Someone Here Needs This Turbo Diesel VW Rabbit

David S.
By David S. Wallens
Apr 15, 2021 | VW, diesel, Golf

How do we know it's rad? Because it’s offered via Rad For Sale, the official auction house of Radwood. (No, you don't have to wear a suit to attend; your Vans are just fine.)

This 1979 Diesel Rabbit checks a lot of boxes.

German build with round headlights? Check.

Zender body kit complete with body-color bumpers and grille? Check.

Kenwood pull-out head unit, Neuspeed upper strut bar and Momo Quasar wheels? Check.

An '80s-tastic paint job worthy of "CHiPs," most 1985 high school yearbooks, or any roller rink still featuring ABBA in heavy rotation? Big ol' check.

According to the listing, this Rabbit spent most of its life in California, while the diesel powerplant comes from a Mk2 Jetta. Yes, it has a stick shift.

Bidding closes on Friday, April 23, 2021.

As the cool kids say, GLWS.

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Comments
Mr. Lee
Mr. Lee GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
4/14/21 10:17 p.m.

That is RAD! Just sayin'

noddaz
noddaz GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
4/15/21 10:27 a.m.

Golf ball shift knob:  Check

RadWood grain on dash: Check

Scirocco steering wheel: Check 

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
4/15/21 11:58 a.m.

In reply to noddaz :

It's layers upon layers of radness. 

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
4/16/21 10:33 a.m.

It's up to $2100.

CJ (FS)
CJ (FS) GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
4/16/21 11:13 a.m.

I had an '81 that I bought with a bent rear axle for $300.  Body had a few dings, but no rust.  The axle was a simple swap out, which made it drivable.  A couple of weeks of tearing out the interior to de-muck (the seats were gold velour, but were smooth brown with crud.  Cleaned up nicely).  My brother came across a turbo kit that the guy had purchased, but sold his diesel before he installed it - $100.  I found an auxiliary fuel tank that mounted in the spare tire well and plumbed into the stock filler.  It brought the fuel capacity to about 21 gallons - $25. Always fun to watch station jockeys stand watching the pump go past 12 gal, then 15, then 20. I remember one guy stopping the pump and looking under the car for the 'leak'.

It ended up accelerating a bit better than a gas Rabbit of the time.  Got 45 to 50 mpg, so the range was about 1000 miles.  Road trips were more about finding bathrooms than finding diesel.

Kind of miss it.,

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