'82 Rabbit ?

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
As posted in the OP's first post. Just wants to use it as a truck. No engine swaps, not a collector car, not a hobby project, not a hot rod or make out vehicle. A good early model pre efi, 6 cylinder, 300 ci, manual trans truck would seem to be just the thing. Even an efi up to 1996 if you are up for a little more complication. The 6 is much easier and simple to work on than a V8. Fuel economy about the same 15 mpg. The extra money it would cost you initially plus upkeep and parts would probably offset the fuel bill. There probably isn't a simpler, cheaper, easier to work on and maintain truck out there than the Ford inline 6 manual.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The Ford Windsor pushrod V8 is, in comparison, a wimpy turd, too. Durability wise anyway. I've replaced LOTS of those over the years.
 

ToxicDoc

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Location
Virginia, US
TDI
2001 Jetta, S7, .216
The Ford Windsor pushrod V8 is, in comparison, a wimpy turd, too. Durability wise anyway. I've replaced LOTS of those over the years.
I love the Windsors - cheap and easy to work on. Never had trouble with them except when I really pushed them passed their limits.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
A lot of yard plows around here are the 300-6 4x4 F150's with 4 speed manual. They just won't die. Eventually the frames rot away but that powertrain is incredibly tough.
 

joetdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Location
Midwest
TDI
2-2002 Jettas W/Auto
I think the last time I drove one of those the seat would not go back far enough. If you are much over 6 feet it's a little cramped.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I love the Windsors - cheap and easy to work on. Never had trouble with them except when I really pushed them passed their limits.

Yes, and it seems their limits are exceeded in trucks fairly quickly, especially the 5.0L. Timing chains wiped out at 80k miles, crankshaft thrust so bad you can SEE it, and rod bearing/wrist pin bushing rattles at hot idle.

Our fleet work, way back when, was dominated by Ford trucks and vans. The V8s always broke, the I6s never did. And when I say never, I really do mean never. Nothing. Spark plugs, cap/rotor/wires, oil and filter changes. That is it. Heck I do not even think we ever replaced accessory belts or water pumps or anything on them, as I don't think that 4.9L could spin fast enough to inflict any serious wear on that stuff. :) We serviced hordes of the old 1974-1991 (the boxy square ones) E250 vans, with I6s bolted to C6 transmissions. Loaded service vans. Nothing broke on those. We still service many of the same companies' vehicles, and have watched the E-van evolve, and finally get replaced... and the Transit has caused some of them to go elsewhere besides the Ford dealer for the first time in several decades. They've stomached the rod-chucking 4.2L V6 that replaced the 4.9L, and the subsequent switch from the big truck transmissions to the little car transmissions and their rando-fail short life, they've stomached the Triton engines (later made standard on all the E-vans) spitting out spark plugs and rampant consumption of 5w20 oil... but the Transit... that is a new level of Fail that the Blue Oval should be ashamed of. Granted much (most) of its issues stem from the all too common poor Americanizing of an otherwise decent European platform (gasoline V6s, passenger car automatic transmissions), but the fact that you cannot even SERVICE the transmission without MAJOR surgery that involves cutting, torching, and welding, is absurd. :rolleyes: At least when those transmissions need something in the F150s, you can actually GET to them. :cool:
 

ToxicDoc

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Location
Virginia, US
TDI
2001 Jetta, S7, .216
lol, thanks for the info on the Transit. I'll scratch that one off the list lol. The Triton engines I knew about. Luckily the two I had survived in the time I had them.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Yes, angling at "Need a pickup", but an '82 wabbit pick-em-up seems a collector or hobby type thing. Not even comparable to an F-150 or a Tacoma, unless of course you just want a pickup.
 

iamatt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Location
Rosharon, Texas
TDI
2014 Jetta 6 Speed manual
Co-worker of mine is in process of building his Ute for hauling parts for his many projects between Dallas and Houston

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