Contradiction's 1984 VW Rabbit GTI "Survivor" Build Thread

While I'm hear I should mention that she did well at the autocross other than it's evident that I need to get tires for the track wheels! The all seasons protested quite a bit and I definitely scrubbed up the sidewalls on them pretty good. I didn't want to get crazy with air pressure in them so I started off at 32.5 and went up to 38. Rears were at 38 after they heated up and that seemed fine.

I got to do a E36 M3 load of runs since it was a school as opposed to a regular event. Probably 12 or 14 that day. I shaved 7.5 sec. from the start of the day to the end but I still have lots of room for improvement. I let my instructor take it for a spin and he clocked in at 5.5 sec. faster with just one run. Where I was wallowing all over the place and losing momentum on the corners he seemed to brake at the optimal moment and take a perfect line. That's what I'd expect from a Nationals winner though.

Next event should be on May 15th. Hoping I'll have Star Specs on the track wheels by then.

Curious where your steering wheel came from? I had one JUST like that on the silver bullet boob buster that was mysteriously gifted to me. Never did find out from who, or from where ... But it was much nicer than the stocker !

einy wrote: Curious where your steering wheel came from? I had one JUST like that on the silver bullet boob buster that was mysteriously gifted to me. Never did find out from who, or from where ... But it was much nicer than the stocker !

It's a stock early Scirocco wheel. Love the design of it too. It's like an OEM version of a Grant Steering wheel.

GREAT looking car, congrats. Have fun racing it in STS!

So this thread has been entirely dormant for a long time because well, I've been driving it like I'm supposed to!

I can report back happily that other than a couple of annoying minor issues that cropped up it ran great all summer long and I had a blast autocrossing it. I have a grocerry list of improvements to make over the winter, so after the holidays are over expect to see some more activity again. Stay tuned for a good "Summer Recap" of some of the better pictures I took of it at shows, etc. this summer too.

So for all intensive purposes she's back on the road again soon!

I dropped it off last week at a well known Euro Mechanic shop to have them finally go through the CIS Cold Start issues I've been having and a high idle that popped up towards the end of last fall. Much like I figured, it needed a new Warm Up Regulator. The bad part is that cost around $460, but in an ironic note the company the shop bought it from specializes in remanufacturing them and it looks as if mine could actually be one of the very last New Old Stock Bosch parts! So basically $760 later I will be back on the road again and MUCH more inclined to drive it more often for the hell of it because I will no longer have to crank it over 6 or 7 times to start it and let it run for 15 min. before the idle smooths out.

I'm also taking it to be professionally detailed in a few weeks and I'm excited to see how she looks after that. The first show of the year is on April 15th down in Louisville and the first autocross of the year is April 20th. Looking forward to both.

I thought for sure I had hearted this thread in the past, but I guess I didn't. I'm glad it popped up again!

That is a GREAT looking car. My non-GTI Rabbit will look nowhere near that nice when it's back together, but it will hopefully be another rabbit on the road.

Thanks! Yeah I feel very lucky to have found this one. Couldn't have asked for a car in better condition.

So I noticed the Michigan plate as your avatar, do you live there?

I'll probably have my car at Motorstadt in Detroit in June.

Got the car back and it runs MUCH better now. Still a bit choppy for a few min. after start up but I can actually start it on the first or second try now. I also had them adjust the timing so she should be good to go.

Now I just need to do a weighted short shift kit and motor mounts and it will drive and feel much more like a "normal car". I may try and fit the short shift kit in before Euro District in April.

Indeed I am in Michigan- Ann Arbor to be exact.

I'll look up Motorstadt, first I've heard of it.

Contradiction wrote: Thanks! Yeah I feel very lucky to have found this one. Couldn't have asked for a car in better condition. So I noticed the Michigan plate as your avatar, do you live there? I'll probably have my car at Motorstadt in Detroit in June.

Contradiction wrote: Got the car back and it runs MUCH better now. Still a bit choppy for a few min. after start up but I can actually start it on the first or second try now. I also had them adjust the timing so she should be good to go. Now I just need to do a weighted short shift kit and motor mounts and it will drive and feel much more like a "normal car". I may try and fit the short shift kit in before Euro District in April.

I replaced everything in mine with a rod ends kit to get rid of the plastic ball and sockets that wear pretty quickly. Once adjusted properly it shifts great with no issues.