Grandpa's Dasher

[Smoker]

I used to ride around in this car when I was a kid.  In '95, it got pushed in the barn because it wouldn't start one morning.  Grandpa said he'd pull it out again if gas ever went over $2/gal. 

I bugged him for years to sell it to me, and finally it happened in the fall of '11.  I put a fresh battery in it and it fired right up... still had 3/4 of a tank of fuel from '95.  I drove it home to VA from PA (300 miles) without a hiccup.  Turns out that tank of old fuel was the best mileage I've seen to date... 49mpg.  It had 143k on the clock when I bought it.  I've added another 25k or so.  I've been going back and forth on whether I should tdi swap it or just turbo the 1.6... either way, it's the only car I've ever owned that will never be for sale. 

Pics...



It had basically been used as a work truck, then converted to a mouse hotel for 16 years

















After the initial cleaning...










On a forest road 





I've been daily driving it for a year and a half now... it's time to get serious.

[wolf_walker]

Love that car,  and not shocked at the hood decade+ old fuel. I was driving these back then.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[Syncroincity]

Ah, the Ur-Passat!    That thing is in fantastic condition for a PA car. Buddy of mine in high school drove a brown one of the same vintage, (in the '80s).

I hope you steam-cleaned the interior... mouse waste can cause serious health issues.

[RabbitJockey]

you have got to be ***ting me 

what a great car

[Smoker]

Thanks, guys. Rabbit jockey, this thing used to live just across the Susquehanna near Marietta ave 

[libbydiesel]

Beautiful car. 

[RabbitJockey]

Thanks, guys. Rabbit jockey, this thing used to live just across the Susquehanna near Marietta ave  

well then you're lucky i didn't know about it haha!!!  so it was sitting in a barn over in lancaster?  oh i even see the old style pa plate, i remember those, really a great car and amazing condition.  any plans for it or are you going to just enjoy it as is?

[JASGTi]

Nice ride.

[akrallysport]

hot diggitty... that is a sweet ride!

[Smoker]

well then you're lucky i didn't know about it haha!!!  so it was sitting in a barn over in lancaster?  oh i even see the old style pa plate, i remember those, really a great car and amazing condition.  any plans for it or are you going to just enjoy it as is?

It took me a solid five years to pry it out of his hands, and I'm family! Plans are tdi swap, and I'm still doing trans research but there's a gasser 5-sp quantum at my local pick n save... if I understand it right, the gassers had a taller fifth than the diesel trannies in those cars?? Since the pics it's been lowered just a touch, but the rear shocks are shot and NLA, so I guess the next plan is to fab some coilovers. I drive my cars and have no interest in being super-low, but it would be nice to have some adjustability.

[Wayland]

KYB still had a listing for Dasher shocks a few years ago. Not sure if they do anymore. I found a NOS set from MOFOCO. The shocks themselves are not an odd length or anything, it's just that Dashers seem to be the only cars to use 10mm shock bolts. Most everything else is larger.

[CRSMP5]

sadly i know of b1 unobtanium... part of my inherantance.. nib bilstine air shocks with compressor and all.. along with 3 nib kamei, also 1 used on car.. with aero e codes for the b1 facelift like you have... i have not drove that car in 22 years... was put together 85ish... never finished.. owner blowed it up.. got hell of knock.. gasser.. but rust free sittin in polebarn...

[VW Smokr]

It took me a solid five years to pry it out of his hands, and I'm family! Plans are tdi swap, and I'm still doing trans research but there's a gasser 5-sp quantum at my local pick n save... if I understand it right, the gassers had a taller fifth than the diesel trannies in those cars?? Since the pics it's been lowered just a touch, but the rear shocks are shot and NLA, so I guess the next plan is to fab some coilovers. I drive my cars and have no interest in being super-low, but it would be nice to have some adjustability.

Your wagon looks like a beauty. Might want to check out the Dasher Owners Group website at  http://dog.mp3equipped.com/dog/

1) Yes, the Passat 4-cyl gasser trans would be a nice match for most any 1.9td/TDi, but it's a bit high for a 1.6na , and pure hell for a 1.5na. (BTDT2)  Be sure to get ALL linkage , mounts, shifter, gaskets, seal, etc. The tunnel will take some massaging, but it's not a major deal to get the 5-speed in & running. My gasser 5-speeds's 4th is actually higher than the 4th on my Dasher's oem 4-speed. 5th gear has the engine turning only 3000rpm @ 83mph.

2) Rear shocks on the wagon are tough to find, but a suspension warehouse would probably have something very workable if you took an oem sample with you. Coilovers for the rear seem a bit extreme/expensive/unnecessary, but... it's your beautiful car. I have air bladders in the rear coils of my '80 Dasher wagon; very small amount of air needed to offset any loads or give more clearance to the rear tires (195/60-14s on 6" GTI rims). Haven't satisfactorily worked out the fronts yet; currently KYBs with Passat td wagon front springs & new hardware. Slight bit of rub on some dippy corners when taken at speed.

Enjoy your ride, and love your Grandpa!

J.R.
SoCal

[CRSMP5]

rear axle bushings fail... the kubvan people found a close to perfect fit one.. if dog lacks that info.. hit me up so you can add it... i lost my password for them and they were no help trying to resolve it..

[Wayland]

This guy makes all sorts of different poly bushings. When I redid my Kubvan (w/ Dasher rear susp.) I bought bushings from him and cut them to fit. I had my dad machine up the steel tubes for the center of the bushings.

http://polybushings.com/