TheSamba.com :: View topic - What out of the ordinary cars did you see today

Tue Apr 29, 2025 4:10 pm

KTPhil wrote: The electrical system was their Achilles' heel. No lights, no start, dead battery... always SOMEthing!
They were simple. I had the Caddy version of the Rabbit. The only real electrical issue (aside from normal wear and tear) that I could ever determine was the location of the fuse box. If the lower corner of the windshield rusted out behind the rubber seal it will drip down into the fuse box and cause all sorts of weird problems, and a wet floor in the drivers front foot well.

A lot more complex than the old Bug, but dead simple compared to modern cars. I swapped dash pads, heater cores, and ripped it all out again for a paint job. (It was a Cashmere white Caddy repainted Alpine white all over, then I put the GTI body kit on it using Jetta GLI rear fender flares, and shaved the rear bumper.) I feel the original Golf was "modern" fwd step forward from the Bug (still like the aircooled more). I found that thing to be almost as simple as American cars from the '60's (my Dad is a Mopar guy). I like the simplicity of the '60's and older Bugs more, and stripping them down into a beach buggy even better still. :)

Tue Apr 29, 2025 5:10 pm

Still have my '76 Rabbit that I bought new. I will get it out of the hay shed one day and drive it again. Many, many memories in that car!

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:40 pm

oprn wrote: Still have my '76 Rabbit that I bought new. I will get it out of the hay shed one day and drive it again. Many, many memories in that car!

Cool! Let's see some pics.

Wed Apr 30, 2025 3:04 am

Trust me it is not very photogenic sitting there with flat tires and 25 years of dust... I could but you will need an eyeball rinse after!

Wed Apr 30, 2025 6:32 am

busdaddy wrote: They held up longer than the hard top versions, maybe less driving and a more sheltered life?
But 15-20 years ago there was a time when you saw one dead on the side of the freeway every few months, like the factory had sent out the kill code, or some critical part died of old age on all of them simutaniously.

Agree! The chassis of the Cabriolet had stiffeners to live with missing the roof.

Overall as others are mentioning, it had very few issues. Mine had a 1.8L with Digifant 2 that ran well. One of its issues was where they put the ECU. If the dash drains on the other side of the firewall plugged up, that whole trough would fill up with water submerged the ECU.
Had that issue.

It had a lot of parts in the exhaust system just like modern cars but at least it was mostly stainless. It had that funky differential pressure oil warning system that would light up the dash and scream if you put on a filter with lower through pressure.
It was a good looking car. It had a factory or dealer installed Kamaii kit.....chin spoiler, side fairings and wheel arch fairings. It had "chick like" white spoke wheels that were soft and easy to bend. I damaged a couple.
I found a set of 14" black mk1 GTI rims and that made a big difference.

I put on a brand new top kit when I woke up one morning to find out some asshole slashed the top to the stereo (whose faceplate was upstairs on my nightstand). I was commuting every Monday morning from Dallas to Austin at 4 am ane back every Friday night for a big project. No time to replace the top. It rained for 13 weeks almost daily. 100 year rain cycle in Austin. I had rolls of dust tape on it!

Yeah, I remember a point in time in my area about 15-18 years ago where lots of them started to die and I would see them for sale or on the side of the road.

They gave me about $5500 trade in value for mine with a blown head gasket. It was a racket to get me into a lightly used Jetta mk5 that turned out to need a new catalyst 30 miles off the lot.

Ray

Wed Apr 30, 2025 10:02 pm

Took my daughter out for her birthday this evening and came across these 2 beauties.

Thu May 01, 2025 2:58 am

Shonandb wrote: Took my daughter out for her birthday this evening and came across these 2 beauties.

Four Horsepower!

Thu May 01, 2025 3:05 am

Shonandb wrote: Took my daughter out for her birthday this evening and came across these 2 beauties.

Why do you guys have park benches in your underground car parks?

Thu May 01, 2025 3:58 am

Who.Me? wrote: Why do you guys have park benches in your underground car parks?
Maybe it has something to do with what they drive? Some place to sit so you don't tire while you watch them go by? :wink:

Just sayin'... :D

Thu May 01, 2025 7:06 am

Saw a new/newer Rolls Royce convertible last evening in Scottsdale.

Thu May 01, 2025 7:10 am

oprn wrote: Trust me it is not very photogenic sitting there with flat tires and 25 years of dust... I could but you will need an eyeball rinse after!

We meant the Rabbit…..

Thu May 01, 2025 8:44 am

Who.Me? wrote: Shonandb wrote: Took my daughter out for her birthday this evening and came across these 2 beauties.

Why do you guys have park benches in your underground car parks?

Anti theft device, maybe...?

These are located in front of a French restaurant and the bench is there for people to sit until their table is ready when the restaurant is busy. The Citroens probably don't run and are there to make the entrance look a little more attractive.

Thu May 01, 2025 2:03 pm

A neato Bug

Thu May 01, 2025 2:04 pm

A little Race Car!!!!

Thu May 01, 2025 2:07 pm

A cool Caddy

Thu May 01, 2025 2:18 pm

One cool convertible Bug, and Vanagon too, a double treat for the eyes.

Thu May 01, 2025 2:20 pm

Who.Me? wrote: Shonandb wrote: Took my daughter out for her birthday this evening and came across these 2 beauties.

Why do you guys have park benches in your underground car parks?

Well if you call it a "park", Id expect to see park benches there.

Wed May 07, 2025 4:25 pm

Saw this Buggy on Sunday and spoke briefly with the owner. Looked and sounded great!

Thu May 08, 2025 8:25 am

Shonandb wrote: Saw this Buggy on Sunday and spoke briefly with the owner. Looked and sounded great!

Yeah, he's your best bud now, but what did the car look and sound like?
:wink:

Thu May 08, 2025 3:55 pm

Shonandb wrote: Saw this Buggy on Sunday and spoke briefly with the owner. Looked and sounded great!

That green bus sure gets around, very photogenic.