Don’t you miss the good old days when cars were simpler.
The lack of an A/C is a weight reducing feature. 
https://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/d/1984-vw-rabbit-gti-mk1/6437128754.html
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Nice example of an American made vw, but no ac in a car for use in Texas is for the younger crowd.
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In better condition than mine, 100,000 miles less, but $4,750 more expensive.
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My first car was an ‘86 VW Cabriolet with a busted odometer and AC… at least for the first month. Drove it 4+ years in Houston & College Station with no AC. Eventually dropped $1500 on a used and much abused Altima. I regret not putting that money into the Cabriolet to this day. Fun little car!
I’ve got the 1990 Allenmobile Cabriolet. Fun car to drive, getting ready to put money into it.
How much trouble did you have with it leaking in the rain? I’ve had other convertibles, never had the problem.
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Where’s it leaking?
Or more to the point: A1 VW (like the cabby) are notorious for clogged drain tubes. The main set, and most usual failure for these, is the “cowl drain”, which are 2 holes, 1 on each end of the “cowl” (the area under the windshield, which houses such sundries as the windshield wiper motor and gears, the interior fan intake, etc.). The drains need to be cleaned out periodically, especially if you park anywhere near trees and/or it is fall. But they’ll plug up on you regardless. Then the cowl floods, and water goes inside through any means it can find, as water is wont to do. Usually through the hood release cable port, antenna port, and/or interior fan port.
They look like this
and I’ve marked their inlets with yellow arrows and their outlets with green circles here
As for the top itself… usually the seals go and new rubber is needed, but it can vary…
https://www.ebay.com/i/122886390308?chn=ps
Checked the drains that’s not it. Wish it were that easy.
Sometimes it leaks, sometimes it doesn’t. But along the window line at roof, I check before I know it’ll rain, look the same.
Will get the window seals, the ones on it were worn. But just a s quick check, I actually ran a bead of silicone seal along that edge, pax side is what leaks, just to see if that was where leak path is. Same results, sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t.
More pressing matters isolating overheating problem and replacing power steering. When at a stop that thing is unbelievable hard to turn, like when back out. This is definitely a project car.
Thanks for the links, these are more complete kits than I’d seen.
EZ PZ.
What’s needing replaced?
What all have you found so far? I know Tom offered some guidance not long ago. Any progress? That T-stat’s a cakewalk with the Power steering pump out of the way…
The power steering, @TLAR went over what to replace on a website he recommends - very impressed. I’ll opt for a $100 more costly option, that basically, unbolts the PS unit and everything out to the tie rods at the wheels: $256. If I had two cars I could drive, would go the Tom suggested and maybe learn a bit more about PS. But This way, I know when I put it up on the lift, I can get it all put back in easy, fast, and every will function as all the pieces are assembled.
When I get another driver, will pull head, have surfaced and probably redo the valves since its off. But that requires the car t be down a couple days. If I can find a rebuilt head with the valves redone, will do that since it’ll need doing anyway (180k+).
As far as overheating, I can drive it 70 - 100 miles before I need to add coolant. Thing has cross-flow radiator, hate those things, as you lose coolant the ability cool goes down and accelerates. But hood line does allow downflow to fit properly is my guess.
But hey - free cars are always the most expensive!
Lots other rattles and noises to chase down - which is saying something since my hearing ain’t so good.
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David,
If I were you - I’d change the power rack out for a manual (non power assist) rack and never look back…
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If I can do that, I’d prefer it. I assume the new unit has the ratios so I don;t feel like I’m weighing anchor when at a stop.
Brief discussion:
In short, if I recall correctly, source manual rack, remove Power steering rack, install manual rack, remove power steering hoses and pump, get alignment. You might want to grab new tie rods, ends, and bellows, too.
I won’t lie, though, my Scirocco generated complaints from the (cough 20 years younger) feminine portion of my duo, and it’s been a while so I don’t know how much I’d recommend that to someone…accustomed to driving Toyotas… But 20 years ago, I’d swap them over in a heartbeat. Even with bigger wheels/tires, they drove juuuust fine.
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The site @TLAR showed me probably has the same complete thing from tie rod to tie rod. Show just pull entire old unit out at once.
The one thing good about it now is the alignment. You can take hands off wheel and it’ll stay in lane for at least 1/4 to 1/2 mile.
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I don’t always agree with Tom, but he tends to fly his bird closer to this altitude than I, so I’d listen to him on this one. 
A manual rack is great & easy to steer and low speeds and or a stop.
A manual rack is NOT a power steering rack with the belt removed and the hydraulic lines bypassed - that is not the same at all. Only on the internet is that a “reality” (see also the ebay $12.95 “vortex supercharger” - same idea - garbage)
I have a new rack in my misc boxes of crapola in my car parts stash along with a host of other new Rabbit parts… some destined for my Rabbit Diesel Truck project…
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I knew a manual isn;t a power with belt removed - I have that now:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
If said rack in garage is for sale that is a buyer I know that would be interested.
I’d love to have one of those old diesel rabbit trucks - although bed is smaller than truck of my '59 Ford. Friend had one, it could probably an empty car dolly and still make freeway minimum speeds - 45mph.
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I know you knew - but there are some that don’t …
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I had trouble with a Saturn and the drains. Every time we would get serious rain the passenger hump would fill with 3-4 inches. All this through the sunroof drain. The car had some kind of silt all over it. not sure if it was a Katrina car or what.
I could put water on the roof and see it draining properly on on the driver side but not the passenger side.
I got tired of the water issue and used some generic liquid plumber. Let it sit for 15 minutes then ran about 10 gallons of water through it. Never had a problem with it again.
An opportune time to ask her to join you at the fitness club?
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