1983 VW Rabbit Truck. Project clean out the shed.

This spring I traded a rusted out Super Beetle for a not quite as rusty, one (titled) owner Rabbit Truck. I've been collecting VWs for about 20 years, so I have a few spare parts and parts cars that have accumulated over the years. I figured the Rabbit Truck was a good place to put some parts, and as a bonus, there's more room in the shed.

This is what it looked like when I got it.

The truck was hit in the front and poorly repaired by the original owner. It has a salvage title, so I think he just pocketed the insurance check.

The interior is pretty clean. The first modification was the vintage Momo wheel.

Then I started to work on the brakes. A little work with a file and now I can use a mk4 or mk3 brake light switch.

Next was the brake booster and master cylinder from a 2002 GTI. I cut the ends off the brake rods and welded a sleeve for reinforcement and the mk1 end onto the mk4 rod. The black paint hides the ugly flux core welds.

It's a tight fit...had to roll the edge of the booster bracket brace.

I also picked up a proportioning valve, because I'm upgrading to rear discs. This one from Wilwood works great because the mk4 master cylinder has only 2 outlets instead of 4 like the mk1.

It's amazing what can be done with some scrap aluminum, an angle grinder, and a hole saw.

The previously mentioned rear disc brakes. Spindles and backing plates from 1993 Passat GLX. Carriers from 1991 Corrado G60. Calipers from 2002 GTI.

I went a little overkill on the front. 11" rotors, spindles, ball joints from 1991 Corrado G60. Carriers from 1997 GTI VR6. Calipers from 1985 Audi 5000 turbo. Temporarily has Koni struts from a mk3, but I think they are going to be too tall.

I was able to get the old CIS injected 1.7 to run...barely. It smoked like crazy and blew oil out of the exhaust. So I found an ABA from a 1998 Jetta.

Now for the fun part. I decided to swap everything over to CE2 using wiring harness bits from the 1998 Jetta, a 1996 Golf, and 1993 Passat GLX.

Since the truck doesn't have AC, I had to delete it on the ABA with a shorter belt, a VR6 water pump pulley, and a 1 1/8" washer as a spacer.

That brings everything up to date. Now that it's starting to snow, the progress is going to slow down a bit because there's no room in the garage to work on anything.

I just traded 3 Super Beetle project cars to my cousin for a few pallets of short-course off-road racing buggy water cooled VW engines and parts. I'm thinking some of this stuff will migrate onto the Rabbit Truck.

Keep us posted on how it's going. I'd love to have a nice VW pickup.

A few years ago I saw a man @ WM loading his wife's purchases into the back of a perfect looking diesel version. I had to ask him about it and it turns out he restored it himself. It looked new. I've wanted one ever since.

There is a lot of secks in that last pic, I had a beetle cup 2.0 in my first MKI GTI from Bertils they have a big following.

chandlerGTi wrote: There is a lot of secks in that last pic, I had a beetle cup 2.0 in my first MKI GTI from Bertils they have a big following.

I still need to haul the Bertils head home. There's also a pallet of engine blocks, so I'm hoping to find the matching short block.

nice usage of collected parts

VWs are like Legos for big kids.

I have never seen a project use so many different years of parts so successfully. How did you know what would fit?

Because it's a VW.

Timeormoney wrote: I have never seen a project use so many different years of parts so successfully. How did you know what would fit?

Internet research for some, trial and error for others. I might install some parts from the '70s to widen the spread to four decades.

Those Caddies are awesome - I have wanted one ever since I saw my first one. Can you use Mk1 Rabbit pieces on the front end? I noticed there were some repro Mk2 GTI grilles kicking around for under a hundred bucks that would look neat on this thing with the red ribbon.

This thread just reinforces my belief that all Volkswagen owners are just parts collectors who also sometimes aggregate those parts into car-shaped Rubbermaid containers for mobile storage.

ssswitch wrote: Those Caddies are awesome - I have wanted one ever since I saw my first one. Can you use Mk1 Rabbit pieces on the front end? I noticed there were some repro Mk2 GTI grilles kicking around for under a hundred bucks that would look neat on this thing with the red ribbon. This thread just reinforces my belief that all Volkswagen owners are just parts collectors who also sometimes aggregate those parts into car-shaped Rubbermaid containers for mobile storage.

Everything from the front to the back of the doors is mk1 Rabbit.

I have a few of those car-shaped storage containers...although they aren't likely to be mobile anytime soon.

Adapters to use mk4 strut bushings in a mk1. Fresh off the plasma table. Just sitting on my desk waiting for things to slow down in the shop long enough to have them welded.

love it!

Really nice project. I've always wanted to own a Caddy. Reading with interest...

this is way cool. my friend is building a mountain green westy caddy right now and I will have to point him in the direction of this build.

I love how easy it is to swap parts around from many generations. the old audi's are the same way, just not quite as plentiful as the vw's.

Love it! looking forward to more updates

One strut mount installed. It looks a little off, but I'm hoping it will straighten out once the engine and trans are installed.

ill be watching this, have a strange lust for one of these or an mk1 rabbit

I already knew this. But here's proof that Rabbits multiply.

Start a new build thread? Or share this one?

My buddies have built a couple of rowdy rabbit trucks.

Truck one just won't die and is a wound up g60 swap turned into a shop truck. Totally useful and completely frightening.

Truck two was redone ground up in Kerma green with a 2.0 swap and turbo setup added. Lots of efforts put into suspension and other goodies. End result was awesome, fast, and still completely frightening.

Before the turbo it destroyed an Audi 2.7T....

Do it!

84FSP wrote: My buddies have built a couple of rowdy rabbit trucks. Truck one just won't die and is a wound up g60 swap turned into a shop truck. Totally useful and completely frightening. Truck two was redone ground up in Kerma green with a 2.0 swap and turbo setup added. Lots of efforts put into suspension and other goodies. End result was awesome, fast, and still completely frightening. Before the turbo it destroyed an Audi 2.7T.... Do it!

Great build

In reply to 84FSP:

I'm not going to go too crazy with the truck. Maybe a mild cam and tune, I've already installed an AEG intake manifold, and have the AEG exhaust manifold waiting to be installed. Since I plan on using it as a truck...to haul parts and tow the occasional air cooled VW (which is the main reason for the upgraded brakes).

Although I do have a turbo and waste gate that I pulled off an Audi 5000 sitting in the shed...tempting...

Not much progress on the truck, since I don't have a place to work inside.

I did put some door windows in the blue Rabbit, those will be nice to have during ice racing season. The door has been gutted to fit the cage, so there's not much holding the regulator in place. And I had some help...

Nice work... You'll be amazed what the 2.0 with cams a chip and exhaust will do in your truck. If you change your mind on the bertils setup it is made of gold for the vwvortex crew...

I know someone who has a lifted caddy tdi too.

84FSP wrote: Nice work... You'll be amazed what the 2.0 with cams a chip and exhaust will do in your truck. If you change your mind on the bertils setup it is made of gold for the vwvortex crew...

I've had a couple people express interest in the Bertils head, but no one has sent any cash yet. Everyone and their brother on vwvortex wants the valve cover though.

My cousin came to pick up the Super Beetles yesterday. 3 non-running cars loaded in under 2 hours...I might have to borrow this rig when I get another project car.