No "How To" here - this is just a Blog for VW enthuisiasts like myself (I'm a new convert).

I believe there comes a time in every workaholics life when you realize that you're killing yourself and not really enjoying doing all those things you used to love. That is why I have gone back to racing motocross (occassionally) and why I have taken on this nasty little project car.

First, a quick explanation. A friend of mine (let's call him Ted) has been buying and working on little crummy cars for a couple of years now. At first it was a $500 Subaru Legacy wagon - then a $100 Subaru Justy, then a $50 VW Rabbit diesel. At first I thought he must be totally broke and needed to have these cars - but then he bought one I didn't expect of him - a $750 VW Cabriolet. After he got it running, he came over and took me for a ride and explained his philosophy on these little cars. He simply loves taking something that is broken - something someone else has decided is unrepairable - and fixing it up! Coincidentally, he is an ER nurse.

Having worked in the motorpool in college, I came to the realization that I miss working on my own car! I too started looking for something small, cheap, and broken. I narrowed my criteria down to something that would get over 35 mpg yet cost less than $300. Searching Craigslist, Crazedlist.org, and Ebay, I finally found a 1981 VW Cabriolet in Seattle and made the deal. As Ted and I got the trailer hooked up and ready to go, it started snowing! We took one more look on Craigslist and what did we find - a 1980 Volkswagen Rabbit Convertible in Longview, less than 1 hour away - and only $150!

So, on the way to Seattle, we stopped to take a look - liked what we saw, and I bought the car. These photos were taken shortly after getting it home and coasting it out of the trailer, my $150 Volkswagen Rabbit Convertible project car!

The dust was worse than it looks in the picture. Some of it is dust from sitting in a garage. Much more is mud and salt ... from being under water we believe. My work is cut out for me! Fortunately, Ted brought the Bentley Service Manuals and has offered up a parts car to help. Stay tuned!