Project "Mini el Camino"

Dubdoc

Dubdoc

VW Rabbit Pickup turbodzl
Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Messages
37
Well, looks like about time to insert a thread about my pride and joy. It's a 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup built in Westmorland Pennsylvania.
I picked up this little jewel about 6 years ago and have been working on it every since. It started out with a nice 1.6 turbodiesel, but that never seemed to be enough, so back to the engine shop. It now has a built 2.0 liter turbodiesel running balanced innards, a ported head, Garrett T3 turbo, Giles pump and injectors, ARP throughout, an ACT clutch setup and a custom 2.5" Magnaflow exhaust. This little bear makes 147 wheel horses and 255 ft lbs. Just right for driving a 1600 pound pickup, though it is a little hard on axles and tires.
It's not a competition diesel, but it sure does annoy the ricers in their 9000 rpm Honduhs.:rockwoot:

The 1.6
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The 2.0
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Inside
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Outside
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I've turned it to 5500 with no issues, but that rpm is really not needed. The grunt down low is AMAZING.
 
Dubdoc said:
It's a 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup built in Westmorland Pennsylvania.
Click to expand...

The old VW plant is about 8 miles from my house. The plant was originally built in 1968 by Chrysler, but never occupied. Then in 1976 VW moved in to produce rabbits up until 1988. I remember going by as a kid and seeing thousands of them lined up waiting to be loaded onto trains.
 
Very cool. I'd like to take the truck back there some day.
 
My cousin has two of these rigs, one turbo and one non-turbo. I think they are great little trucks, but he is partial to diesel chevettes. What kind of fuel milage do you get?
 
wbrown_2009 said:
My cousin has two of these rigs, one turbo and one non-turbo. I think they are great little trucks, but he is partial to diesel chevettes. What kind of fuel milage do you get?
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Wow, a diesel Chevette is everything that could ever be bad about a diesel ..... LOL
As for mileage, with an engine moded like this one, the loud pedal tends to get used a lot (mileage suffers), but if I take it cool, I can get 62mpg (Canadian) or about 50mpg to an American gallon.
 
Dubdoc,

That
Is
AWESOME!!!

The 2.0L... Is that a 1.6L, 1.9L IDI, or 1.9L TDI punched out? Or is it a newer 2.0 TDI?
 
You said its not a competition diesel.
I disagree, any time you double (or more) the output of an engine, it becomes competition for more!
 
I had actually bought a 1.9 TDI to rebuild last time,but the thought of all that electronics, wiring and 2 computers just put me off. I found a good AAZ engine which is a 1.9 IDI that never made it to the USA, but which we got. It came from a 1995 Passat wagon and has one wire to the engine (fuel shutoff solenoid). A simple meghanical injection engine that I couldn't be happier with.
Next will be a water/meth injection system and a better, more modern turbo that spools faster.
Do these projects ever end ??? LOL
 
Dubdoc said:
This little bear makes 147 wheel horses and 255 ft lbs. Just right for driving a 1600 pound pickup, though it is a little hard on axles and tires.
It's not a competition diesel, but it sure does annoy the ricers in their 9000 rpm Honduhs.:rockwoot:
Click to expand...


Have you ever brought it to the track? At 1600lbs plus a 200lb driver, 147rwhp puts it trapping about 105mph in the 1/4. That'd be fun in that little thing!

.
 
Dubdoc said:
I had actually bought a 1.9 TDI to rebuild last time,but the thought of all that electronics, wiring and 2 computers just put me off.
Click to expand...
Pretty much everything can be eliminated from the ecu by a tuner to make it run stand alone with only the gas pedal, obd port, map/iat, crank sensor, coolant temp, 3rd injector, and injection pump plug. No 2 computers or anything.



Having said that, Giles, DFIS, or yourself (google is your friend) can build a mechanical pump to run a tdi motor with only 1 wire if mechanical is your fancy. You could get 200hp pretty easily with an mtdi and a decent turbo :ft:. At that point some tranny upgrades might be needed though haha.
 
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I was going to say go M-TDI but Whitbread beat me to it.

Still... 147hp outta a car that originally had what, 70ish? And IDI to boot!
 
Loving the paint job am I! Looks good, and I bet it's a blast to drive :)
 
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