When you see copies of your first car on the road, do you get pangs to drop everything and go buy one? I do, and will always feel fortunate that my first year of driving was spent in a car as unique as Rabbit Pickup. Look around at the trucks available today; even the well-reviewed “small” Chevy Colorado is a pretty substantial beast. How great to be able to throw your stuff in the bed of a truck that weighs about a single ton, gets 45 mpg, and looks as good as a Mk1 Rabbit? Unless it’s a mediocre example for stupid money, I’m itching to get back in one. Today’s bronze Caddy gets me all hot and bothered as it looks exceptionally clean and comes with some serious Mk2 upgrades. The turbodiesel 1.9 liter is a significant improvement over the 1.6 non-turbo from a decade earlier, and this one also comes with the seats, steering wheel, and transmission from the donor 1992 Golf. The side graphics (which almost give a wood-panel look on the bronze paint) and front bumper delete help to make this funny little truck extra-unique.
Click for details: 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup on eBay
Year: 1981
Model: Rabbit Pickup
Engine: 1.9 liter turbocharged inline-4 diesel
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 148k on chassis, 85k on engine
Price: Reserve auction
Very nice straight, clean and rust free vw caddy pickup.
1.9 AAZ turbo diesel motor and 5 spd tranny from a 1992 golf with approx. 85,000 miles.
New paint. Mk2 seats and steering wheel.
A/c truck with everything intact but inoperative.
Truck runs and drives great.
Keith
Even the non-crack smoking sellers are starting to ask pretty serious cash for nice examples of Rabbit Pickups, “>especially TDI swaps. Bidding is starting pretty low here, but the great condition and upgrades mean it will likely reach towards $10k before the auction is over. I’m not ready to replace my little Rabbit Truck quite yet, but this is exactly how I want my next one.
-NR
