#16 pt.1 beginners guide to mk1 rabbits

this is the start of a multi-part impromptu crash course to these cars. everything from looking at buying, to daily driving, and all the way up to performing major maintenance on them.

[@CJBMAGGOT94]

Beginners guide tip #1, if you like money don't buy a MK1 VW lol.

[@mk1rabbithole]

😂😂😂

[@robertbrolo486]

@@mk1rabbithole Dude Like Your Your KZbin 📹

[@jmn_kll1645]

Nonsense!!!,I LOVE VW's

[@matthewreecebaaliah6239]

Ahh foooooook off😂😂

[@peachdaddy]

In the process of building a mk1 81 pick up. Got fenders for 50 bucks. Floor pans and firewall to front grill for 150 dollars from a shell. Grafted that onto the pick up that was bought for 1000 bucks. With coil overs and consumables the build is still under 2k. If your patient and take your time looking for deals it can be done fairly cheap.

[@cinilaknedalm]

This info is exactly what I needed, thank you so much. Planing on buying a 1.6 diesel and restoring it. I live in Serbia, and you can find old rabbits that "run" from $400. So I thought, why not, would be great to have a lovely classic car, fully restored. This video sure saved me some grief :)

[@mk1rabbithole]

cinilaknedalm thanks for watching! glad these videos can help even if it’s just a few people! they’re definitely worth putting money into as long as there isn’t any bad rust. good luck with your search and keep me posted with how that goes.

[@analoggeneration385]

Great Video!! I'm looking forward to the upcoming videos on tools and engine swaps. I'm currently documenting my resurrection of a 1980 Rabbit Convertible on my channel. I had to replace the rockers and patch up the floors. I haven't started on the mechanics yet but I'm new o Rabbits and the more info the better 😁

[@mk1rabbithole]

thanks for the support and feedback! yeah i definitely wish i had some sort of list of tools that are must haves so i could’ve bought them when i had cash to spare rather than forced to buy them when i was broke but needed a working car. figured if it helps at least one person then it’ll be worth the effort of documenting. i don’t plan on going too technical with the engine swap stuff but i’m trying to more or less replace what we used to have on vwvortex; gather and maintain a list of the different companies offering swap parts and services. at the end of the day if you have the money to spare, you can pay your way to a rather easy and straight forward swap.

[@ThrottleGrotto]

two top tips I'd add, check the b pillar by the lower corner of the rear window on the 2 door cars for cracks in the door jamb. Huge stress area on the car from flex, and I've seen a few with a small crack in the metal there, and always add a lower stress bar between the control arms. Keep them from flexing there, I've seen a few cars with torn metal in the floor from getting driven hard and flexing down low.

[@PedrosGarage]

Where can I buy that lower stress bar?

[@ThrottleGrotto]

@@PedrosGarage I know eurosport still sells the lower stress bar, but the one to have is the four point "k" bar. Those you have to find used from a scirocco 16v car.

[@PedrosGarage]

@@ThrottleGrotto thank you!

[@KevinTheVillian]

checking out a MK1 GTD this weekend. This is exactly the video I needed.

[@mk1rabbithole]

oh wow awesome, glad to hear it helped. sorry for the delayed response, but how did it go?

[@justsumguy2u]

I had a '79 Rabbit, and it had zero rust under the hood or in the fenderwells, but the entire underside rotted away. I literally had the front subframe rails fall off from rust

[@edstababy]

Step #1: ship it from the west coast.

[@akishot6735]

don't steal our beauties!

[@chrishorst6993]

Yeah get your own on the east coast

[@mikecorleone6797]

You can’t have my 84 4 door… it’s mine and it stays here in cali

[@tommygunn7745]

My father bought a diesel rabbit new in 79. I bought it from him in 1987 ,and I drove it for about 5K more miles. I liked that it had lots of room,enough power for me to stay up with traffic. And 50 mpg was nice. I then stored it in the mid 90's. Im now 70 yo and down sizing. Just got rid of most everything,even downsized my home, but kept 4 of the cars Ive had since they were new. three have less than 70 k.The rabbit has 25 k on it and I ve got it in the shop having a mechanic start it up for me and get it servicable to drive since its been stored 24 yrs. Interior needs replaced though .Anyone know the names of a couple places to get all or most interior pieces,? No rust on it,but Ill check it as you pointed out the areas to check. Never been in snow and Im down here in the socal desert the las 25 yrs. I havent seen any rust at this point. Good video . Ill check all the stuff you mentioned. Oh by the way,my hood had a pair of rabbit ears on the hood that was attached with a sprung chain of some type. That preventee=d it from getting broken if someone or thing struck it. Looks like someone finally did steal it though. I havent seen many rabbits and none with that hood ornament. Anyone know about these?

[@JT-un7dc]

How cool you have lower mileage survivor. I had a 80 rabbit diesel 50 miles to the gallon was amazing.

[@fastinradfordable]

Put in a Tdi and get 70mpg ;p

[@williamfullman2639]

That was my first love haven't seen one let alone GTI rims as well they crush them in the junkyard that's a gem

[@mk1rabbithole]

William Fullman always a damn shame! i was getting ready to switch to steelies and wire hubcaps on her but she just sold last week.

[@BeloshapkaAutoBuilds]

Gotta get my floor pans welded in!!! Just been so busy

[@105C09]

The car has '79 front grill, "L" dash and 1981 interior. Two vital areas to check. 1. The fuse box. None left the factory with enough winshield sealant and they leaked especially behind the fuse box. 2. The head or head gasket, especially diesels.

[@mk1rabbithole]

this car has early 78-80 rabbit interior.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Wow brother flashback when you opened the hood i’ve owned a75 Rabbit (Carbueratored ) a 81 Rabbit and in the early 80s drove a 79 Deisel Rabbit for a company i worked for delivering and picking up for a Printing Shop who bought that car for deliveries that was awesome on fuel but i had to turn off the AirConditioning for enough power to get on the highway or pass anyone in Florida too where AC is a necessity and my best freind had several Rabbits and Scirrocos due to having a Uncle who worked at VW /Porsche as a mechanic for years so he had first dibs on Trade ins that came into the Dealerships

[@mk1rabbithole]

Craig Monteforte wow that’s awesome, thanks for sharing the stories. always great to hear from those who had the chance to drive these when they were new. must’ve been a lot less stressful on the road back then with these because everyone had similarly “fast” cars. you almost have to swap the engine on them nowadays if you wanna merge safely since everyone and their mom has 250-400hp cars.

[@Mutato-]

#1 tip: Don't buy a car in the salt belt.

[@YoshiSIX39]

I finally bought my diesel rabbit pickup thanks to this entire guide. Very recommended!

[@mk1rabbithole]

wow really?? that’s awesome and really cool to hear man. congrats!

[@luke_almquist]

very good video

[@mk1rabbithole]

thanks luke!

[@chargedsxt5750]

Hey man I just brought home a very nice 84 diesel. I think that’s the 1.6 4 speed if I’m not mistaken. It’s knocking like crazy so I’m gonna rebuild it. Where would be a good spot to get a rebuild kit? Thanks for the videos. Thanks to you I knew what to look for when I went to look at it today!

[@suckmydingledong]

If your carbed Mk1 VW runs progressively worse while driving you can try blocking off or completely removing the fuel return line. Did the trick on mine. Also I found that sourcing the 200mm brake shoes (pre 1978) can be a pain in the ass, despite living in europe.

[@mk1rabbithole]

. good to know with the brake shoes. i’ve always just blocked off the return line since i never run more than a 5-6psi pump with a regulator near the carb. if it was anymore than that then i’d 100% run a return. i know my mikunis on my caddy are best with a constant 5-6psi, but this always varies for everyone.

[@hartleyhart6538]

Hey Man, i want to delete the ac & heat out of my 82 rabbit diesel. Would the bently help me do that ?

[@waiting4aliens]

thank you.

[@gbriank1]

Awesome channel. Grew up in MK1's. Though, it was a maintenance monster. 1979 with fuel injection and automatic transmission...built in Pennsylvania. Wonder if we'd gotten a German made one if it would have been more reliable?

[@mk1rabbithole]

gbriank1 thanks for the support man! pa built but 79? one of the first! my favorite style honestly. who knows, luck of the draw with reliability it seems with these cars sometimes. the german built ones are definitely less complicated so might’ve helped.

[@gbriank1]

@@mk1rabbithole Yeah, 1979 MY bought in Dec 1978. Had minor rust. If it had been more reliable, I probably would have gotten it as my car. Dumb question, have you replaced the door gaskets on your Rabbit? I don't here tell tale door vibration in your video.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Brand new to your channel where did you find your VW banner hanging inthe garage ?thats really cool !

[@mk1rabbithole]

Craig Monteforte welcome and thanks for watching! the one in the door i bought off someone on facebook, the big volkswagen one off the ceiling was gifted to me by a friend. you should be able to buy them off ebay and amazon though.

[@aboundingpassions2430]

Neighbor had a 1983 2 door rabbit in his yard, gave him a call and he just let me have it for free (I saw no reason to charge me since he’s old). I’m not mechanic but I believe this is a good start (and my dad is one so I’ll b fine) The speedometer says 50k miles but still waiting on the title. Thank you for this video will be checking on the car!

[@mk1rabbithole]

sorry for the delay in responding, but that’s such an awesome thing to hear! do you have any updates about it??

[@aboundingpassions2430]

@@mk1rabbithole Yeah, the car runs in drives but it doesn’t have brakes, come to find out that the previous owner cut the brake hoses in half for some reason. I’m now having trouble getting the brake hose separated from the brake lines. I’ve tried doing the whole torch thing and no dice, I’m just tearing the nut. The car also doesn’t go in reverse :) . So gonna take this car to a guy fixes old cars for the brakes. But I’ll work on the shifter myself.

[@TheGravygun]

Very cool video I have a question or parts for these cars easy to find and are they fairly priced?

[@mk1rabbithole]

it’s hit or miss lately. a lot of stuff is no longer available and half the places i talk about in my parts video are no longer around or worth going to. rabbitparts.com and techtonics are my go to before resorting to rockauto and/or facebook for used 2nd hand parts.

[@robbalinski1606]

hhhmmm wonder if anyones swapped in the 2.0ltr common rail tdi's with 6 speed trans? anyone know?

[@JT-un7dc]

Had a 80 Diesel Rabbit and a 84 GTI. The strut Tower rusted completely through. Shame I missmygo kart cars.

[@rwilk13]

I liked it! Definitely would have helped me if I didn't already have a friend to help me out.

[@mk1rabbithole]

awesome glad to hear because that’s exactly what this mini series is going to be about; not everyone is as fortunate to have one or more people to come lend a hand and set of eyes on these turds. i think we all remember the overwhelming feelings when first buying one, not to mention the empty stomach feeling when finding negative things after you already got the car paid for and home. got a bunch of messages about the headlight and valve adjustment videos, was surprised to see people speaking so quickly saying it helped them.

[@jakehoffmann9686]

Just back here again on this video because it's the one that made me pull the trigger on my first rabbit last summer.

[@mk1rabbithole]

hell yeah! how is it doing? sorry for the super delayed response.

[@firearmconvention946]

You can't reapolster the seats ?

[@mk1rabbithole]

of course you can, but if you’re a stickler for matching patterns and color ways, it’s easier to just find a survivor with good interior.

[@hippieJOSH420]

I didn't see this till I bought mine and all I can say is I think I got pretty lucky. 1980 2dr 4spd diesel.

[@mk1rabbithole]

awesome! what color?

[@hippieJOSH420]

@@mk1rabbithole same as yours

[@angelomikulandra4874]

at 9:04 do you know what is that above your seatebelts? i mean do you know what is it for?

[@angelomikulandra4874]

@Aiden Schultz we had few versions in Europe seatbelts that when they are stationary they are hanged on that hook, when you are tied you are tied, there is no mechanism like common 3 point seatbelts

[@mk1rabbithole]

Angelo Mikulandra i don’t know, but as mentioned above it makes sense it’s a hook for the seatbelt as i was always having to reach down for the buckle! wish i knew sooner haha.

[@WEIXELTOWN]

I have 22 Rabbits and 21 Rabbit Trucks. I'm in NC if you need parts.

[@andrerodriguez7603]

My recommendation is make sure it’s not a diesel.

[@ImASoloMother]

hey, i've been feelin really guilty about this lately.... i know this is probly the last time we talk but i need to get this off my chest... anyways last week me and your boyfriend were alone... it was just casual at first.. i swear. well anyways some how one thing led to the nxt, and i am so so so so sorry but i slept wiht him... if u can ever forgive me pls pls pls let me no... god i feel so awful

[@dannyspeakman2128]

It’s ok. Get tested. Drip drip

[@leewigmore5925]

He can't even tell you the proper name of the parts that he wants you to stay away from. Plus tell people that do have money and can restore any car in the world. If you want to put time and effort in to it .because he does not have the means to fix vehicles.

[@mk1rabbithole]

everyone has different resources, these used to be 500$ cars. not everyone has all the time and money in the world to fully restore a car they shouldn’t have bought in the first place. half the rabbits for sale are dangerously rotted and half the kids trying to buy them don’t know any better. thanks for your oh so valuable input anyways.

[@vdubsterw2516]

You are blowing the whole rust thing way out of proportion. I have been restoring these cars for over 20 years and the worst rust issue i have seen on them is inside the door jams and around the windows. Its so easy to repair that with some sheet metal and a cheap welder. Sand the paint off and use por15 rust converter. People now love to see rusty holes in these cars. These cars are all about rockin rust. All dash boards from mk1 mk2 and mk3 all fit these cars so interior parts are easy to fit. If you find an old rusty rabbit you have found gold. Buy it and rock it just the way it is. Get creative!

[@mk1rabbithole]

i think you're taking what im saying out of proportion, exactly why i said if you've got some small and light shit on there, don't worry about it. this video mainly outlines the severe and structural points that are too complex for the average joe to repair/replace. have seen too many of these cars get parted out because of the stuff im talking about here and its not because they were actually too far gone. most of the ones ive seen unnecessarily parted out were more because the buyer did not do a thorough enough check of the car in the places where it actually matters rather than the car actually being too far gone. the way i see it, if you're capable enough to actually fix this sort of rust, you'll know full well whether or not a car is worth buying/saving, and if you're not the slightest bit capable welding even a few small patch panels than this video is for you.

[@vdubsterw2516]

@@mk1rabbithole i am suggesting that people buy these cars with severe rust issues. it is very easy to get creative and solve the structural rusting. very easy! these cars are getting rare to fond and they usually have california smog exempt diesel titles. if you find a rabbit that is completely rusted out. buy it no matter what and fix that rust. it can easily be done with scrap metal laying around and a cheap harbor freight welder. like i said you are making a huge deal over something so minor that always comes with the car when you find one.

[@mk1rabbithole]

@@vdubsterw2516 ah yes, anyone and everyone should take on severe structural rot with no rust repair experience. what ever could possibly go wrong 🤣 sure thing dude whatever you say.

[@vdubsterw2516]

@mk1rabbithole i have been restoring these cars for years and i have taken alot of rust buckets and gave them new life. In fact im driving a 1980 vw truck right now that has a salvage title with a front clip from a 1982 because the whole front strut tower on the driver side was destroyed in a wreck and left side was completely rusted out. It took me only 2 days to cut off a front clip from another car that was destroyed in the rear and weld it on to the other with a cheap welder. The vw rabbit is a lego car. If there is major rust issues, then i advise everyone who is reading these comments to please buy it and do whatever it takes to repair it. It is so worth it. Dont listen to this guys pessimistic attitude towards rust. Just buy it and embrace it. These are wonderfully engineered cars that need to be kept alive.

[@mk1rabbithole]

@@vdubsterw2516 i know literally a dozen more people in the community who can perform the same or more severe repairs in a similar time frame. im not saying it can’t be done, as i even quickly address this fact in this video. chances are if you are able to thoroughly inspect the car before buying without this video, then my OPINION doesn’t hold any water on their decision. you coming in here telling everyone they need to buy a rust bucket and learn rot repair, when half the people watching this video might not have ever even changed their oil, is way more damaging advice than mine. this entire playlist along with my tutorial videos are to show people they can work in these cars very easily, but you clearly aren’t actively involved in this community enough to see just how many people part out or crush a car because they do not have the time, space, energy, knowledge, or downright money to buy the equipment needed for major rot repair. someone with flux core welder and lack of welding knowledge, what’s actually a safe weld vs not, can do a lot more harm to themselves and others by taking on a project over their head following your questionable advice than they can by listening to my more cautious advice. lastly, you’re very clearly failing to realize the importance of 10’s of thousands of people that have watched this particular video and my need to give a sort of disclaimer that i have to give. i’ve had countless people approach me online and in person saying this exact video helped them find the right car for them and their needs. far more people than i have had approach me angry about them not buying a rot box they maybe could’ve learned to weld on that i suggested they don’t buy if they aren’t sure/confident. clearly you can’t imagine the trouble and hate i would get if the the script was flipped and i preached your opinion instead. hope you figure out how to have a better day, but i’m gonna continue to grow my channel in the meantime in a cautious, covering my own ass(and potentially others), manner.

[@johna.4334]

Too much camera time focussed on the host and not the car. Fail!

[@mk1rabbithole]

john a. sorry you feel that way, but this an informational video not a showcase one. if you’d like to see a video solely about this car in particular, i’d suggest this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpXCh4GJZaqkf7s which is a full walk around followed by a long drive.

[@khester7397]

I agree with you about the rust. The interior? Not at all.

[@mk1rabbithole]

good luck finding an intact and complete swallowtail or early rabbit interior for sale, including the headliner. late westy’s this doesn’t apply to as heavily.