Big decision to be made here guys!

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Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by Checkers »

So today I decided to tear into Amanda's '81 Rabbit Convertible.
I dropped the motor and tranny with the help of Matt and Brandon in just a few minutes, thanks guys!
Before:
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And about an hour later.
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Then we got to poking and prodding and examining.
After looking into the chopped wiring harness we discovered that the car was originally a manual transmission.
That explained the starter solenoid on the fender!

Then some BIG issues were discovered...
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And the reverse side...
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See the fuzzy stuff? That would be the firewall insulation inside the car.

So this basically means that the convertible is most likely going to get parted out and scrapped, suck.
It would be highly, highly extensive to grind out all the rust and weld on a new front end. PLUS the rust get's worse.
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(We already knew about this here.)

With only 36k on this car it's been front ended and re-sprayed, twice!

The rust travels along the main seam that connects the firewall to the front end for quite a ways.

Basically after further prodding I would have to replace the firewall, the entire front end, and the drivers side floor pan and entire rocker panel.
It would be an enormous undertaking so what do you think I should do?
1997 F-350 6BT | 1996 Trek | 1996 A6 Avant | 1980 Westfalia
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Re: Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by Roadhog »

junk it get another.
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Re: Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by Checkers »

Roadhog wrote:junk it get another.
That's what we're thinking.
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Re: Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by Rennwagen1 »

Oh man, just scrap it, and look for another one. If she is set on a Cabby, get in touch with Lucky, she may have one she would part with, or at least know where there are some more.
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Re: Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by Checkers »

Well we're set on not getting a Cabriolet, but a Rabbit Convertible.
I'm going to part this one out and cut it up for any usable parts people may need.

Here goes another part out I wish I didn't have to do!
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Re: Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by bigmontana »

Yeah dude that sucks, you are wise to get another, rust sucks as we all know, it is amazing how it creeps and crawls and does not come out for a long time. I saw many cars while I lived in ND/Minnesota where you never knew there was rust until you scraped the paint off, like for examply my Wolfsburg.
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Re: Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by kompressorgolf »

it sure does suck Mang but you never Know what youll find 5 more pokes and shell fall apart. Good luck with the search for a new cabriolet well, rabbit convertable, well find It, dont worry man :laughing: ;)
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Re: Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by Mikewire »

iseewhatyoudidthere :ninja: ;)

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Re: Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by Dubber »

MikeWire wrote:iseewhatyoudidthere :ninja: ;)
As did I... =)
I am interested!
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Re: Big decision to be made here guys!

Post by Roadhog »

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