TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Feb 03, 2006 5:48 pm

Why... is it so hard to find rabbit parts :?: :twisted: :?: :twisted:

Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:40 pm

....maybe because the last US-built Rabbits were 1984 models?

Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:44 pm

Because unlike real rabbits, they don't continue to multiply.

Sat Feb 04, 2006 7:22 am

I think mine is german. Imported? Almost every sticker is in german... I think. Its a 79 diesel.

Sat Feb 04, 2006 7:38 am

The Westmorland vehicles had some serious quality control issues. VW did import Rabbits from German during those years also. So I wouldn't be surprised that your car was made in Germany.

Sat Feb 04, 2006 8:29 pm

What kind of parts are you looking for. Lots of things are still avaliable and luckily a few companies are trying to bring them to us.

Try www.faroutparts.com for seals and whatnot
www.rabbitparts.com for repair panels and other goodies
www.partsforvws.com and www.germanautoparts.com for most everything else. As far as performance parts goes techtonicstuning.com still embraces the A1 when autotech and others are dropping support for the older cars...but then again you have a diesel so performance is kinda out :wink:

Sat Feb 04, 2006 10:57 pm

Dub Owner wrote: I think mine is german. Imported? Almost every sticker is in german... I think. Its a 79 diesel.

Round headlights would be the first indication of a German-built car, as would the vin; 'W' is the first letter in a German-built VW's vin number. US-built Rabbits had square headlights, and the vin begins with the number '1.'

Sun Feb 05, 2006 3:21 pm

Round lights and i have to check the vin

Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:55 pm

plasticman1432 wrote: = 'W' is the first letter in a German-built VW's vin number. US-built Rabbits had square headlights, and the vin begins with the number '1.'

Not quite true very early rabbits have a VIN that starts with 1. My 75 rabbit (first year in the states and very definatley german made) has a VIN that starts with 175. I just dragged a 79 diesel out of some brush this afternoon. It is a german made, round headlight car and its VIN starts with 179...Unfortunatley the only salvageable parts on this car are the windows.

Thu Feb 09, 2006 7:47 pm

Whats wrong with the engine?

Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:42 pm

i was working at the dealer when those cars were new(1979) and the rabbits had problems with wiring. in oregon every rabbit we sold came back for a windshield reseal within a few days. when the windshield leaks it drips onto wiring harness and follows it right to the fusebox, filling the relays with water. this killed off many rabbits, especially pre 1981, when they changed to american car style wiring. lots of vw's besides rabbits have this problem. by the way...... i think ALL diesels came from germany.

Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:52 pm

randyvw wrote: by the way...... i think ALL diesels came from germany.

Not quite true - diesel Rabbit trucks(called the 'caddy' in Canada & Europe) were built in the US.

Thu Feb 09, 2006 10:01 pm

ditchdigger wrote: plasticman1432 wrote: = 'W' is the first letter in a German-built VW's vin number. US-built Rabbits had square headlights, and the vin begins with the number '1.'

Not quite true very early rabbits have a VIN that starts with 1. My 75 rabbit (first year in the states and very definatley german made) has a VIN that starts with 175. I just dragged a 79 diesel out of some brush this afternoon. It is a german made, round headlight car and its VIN starts with 179...Unfortunatley the only salvageable parts on this car are the windows.
the 175 part means type 17(rabbit) 5 is the year.hence 175..........the 179 means type 17(rabbit) 9 is the year........hence 179. for example a75 scirocco(type 53) would have had 535 as the first 3 digits.all vw's from way back probably to the early 1950's at least had this first three digits of the vin thing going for them....this worked until 1980 when the gubmint decided in its infinite wisdom to standardize all vin #s. sorry, got a little off topic there.

Sat Feb 11, 2006 11:18 am

Because alot of junkyards have closed and all wrecked rabbits and other vw's goes straight to the crusher. Thanks to the E.P.A ! Their out to get us and our cars off the road. :evil:

Sat Feb 11, 2006 9:03 pm

Dub Owner wrote: Whats wrong with the engine?

blown headgasket, as per usual. This car is the worst rabbit I have ever seen. I was able to save the glass and that is pretty much it. Under the hood there were more zipties than I have ever seen.....seriously I stopped counting at 50. The drivers rear quarter was duct tape and expanding foam with trailer lights bolted to the bumper. Front end was almost as bad. The dash had 12 toggle switches crudley mounted to it and the non functioning turnsignal stalk had an old aftermarket turnsignal switch duct taped to it.

It was BAD :shock:

Sun Feb 12, 2006 1:50 pm

They better not take our cars off the road. If they do i have wasted half of my life. How much for the engine?

Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:58 pm

Dub Owner wrote: They better not take our cars off the road. If they do i have wasted half of my life. How much for the engine?

Your kidding right? A blown diesel motor isnt worth the cost to ship. Check out http://forums.vwvortex.com the classifieds should have something closer to you. Keep looking man. :wink:

Sat Feb 18, 2006 9:46 am

I have been looking for well over a year now and all i have is an set of NOS keys and an valve cover gasket :cry:

Sat Feb 18, 2006 11:05 am

Dub Owner wrote: I have been looking for well over a year now and all i have is an set of NOS keys and an valve cover gasket :cry:

What exactly are you looking for? Most parts even body panels are still in production. Hell they still make a brand new rabbit in south africa called the Citi golf. You can go to napa or autozone and order any mechanical part. The links I gave above have the rest. The classifieds here or at http://forums.vwvortex.com have alot and Ebay always has a few treasures floating around. I just nabbed a NOS fusepanel for my 75 for $15 and felt I almost paid too much. The Empi catalog still has some Rabbit items in it.

Let me know what you need and I will point you in the right direction. I can usually find the best prices for anything.....I am a cheapskate :roll: