M05 VW Rabbit build

[markbt73]

Got a bonus at work, and decided it had been too long since I built a new kit. This was the first kit I laid eyes on when I walked into the local hobby shop:

That'll do nicely. Been thinking about another M-chassis for a while now. Out the door with a full set of bearings (including for the steering) for under $150.

I didn't realize that the box art required a four-color paint job. I just don't like it well enough to do all that masking, so I'm going a different route. It's going to be a US-spec late '70s Rabbit, complete with 5 mph bumpers and side marker lights. I'm still trying to pick a color, but it will be one of those iconic Rabbit colors like yellow or robin-egg blue or that horrible green. (Anybody have an opinion?)

Will post photos of the chassis when it's built. Won't be long.

[nascar24jd]

Awesome..!!! Please post pics along the journey.

[nascar24jd]

I had a 1981 VW Rabbit. My first car. It was beige.

[mongoose1983]

Will look good in one color!

[Tamiya1/10]

I recalled the color for rabbit was champagne gold back in 70s . The green could it be the British racing green? If thats the green, it will grow on you. My vw sirocco back then was that green and was the only car and color on the lot. It turned out to be one of the vest color and parking it on the street at night, people walked by and would stare at it.

[mongoose1983]

I remember having this one back in the day:

[Tamiya1/10]

I remember having this one back in the day:

Admit it, you still have it along with the pig and is your favourite.:-D

[mongoose1983]

Admit it, you still have it along with the pig and is your favourite.:-D

Ahhh, I'd wish I still have the Matchbox 75 collection! I don't have it anymore. But I do have a couple of glasscases with the 1974 & 1976 Matchbox Fighting Furies action figures!

[Skottoman]

When I saw this, I had to go look at a box my parents sent me of my old matchbox cars.... I can't believe I still have it, and with both surfboards!

Oh, and sorry for the thread derailment!

Cheers,

Skottoman

[markbt73]

I guess now I have to paint it green, huh?

[SteveU30]

Are you guys seriously telling me that they called the VW Golf the VW Rabbit in the US?

That's sacrilege!!!

[Grastens]

Nothing bunny about that! But it was a cute name for a cute car... They also sold a lot of them!

Looking forward to the M-05 build.

[mongoose1983]

I guess now I have to paint it green, huh?

That would be nice. And a couple of small surfboards won't hurt the overall looks of the car ;)

[markbt73]

I actually built the chassis for this about a week ago. There's not much to these M chassis cars; I put it together while watching 2 episodes of Cosmos.

So that's where it sits now. Box-stock, except for bearings, and some spacers on the rear axles to move the rear wheels out a bit. I keep changing my mind about color; originally it was going to be beige, then I was going to go with silver (like my old Mk.1 Scirocco), but now I'm kinda liking green.

And yes, the Mk.1 Golf was the Rabbit in the US, as was the Mk.5 for the first couple of years, though I think we're back to Golf now.

[mongoose1983]

That chassis looks mighty pretty!

[SteveU30]

So did you have a GTi model as Rabbit GTi doesn't quite have the same ring to it as Golf GTi?

Green by the way, although they look best in red or black

[markbt73]

So I started prepping the body for paint, and discovered that it doesn't include window masks... Boo, hiss, Tamiya; even Parma and McAllister bodies come with masks now.

I think it's going to be silver, by the way, as an homage to my old 1979 Scirocco (may she rust in peace). I always liked these sharp Giugiaro styles in silver.

[nascar24jd]

Are you guys seriously telling me that they called the VW Golf the VW Rabbit in the US?

That's sacrilege!!!

Yes, during the 70's and 80's it was the VW Rabbit.

[GreatDane]

I actually built the chassis for this about a week ago. There's not much to these M chassis cars; I put it together while watching 2 episodes of Cosmos.

"....and some spacers on the rear axles to move the rear wheels out a bit."

How wide is the body across the front and rear fender then since spacer are needed?

And good luck with choosing a color :-)

Thanks!

[markbt73]

I started playing around with this car again, and, like so many projects, it took a completely different turn. Remember the Audi Quattro and Opel Ascona 400 Rally cars, with the wide-set wheels and tall bodies? What if you did something similar with a modern M-chassis and 70s/80s body?

HPI drift wheels, 9mm offset rear/6mm offset front, HPI rally tires, CC01 fog lights and bumper (just stuck on with tape at the moment). I'm digging it...

[Grastens]

The on-road purists may feel snubbed, but I for one like and am really curious as to where this could be headed! When I had difficulty sourcing parts for my Audi Quattro, I contemplated a similar idea, and may do so anyways!

It may be the only way we see a re-release of either the Quattro or the Ascona...

[Skottoman]

Why not try it?

You could always lower it down and put street wheels/tires on it if you don't like how it turns out.

The M chassis sits kind of low to make them look like rally cars, but I've never seen this setup before, so go for it!

Cheers,

Skottoman

[berman]

I would like to see it slammed on something similar to the 2 piece mesh wheels tamiya made for the 300zx with a homemade thule/yakima rack and a bmx on top

[markbt73]

Nope, not slammed. I personally can't stand the wheels-scraping-the-wells look. Suspension travel is your friend; just ask the guy I saw this afternoon who scraped the rocker panels of his S2000 on a speed bump.

[neverfollow]

I was always curious about the paint application on the Mk1 Golf...not being the greatest painter, and being easily frustrated by paint bleeding through my tape/masking, I'd also go with a solid color.

What about green with a gold mesh BBS style wheel?