Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

[03mach1]

well I bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI, my parents helped out and we went 50/50 on it, they are going to drive it too so that is why they bought it with me. I think it has the 1.8L motor. It has 172K miles on it, 5spd manual,Recaro seats, eibach springs, Ronal wheels, has a strut tower brace, and it has been converted to all wheel disc brakes which is cool. It is a really cool little car, I do not have pics of it yet, it is at the previous owners VW shop getting smogged and he is fixing a CV boot at no charge and putting new front brake pads on too which is really nice of him to do. he is also installing a racing exhaust not sure of the brand though. I will post pics once I go pick it up.

The bad news is that is has no paint left the clear coat is gone and it has rust all over the bottom of the rocker panels and lower quater panels. so I have another paint project but I may just prime it and drive it like that for a long time or at least until the rains come then I will paint it.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

Congrats. I am sure you will have it "Meguiarized" in no time.

[03mach1]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

Thanks, the interior will clean up nicely. a good carpet shampoo and a good cleaning tothe dash it will look like new.

[page2171]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

Looking forward to some pics. I love those early GTI's.

[03mach1]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

Thanks, I will post pics asap.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

You don't see these very often any more...

Where I live there's a black convertible VW Rabbit running around and believe it or not a yellow Shiracco!

Looking forward to the pictures...

[03mach1]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

Thanks, and yes not many in my area either, this would be maybe the second one around here. I will get pics up soon, I found left over primer in my garage and once it comes home i am going to work on the body, I have a huge can of 3M bondo and 3M hardner so I will get all the imperfections out and then paint it at a cheaper shop than Maaco, I may go to earl schieb shop and wrap and shoot it. or I may do a flat black rattle can paint job myself, I am good at not putting tiger stripes in paint so I may end up doing that. oh and the guy who owns this VW shop has a Shiracco in his shop yard.

[Eddie6th]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

Is the VW Rabbit only available in the states? I've never seen one on the roads here.

[Nappers]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

Those were great cars....

I saw a Scirocco in Medford OR, very clean car at that! don't see too many of them around anymore!

[page2171]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

Is the VW Rabbit only available in the states? I've never seen one on the roads here.

The Rabbit is the Golf in the rest of the world. Here it was the Rabbit for the first generation then changed to the Golf for about 20 years and just in the last few years VW started calling it the Rabbit again.

[Nappers]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

and I think it's back to Golf.....the latest motor trend has an article on the new GTI

[Eddie6th]

Re: Bought a 1983 VW Rabbit GTI

Thanks for the info,First time i've heard 'rabbit'. golf-rabbit-golf .What are these manufacturers up to!