Here are a few pics of my restored 1981 VW Pickup (AKA: Caddy, AKA: Rabbit Pickup). She has a 1.6 turbodiesel and a 5-speed.
Vintage VW
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Nice car/truck! They don't get much cleaner than that! And you don't see this body style much at all, especially in Canada - they all rusted away years ago (I'm in Ottawa).
Did you have to do a lot of bodywork on this one, being in N.S.?
Did you have to do a lot of bodywork on this one, being in N.S.?
It's a southern truck that was drug back here in 1991 when the project started. We replaced a fender and repaired a small floor hole, then media blasted the whole disassembled thing and painted her all. Then all parts were replaced, or rebuilt. She's a jem.
Nice!
What a blast from the past.
Well done..
Well done..
DANG!! Extremely clean, i love it!!
Very nice; what kind of fuel mileage are you getting with it?
The engine is still very tight (new) so mileage and power aren't great yet. The last tank, I got 700km (435 miles) and still had over a quarter tank left. The tank holds about 15 US gallons.
That is just great. It's good to see someone restore one the correct way. Thanks for sharing the pics.
Fantastic.
My parent's neighbor had one a while back, made it look just like a period-correct GTI only with a bed.
I didn't know those old diesels were turbos. Perhaps it was offered in Canada, but not the US...?
You should think about putting a sticker on it:
50mpg and NOT A HYBRID
(Sorry, I live in CA and my co-woker with a Prius is killing me with his "I'm saving the world" cr@p)
My parent's neighbor had one a while back, made it look just like a period-correct GTI only with a bed.
I didn't know those old diesels were turbos. Perhaps it was offered in Canada, but not the US...?
You should think about putting a sticker on it:
50mpg and NOT A HYBRID
(Sorry, I live in CA and my co-woker with a Prius is killing me with his "I'm saving the world" cr@p)
Yeah, it's not really a restoration...it's better than new. It's got a turbodiesel and 5-speed from a Jetta (they only came with non-turbo and 4-speed) and a Jetta/GTI interior with all the gauges, intermittent wipers, etc., etc., etc..
Would you say that this resto project:
1. Was reasonable in cost
2. Cost a bit more than I expected, but worth it
3. Cost a fortune but was worth it
I really like what you've done with it.
Meaningful upgrades but not flashy.
1. Was reasonable in cost
2. Cost a bit more than I expected, but worth it
3. Cost a fortune but was worth it
I really like what you've done with it.
Meaningful upgrades but not flashy.
Thanks. It cost a bit more than expected, but it's worth three times that.
I'll be weeks wiping the silly grin off my face. Driving this truck is so much fun it should be illegal.
I'll be weeks wiping the silly grin off my face. Driving this truck is so much fun it should be illegal.
Yustrdae I cudnt evn spiell Cadydriver and now I are wun
It's a "GEM", OK?
Great Job!
German Papa - American Mama?
I think you have a Dandy VW Pickup, was it assembled at the Westmoreland, PA. Plant?
The inevitable question, what oil and filter do you use? The updates on the powertrain are what it needed. Good Luck and Happy Trails.
I think you have a Dandy VW Pickup, was it assembled at the Westmoreland, PA. Plant?
The inevitable question, what oil and filter do you use? The updates on the powertrain are what it needed. Good Luck and Happy Trails.
It's a Westy Rabbit allright, but the heart is from the fatherland. For breakin, it has Rotella T and a Wix filter. As soon as it's broken in, it'll get Rotella synthetic and Mann filter. The 5-speed and turbodiesel are exactly what it needed. The extra power and gear make it a real pleasure to drive.
I'd be mad too if all I were getting was 36 mpg. I suppose it'll get 50 tho...
BTW, what is a jem?
BTW, what is a jem?
There's a used car lot in town that has one of those. It's nowhere near as nice looking as that one. It's red with a cap for the bed. Looks like it has been sitting for a few years but it's not rusted out yet. Interior is rough from what I can remember. I can't recall the exact price, but I think it's over 2000 bucks. 2000 bucks for a 'car' that hasn't been driven in approx. 3 years is too much.
Keep it, it's value is increasing everyday with gas prices through the roof!
I woudn't be surprised to see this type of FWD small diesel Pick-Ups/utility vehicles back on the market in a few years. They make sense for so many people/small businesses.
They're everywhere in Europe and Japan.
The 1.6 liter TD was so popular in Montreal Jetta taxi cabs. My brother went more than 300000 km on his '85 (Jetta GL 1.6 TD) before selling it to relatives who ran it for a few more years. I remember he could do 60 MPG Imp on the highway with it.
I woudn't be surprised to see this type of FWD small diesel Pick-Ups/utility vehicles back on the market in a few years. They make sense for so many people/small businesses.
They're everywhere in Europe and Japan.
The 1.6 liter TD was so popular in Montreal Jetta taxi cabs. My brother went more than 300000 km on his '85 (Jetta GL 1.6 TD) before selling it to relatives who ran it for a few more years. I remember he could do 60 MPG Imp on the highway with it.
I actually looked at that truck when I was searching. It's a good project truck, but definitely not driveable in its present state.
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