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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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 Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 7:28 am Post subject: Rabbit S |
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Anyone have a 81 or 82 Rabbit S?
Just curious as they are few and far between... |
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bvolks
Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2004
Posts: 846
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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I had an '81 in the early 90's. It is the only one I have ever seen. As far as I can tell, it was basically a GTI with a smaller motor. I regret sending it to the crusher.
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1985 Diesel Jetta Coupe (temporarily retired at
756,000 km)
1971 Doublecab project
1995 Golf CL
1974 Beetle
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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 10:18 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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@bvolks...
Was your 81 Rabbit S Black or Silver?
They were only produced in 81 and 82. 82 offered more colors.
Yes, they are scarce!! Low production Rabbit... It would be nice to know production numbers.
Have any pics of it? Old polaroids maybe?
Thanks for responding!! |
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bvolks
Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2004
Posts: 846
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2023 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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Black with red stripes and "Rabbit S" script along the bottom of the doors/ quarter panels. It had red striping around the dash, too. It had an aluminum steering wheel and a console with extra gauges that the regular Rabbits didn't have. It had different wheels too. This is the only picture I can find of it.
_________________
1985 Diesel Jetta Coupe (temporarily retired at
756,000 km)
1971 Doublecab project
1995 Golf CL
1974 Beetle
1978 Westfalia |
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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2023 9:34 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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Thanks so much for posting a picture of the S!! Very COOL sir!!
What were the wheels that it came with? There were a few different combinations that I've seen.
Alloy wheels?
Just curious.
Again, Thanks!! |
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EverettB 
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69832
Location: Phoenix Metro
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| Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2023 9:55 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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On the extra gauges in the center console:
Was this a Rabbit S thing only or something you could buy as an accessory too?
I used to go to the local junkyards in the late 80s/early 1990s and there were tons of Rabbits there. Some had the extra gauges and some did not.
Just wondering if all the ones with the gauges were "S" models.
It's possible some with gauges were Sciroccos too, it's sort of a blur now.
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bvolks
Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2004
Posts: 846
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2023 9:58 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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It had 13" alloy wheels like these.
_________________
1985 Diesel Jetta Coupe (temporarily retired at
756,000 km)
1971 Doublecab project
1995 Golf CL
1974 Beetle
1978 Westfalia |
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bvolks
Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2004
Posts: 846
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2023 10:11 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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| EverettB wrote: |
On the extra gauges in the center console:
Was this a Rabbit S thing only or something you could buy as an accessory too?
I used to go to the local junkyards in the late 80s/early 1990s and there were tons of Rabbits there. Some had the extra gauges and some did not.
Just wondering if all the ones with the gauges were "S" models.
It's possible some with gauges were Sciroccos too, it's sort of a blur now. |
I'm not 100% sure, but I think only the GTI and S models had the extra gauges. There was a tach in the main instrument cluster that none of my other Rabbits had and oil temp, voltage and something else in a gauge cluster in front of the shifter. I bought it in '93 for $100. It had a blown head gasket but was in excellent shape otherwise. I only drove it for a couple years and then gave it to my father when his car gave out. He wasn't big on maintenance and it didn't last long after that. I do remember it was one of the least reliable VWs I ever owned though. I just remembered I do have this video of it, but it was pretty rough at this point.
Link
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1985 Diesel Jetta Coupe (temporarily retired at
756,000 km)
1971 Doublecab project
1995 Golf CL
1974 Beetle
1978 Westfalia |
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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 9:53 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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| EverettB wrote: |
On the extra gauges in the center console:
Was this a Rabbit S thing only or something you could buy as an accessory too?
I used to go to the local junkyards in the late 80s/early 1990s and there were tons of Rabbits there. Some had the extra gauges and some did not.
Just wondering if all the ones with the gauges were "S" models.
It's possible some with gauges were Sciroccos too, it's sort of a blur now. |
It is very possible that they were S model Rabbits. I have seen guage packages in a few Rabbits, but not that many. I am highly into MK1 Rabbits.
Thanks for chiming in sir!! Rabbit S's are a neat part of VW history. Love that people are replying that might have had one back in the day!!
Thanks!! |
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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 9:59 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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| bvolks wrote: |
It had 13" alloy wheels like these.
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Do you think they are/were original to the Rabbit S, as I have a set of those.
I want to thank you for responding to my thread about Rabbit S's!!
I have found that a lot of VW people didn't know they existed...
Be cool if more would respond!! Kinda shows that not many were ordered!! |
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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2023 10:11 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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| Quote: |
I'm not 100% sure, but I think only the GTI and S models had the extra gauges. There was a tach in the main instrument cluster that none of my other Rabbits had and oil temp, voltage and something else in a gauge cluster in front of the shifter. I bought it in '93 for $100. It had a blown head gasket but was in excellent shape otherwise. I only drove it for a couple years and then gave it to my father when his car gave out. He wasn't big on maintenance and it didn't last long after that. I do remember it was one of the least reliable VWs I ever owned though. I just remembered I do have this video of it, but it was pretty rough at this point.
Link
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Thanks for the video of the S. Camel interior color on black ones in 81. Silver had blue interior. 3 more colors added in 82.
Again, THANKs for posting up your history with one. Sure would be nice if more came out of the woodwork.... |
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12756
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2023 3:10 pm Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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| bvolks wrote: |
It had 13" alloy wheels like these.
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Those were pretty common wheels on several different water pumper models. Not at all excusive to the Rabbit S.
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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 9656
Location: Pearl River, NY
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:49 pm Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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| oprn wrote: |
| bvolks wrote: |
It had 13" alloy wheels like these.
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Those were pretty common wheels on several different water pumper models. Not at all excusive to the Rabbit S. |
Those specific rims in the photo were for Euro-market Golf GTi Mk1, being 5.5" wide. They look "like" the rims seen on most US Scirocco Mk 1 (shown below from a '77) and other US models such as Jetta, but those were only 5.0" wide. The extra 1/2" width of the Euro rim was towards the outside, so that the spokes were nearly level with the outer rim instead of tapering downwards when they lay flat.
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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 9656
Location: Pearl River, NY
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 11:10 pm Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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In late '79 I had a new US-built Rabbit. The college I attended was way north in New York state, close to Canada. Some of us in the dorm would take turns going into Canada to buy a few cases of Molson Brador beer which was not available in the US at the time. The closest border bridge crossing into CDN was at Cornwall, Ontario at Massena, NY. On the one time I drove for the beer, I stopped in at the VW dealer in Cornwall and saw what I thought was a Golf GTi on the showroom floor. It was a German-built Rabbit but had all the trimmings of the Euro GTi except the engine, which was the same US-spec "weak" gas one with 1500cc. I'm nearly certain that it was badged as a Rabbit S. I bought a Rabbit S hatchback emblem for my car at the dealer's parts counter... And I'm certain there was no German-built Rabbit S in the US market in '79 and '80. I worked in Germany when the '81 and '82 US Rabbits were sold in the USA and don't remember the Rabbit S here. But I probably just overlooked them when I'd come home for vacations.
The '79 US Rabbit brochure here in the Archives section shows the optional #4 Rallye Package to mostly resemble a GTi, though there is no mention of the red-bordered front grill nor sport seats which were signature genuine GTi details. |
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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2023 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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They had a Golf S in Europe, but that is all I know of...
Just 81 and 82 for the Rabbit S. MK5s Rabbit S cars don't count...
They did have a German GTI in 79 and 80 in Canada with the 1.6 engine. Kinda a appearance package really.
Been nice to see a picture!! |
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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2023 10:38 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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| PM sent to Rome... |
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D Clymer
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2005
Posts: 2978
Location: Issaquah, WA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2023 10:19 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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On the topic of wheels, the Rabbit S came stock with steel wheels. They were the wider 13x5.5" version of the standard Rabbit steel wheel and they had a unique center cap that made them look pretty attractive. Those center caps were only used on the Rabbit S and the Sport Truck. The Sport Truck was basically a Rabbit S Pickup. Same basic specification.
There is a VWOA promotional photo that gets used in a lot of VW books that shows the Rabbit S with the 13x5.5 version of the Scirocco alloy, but that was actually not the standard Rabbit S wheel.
Cool to see some interest in this rare model. It's a significant model because it provided a lot of the cosmetics that led to the Rabbit GTI in 1983. |
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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2023 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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Both of my Rabbit S's had 13 inch steel wheels. Mine came with small black center caps w chrome caps on the lug bolts, and trim rings.
Alloys were an option if buyers so desired.
Yes the Rabbit S and the Sport truck were the same basic appearance package.
I am also glad that there has been interest in my thread. Very RARE Rabbit!!
D. Clymer,
Did you have a Rabbit S or know of any? |
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D Clymer
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2005
Posts: 2978
Location: Issaquah, WA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2023 6:37 pm Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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| vwjunkie3 wrote: |
D. Clymer,
Did you have a Rabbit S or know of any? |
I have never owned a Rabbit S. My Dad bought a brand new 1981 Rabbit diesel LS when I was in grade school, and I remember seeing a brand-new silver Rabbit S on the lot. They had a whole row of brand new Rabbits, and I think they only that one S model. It seems like they were always rare. I don't think VW marketed the car at all. I've been kind of a life-long Mk1 and Mk2 fanatic, and I don't think I ever saw a magazine ad for the Rabbit S.
I do have a 1984 Rabbit GTI that I'm planning to completely restore in the near future. Rabbit GTIs have always been one of my favorites, so that's why I also feel closely connected to the Rabbit S. It's been a long time since I've actually seen one. I sure hope there are a few stock or near stock examples still in existence.
It sounds like you've had two of them. That's pretty cool for such a rare car. What colors were they? I have only seen silver and black ones. I'm trying to remember what other colors there were. |
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vwjunkie3
Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2010
Posts: 70
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2023 11:53 am Post subject: Re: Rabbit S |
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I was just curious if you had owned one or not. Very cool you got to see a new one back in the day!!
Knowing VW, every dealer probably had to have one in stock. They have to be a very low production Rabbit!! Maybe one per dealer back then... who knows!
Been into VWs for a long time myself.
Just like they didn't advertise for the 83 and 84 Rabbit Turbo Diesels either. Less than 500 for those...
Owned many a Rabbit including a factory TD Rabbit, and a few 83 and 84 GTIs.
My first Rabbit S was black with camel colored interior one. The second one is silver with blue interior. Need door cards from a blue GTI. Same as Rabbit S's
82 Rabbit S's had more colors, just exterior though.
Mahogony
Light Metallic Blue
Forest Green Metallic
Burnished Gold Metallic
Interiors were either dark blue or camel colored.
It just so happens that I have been conversing with a gentleman that still has his all original S that he bought new in 81. (Silver/blue interior) |
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