1977 VW Mk1 Rabbit / Golf - Dreaded beast of the highway

Let's drive a beast of car, the 1977 VW Rabbit .... with some small mods
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[@TML34]

Nick we need an update on the problems with your Porsches. Which one is currently undriveable due to mysterious electrical gremlins? Which one only starts above 10 degrees C? And which one are you selling because you’ve simply “had it” with the dealership visits. 😂😂 Never should have sold your E90(?) M3.

[@johankarlsson9272]

This car brings my memories back to 1987... When I was 18 years young... Mine was a 1977 too. Red with black interior and stock 1.6 L engine with 75 🐎 horses got it up to 175 km/h (109 mph)...975 kilos (2149,5 Pounds). But to reach that speed you got to "work" it hard behind the wheel....constantly floor it in every gear with quick shifts and tyre squeel from the stock 155/70R13 rubber. Still in School back then a Golf GTi was too steep to afford especialy because the insurance cost was high hence it was a 110 horsepower car that crashed a now and then and was stolen sometimes. Next car was a BMW E30 320i 2 liter 6-cyl. that car lacked a bit of tourque and you had to work that car too fast shifts at redline to keep it going that was a hell of a fun car too.... To all you youngsters out there get a old small crappy stickshift car without engine power, ABS brakes, traction control, Servo Steering and modern crap like that and abuse it. And learn how to drive... Then you will have fun like Nick....😎🏎️💥💨

[@ExhaustedNYer]

Red Golf/GTI are my favorite. That engine sound makes me miss my old MK3.

[@aboyandhisdog]

I had a '78 Rabbit and it was one of the most useful, fun to drive cars I've ever owned. Loved that car and still is one of my all time favorite cars that I've owned.

[@July.4.1776]

What a nice MK1 it sure is a clean build.

[@DoubleOSeven007]

Love it - the 16V was and is a great revving engine. Small rear light earlies (series 1's) are so cool.

[@wesd991]

What a riot those individual throttle bodies can be. Smiles all around. Merry Christmas Nick

[@NoDautMK1]

Very nice example. Wish mine will look like this one day.

[@clownworld-honk410]

Used to own an '81 Golf GTI with the 1600cc. More rev happy than the 1800 cc which replaced it. Probably the most fun I had. When 110 bhp meant something! 😊

[@ruststar]

That’s the car I learned to drive with my uncle, I was 14, I still love and miss that car.

[@russwright]

Our 1984 GTI was so fun to drive. Good utility (fit my bike in the back) and great handling for the time. Always fun getting the one rear wheel to lift off the ground while cornering.

[@sailingman71]

Great video Nick, reminds me of the mk1small bumper my Dad bought in 1976. You can't beat the sound, smell of a car on Carburettors!!

[@bradb2514]

Your laugh says it all! Cool, cool car.

[@azaz911c]

The bodywork on this Rabbit is so clean and beautiful. The only thing I might criticize is that the wheel selection could be a touch smaller and less aggressive, but otherwise the aesthetics are fantastic.

[@Robot_Overlord]

I had a 79 rabbit. Loved it as a teen

[@oomstu]

Merry Christmas Nick. Here in South Africa the Golf Mk1 was sold by VW up until ± 2009. Many people have modded them over the years including VR6 conversions.

[@mattalki]

My 1981 Rabbit Diesel was my first car, and I still have it today. They are fun to drive, and with 150hp, I bet it hauls ass! This one is modded beyond what I'd consider, but I can totally appreciate the amount of work that went into it.

[@bokiNYC]

Ah the memories...reminds me so much of my Yugo 45 (900cc and 45 hp pos) that looked like it was designed after the mk1 Golf but drove like crap. We all wanted the mk1 Golf back in Eastern Europe at that time but not everyone could afford one. Great video of a great little hatch, loved it! 👍

[@mikem2652]

😂😂😂😂 I haven’t finished watching it yet and I love it! You need to show it some country road corners, it’ll be fantastic! I bet you would love this in your garage in NZ mate! Cheers 🍻🇬🇧

[@caffinemc1]

Awesome car what a classic, and another great video Nick - Merry Christmas

[@jeromelangenderfer8853]

Merry Christmas Nick. It sounds great.

[@thefridgeman]

0:13 "Farva, this is Rabbit. Ten four!" Really dig your new Conan look!

[@Francois997.2]

Italian Design !

[@SquireJethro]

My first new car was a '86 GTI. No power steering, but did have AC. I put over 200,000 miles on it driving across country several times, CA and the PCH a couple of times, and a 100 mile daily commute across the Arizona desert. Back in the late 80's, the S&L Crisis halted several developments in AZ, leaving just the roads with no houses. They made fantastic rally courses. My buddies (one of which also had a GTI) and I would hoon around these developments at night. Fun times. When I traded it in, the radio had been stolen twice, the heater core blew up and was bypassed, the AC wouldn't hold a charge, and the ORIGINAL clutch was starting to slip. Clutches tend to last with primarily freeway driving. But even with the odometer rolled twice, it didn't burn a drop of oil. I changed it every 8-10K miles.

[@dlg5485]

So cool! I'd love to do a resto-mod project like this at some point. Nice one Nick!

[@bkeen7013]

Very cool car. Merry Christmas, Nick!

[@HawkMillFarm]

We had a red MK2 1600 turbo diesel. It really flew when the turbo got spinning, great fun car, I’d happy have it back today.

[@garthwebb6418]

Hi Nic! WOW - what a Rabbit! While I owned my ‘63 Beetle (my first car) I bought myself a ‘77 Champagne Edition (the green tone one) Rabbit. I desperately wanted a GTI but couldn’t afford it so I hot rodded the hell out of my Rabbit. Still, this machine is AMAZING! Crazy cool! Love it that you show us different things sometimes. Merry Christmas!

[@leeandrews1072]

Had a bright lime green Rabbit…. So fond memories Merry Christmas Nick 🎄

[@J.W.W.]

Memories! When I was in the Air Force, early to mid eighties, Southern California, I bought a 1982 Rabbit LX 5 spd with the 1.6 from a coworker that was getting transferred overseas. It was only one year old. What a fun car! I BEAT that poor thing so hard, by 40k miles, it was puffing blue smoke between shifts. Sold it to some unsuspecting officer that was buying it for his teenage daughter to drive.

[@andrewdowling]

I had a MK2 Mars Red. First of 3 GTI's. I have had 2 Jetta GLI's (Current Daily Driver) a number of VW's (Scirocco's, Corrado, CC's, Jetta's etc.) and Mercedes, BMW , and 911's. GTI's will ALWAYS be my favorites. Well...I love 911's really

[@davidvonslingshot]

That Is Amazing !!!!!!! Best car on the channel yet!

[@darthdaddy6983]

I’ve got a white 83gti with 1.8t 20v. Love these videos 👍

[@lloydlee5905]

Iconic car

[@madfemurfast]

That was a dream car back in the late 70 or early 80. Nice!

[@SonOfTamriel]

I had an 84 GTI, black on red. Still my fav car I've ever owned and regret selling it for $1200. Needed the money, they weren't worth much in 2004. It wouldn't stay running, was giving me a headache with electrical probs (rot under the windshield frame, water dripped down to the relay box on the drivers side, common). The guy that bought it pulled out the horn relay and plugged it in to where the fuel pump relay was, and he drove it off... I cried like a baby lol. Still lusting after another Mk1 and with the GTI prices the way they are now, it's not going to happen. Finding a nice coupe non-GTI is impossible here. Oh well!

[@twagn]

Loved my 76 Rabbit

[@sequence_of_noises]

It sounds like a Spec Racer Ford!

[@renerobes30]

A friend of mine had a Mk1 Rabbit in the '70s, they were pretty common back then, but now rare in the US, much less a modified one, it will attract attention, the red paint also helps. Sometimes you can go back!

[@anonymoushuman8962]

Hey Nick. Happy New Year and I hope you had. Lovely Christmas too Anyway I watch your videos avidly and have learnt an about Porsche from you! Some great insights and knowledge. In fact I waited for it for 18 months,and a 5k reservation.First it was a 12 month wait but delivery got pushed backed until a few weeks ago. I have been a Porsche “fan” for over 25 years…yes I’m an old dude.😌. It’s beautiful, in my eyes anyway. It’s in adventurine green which is quite rare choice came to understand as I went to the drivers experience and out of the 300 cars they had on stock there was only one and that was the Tacyn, it has a two tone interior with red stitches. Of course I got the chrono package, PDLS lighs power, power steering aslll as some other. beautiful extras like the Bose sound system. I also got the ambient light as well as the Porsche name that opens up in the car when at night time., “which I know you don’t like”I also got black gloss 21” and 22” wheels.no sunroof though nor did I get the 14 way seats adjustment absolutely stunning! That is the only thing I would add to my car looking back… but not a big deal imo anyway! I got some other lovely options too but Can’t recall all the specifics but the whole thing just suite down to the ground! My dream car evevtually arrived. I had to pinch myself when going to pick it up.my jaw dropped in Porsches dealership. What a stunning machine. And to own one after so much scrimping and saving and to be so fortunate to be able to own a 992..1

[@pepperpepperpepper]

All I want for Christmas is a video greeting from Tui. Just a little bark would do :) All these cars are over my head.

[@TommyLGarage]

Not gonna lie - I’ve been wanting a mk I for a while. Nice seeing you again Nick!

[@morganvon5664]

Rabbit diesels were very popular in the 70's due to the oil embargo. Our family had one. Once the gas lines ended, the rabbit was gone.

[@dp2901]

I had a Mars Red Rabbit convertible...life was like a John Hughes movie back then. Good memories.

[@nica080910]

I had a MK2 1985 GTI. My very first car. I had for twenty-six years. Traded it for an Acura. I miss that car very much.

[@torygyberg8837]

Been in a bunch of those, super cool!

[@klasseact6663]

Your pure joy and laughing while driving this is something mfgs should REALLY look at as they've abandon this decades ago❗️

[@Vampirebear13]

I hope you have a Very MERRY CHRISTMAS Nick !!!!!

[@karlInSanDiego]

I love your car. 85mph speedo rule wasn't passed until Sept. 1, 1979. And took a bit of time to be implemented. Mk 1's before that had the speedo shown that went to 100. Stock car on the other hand only did that down a long hill. My first car was a 10 year old '76 (carbureted from factory) that we owned since new.

[@zoner__]

I had 77' . What a fun car. I think it was 78hp. In that ubiquitous brown with beige interior. I put two 100 watt driving lights on top of the front bumper. If he wants to sell it let me know.

[@davidbee9563]

I owned a sequence of MK1 and Mk2 VW's. Started with a 48hp non-turbo diesel. You could beat that thing around town and get over 40 mpg. I put a set of Recaro's from a 1980 Gti in it. Here in Canada they rusted pretty quickly... so one day I saw an orange Gti - a non standard color. The owner had imported a clean shell from Texas and rebuilt the car. Then I had a turbo diesel Mk2 Jetta that was faster, more comfortable than the Rabbit. You could put a set of skis through the back seat. It was replaced by a 2.0 16V which was stolen after a four month honeymoon including a trip to Nova Scotia around the Cabot trail and back through New England states and Lake Placid.The cloth Recaro's in that car were amazing.A few years later a 1.8 16V. Fun stuff... But after the 2.0 was stolen, I was tempted to buy an e30 325i. Instead I bought a e28 535, then a 533, then two different e30 325 Tourings. Alas, I had to sell the 325 and now cannot afford a car. I always fancied a MK1 Scirocco with the Recaro seats...

[@bradw922]

I need to do that with my 85 Wolfsburg Cabriolet. The 90hp just seems too slow after coming out of my 981 Spyder with 380hp. I like the extra gauges in place of the radio

[@davesablast]

So much fun to watch. Biggest mistake of my life not buying a new Mark II.

[@anonimushbosh]

What a car, fantastic! But where can I get those wheels? I really need to find something to protect my tyres from kerb rash 😁😁

[@lp2565]

I had a base model that I bought new in 1977. It was the biggest POS that I have ever owned. And, it was the last VW product I have purchased. Never again.

[@denisvogel5155]

That's one amazing wascal wabbit! Would have been even more amazing in silver or gray.

[@stanlee3619]

I've driven an early 80s Rabbit, one of the most fun cars I've ever driven, rivaling a 1980s Alfa Romeo Spyder and an 80s Alfa GTV6.

[@isaacpettit5594]

Cool car for sure. Been a while since I’ve heard anyone say a carbed 16v was extremely challenging to drive, probably cause all my friends are mk1 owners though

[@atom999]

Awesome

[@dave11686]

Kia Ora Nick Merry Christmas

[@ignacioperez5106]

My vw cabriolet is also from West Germany 🇩🇪

[@WayApp]

Dreaded highway beast

[@knudsenj100]

My first car was a 8 valve Mk 2 GTI. It was amazing, when it ran. I'm so sad to see the tepid, uninspired stuff VW is cranking out today.

[@pt99810]

Terrific fun video! So Nick, you seem not to have missed a ton of excess weight, including at least 75lbs of complex electronics; perhaps you need counselling?

[@cynicallycynicalcynic]

I'd ws hoping to to see an old original with the faded paint and torn up seats .

[@pikepunk1]

We had a '81 diesel (that i learned to drive in at 9 years old) and then an '84 gas rabbit. Neither ran thile this car in the video...

[@mrantone916]

I had one of those I bought it for 500.00 , I also had a 77 scirocco I traded a gt performer mini and 200 bucks , and a 78 scirocco with neuspeed everything for 150.00 🤣

[@masomamoloi9554]

Its a Rabbit in South africa as well 😇

[@fisherh9111]

Why no burnout Nick?

[@NoWay23548]

As a purist I’m quite conflicted about this car. On one hand it’s nice to see an old Golf mk1 still on the road and not succumbed to rust. On the other hand this is not a Golf mk1 but a hodgepodge of stuff (porsche logos etc) that probably would seem a lot cooler if I was 25 again. Each to his own I guess.

[@g.r.2985]

BEST thing I’ve watched all day!! Thanks Nick! Learned to drive in a green ‘79 Rabbit. Would LOVE to drive/own this if I weren’t petrified of crashing it. There is zero safety on this and would be toast in any sort of collision. Mind you, at least it would be over quick and the occupants wouldn’t suffer long. On another note, great to see how much joy it brought you!! ❤ from north of the border.

[@alexandruduta8102]

[@s.p.ltd.3886]

I bought a new 1977 VW Scirocco, 4-speed manual which I believe was pretty much identical to the Rabbit here is the US. Fun to drive but it was the most unreliable car I ever owned. Driving down the highway it would just quit running and refused to start. The car was towed to the VW dealer where it would sit and eventually after a couple of hours it would start and they said it was fixed. This happened multiple times before I had to get rid of it. The dealer was never able to diagnose the problem but it was probably related to the fuel injection system and the dealer just did not know how to diagnose or repair the car. Never bought another VW.

[@unlimitedfactory4297]

I love Rabbits! Especially the early Westmoreland cars with the square headlights. The build quality was far worse than the german cars but I don't really care.

[@awinis]

You want a modern 4-cylinder that is mad and fun? Mercedes AMG A45s...

[@stubailey9433]

Watched enough of your videos. Never seen you laugh like that driving any 911.

[@cosmomotorsports8266]

Great review…! Must have been a blast to drive.

[@doggedlydetermined7022]

Electric Macan coming soon??

[@russwright]

Nick should buy one. Great content as it will have nothing but problems for the first few years. Porsche still hasn't sorted out the Taycan yet.

[@ignacioperez5106]

😍 🔴

[@Closertotruth2]

Nick’s maniacal laugh says it all!

[@user-zs4nh7vu5u]

😁😁😁👍👍👍💪💪💪😎😎👌👌

[@claviclenotch1876]

A car spec'd like that is not for a guy who loved them when they came out. That slammed out lowered version like that sits about an inch above of any 50's and overs nutbag.

[@Vincent_Gambini]

Nick, if anyone should be getting behind the wheel of a Singer 911, I think it should be you? Any plans to do so?

[@kirk8359]

I have to leave after 1 minute. There’s no accounting for taste, absolutely everything about that build is repulsive. 100% would love it stock. My first ever car was a stock used 79 Rabbit GTI that was sold in Canada at dealers, kill to have it back.

[@wizpin]

Modern fast cars are just way too powerful, this kind (and yeah miatas) are much safer for your DL 😂

[@bunningssnag6647]

911 st video soon?

[@H2SO4H20]

Nick, you are a very sick person and need professional help. I was the unfortunate owner of a brand new 1975 Rabbit. It was awful. To call it a P.O.S. gives sh!t a bad name. The VW dealer couldn't fix its carburetor problems which made the Rabbit nearly undrivable. It's body cracked just behind the doors at the roof, mid-line and floor which meant that the paint fell off at those points. The upholstery on the seats came apart. The 4-speed manual transmission made a horrendous knocking noise. All this before 3 years and 40,000 miles.

[@stirlingfromla]

I'll spell it so you understand.....B-O-R-I-N-G! It MAY seem quick to you but to the camera....SLOW as a SNAIL....YAWN!

[@NickMurray]

Oh well 🤷🏻‍♂️ 😊

[@warphace]

The gearing on that car renders it useless. More money then brains.