[Vwdiesel] Nice to be back on the road

[lbaird119 at aol.com]

That's usually the corner of the windshield (often a rust hole too) or the radio antenna 
wire.  There was even a recall on that.
    Loren



-----Original Message-----
From: Bryan Belman <dieselwesty at yahoo.com>
To: steve boser <greenerwheels at gmail.com>; vwdiesel <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Sent: Fri, Jun 22, 2012 7:14 am
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Nice to be back on the road


 Nice story Steve.  I COMMEND you on your massive efforts.  Be sure to get the 
eak fixed that allows the water to drip on the fuse panel ASAP or even more 
ork will be in store for you.

aybe post some pictures of the beast, we love pictures no matter how ugly. 

 
ryan Belman, Pt. Pleasant, NJ
4 Jetta Wagon TDI PD, 100hp, 5sp -- running :<)
2 Jetta 1.6 Eco-Turbo Diesel, 5sp -- running :<)
2 Diesel Westy 1.9NA -- running :<)
0 Type 1 stock Elm Green Beetle -- Under Restoration :-)
From: steve boser <greenerwheels at gmail.com>
o: vwdiesel at vwfans.com 
ent: Friday, June 22, 2012 4:03 AM
ubject: [Vwdiesel] Nice to be back on the road
Howdy all
 thought I'd share an experience that I'm currently going thru that might
elp others considering getting an older car back on the road.
've got a 1981 VW Rabbit diesel that about 5 years ago, I took off the
oad because of what I considered more suspension work than I thought was
orth the time and money to do. I kept the car stored outside but started
t about once every other month, kept the battery charged and even
ccasionally washed the moss off it.
ell 3 months ago I decided I was tired of driving my full sized pickup and
hought I would invest a little money and sweat equality and get her put
ack on the road.
he cars been licensed and back on the road for a couple of months and has
ffered a few challenges. First off about a year before I parked it, I
ebuilt the motor and installed a brand new Bosch fuel injection pump so I
as confident I was starting with solid bones.
 couple of days on the road I remembered why I parked it, the front end
ounded like it was going to rattle itself to death. but before I had a
hance to change the struts, I noticed my turn signals stopped working,
hecked and replaced a couple of bad bulbs that came apart in my hand when
 went to remove them........ I then changed all the outside bulbs as a
recautionary measure, still no turn signals, I removed the flasher and it
ooked fine, but when I pulled the cover off it, it was completely rusted,
eplaced that one, next day it rained and the flashers stopped working,
pened new flasher and blew out about an ounce of water, let it dry
einstalled and it was fine. Need to find and fix an abundance of leaky
eals
ext bought a set of Gabriel Ultra inserts and top bearing plates, still
elt and sounded like crap, took it over to a local shop and gave them a
ist of various work I did and asked them to check my work, so for $20
ucks and 2 hours they found I didn't tighten the passenger side strut nut
nd it had backed out a couple of threads allowing the cartridge to slop
round inside the strut, now front feels and sounds better. Next while
nder the car I noticed the half shaft boots were torn and decided to
eplace the half shafts, still need to replace the passenger side boot on
he steering rack, it is also torn, ball joint seals aren't so good those
ill need to be replaced.
ext I replaced the rear struts.
 had some over sized 185/70/14" on the car on some American eagle rims,
hey looked wrong on the car and the over sized tires made for a 7mph error
n my speedo, oh yeah somewhere during the first week or so, the odometer
topped working, the gear split, disassembled the speedo, drilling out the
ylon gear and super glued in back in place, works again.
 took an old set of Tarantula alloys to the tire shop and had them take
he old tires off and I brought them home and wire brushed and sandblasted
hem, then I sprayed the rims with Hammertone paint and let them dry for a
eek, brought them to the tire shop and had them mount a set of 175/70/13
alken 828's
h but wait, there's more, on my way back from across town, I stopped at an
state sale in a pricy neighborhood thinking there might be some goodies to
e had, nope nada nothing. I go to start the car and all I get is a click
lick, dang here I am in a place where the gardeners helpers are driving
icer cars than mine and I'm stuck, well as luck would have it, all I had
o do was push the car about 25 feet to a really steep decline and by the
ime I was half way down the hill I popped the clutch and drove her
irectly home, checked the battery and charging system, everything was
ood, tried to jump the starter with a screw driver nothing, pulled the
tarter and removed the brush cover to find the brush holders were badly
orroded and bent, called around for a new starter. While waiting for the
tarter, I decided now would be a good time to check belts and hoses,
emoving the top hose was really easy as the plastic on the radiator
ousing literally came apart in my hands, well good thing this was Friday
ecause I now have to drive across town again and buy a new radiator. Other
han a few misc. parts and pieces I think that's all I have had to do so
ar, I'm figuring an alternator and water pump are soon in my future and a
ew headliner, I'm into the a little less than $900 (and lots of work) to
et it back on the road at the moment, but the effort is being rewarded
nowing that the mileage I get in my car is almost as good as the Prius
hat I park next to at work everyday and costs a 20th as much
nyway I'm sorry for being so long winded, but I thought this might be
omething for others to consider when trying to bring an old car back from
 period of long storage.
Thanks
teve
1981 Rabbit diesel
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