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Just got this b3 wagon...

15K views 114 replies 18 participants last post by  sin bar 
#1 · (Edited)
Just to confuse you all. :D

a 91, in many ways just like dan's,
but uniquely mine.

It started when I decided i was "done" with the diesel mk2. It only needed bodywork and some motorwork, and it would have been done for real. but too much for me to work for anymore, and the money to satisfaction ratio was no longer in my favor.

A local friend of mine has always wanted a four door mk2, and a b3 passat has been on my wishlist since 2000, when i got to drive one around cortona, italy. I haven't forgotten that car, and it's got me here today.



My goal is an OEM+/- theme, with a few motorsport inspired touches. It may also serve as a hillclimb support vehicle/road trip monster, which probably means a roofrack. ooOOoo

It needs a fresh motor, the headgasket is done, and may have warped both the head and done damage to the block. Rather than screw around, i'm planning on grabbing a known good motor locally, and replacing all seals and suspect parts with fresh ones, and maybe throw an upgrade or two at it while i'm in there. I'd like a full clean and paint will also happen, although color options are still way up in the air.

The suspension is also mostly toast, but will be getting a full oem+ upgrade with r32 bushings, fresh everything, and a good refinishing wherever possible. My "old" weitec coils from the blue golf will come with me to this car, so a lowering will be forthwith, as well. I expect at the very least to be with a rebuilt motor and a lowered car by late December. :D wheels will come in February or so, also with a fresh look.
Today, i hit the centercaps that were yellowed and paint flaked with some "oem wheel silver" to make myself look slightly more presentable on the way around, at least from ten feet. :laugh:

tl;dr here's the damn car





here's the old thread for my golf:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?3813730-it-s-at-its-new-home.&p=47891297&viewfull=1

i'm gonna miss that one.

to little things, and new beginnings!
 
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#14 ·
thanks, dude.

i'm kind of in a holding pattern while i try to figure out if this car will be a keeper.

needing a motor, debating on whether to do a full teardown/rebuild, or just put a "running" motor in it for now.

sending money for control arms today, might have them this weekend, might not, kind of can't be bothered to think about it. :laugh:

where is my hazard switch in this car?
 
#17 ·
so i found it, it's on the column, but the horn button has arched itself up to be in the way juuuuust enough to not see it while i'm driving, or even leaning forward and over the wheel to see if it's there. :facepalm:

also, went to start the car this evening, and the clutch pedal simply hit the floor. no return, like nothing is connected to it whatsoever. sigh.
 
#24 ·
i'll probably do the slave cylinder for good measure, as well.
this weekend, i'll probably be moving, which sucks, because the car is immobile. :laugh:
so i'll have to run and grab that stuff from a local place this weekend, and hope i can find someone to lend a hand, as my damn toolbox is missing.

in addition, the guy i traded with can't find the title (he is a friend of mine), so i can't register the damn car. it's just as well i can't drive it anyhow, i suppose.

maybe, just maybe, i can knock out the control arms the same day as the clutch nonsense.


in a slightly unrelated note, i'm thinking pale gold for an accent color. kinda oem plus. brakes, master cylinders, i might cad plate a bucket of hardware for the motor rebuild, leaving just little bits here and there pale gold. pulleys, probably, and some other bits and pieces. whatever i can find at the local autozone, i suppose. i don't want it to be hard to find.


unfortunately, this moving and new furniture and such is going to keep me from spending money on the car for a while, so everything is in planning stage. i'm going to bug y'all with talk for awhile, i hope my open thoughts don't bother you too much. :D

i'm also considering the 02j shifter tower swap with the polo shift box to make things a little better in the shifting department. minor modification involved if you can find the polo box, which to me is worth the extra dough. that will all have to happen at the same time as the motor, since it will all be out of the way. with paint (just a clean and paint, no polishing casings beforehand yet) coming for the trans, block, head, and intake/valve cover, then the shifter stuff should look ok when i'm done, too, right?


last thing, i promise,
is the rear motor mount from a mk2/corrado 16v the same for the b3?
i assume it is, i'll need one of these as well! g60 trans mount, too.

sooooo
clutch master/slave cyl/hose (mine looks iffy)
o2j shifter box/cables
16v completely refreshed seal wise/paint
control arm/balljoint/tie rod end/wheel bearings (maybe just go ahead and do a five lug swap)
brake clean/paint/refresh (especially if doing a five lug swap) and stainless line/better fluid replace (and new master cyl)
new strut mounts fr/rear
rear wheel bearings
interior clean/repair
radio swap
exterior clean/detail/freshening
wheels.

oh god what have i done lol.
 
#26 ·
ain't no thing, dan. car won't move anyhow. :p

i think i might hit the yard soon and grab a mk2 rear motor mount soon to "refresh" outta the car. stock mount, or poly insert... hmmm.

i see fluid stains all over the trans next to the slave cylinder. the local parts place that has good stuff wants 150 for the clutch slave cylinder (even the parts guy said that was too expensive lol), and the slave for 70... germanautoparts with shipping should be 20 or 30 bucks cheaper, so there's that.
i need a roll of that plumbers sealing tape, whatever it's called, too.

gonna be an expensive weekend, and i'll basically be at zero.
guess i'll order up a brake master cylinder, too. paint it all pale gold or bronze. ersumthin.
 
#27 ·
master cylinder is on it's way to my place,
a fun set of wheels will be in possession in the next week or two.
still waiting on my coils to come back to me,
and the control arms should be here any day now.

still need to source a running 16v motor in good shape to throw a headgasket and waterbelt/timingpump at without fear.

i'm sticking with the four lug setup for the time being,
and just making sure that it's riding well, as i've got a drive to tampa and back for xmas!

things seem to be coming together, for a little while, anyhow.
i need a poly insert for a rear motor mount if anyone has one laying around they don't want anymore. hint hint. :D
or a fresh rear mount, either one. :p
 
#29 ·
control arms are here!

i'm not looking forward to the clutch cylinder,
i have to do it the same day i'm moving. :laugh:

just a short move, but the car has to work to get over there. :p

by xmas, i have to:
replace the head/headgasket/front seal
clutch master cyl
control arm
lower it
and quite possibly some wheels.

then i plan on driving it to tampa and back.
wheeeee
 
#32 ·
Ha. Let me know when you want them. As well as anything else you can think of. I scored a ton of crap off the b3's that were there. There were 7 alltogether. Two white 16v wagons with our interior, a few VR's and a few sedans. If you need parts let me know soon and I can plan a trip back up there.

I got myself a spare 16v alt and a spare distributor which is always nice to have on hand when owning a 16v. I like to keep an extra dizzy/cap/rotor in the car somewhere for emergencies. I have always had issues in some way or another with 16v dizzys going bad very randomly.
 
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