1984 Wolfsburg: 10-yr shed sitting, restore?

I had a '78 Rabbit I bought new and kept running till it was killed at 160k. There's no car I've liked as well since.

This is an 84 Wolfsburg Rabbit that a friend left me. It's been in a shed, dusty not rusty hasn't been started since stored, no special storage procedures, The tires hold air,

My thought is that I want to get it back as my regular car. Impossible?

I need to move it to the new house. If the wheels roll, how should it be towed? what about prep for first-time startup? I have a new battery for it. (electrics seem to work ok)

THE SCARECROW: "There's just one thing I wnat you guys to do..."

John in DC

Reply to
JoVee
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Pull spark plugs before starting it.

Put some 5-30 oil or some other light oil in cylinders and let sit for a day or 2 before you try to crank it over.

Some seals will need to be replaced. Check them all very carefully before going anywhere and then check again a few times after driving it a little. Don't drive with broken CV joint seals at all if you can help it.

TL

Reply to
Tom Levigne

replace ALL fluids (oil, coolant, gear oil, brake fluid)

plan on replacing brake hoses, calipers, wheel cylinders, master cylinder as required

pull the spark plugs and put a little penetrating oil or ATF down the holes...

repack rear wheel bearings (the fronts are hopeless, they're sealed, they're either good or they're not at this point)

check CV boots

I'd do all this, at a minimum the oil and pulling the spark plugs,

*before* attempting to start the engine...

expect problems with anything that rotates, i.e. alternator, starter, heater blower, water pump, etc.

good luck

nate

PS- when towing a FWD car always do it with the front wheels off the ground, never the rear, much safer for the car that way. Flatbed is obviously best but not always practical.

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Replace the tires regardless. Even if they hold air they're probably dry rotted and will fail once they warm up when the car is driven.

Reply to
Matt B.

************ In addition to the other suggestions, you'll probably have fuel problems (old gas turned to varnish). I used a product called "Seafoam" on my ZX when I first started it, after it sat for several years. Pull the fuel lines loose & rig up a squirt bottle to force the Seafoam into the system; the injectors will probably need it the most. You might also start (or turn over) the engine briefly to pump the Seafoam into the injectors. Might want to also poor some into the tank. The car should not take very much work to put it back on the road. The fuel & brakes would be the biggest concern. You should also replace all the belts & hoses - don't forget the timming belt. HTH, ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver"

Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!

Reply to
ThaDriver

Thanks, all, for all the suggestions and caveats. Only odd thing is the injector note as this is a Wolfsburg with a carburator.

The other thought is that, remembering my 78 injected/no-steering-assist Rabbit, is this indeed the car I should sink time and money into or maybe instead look for else... Is the Wolfsburg a simple fun driver?

I'm saving all these notes and listening. The tires issue makes me think I'll be having the thing flatbedded to the new house and set up for working-on... and get a car-cover for it.

thanks again... and any more comments are welcome.

John V

Reply to
JoVee

flush the fuel tank, its going to be full of gunk.. (anyone else her call that chit varnish? From VWsport.com NNTP Gateway

Reply to
CarolinaRocco

Jim B.

Reply to
jimbehning

Reply to
Nate Nagel

It's probably worth it if you can do the work yourself and can get good deals on rubber parts. All in all I think it will be more work than $$$. Probably can get it back on the road in "drive anywhere" shape for under $1K if you don't have any unforseen problems. I've resurrected cars that have sat for far longer periods of time (see .sig - specifically the '62 Stude, it sat from 1968-2003, but then again I didn't do it for $1K either, I kinda went nuts...)

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Yeah but if you let it sit long enough then the fuel becomes some almost odorless and useless like on my 70 Beetle that has been sitting since about

1991! Oh and yes I have started it a couple of years ago and drove it around, but I used a fuel can with fresh gas!

The original carbs or kits are very hard to find for this ride, but you could get an aftermarket carb kit or even install fuel injection on it!

Make sure the rust is at a minimum on the floors, and make sure that no water has been attacking the fuse box.

JMHO later, dave Reminder........ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. Frieda Norris

Reply to
dave

in article snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, snipped-for-privacy@doesthisblockporkmindspring.com at snipped-for-privacy@doesthisblockporkmindspring.com wrote on 9/22/04 6:42 PM:

OK, if anybody thought I had a clue, here's the proof t'aint so: Is this then LESS of a drive than my '78 Rabbit was? That's my reference for a fun/realistic/personal car. I thought these carburated Wolfsburgs were zippier? or are these just kludges? Once I learned WHAT the fuel-injection was all about on the 78 I loved it. Is FI conversion a real option?

Again, thanks for the thoughts here.

John V

Reply to
JoVee
84 is heavier than 78. I don't know what the FI hp was back in 78. I think it was 80 in 1980, or maybe 78 hp, It was a big deal to get the GTI in the states in 83-84 that had 90 hp. That 90 hp could be bumped up 10-15 hp with a different cam and exhaust.

I t would be a bunch of work to make it fuel >in article snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com,

Jim B.

Reply to
jimbehning

call that chit varnish?) From VWsport.com NNTP Gateway

********* Didn't I say "varnish"? JoVee: I have a complete fuel injection system if you're interested (or even a complete engine & 5-speed). I'm parting out a '90 Cabriolet that I'm putting an LT1 350 in, so I have everything including the computer. Only thing I don't have is the wiring; it was a mess... I would like to have the carb. & intake if no one buys the engine. ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver"

Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!

Reply to
ThaDriver

call that chit varnish?) From VWsport.com NNTP Gateway

********* Didn't I say "varnish"? JoVee: I have a complete fuel injection system if you're interested (or even a complete engine & 5-speed). I'm parting out a '90 Cabriolet that I'm putting an LT1 350 in, so I have everything including the computer. Only thing I don't have is the wiring; it was a mess... I would like to have the carb. & intake if no one buys the engine. ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver"

Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!

Reply to
ThaDriver

THAT I'd love to see. Let us know how that goes! ANTI SPAM STUFF: snipped-for-privacy@psinet.com snipped-for-privacy@ACCC.GOV.AU snipped-for-privacy@ftc.gov snipped-for-privacy@willinet.net snipped-for-privacy@supernews.com admin@loopback $LOGIN@localhost $LOGNAME@localhost $USER@localhost $USER@$HOST -h1024@localhost snipped-for-privacy@mailloop.com

Reply to
MMMichel

in article snipped-for-privacy@localhost.talkaboutautos.com, ThaDriver at snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote on 9/25/04 1:21 AM:

oh blast... now we're really dragging me into terra incognito. This sounds like fun but then follows the Questions Born Of Ignorance & Fear of the Unknown: Is this Eng/trans set WORKING? Would this particuar FI engine/5-spd be pretty much a drop-in situation? Would I be better-off after? Would it make geographic sense (the '84 is in Maryland) ? Would J-Lo really want to be seen with me in the resulting driver? Should I just cut the body in half and buy a 928 to drop it over? (Maybe I should just buy a Segway...)

Reply to
JoVee

This sounds like fun but then follows the Questions Born Of Ignorance & Fear of the Unknown: Is this Eng/trans set WORKING? Would this particuar FI engine/5-spd be pretty much a drop-in situation? Would it make geographic sense (the '84 is in Maryland) ?

*********** Was working but the car lost spark. I think it was the computer, as I changed out the coil, dist, & did some other checks & could not get spark. Should bolt right in. No; I'd sell them cheap but the shipping might cost too much... ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver"

Giggle Cream - it makes dessert *funny*!

Reply to
ThaDriver

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