Oppoquestion - Value of VW Rabbit Doors?

"MM54" (mm54mk2)
12/14/2019 at 19:50 • Filed to: QUESTION

Good evening, Oppo. I have a question for those of you who know more than me about things (which is most, if not all of you).

I’ve been helping a friend clean out his late father’s garage (more on that another time) and have the chance to take all four doors (and a fender) from a 1985 VW Rabbit shell which will otherwise be scrapped (the hatch is not in good shape and one fender is dented). They have no glass but aren’t rusty. A couple have some dings and/or the window track is bent (as if the window was broken out with a bat...).

All it would take from me is ~$20 in gas to drive out there and however long it takes to unbolt them from the (wrecked) shell. Are these worth anything, being the 4-door doors? Any other valuable bits I should look for if I go back? He said I can have whatever off it before he finds the title to scrap it.

Random internet picture of a similar car for your time:

DISCUSSION (18)

AdamB > MM54
12/14/2019 at 20:02

How does one gain authorship for oppositelock?

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > MM54
12/14/2019 at 20:06

Where’s the car at? I need some parts for my 81 diesel... well, a LOT of parts.

Fully clean doors with no glass? Maybe $50 a door and they’ll take a while to move.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > AdamB
12/14/2019 at 20:07

One of the mods would have to grant you authorship - I can see what I can do!

SmugAardvark > MM54
12/14/2019 at 20:14

From when I had a Rabbit many years ago, 4 door models were never all that highly sought after. But I did a quick search on VW Vortex, looking for people selling Mk1 doors. Looks like a decent door with glass goes for about $40-50.

It might not be worth your time unless you want to try and pull other goodies off at the same time , then go through the effort of finding buyers.

If the dashboard is in good shape and has a factory tach in the gauge cluster , you could probably resell it.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > AdamB
12/14/2019 at 20:16

In the #clubopen ings tab on the top, click the first story and give it a read. They’re usually pretty quick to add an author.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > SmugAardvark
12/14/2019 at 20:18

A cluster with a tach will fetch maybe $150-200 depending on what cluster it is, broken or not, because they’re all broken.

SmugAardvark > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
12/14/2019 at 20:22

Yep, I probably paid somewhere between 100 and 150 back when I had mine (12-ish years ago).

MM54 > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
12/14/2019 at 21:37

Amherst. If you’re seriously interested I could try to set something up; he’s in the process of getting the title I believe and wants little more than for it to be gone .

The front end is wrecked (looks like 20mph square into a tree ), no glass (that isn’t broken), rear hatch is rusty at the bottom, the rest is okay. It’s automatic and some flavor of injected gas engine’d. Some of the front suspension is missing, looks like they were half-way to dropping the engine/subframe. Some of the interior (black) is there but expect mildew and general dirt; it has been inside for a very long time at least.

MM54 > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
12/14/2019 at 21:39

I don’t remember if it had a tach but I will check if I go back. The interior is semi-complete, not sure of the condition of the dash. No idea where the steering wheel went, but it’s not on the column.

MM54 > AdamB
12/14/2019 at 21:40

Hey, this is me asking you a question, not the other way around!

But no, what the others said is right, you have to request it in “club openings” and eventually you will get a notification about being added.

Steve in Manhattan > MM54
12/14/2019 at 21:47

Probably not much - they made 6.72 million first gens ... but if your area is starved for parts, then it might be worth it. https://cartype.com/pages/6041/volkswagen_golf_generations

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > MM54
12/14/2019 at 21:48

Which Amherst? If you’re in Ohio...

MM54 > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
12/14/2019 at 21:51

Yep, Amherst, Ohio. Not far from the exi t from 80

MM54 > Steve in Manhattan
12/14/2019 at 21:54

My thought is that around here, everything is rust, which is also rusting. It’s sounding like they’re not particularly valuable though, being a 4-door. I even had trouble finding a quick picture on google that wasn’t a 2-door!

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > MM54
12/14/2019 at 21:56

The car I’ve got that needs the most right now is a Mk1 diesel. My other Mk1 has the 1.8 fuel injected gasser. I’m reasonably sure your friend’s car should have the same motor... I don’t really have a place to keep a complete shell right now but if your friend is likely to part it out a bit, my email is

MM54 > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
12/14/2019 at 22:07

I’ll talk to him tomorrow and get back to you (also I got the email address so you can edit it out now if you want)

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > MM54
12/14/2019 at 22:11

Cool!

Steve in Manhattan > MM54
12/14/2019 at 22:23

In general, I’d say determine whether it was built here, in the Pennsylvania factory, or in Germany. The latter is preferable. And yes - bottom of the door rust is the worst. There might be other stuff to part out on it, but you’d need the whole car (and a place to keep it).