TDI Pickup conversion

farnhamassoc · July 14th, 2011, 23:12

I have a 81 caddy and I think it rides like an 81 caddy.

Since they dont have a TDI pickup I want to make one. Im looking for a rear ended Jetta or golf. I am going to do a limo quality truck bed on the rear. I know just where to cut it and I am going to use a toyota inner bed skin. I will narrow it to fit in the section of the rear area. Lengthen the body using front door skins and a plasma cutter. Use wagon rear parts like taillights rear bumper cover possibly rear gate and modify it to a tailgate. It will look factory when I am done. Any Ideas input. Or do you know where there is a rear ended tdi i can buy.

We drive all over the state of CA doing painting for sign companies. Diesel is killing me in my 03 Duramax at 21mpg. Last trip I took my wifes Jetta and it didnt quite have the space inside. So I purchased a old Caddy But not sure how it is going to work.

Thanks Mike

loganbmx4gt · July 15th, 2011, 05:34

In the wrong section. You need to be posting/looking in the for sale/wanted section for the engine. And this thread should be under TDI conversions, not sightings.

dieselherb1 · July 17th, 2011, 07:20

Alot easier to swap TDI engine and trans into caddy, put airbag suspension on it. I've seen a fiberglass pickup bed kit on several Jettas but bed is only 4-4.5 long. I'd like more seat(back) room in the caddy. I saw a 2 door Rabbit welded to a caddy bed, looked stock.

john.jackson9213 · July 17th, 2011, 07:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselherb1

Alot easier to swap TDI engine and trans into caddy, put airbag suspension on it. I've seen a fiberglass pickup bed kit on several Jettas but bed is only 4-4.5 long. I'd like more seat(back) room in the caddy. I saw a 2 door Rabbit welded to a caddy bed, looked stock.

Any pictures of the 2 door Rabbit with the caddy bed?

All ways thought that would be a great little truck combination. Had an 81 caddy, just not enough room in the cab.

farnhamassoc · September 4th, 2011, 22:34

I wasn't necessarily looking for a vehicle for sale just wanted some input from someone who maybe put one of these together. I am sure I could cut the back half off of a jetta TDI much faster than it would take to rebuild one of these Rabbit pickups.

I have done many chop jobs in my days. I my early years I did several show bugs.

Here is my thought. I would take say a Jetta from the 90s. Cut it right behind the Front door. Install a toyota truck bed inside the back area chopped down the center and lapped at the high section of the corrugated areas. Use the factory door skins and Quarter panels. Weld Dato panels to connect them. Remove all door handles. use trunk lid to modify a tailgate. Some suspension mods and Whala a TDI pickup. Come on guys shed some light on this and or find me a donor car. One or both. I would like some picture links or somthing. I did see one somewhere that had seats on a caddy website. Looked like a subaru brat with foreward facing seats.

Any Ideas?

farnhamassoc · September 4th, 2011, 22:43

alright I found a really cool link for you guys check this out.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...-CADDY-PICK-UP

This is somthing like what I want to make except not rear wheel drive. If it wasn't holy crap to get one of these registered I would import one.

farnhamassoc · September 4th, 2011, 22:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselherb1

Alot easier to swap TDI engine and trans into caddy, put airbag suspension on it. I've seen a fiberglass pickup bed kit on several Jettas but bed is only 4-4.5 long. I'd like more seat(back) room in the caddy. I saw a 2 door Rabbit welded to a caddy bed, looked stock.

What about stretching it a little. it is front wheel drive couldn't be that hard. I would want to make a 6ft bed at least. I agree with the seat back because I am 6'3" The 80s caddy I have now is for midgets. It rides like an 80s car and handles like crap compared to my MK5. Look at the latest posts.

Seatman · September 4th, 2011, 23:00

What about the doors from a two door golf or similar and moving the door pillars back then you'll have the right sort of dimensions and just need to sort out the back. I was thinking of this on my car at one point.

coalminer16 · September 15th, 2011, 11:50

There was a yellow vw truck sold a few years ago on ebay. I even have it saved on my pictures on the forum. It had a 4 door rabbit welded to a truck rear. Looked nice. There is another like it in Brookings SD that is white.

farnhamassoc · September 30th, 2011, 20:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seatman

What about the doors from a two door golf or similar and moving the door pillars back then you'll have the right sort of dimensions and just need to sort out the back. I was thinking of this on my car at one point.

I would like to see someone have the same drive I have in making this happen. Still farting around with my old Caddy for now but as soon as I find a donor I am going to make it happen and take pics along the way. Like the doors Idea. need 2 door doors to make it work right and it needs to be stretched. any more info would be appreciated. thanks for posting

farnhamassoc · September 30th, 2011, 20:33

If we could make enough interest we could make a kit and show VW just how much we want a caddy for America. My goodness if there was a 40mpg pickup in America how many people would buy it? I know I would. A few months ago we drove almost 900 miles for work in one day. That trip would have saved me almost $200 in my tdi pickup but I had to drive my chevy because my clunker old Rabbit Pickup wouldnt have made the trip.

Seatman · September 30th, 2011, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by farnhamassoc

I would like to see someone have the same drive I have in making this happen. Still farting around with my old Caddy for now but as soon as I find a donor I am going to make it happen and take pics along the way. Like the doors Idea. need 2 door doors to make it work right and it needs to be stretched. any more info would be appreciated. thanks for posting

Sounds good, I look forward to seeing them.

My other half doesn't like the idea but I still think it'd be cool. There's no Seat pickups over here but then my car's pretty dam rare as it is too.