a blast
It looks like you have the dual sensor oil pressure system. It has a sensor in the head and one on the filter housing. The two sensors are not the same and you have to have the correct ones for it to work. One is for low speed the other other high.
Clean it up, keep it original. Fix what needs fixing and make it look good. It’s rare to find one that runs like yours does. Reminds me of my sister’s first car, a ‘79 Rabbit.
If you laid all of the fabric, carpet and upholstery out in the sun, the UV light would start killing the mold and mildew right away - and drying it out. Don't let it all sit in the shade friends. So sweet to see 3 generations working together. Sadly, that level of cooperation/collaboration is going extinct. Might as well have a couple of bottle os drugstore 70% isopropyl alcohol with your detailing gear. I guarantee it's a lot cheaper than the spray bottle from the hardware store. Put it in a pump spray bottle and between the wipes (because you can just throw them away) and a toothbrush you'll be able to get into all the stitching easily. And isopropyl alcohol leaves no residue!
The uncut parcel shelf and its bands are probably the most impressive part for me. So many of them broke or were cut for speakers. Many just discarded. Cool car!
I remember a neighbour got one brand new in 1981 - we had nothing in the 80s and for somebody to get a brand new car was like a celebration - I remember it had 34 miles on it !! Mick drove that powder blue Golf for 17 years !! Please keep it original - it's such a survivor and by tricking it up you are turning it into something it's not Now it's your car and it's up to you but I'd hate to see such an original car lost - I remember the noise the 1.6 diesel made and that brings me back
Here in the UK and in Europe, Golfs (Rabbits) are modified to death! Yes they're all unique in their own way thanks to the near limitless amount of options available. But I took my bone stock Mk4 (when I still had it) to a car show once, and the *amount of people* that took notice and the most common comment was "So this is what they look like before it all begins" It was refreshing to see one unmolested, exactly as VW intended them to be. And now the preference seems to be swinging back towards keeping them original amongst the thousands upon thousands of modified ones that are in some cases almost unrecognisable from how they left the factory. So my vote is - don't go modifying it with coilovers, aftermarket parts etc. Keep it as close to how VW built her. Yes by all means replace what's worn out (bushes, suspension, hoses) to keep it reliable, but keep it honest
Had one like this when I was 21 years old. Unfortunately I totaled it when I fell asleep and hit a 3 ton Boulder at 55mph back in August of 1997. Only time I broke a bone. 😮
That baby rocks a whole 50 ponies! lol.... At least they boasted 50mpg back in the day. Turbo models were a bit more impressive, but were fairly rare. Plain Jane "L" models seemed to be much more common to see back in the day on the road. Most people buying a "cheap" car didn't see the value in spending more money for a "upgraded" "Cheap" car.
What his son noticed and remarked about on the side of the road after they started driving at 25:07 - "There's lots of doo-doo" was exceptionally hilarious. The way he said it, as an unremarkable observation, cracked me up. Great vid on bringing back to life this fine Rabbit.
There's something so charming and endearing about honest, simple little cars like this. I love that its still got its warts an all. And that interior is amazing, I could quite happily have that car as a daily run about
back in 96 and 97 i had a little 1.6 rabbit , i'd put 2 dollars worth of fuel in it and go all over ..i used it for checking out my scrap metal piles..i hauled scrap on a 75 dodge ramp truck..if i remember correctly it was a d600...the only issues i ever had with my rabbit was the ball in the transmission where the shifter went in was constantly breaking ..i replaced it like 3 or 4 times
Fun fact: In South Africa in the 1980s there was an amateur endurance series, kind of like a long distance rally, where teams were competing to see who could complete the longest distances in a set period of time. They competed on the wide open plains in the north of the country - big wide roads in really good condition. For a period of time the event was won every year by South African made MK1 Golfs, or CitiGolf as they where known there. These cars were manufactured with petrol engines but they were replaced with 1.6L crate-engine diesels from Europe, an additional fuel tank was added in the trunk and various other upgrades, particularly to the gearing. The fuel consumption was so much lower than the petrol version that they could go almost twice as far on the same amount of fuel, and they were incredibly reliable, consequently they were still going when the petrol cars were stopping for fuel. Once they were wound up to speed they just kept on going and going and going!
VW quality shown through here fellas ! You can appreciate it all getting that intimate by cleaning a car as it should be....areas most folks don't. Your son will not forget his pride in himself and sees the result of a job well done. ⏫⏫
My vote is to paint it and see if there is a turbo or blower kit that will fit that old Diesel to make it a fun little executive spec sleeper vibe. Maybe a small rectangular pair of fog or driving lights under the bumper would give it a subtley more hot hatch look. A retrosound head unit would give the OG look and be modern functional.
For this one, fix only what NEEDS fixing and run it like it is. It's a great example of the era and should stay that way. Also, I absolutely love seeing your kids getting in there to help. Well done sir!!!
Hi.. Always enjoy your videos about bringing older cars back to life.. Like me, When I get another vehicle can't wait to clean and detail all areas to reveal the original charm and quality missing in today's autos.Exciting to test drive the final outcome.Like your method describing and evaluating repairs and what you intend to do with help of family members. Keep up the good work. Steve..South Coast NSW Australia.
I love this little car. I had a 1980 rabbit (gas) and it had it's issues, but you couldn't kill it, it was my first car in high school. I wish I still had it.
I'm amazed at the quality of the steel, all things considered. Definitely one of those oldies that deserve a full restoration (can carpets be re dyed ? 🤔). The whole family did a great job helping. 💙
Orange cleaner is great. It will also smell great for a wile since the orange oil in that stuff will penetrate the plastic and will slowly release its scent as the car is used. Helps to soften dried up vinyl aswell
Check oil pressure hot with mechanical guage. Could be rod/crank brearing with excess wear. Maybe that's why it was parked to begin with. Might be in good shape just might need polish and bearings before you spin a bearing and destroy something.
I would suggest a med hard bristle brush and Goop Hand Cleaner or Simple Orange Hand Cleaner for all vinyl, rubber, and plastic cleaning. This type of cream hand cleaner (both kinds are in a plastic container you dip your fingers into to scoop out) smears on by hand, scrub with brush, wipe off with a rag.... cleans, rejuvenates, and shines up like new !!! Used to detail and clean the US Forest Service fleet of trucks in interior... it really works.
It never will stop. Amazing me how you take a turd and turn it into a lump of gold. The entertainment is great! You guys are great! Appreciate your efforts and entertaining and teaching us all. Thanks!
Love it! Takes me right back to my '83 four door Golf in the mid-80s. But mine was Guards Red with black interior and just a year or so old at the time. Happy memories! Keep it original and just fix the rusty bits. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I have been bouncing around watching your restoration car video mixes. Some from a few years ago and of course this one of late and my goodness your son is getting big fast!! 😁 This would be a perfect budget car for somebody going to college
I had 2 Rabbits, one diesel and one gas. I would fix the rust in front and leave the rest of it alone as is! Looks great for what it is, an economy car!
I learned from another channel (Flying Wheels) that putting a 1/2 puck of pool chlorine in a glass of water in the car, overnight, windows closed, works best against steels; plus it leaves the car smelling sooo clean!
Gosh I didn’t realize how young you are. I’m an 82 model and it seems like not many guys much younger than me even know what a carburetor is. My son is 17 and I’m trying to bestow all my accumulated knowledge into him so he can keep his 92 riviera on the road 👍
I like the original look me i would fix the paint up and enjoy it like that you do not see many of those cars around much anymore most rusted away long ago , Keep up the good work .
Love the Mk1 Rabbits. Many years ago I owned two Rabbit GTI's at different times and a light metallic blue 4 door Rabbit with the dark blue cloth interior and a 5 speed manual. I sure do miss my Rabbit GTI's. They were so simple. No options except AC and Sunroof. Rabbit GTI's did not even have power steering.
As always Michael and dad, thank you both for taking us along on this “rescue” , I had a Mk 4 Golf, two Bugs and a Vento ( Jetta in US) all were fun 👍🙂
Randy...amazing video. Love how you gave this old girl a second chance. These Golfs ( As they were known in South Africa ) were never fast, but boy, they were super reliable. I Would love to get my hands on one of them again.
Personally, if I was putting this car back on the road, I would probably try to keep it as stock as possible. Accept maybe the paint. I would do a little touch-up on the places where it is missing paint. Other than that, I would just keep it stock. As always, I love the transformation and the videos.
These cars were not special, just ordinary econoboxes of the era. I had several. But seeing this car come back to life in the hands of people who care about it makes me happy!
I really hope you all enjoy Part 2 of the rescue on this little Rabbit! Our next video will be an update on the GMC Motorhome, followed by Part 2 on the Falcon Wagon 🙂 I hope everyone is having a great weekend!
You've done a great job guys🎉🎉 Excelent video, can't wait for the next one!
Absolutely fantastic mate, what's a brilliant vehicle, love the VW golf!!! Had a mk 1 many years ago and it was the dam best. Thank you for bringing her back to life !!!!
My wife had a MK1 Rabbit white 4 door. Wasn’t a diesel but just as slow with a 4 speed. If you are looking to sell that one, HMU, would def be interested and just down in North Georgia.
I think you should fix the rust and hood,fender,and door leave it alone other than that
Love it, my first three cars were VW Golfs, or Rabbits to you guys. The first two we're Mk1's and needed some love, especially my first from 1976! Great job on this one, much love from England.
I know it slows you down, but it's so important that you teach the kids how to do this and the quality time will be remembered by them forever. Great work
Best bonding times as kid as with Dad. At the truck garage working on truck fleet
thats how i learned between dad blowing cars up and grandpa thanks to that i can fix my own cars most of the time. so yes def teach young kids that it will save them money as they get older and memories too
plus they have those tiny hands
You’re so right 😊 Thank you!
I think the value is in keeping it original. I'd like to see you guys fix the rust areas around the windshield and the other areas too. I think you could just have paint matched to the original and just repair the bad areas and it would look great. Nice work bringing this one back!
You are 100% right.
I had the gasoline ⛽️ fueled version of this and I miss it. Totaled it in August of 1997. 😮😢
I agree with you
Have to agree with all that. 👍
Agreed
Honestly the interior and the running gear are both SO good that I'd like to see an original restoration. Maybe get that steel bumper re-chromed, or just run the aluminum one since it's OEM. Knock the whisky dents out of it, take care of that rust, give her a fresh coat of the original color, and finish up some of the other maintenance stuff. I'd go ahead and replace all the brake lines, shoes, pads, and hardware anyway just in case. Yours and your family's safety is worth it.
Everybody does the euro conversion, coilovers, etc. Be original by keeping it original.
Back in 1988, there was a hired squatter loving in the abandoned house next to my dad's place. The guy needed cash so he sold a 1981 Rabbit Diesel 2 door hatchback to my dad for $50!
Clean title and all. My dad gave it to me, I sold to a buddy that lived in Tijuana, Mexico for $250. My buddy put a whole interior in tartan butterscotch(the car was a nice metallic copper), a basic servicing and newish tires on BBS style wheels. I think he said he spent $200ish on it. It flipped for $1200! The body, paint & glass were in excellent shape, it was just the interior that was shoddy. I saw the car before my buddy sold it. It looked practically brand new!
Enjoyed watching this build, brought back memories.
These Volkswagen Golf with that diesel engine are running a life time ! Our did more than 300.000 miles and went never broke down !
in 1983 I first got my Drivers license, my first car, was a 1967 VW Bug, I drove my bug for almost 10 years, and then traded it for a 1983 Diesel Rabbit. I wish I had my Rabbit today, but I am back to driving a Boxer engine vehicle, in the form of an 04 Subaru Impreza
This car definitely deserves a respray
There is nothing more satisfying than the difference a deep cleaning makes on an old, dirty car!
It is shocking how simple cars were back then versus today... A few screwdriver turns and parts of the whole dash come out? Crazy.
I know right!
That was so satisfying to watch. When I was young and broke, I bought a 1981 Rabbit Diesel I saw for sale at a mall parking lot. I didn’t even know until I registered it that it had a salvage title. But that little thing was clean and it took me everywhere I needed to go for very little money, and I swear one tank of diesel would last me til the next paycheck. The AC even worked! I could park it anywhere downtown cuz no one would be interested in stealing it 😂
Mine was the same year but gasoline version. It was a good little car.
I just bought a 'barn find' 1982 Rabbit LS Diesel 4-Door for $200 that's in similar condition, but with no body damage or rust. I'm going to clean it up and get it running just like you did with this one, with the addition of doing a paint restoration. I'll be making videos of the whole process and posting them. Wish me luck!
Keep it bone stock, and have it professionally repainted in the original color. An oil pressure test gauge, can be inexpensively made from a $15 pressure gauge, like from NAPA auto parts, and one of their grease gun "whip hoses," and a threaded female/female coupler. The whip hose is pipe thread, but it will HAND THREAD into the cylinder head oil sensor port, and also the port down on the oil filter stantion.
Great job with the cleanup, and with bringing back to life.
My first car was a 1983 Rabbit. Two door, gas engine, three speed automatic. This really takes me back !
My dad was the General Manager of a VW dealership in the 80s and early 90s. As a 15 year old, I washed many a Rabbit like this to keep the sales lot inventory shining in the summer sun. Great car; great save; great memories! Thanks.
I had a 1980 diesel Rabbit that I owned for 8 years. The thing was bulletproof. Thank you for the happy memories.
Plz repair the dents and rust and leave it original as possible. You're right - this is a time capsule. Have fun and stay healthy! Best regards from Germany, Gero
Sounds like a plan! Thank you 😊
That interior cleaned up so nice and the carpet was in remarkable condition! And you definitely showed why it's good to hold on to spare parts too. Always been a big fan of these cars and to see you and your family bringing it new life makes it even more awesome!! What a gem! Can't wait to see more of the RV too!
I would get a automotive paint store to mix a couple of cans of original paint color and spray over the rust spots and the area on the hood and call it good. I love that car. Those stripped down cars with a 5 speed stick and no thrills are my favorites. I learned how to drive on a 76 Corolla that was their cheapest new car. Your Golf reminded me of it and how much fun it was to bang those gears. Love your videos and this one was a treat. Can't wait to see what you guys do with the motor home again. Many blessings...peace out!
First car I ever drove was a 1984 Rabbit gas engine 4 speed. It was black with red interior. Not the GTI, but close :) My parents car. That interior on yours is CLEAN! Good score. Leave it stock, fix the body and paint. Keep it original. There isn't many of these left in this condition.
Same here! My first new car was a 1979 Rabbit, also white with two doors and the 4 speed manual. I was 18 years old at the time, and at that age! You know how exciting it is!
@@anibalbabilonia1867 My first car was a 79 tan Rabbit. I was 16 and loved it.
I personally love when a car like this is rescued and kept as near to original as possible. Love this lil Rabbit
In my old 1.6 Diesel in my rabbit pickup the oil light would always flicker at idle it ran over 400,000 miles. I have an 1998 ABA swap in it with 1,000 miles from a wreck does the same. If you wanted to adjust the idle up it will go away, but no worries as we had a brand new rabbit in 1983 did the same with the oil light flicker. 👍
Please keep it stock. Take the windscreen out and sort the rust on the scuttle. Keep the original paint and perhaps colour match (as close a you can) the bonnet, wing and door. Awesome resurrection 👍🏻
7:30 I recommend dry ice cleaning because it kills 100% of all mold and makes everything clean again, and it is also very gentle. Perfect for cars like this.
Thanks for the suggestion! We’ve definitely been wanting to look into dry ice cleaning!
A great thing to use on old carpet and upholstery is Resolve Pet stain remover, it’s about the best fabric cleaner I’ve ever found, nice residual smell it leaves too 👍
My first car in High School was a white 81 VW Rabbit stick shift I bought running for $800. It was clean,custom slide back rag sunroof, wood grain dash and ran solid but all the kids in school laughed at it because it wasn't a new car. I took it off roading one day and blew a hole in the oil pan... Good memories
I don’t know how old your child is but I’m glad to see he’s interested in cars so he will never have time or money for drugs ! Well done dad !
Everything is so nice and original, I'd repair the rust spots, and do a sympathetic paint restoration touching up only the damaged spots, and preserving the original paint. Do a little PDR on the door crease, maybe polish the aluminum bumper a bit, put a modern-retro radio in it, and just drive it.
What a sweet little rig ❤❤❤😊
The carpet came out amazing
3 generations of awesomeness. Great Video.
I appreciate seeing people keeping old cars going. That’s truly eco-friendly…
please, leave it as it was made from the factory. Greetings from Cologne in W.-Germany.
That is a time capsule. I bet the university that put a new car in a vault underground as a time capsule, had just had a shed for it. There vault leaked water and destroyed it. I think you little helper and fan club enjoyed the ride. Good clean up and nice to hear your dad talking on camera. Keep it stock, it's too clean and original to change.
It’s nice to see the whole family involved with what your doing. Keep up the good job.
Really good that you are showing your kids to appreciate the old cars and the hard work put into it
Looks like to me the little rabbit would be a PERFECT everyday driver for a long time !! I Love it !! Very good repair and clean job!!
My first car was a '77 Volkswagen Rabbit 2 door. Bali green, brown interior, 4 speed manual and the EE code 1.6 liter engine with 78 hp. That little car weighed 1800 pounds and would run to 60 mph in about 9.5 seconds, meaning it was just as fast as a GTI. I managed to get it to go 100 mph on a back country road in the Mexican town known as Temperance, Michigan and due to the concrete construction of Mexico highway M151, the rusted floorboards allowed enough flex for the body to get into a resonance that nearly caused me to lose control of the car!
One of the great parts of this car: An oil change took 20 minutes. Four quarts plus an oil filter easily accessible from the open hood cost me all of $20. It literally took longer to properly dispose of the old oil than to change it...
I loved the car, the Bali green was excellent, and nobody would have thought that this car would beat most "malaise era" American cars in a drag race but it would do just that! I found an upper windshield sticker that said "Wabbit" and everyone called it that from that point on.
Finally, one day I plopped my ample 6'1" and 145 pound frame on the seat one day and the whole thing fell right through the rusted floor. My mom threw a fit, and my parents helped me replace the rusted car with an '85 Volkswagen Scirocco Turbo. We welded the floorboards and sold it on the cheap.
How to tell if a Rabbit was built in Wolfsburg versus Westmoreland: If the side marker lights are vertical, it is from Westmoreland, Pennsylvania. If they are horizontal, the car was built in Wolfsburg. 1980 and later are all American built cars, as this one was. Another way are round headlights: These were from Germany, American hares had square headlights.
You guys always do the best job on refurbishing interiors. And it’s awesome to see you teaching your son your work. You must be a really good dad
Amazing transformation. Keep the little dog dish hub caps. They would look so great with some white wall tires.
My girlfriend in Highschool had a Golf Mark 1 GTI and I loved it as much as I loved her... we always looked across the pond at the Rabbit version with a different bumper and headlights and loved those too... so keep those cars original 🙌🏻
I drove an 80 Rabbit Diesel from the mid 80s to around 93 when it was totaled in a wreck. Loved that ol' car.
As always, having breakfast and I gotta say...I am so enjoying this. Brings back memories. I bought a rabbit GTI in Queens, N.Y. in 1991 and drove it to Miami. Stopped in Rocky Mount. Got myself a bucket at KFC and a 6-pack of Miller Genuine Draft and went to work on it. New spark plugs. Air filter. The interior was good. Carpet was dirty. And the rear where the tire was, was just really rusty. Sanded that down with a grinder, to the bare metal. Sprayed it with Rustoleum. Had the car for 16 months. Took it all across the Southern U.S.A. to L.A. and left it with my friend in Vegas. Long time ago...but that was the life..on a low budget...I was 25 years old. Great memories. Smiling like a little kid here. You guys rock...Rob, Cairns, Australia
1979 my buddy had rabbit and the sleet storm of the century hit atlanta Ga we tide a rope the bumper and a truck enter tube and drove all over the city pulling each other what a blast
Awesome three generations working together in this crazy time of disrespecting the past….great to see…your a lucky man
It looks like you have the dual sensor oil pressure system. It has a sensor in the head and one on the filter housing. The two sensors are not the same and you have to have the correct ones for it to work. One is for low speed the other other high.
Clean it up, keep it original. Fix what needs fixing and make it look good. It’s rare to find one that runs like yours does. Reminds me of my sister’s first car, a ‘79 Rabbit.
If you laid all of the fabric, carpet and upholstery out in the sun, the UV light would start killing the mold and mildew right away - and drying it out. Don't let it all sit in the shade friends.
So sweet to see 3 generations working together. Sadly, that level of cooperation/collaboration is going extinct.
Might as well have a couple of bottle os drugstore 70% isopropyl alcohol with your detailing gear. I guarantee it's a lot cheaper than the spray bottle from the hardware store. Put it in a pump spray bottle and between the wipes (because you can just throw them away) and a toothbrush you'll be able to get into all the stitching easily. And isopropyl alcohol leaves no residue!
The uncut parcel shelf and its bands are probably the most impressive part for me. So many of them broke or were cut for speakers. Many just discarded. Cool car!
I've had my Mk1 Golf for 30 years , would never get rid of her . Great cars that will give you miles of smiles , so much fun to own and drive !
You guys really do right by these rescues, and including your kids is always nice. What a nice job.
Great little Golf , keep it stock , tidy that rust up , thanks for sharing 👍💨💨
I remember a neighbour got one brand new in 1981 - we had nothing in the 80s and for somebody to get a brand new car was like a celebration - I remember it had 34 miles on it !! Mick drove that powder blue Golf for 17 years !!
Please keep it original - it's such a survivor and by tricking it up you are turning it into something it's not
Now it's your car and it's up to you but I'd hate to see such an original car lost - I remember the noise the 1.6 diesel made and that brings me back
Here in the UK and in Europe, Golfs (Rabbits) are modified to death! Yes they're all unique in their own way thanks to the near limitless amount of options available.
But I took my bone stock Mk4 (when I still had it) to a car show once, and the *amount of people* that took notice and the most common comment was "So this is what they look like before it all begins"
It was refreshing to see one unmolested, exactly as VW intended them to be.
And now the preference seems to be swinging back towards keeping them original amongst the thousands upon thousands of modified ones that are in some cases almost unrecognisable from how they left the factory.
So my vote is - don't go modifying it with coilovers, aftermarket parts etc.
Keep it as close to how VW built her. Yes by all means replace what's worn out (bushes, suspension, hoses) to keep it reliable, but keep it honest
Great job as usual! Nice to see Bubba helping out too…the car is in amazing shape, a daily driver for some lucky soul for sure! 💛
Such a stunning transformation. VW Rabbits always have a special place among my favorite cars. Great revival.
Had one like this when I was 21 years old. Unfortunately I totaled it when I fell asleep and hit a 3 ton Boulder at 55mph back in August of 1997. Only time I broke a bone. 😮
@@carlbernard4197 yikes! Glad you were OK.
That baby rocks a whole 50 ponies! lol.... At least they boasted 50mpg back in the day. Turbo models were a bit more impressive, but were fairly rare. Plain Jane "L" models seemed to be much more common to see back in the day on the road. Most people buying a "cheap" car didn't see the value in spending more money for a "upgraded" "Cheap" car.
What his son noticed and remarked about on the side of the road after they started driving at 25:07 - "There's lots of doo-doo" was exceptionally hilarious. The way he said it, as an unremarkable observation, cracked me up. Great vid on bringing back to life this fine Rabbit.
Haha 😅 That’s funny you caught that! He was talking about the cow doo-doo where it had been raked to. I appreciate it!
Great video guys . I prefer the euro look - slim bumpers , round headlights and the small centre covers on deeper dished steel wheels .
Leave it Original and you should restore that paint, I once had one just like yours, the car was amazing
There's something so charming and endearing about honest, simple little cars like this. I love that its still got its warts an all. And that interior is amazing, I could quite happily have that car as a daily run about
back in 96 and 97 i had a little 1.6 rabbit , i'd put 2 dollars worth of fuel in it and go all over ..i used it for checking out my scrap metal piles..i hauled scrap on a 75 dodge ramp truck..if i remember correctly it was a d600...the only issues i ever had with my rabbit was the ball in the transmission where the shifter went in was constantly breaking ..i replaced it like 3 or 4 times
Fun fact: In South Africa in the 1980s there was an amateur endurance series, kind of like a long distance rally, where teams were competing to see who could complete the longest distances in a set period of time. They competed on the wide open plains in the north of the country - big wide roads in really good condition. For a period of time the event was won every year by South African made MK1 Golfs, or CitiGolf as they where known there. These cars were manufactured with petrol engines but they were replaced with 1.6L crate-engine diesels from Europe, an additional fuel tank was added in the trunk and various other upgrades, particularly to the gearing. The fuel consumption was so much lower than the petrol version that they could go almost twice as far on the same amount of fuel, and they were incredibly reliable, consequently they were still going when the petrol cars were stopping for fuel. Once they were wound up to speed they just kept on going and going and going!
VW quality shown through here fellas ! You can appreciate it all getting that intimate by cleaning a car as it should be....areas most folks don't.
Your son will not forget his pride in himself and sees the result of a job well done. ⏫⏫
Love to watch you, dad and now son working together. You are very blessed with all of the skill you have.
My vote is to paint it and see if there is a turbo or blower kit that will fit that old Diesel to make it a fun little executive spec sleeper vibe. Maybe a small rectangular pair of fog or driving lights under the bumper would give it a subtley more hot hatch look.
A retrosound head unit would give the OG look and be modern functional.
ya really scored with this car and the car looks amazing after cleaning it. Ur bumper music is also very acceptable. Congrats on a great vid
For this one, fix only what NEEDS fixing and run it like it is. It's a great example of the era and should stay that way.
Also, I absolutely love seeing your kids getting in there to help. Well done sir!!!
Sounds like a plan! I’m glad they’re getting to the point they can help and want to! ☺️ Thank you!
Hi.. Always enjoy your videos about bringing older cars back to life.. Like me, When I get another vehicle can't wait to clean and detail all areas to reveal the original charm and quality missing in today's autos.Exciting to test drive the final outcome.Like your method describing and evaluating repairs and what you intend to do with help of family members. Keep up the good work. Steve..South Coast NSW Australia.
Really glad you’re enjoying! It’s so much fun transforming a nasty old car! Can’t wait to share more. I really appreciate that 😊 thanks Steve!
Love that you are saving these old car from the scrap yard. Please reach out to me if you ever decide to sell it. I am definitely interested in it.
Good old dad, you too Michael, what a great turn around
I love this little car. I had a 1980 rabbit (gas) and it had it's issues, but you couldn't kill it, it was my first car in high school. I wish I still had it.
The cab crew are the perfect passengers 👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I'm amazed at the quality of the steel, all things considered. Definitely one of those oldies that deserve a full restoration (can carpets be re dyed ? 🤔). The whole family did a great job helping. 💙
Nice job guys. There’s something extremely satisfying about seeing a dirty car cleaned up nicely.
Orange cleaner is great. It will also smell great for a wile since the orange oil in that stuff will penetrate the plastic and will slowly release its scent as the car is used. Helps to soften dried up vinyl aswell
Satisfying revival,would be good to sand it back taking care of the rust spots and respraying white with a few clear coats on top.
The before / after is really really impressive 🤩👍
I love this channel. Even got Mini Mike involved in this one. Great job guys.
Check oil pressure hot with mechanical guage. Could be rod/crank brearing with excess wear. Maybe that's why it was parked to begin with. Might be in good shape just might need polish and bearings before you spin a bearing and destroy something.
I would suggest a med hard bristle brush and Goop Hand Cleaner or Simple Orange Hand Cleaner for all vinyl, rubber, and plastic cleaning. This type of cream hand cleaner (both kinds are in a plastic container you dip your fingers into to scoop out) smears on by hand, scrub with brush, wipe off with a rag.... cleans, rejuvenates, and shines up like new !!! Used to detail and clean the US Forest Service fleet of trucks in interior... it really works.
It never will stop. Amazing me how you take a turd and turn it into a lump of gold. The entertainment is great! You guys are great! Appreciate your efforts and entertaining and teaching us all. Thanks!
I used to have a red VW Rabbit. It was gas powered. 0-60 in 30 seconds.
Love it! Takes me right back to my '83 four door Golf in the mid-80s. But mine was Guards Red with black interior and just a year or so old at the time. Happy memories! Keep it original and just fix the rusty bits. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I have been bouncing around watching your restoration car video mixes. Some from a few years ago and of course this one of late and my goodness your son is getting big fast!! 😁
This would be a perfect budget car for somebody going to college
I had 2 Rabbits, one diesel and one gas. I would fix the rust in front and leave the rest of it alone as is! Looks great for what it is, an economy car!
Your babies are so precious!!!! You are truly blessed with beautiful children.
I learned from another channel (Flying Wheels) that putting a 1/2 puck of pool chlorine in a glass of water in the car, overnight, windows closed, works best against steels; plus it leaves the car smelling sooo clean!
Gosh I didn’t realize how young you are. I’m an 82 model and it seems like not many guys much younger than me even know what a carburetor is. My son is 17 and I’m trying to bestow all my accumulated knowledge into him so he can keep his 92 riviera on the road 👍
I like the original look me i would fix the paint up and enjoy it like that you do not see many of those cars around much anymore most rusted away long ago , Keep up the good work .
A nylon nail brush is Ideal for cleaning grained plastic as is hand cleaner/degreaser, so is washing powder.
Love the Mk1 Rabbits. Many years ago I owned two Rabbit GTI's at different times and a light metallic blue 4 door Rabbit with the dark blue cloth interior and a 5 speed manual. I sure do miss my Rabbit GTI's. They were so simple. No options except AC and Sunroof. Rabbit GTI's did not even have power steering.
A long time ago my brother in law sold VW’s … good memories … Thx!
As always Michael and dad, thank you both for taking us along on this “rescue” , I had a Mk 4 Golf, two Bugs and a Vento ( Jetta in US) all were fun 👍🙂
Randy...amazing video. Love how you gave this old girl a second chance. These Golfs ( As they were known in South Africa ) were never fast, but boy, they were super reliable. I Would love to get my hands on one of them again.
My dad had a 79 Diesel Rabbit 2 door. The fuel milage on that car was unreal. As I recall, diesel in the early 80s was really cheap.
Thanks!
Personally, if I was putting this car back on the road, I would probably try to keep it as stock as possible. Accept maybe the paint. I would do a little touch-up on the places where it is missing paint. Other than that, I would just keep it stock. As always, I love the transformation and the videos.
These cars were not special, just ordinary econoboxes of the era. I had several. But seeing this car come back to life in the hands of people who care about it makes me happy!
Your children are an absolute delight, keep them safe, best regards from Ireland.