Mid Engine VW Rabbit Mk1 Cabriolet

I widened the front suspension on the driver's side to compensate for the offset body more betterly. I was running a wheel spacer there and it made a noticeable difference in the spring rate and scrub angle. I think the pictures kind of tell the tale. I've been driving the car a little, including to a car show and a VW meet. Have gotten a lot of positive comments and a lot of head scratching. The thing sounds so cool when you rev the engine. Way more like a V8 than I expected. And it's not really too loud. Next I plan to replace the mesh in the engine cover with sheet aluminum. You can really feel the heat radiating out of the engine compartment and into the passenger compartment. I also put some aluminum spacers under the driver's side to make a little more clearance on that side. But the car sat noticeably crooked so I took them back out. The driver's front tire still rubs some times but not nearly as bad as before the widening. [URL=http://s140.photobucket.com/user/914turboford/media/BunnySuspW5_zps0scre98y.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s140.photobucket.com/user/914turboford/media/BunnySuspW4_zpsarlxrvv3.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s140.photobucket.com/user/914turboford/media/BunnySuspW3_zps7tquqvg7.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s140.photobucket.com/user/914turboford/media/BunnySuspW2_zpsmkqizhvj.jpg.html][/URL] [URL=http://s140.photobucket.com/user/914turboford/media/BunnySuspW1_zpsw3cm9md1.jpg.html][/URL]

Holy crap, I love this car!

Video of a little drive. https://youtu.be/7qtIFHQcovI

carwhisperer wrote: Video of a little drive. https://youtu.be/7qtIFHQcovI

more... with less potato cam? :)... maybe a WOT launch? :)

To distract from my poor workmanship I added some more shiny ebay stuff. Some 18x9.5 inch rear wheels with 285/35/18 tires on the back. Same width as the rears on the Ferrari 355 garage mate (also bigger than stodk). I couldn't find a cheap set of wheels that were minimum 9.5 in the back but only 7.5 up front. So I tried to match the 7.5's I already had and came up with these for the rear. I think they match well enough for now. I'm gonna need some bigger flares. I already have the blanks (trailer fenders) so I plan to make the 1 hour drive to the cabin tomorrow and work on that.

I also put on a Turbonetics BOV. I've seen 10psi of boost so far. Still on stock L67 injectors and Fiero 2.8 fuel pump so I know I shouldn't go much past that. The BOV seems to be working well. I can put my hand over the opening while driving and can feel the air coming out when I close the throttle while in boost.

Also partially closed in the decklid, but I still feel hot air blowing over the top of the back window. I plan to buy a piece of smoked polycarbonate that will go all the way from where the bottom of the window is now up under the IC.

Widening the suspension there without widening the steering rack (the inner tie rod specifically) the same amount would introduce bump steer.
At least, that's what my research has shown and I had to modify my steering rack to accommodate.

How the hell did I miss this thread!!?

your neighbors have to be really confused when you pull out of your garage with a Ferrari one day, then pull out in this thing the next day haha

This thing's for sale?!

http://jalopnik.com/for-3-500-could-this-crazy-1979-vw-rabbit-cabriolet-m-1791912843

NP all the way. Jalopnik readers need to get their priorities straight after voting NP for a $10k Malaise-era Buick and the next day voting CP on this beauty.

Here's the current Craigslist ad.

maschinenbau wrote: NP all the way. Jalopnik readers need to get their priorities straight after voting NP for a $10k Malaise-era Buick and the next day voting CP on this beauty.

To be honest, I didn't think most Jacrapnik readers could even read. They just wait for the pictures to download on their AOL connections. :)

Holy crap. That is just a 12 hour drive from my house. So cheap!

"Just" a 12 hour drive. Sir, you cast a wide net. I applaud your geographic open-mindedness.

Keith Tanner wrote: "Just" a 12 hour drive. Sir, you cast a wide net. I applaud your geographic open-mindedness.

Such is life on the West Coast of the US and one of the reasons why a West Coast Challenge is, um, a Challenge.

Hey, 12 hours just gets me to the west coast. Those of us in the low density states understand.

The wife isn't as opposed to this as she should be. The two hiccups are that I'd need to work a bunch more overtime and we'd have to drive it back. The Google puts Sacramento a mere 2,842.8 miles away.

Holy! I'll be in LA this weekend. Must not look at again.

....and gone...

please tell me one of us sick bastards swooped in