So i bought the Passat November last year, its a 1991 GL Estate, this car is fairly well known, it was part of a PVW article on Estates back in 2007 (iirc), there were two B3's in said article. It came within the top 10 at Edition 38 around that time, and is the very low example that comes up when you google B3 Passat!
Here is how it was:
At that time it was owned by the son of the original owner, this had been his fathers family car from new. It was sold on in around 2010 i believe, the next owner sold it on a year or so later, the next replaced the original 2.0 with a VR6 on an auto box!
This engine developed a knock, (bare with me here!) the car was sold on as spares/repairs, the new owner had a B4 TDi saloon, so the obvious was done, and it was a B3 TDi! He advertised it, and this is where i came in!
So here it is the day i bought it, with the Mrs sat in the drivers seat, she liked it too:
I already had (and still have) my Polo Coupe, my first car bought in 2010. This was my only daily car, and the new job in the midlands required a decent commute, i love driving it, but not daily on the winter motorway! I was also driving back to Devon every weekend for a while, so a more motorway friendly car was required:
I also have this project on the go at the moment:
The criteria was VW, diesel, and sensible, under £1500. The obvious was Mk4 Golf, but they didn't float my boat. It was narrowed down to a Mk2 Golf GTi 8v (not diesel, but i really want one!), or a nice B3 Wagon. My dad had a B3 from around 2000-2005, what i used to get taken to school in, i always swore i'd have one asap!
I looked at a couple of Golfs, in my budget they were rusty, then a few months later this B3 popped up 30 mins away, within my budget, TDi and really tidy, so the deal was done!
So the basic plan has been to keep it tidy and reliable, not spend money on bits i don't need, but get it a set of smart wheels. But i can't help myself.
So the first day at work after a clean:
The second weekend i had it, i drove it to Devon. But the heater matrix popped covering my pregnant sisters feet in steamy water, luckily she was wearing boots, i wasn't popular! The matrix was bypassed, and we had a very cold December journey down and back.
That all came out for a new Febi matrix, the heater assembly was all cleaned at that time:
With the dash out a sub was wired in on a fast plug, the stereo/speaker wiring re done, and late 90's top spec Sony CD player and boot changer set up fitted. in the rear compartment, with a set of new 6x4's in the rear. It sounds decent now!
It got washed regularly, but lots of motorway miles a week meant:
Nothing happened much due to lack of time for a few months, but i had the windscreen changed in the spring as the old was delaminating/going white.
You can also spot the steels i ran it on for a while as i sold the Golf alloys, and was looking for new wheels!
At that time:
Then i started getting carried away, lots of motorway miles, i needed cruise:
I still need to find a B3 spec stalk though!
Then VR6 rear lights:
It was looking like this:
Then the best visual change, a set of 15" BBS RA's:
Amongst trips to Devon, a funny quiet noise appeared from the engine, about 500 miles later i figured out what it was:
Just the auxiliary shaft sprocket bolt coming adrift
And quite recently the inlet mani came off for a clean:
Its mot was coming up, so time to sort the leaking front coilover, new coilovers fitted to the front (i have new rears, but saving them for when they need doing!)
Even though i set them to the same measurements, the front does sit lower, the rake is a bit silly now.
And that is the car up to date.
Current Spec:
-91 Passat GL Estate
-1Z TDi Manual from a 96 B4, on 199k now.
-Calypso Green? Smoothed front bumper.
-Only original optional extra is an adjustable steering column.
Next plans are fit some parts that i already have waiting for me in Devon (i'm moving back in July), these are:
-Set of proper half length roof rails and trims (this had them originally, but they were removed in its show car years), i have proper B3 VW key lock bars to go on these too
-B4 illuminated sun visors with loom, i'll do this when i fit the rails.
-Late B3 spec full electric window setup.
Sorry for the long post, i get too excited writing about my cars
