Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

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RabidRabbit
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:51 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1990
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Jacksonville,Florida

Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by RabidRabbit »

I just purchased a 1990 triple white cabby. I am a newbie to V.W. Its in pretty good shape over all, but it needs some TLC. So far I have found a lot of my questions answered by reading the forum. You guys really know your stuff. Its really nice to have a place to go with your troubles. Keep up the good work. I hope that with time, I will be able to chime in as well.

Car Bio
The good:
Exterior: nice body, never been hit, original paint, new top installed by me, new tires installed by me.
Interior: no water damage,clean,all original white seats.
The Bad:
Exterior: some scratches on the front bumper, rust at the bottom corners of the windshield. Only place on the entire car with rust. What is that about?
Interior: No instrument lighting, after market Blaupunkt stays on all the time, steering wheel wobble.
Mechanical: Idle is rough, Shift linkage is shot, A/C not working, All vacuum lines are a mess (hence the rough idle, I guess ), front drivers side brake fluid leak.

All in all its a nice ride. I can't wait to get it finished up.
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Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
What year is your cabby?: 1992
Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
Location: Duluth, Ga
Contact:

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by Briano1234 »

Exterior: some scratches on the front bumper, rust at the bottom corners of the windshield. Only place on the entire car with rust. What is that about?

Replacement corner metal is avail at rabbitparts.com
I really feel it is because the windshield has been replaced, and the paint was nicked. As I have owned rabbits for a long time, and only had one that was rusted, and that windshield was replaced.

Interior: No instrument lighting, after market Blaupunkt stays on all the time, steering wheel wobble.

wobble as in and out or left and right. left and right is tie-rods bushings or ball joints. in and out is that the lower steering shaft bushing is out of place. Reach under the knee bar and shove it back in place, then use a "tie"wrap or hose clamp to keep it there and consider it a perm fix.

No Lighting, get thee to a wrecking yard and take the warning lights out of a Saturn or Isuzu, and take them to the autoparts store and get the higher wattage (warning bulbs) for that car that you took the sockets out of.

Mechanical: Idle is rough, Shift linkage is shot, A/C not working, All vacuum lines are a mess (hence the rough idle, I guess ), front drivers side brake fluid leak.

Replace all your vacuum line.
Replace the o-ring on the back of the throttle by-pass screw (7mm bolt on the back of the TB next to the firewall) if it is loose by hand, then count the turns to remove and take it to a hardware store and get a new o-ring.

Driver side leak? I suggest that you replace all your rubber hoses then bleed it. Leaks aren't a good thing.

Congrats.....
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
CalAltaDubber
Frozen Guy in the Northern Country
Posts: 2012
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:10 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by CalAltaDubber »

Hey Welcome to TRF!

I'm supprised that Brian didn't ask you to post a picture of your car.

I'm sure when you get the bugs you mentioned worked out, you will have a great ride.
Phil

'87 Cabriolet, "Topless Bunny"
'88 Cabriolet, "Posh Bunny"
'04 Golf
'12 Golf Wagon TDI
'69 Manx type Dune Buggy (New Toy)

Image Image
User avatar
Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
What year is your cabby?: 1992
Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
Location: Duluth, Ga
Contact:

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by Briano1234 »

Opssa

a/c not working run a jumper to the positive battery terminal to the green wire on the a/c compressor, if it clicks then the compressor is usually good.
Start the car and "pick" the same wire, if the compressor spins, then you are low on gas, and needs to find the leak and re-charge.

Shifter linkages are best off ebay, and then go to the missing linkz site and get the short shifter kit.
In the regular or General threads I show you how to create a weighted billet.

Radio on all the time is normal for the cabby, just take it out, then look for the 2 12V power leads and take the power to the back of the defroster switch, they may have a brown with red, and that is what you really want going to the power.

post a pic. :)
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
User avatar
RabidRabbit
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:51 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1990
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Jacksonville,Florida

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by RabidRabbit »

Thank you for the warm welcome. I will try to post some pics latter today. Also let me thank you for the fix up advise. My first plan of action will be the brake leak. I took a quick look at it the other day, it didnt look like the hose, maybe it's the caliber? I will take a closer look at it and let you know. Thanks again for the other suggestions.

By the way. I made a rookie mistake. I didn't mean " I can't wait to get it finished up" I meant can't wait to get it going,
I doubt I will ever be finished!!!! :)
CalAltaDubber
Frozen Guy in the Northern Country
Posts: 2012
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:10 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by CalAltaDubber »

RabidRabbit wrote:By the way. I made a rookie mistake. I didn't mean " I can't wait to get it finished up" I meant can't wait to get it going,
I doubt I will ever be finished!!!! :)
There is a guy with a personalized (vanity) plate here that reads "NVRDONE".
There is always something else to do.
Phil

'87 Cabriolet, "Topless Bunny"
'88 Cabriolet, "Posh Bunny"
'04 Golf
'12 Golf Wagon TDI
'69 Manx type Dune Buggy (New Toy)

Image Image
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by 84Vert »

Welcome to another Florida guy
84 Rabbit Convertible
User avatar
RabidRabbit
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:51 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1990
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Jacksonville,Florida

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by RabidRabbit »

Hello 84vert. Thank you for the welcome. I saw some of you pics nice work so far. What part of Florida are you from? It looks like North Florida. I am living in Jacksonville, Florida.
User avatar
RabidRabbit
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:51 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1990
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Jacksonville,Florida

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by RabidRabbit »

Here are the pics I promised.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1349044824.551254.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1349044863.641910.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1349044884.600194.jpg
User avatar
Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
What year is your cabby?: 1992
Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
Location: Duluth, Ga
Contact:

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by Briano1234 »

Now get a card for the top of the radiator as that will increase the cooling of your radiator, and keep you from dropping bolts between it and the frame.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
84Vert
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 12:03 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1984
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Avon Park, Fl

Re: Hello from Florida, Yes I am a newbie!

Post by 84Vert »

Hi Mr Rapid Rabbit. I am about 20 miles south of Tallahassee. Nice looking Rabbit you have there.
84 Rabbit Convertible
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