My build up of the Un-naturally aspirated 81.

[truckoSaurus08]

 I dont know but my Caddy is an 81 too.

[macka]

81 was the year vw perfected the rabbit

[vwjones]

Wait second, Im confused when I look at the engine. Where's the turbo? It looks like you just put on a gasser intake.

Tucked down behind there is a vnt........

Hey rabbit, how hard was it to add the vnt?  i'm starting to think that my T2 isn't going to blow my GTD up fast enough to suit me.

[Rabbit on Roids]

the pic in the avatar, thats my rabbit before i got ahold of it. it was perfectly straight before a subaru hit me. now it has a beat up front driver fender. but im waiting for a nice cabby front end to put on it. and those arent the complete disk wheels, those are just normal rabbit wheels, caps and beauty rings.

[Rabbit on Roids]

i think the VNT is the turbo to use on a rabbit honestly. they come on low and strong, fit just right around our shift linkages/axles/transmission. and i love the way it sounds. it has a way louder turbo howl than my cars that have a normal turbo.

and if you are worryin about not being able to blow it up fast enough, it took me almost a year at 35psi to blow up my first engine, and it still ran fine even after 40+ psi boost, but it would hold NO WATER. i pretty much cracked the drivers side end of the block off. then i parked it at my grandpas, let her sit over night. then went back down there the next day with 5 gallons of water, and used it all getting it home, witch was about 2 miles.

and for what you guys are saying about 81's, they must all be where ever you guys are... cause i only know of two 81 rabbits around me. mine, and my grandpas caddy. everything else is either way newer, or way older. theres lots and lots of newer cabbys around here. i wish mine was a pre 81, i hate the rect. head lights. and then i would have the right engine in my car too, cause im pretty sure 79 or 80 was the last year of the 1.5? and the last year for sweet front ends.

and has anyone ever heard that a small amount of 81 rabbits were galvanized at the factory? im pretty sure i got one, cause it rains all the time, and rabbits rust out fast here. usually every rabbit i see has holes at the corners of the windshields. but mine is rust free. kinda nice having a rust free car in a rain forest.

[Rabbit TD]

^Forest green metallic FTW.  I love it on my car.


I do wish my car was 2 door, however.

Well the 2 doors might have a certain appeal to them, my 81 is a 2 door and at times I kind of wish it was a 4 door but God help you if you ever need to find a door for a 2 door one.  I had a terrible time finding a pass door for mine a while back.  The junk yards even got on their search thing they have and couldn't find one but I finaly did stumble on one that was real good.  Even if you actualy ind one most of them will be rusted pretty bad but there are 4 door types everywhere.  I think they said the trucks use the 4 door style door too if that helps anybody and the Cabroliets are their own breed because of not having the top peice on them.

[Rabbit on Roids]

^Forest green metallic FTW.  I love it on my car.


I do wish my car was 2 door, however.

Well the 2 doors might have a certain appeal to them, my 81 is a 2 door and at times I kind of wish it was a 4 door but God help you if you ever need to find a door for a 2 door one.  I had a terrible time finding a pass door for mine a while back.  The junk yards even got on their search thing they have and couldn't find one but I finaly did stumble on one that was real good.  Even if you actualy ind one most of them will be rusted pretty bad but there are 4 door types everywhere.  I think they said the trucks use the 4 door style door too if that helps anybody and the Cabroliets are their own breed because of not having the top peice on them.

there are tons of 2 door cars in portland. and im NEVER GOING TO OWN A 4 door... i dont fit in the damn things, im 6'7"
you ever notice how the seat goes way farther back on a 2 door car? well i did.. my seat is about 3-4 inches from the back seat, and the seat rails are stock. and 4 door rabbit doors dont fit on a caddy, we tried it on my grandpas caddy, and none of the rabbit doors worked. someone told me jetta doors are shaped differently and bolt to a caddy tho. never tried it, but i dont know why jetta doors would be any different from rabbit doors. but they dont fit on caddys.

[Rabbit TD]

81 was the year vw perfected the rabbit

Yes that's the first year for the 1.6 but I just don't know why there are so many 81's than the following years.  I don't think I've even seen a 82 or 83 but a few 84's.

[Rabbit on Roids]

81 was the year vw perfected the rabbit

Yes that's the first year for the 1.6 but I just don't know why there are so many 81's than the following years.  I don't think I've even seen a 82 or 83 but a few 84's.

like i say, 81 is the rare year around me. i can get 2's 3's and 4's all day long around here. 81 and older are not as common here. MK2's are so common around here its unbelievable.

[R.O.R-2.0]

this is my topic, and i think i have a right to bump it, even tho i can not edit it or anything like that..

DIfferent Rabbit tho, so i think i will post it up..



And an engine bay shot just for shiggles..

next to my old rabbit engine..

[GEE-BEE]

Nice radiator mount's...

[rallydiesel]

I love Rabbits. I haven't been able to find one in my area that has a decent body though.

[AudiVWguy]

Rabbit,
How are you controlling the VNT on your set up?

[R.O.R-2.0]

Nice radiator mount's...

that was temporary until i could figure out a better way to mount the radiator.. if you look closely, the radiator is UP SIDE DOWN.. lol.

intercooler pushed the rad too far back and the alt started hitting it..

[R.O.R-2.0]

Rabbit,
How are you controlling the VNT on your set up?

im not. the vanes are stuck on my turbo..

and now they are probably VERY stuck, because i have not disassembled the turbo in a very long time.