# 1981 B1 Dasher Project



## HBDasher (Oct 2, 2013)

Getting back going on my project with getting this baby going.



Right now I have the stock 1.5L IDI with the stock 4 speed manual. Head is cracked and will need to be replaced soon, but trying to figure out a good engine and transmission combo to swap in! 

Really shooting for either a 1.9L TD with a 5 speed AWD set up and looking for correspond audi Quattro/ VW syncro transmissions to fit a 1.9L TD setup. If anyone has any ideas please let me know! Want to turn this baby into a bulletproof camper wagon!


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## krautwhlz (May 10, 2010)

HBDasher said:


> Getting back going on my project with getting this baby going.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Body looks like it's in nice shape. '79 -'80 Dasher diesels were 1.5L, but all the '81 Dashers in North America were equipped with the 1.6L n.a. engines. Some of the early '81 1.6L diesels still had the 1.5-style 11mm head bolts and, presumably, the same head as the earlier 1.5L engines. However, most '81 VW diesels had the 12mm "stretch" bolts, improved head dimensions, and increased block deck thickness.

As to the AWD transaxle & suspension: there will be mods needed for mounting up the trans axle, but many more for adapting in a QSW or Quattro-style rear suspension & axle assembly. For nearly a half-million miles, my Dasher diesels have been relatively good crappy terrain vehicles, as-is. OTOH if you've absolutely GOT TO have AWD, it would probably be a lot less expensive & a whole bunch less hacking, just to buy a QSW (5-cylinder Audi gasser) and adapt in a 2L or 2.2L 5-cylinder Audi turbodiesel engine. That car would be a few inches longer (more sleeping bag room!), wider & higher, and weigh in at only about 4-500Lbs more than your FWD Dasher S/W; still far less mass than most any of today's similarly-sized wagons, especially in AWD. (Of course you could hunt down an old AWD Corolla wagon; I wouldn't.)

And yes, I agree that, for 1-2 people, a Dasher (or Quantum) wagon is a great vehicle for camping, also commuting, junk hauling, shopping, road trips, concert parties, parts chasing, etc. And the hatchback sedans are almost that good, while beating the wagons by a couple of MPG on fuel economy. Sometimes hard to even justify having the rest of my fleet!


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## HBDasher (Oct 2, 2013)

krautwhlz said:


> Body looks like it's in nice shape. '79 -'80 Dasher diesels were 1.5L, but all the '81 Dashers in North America were equipped with the 1.6L n.a. engines. Some of the early '81 1.6L diesels still had the 1.5-style 11mm head bolts and, presumably, the same head as the earlier 1.5L engines. However, most '81 VW diesels had the 12mm "stretch" bolts, improved head dimensions, and increased block deck thickness.
> 
> As to the AWD transaxle & suspension: there will be mods needed for mounting up the trans axle, but many more for adapting in a QSW or Quattro-style rear suspension & axle assembly. For nearly a half-million miles, my Dasher diesels have been relatively good crappy terrain vehicles, as-is. OTOH if you've absolutely GOT TO have AWD, it would probably be a lot less expensive & a whole bunch less hacking, just to buy a QSW (5-cylinder Audi gasser) and adapt in a 2L or 2.2L 5-cylinder Audi turbodiesel engine. That car would be a few inches longer (more sleeping bag room!), wider & higher, and weigh in at only about 4-500Lbs more than your FWD Dasher S/W; still far less mass than most any of today's similarly-sized wagons, especially in AWD. (Of course you could hunt down an old AWD Corolla wagon; I wouldn't.)
> 
> And yes, I agree that, for 1-2 people, a Dasher (or Quantum) wagon is a great vehicle for camping, also commuting, junk hauling, shopping, road trips, concert parties, parts chasing, etc. And the hatchback sedans are almost that good, while beating the wagons by a couple of MPG on fuel economy. Sometimes hard to even justify having the rest of my fleet!


thanks for the incite! i will continue looking into some things, really wish i could find a good syncro to scrap! but until then i will focus on a good short-term goal of just getting it to be a 5 speed FWD 1.6TD/1.9TDI. will figure out the rest down the road when money is more readily available for a big project, just need it running ASAP now... 1.5L head or 1.6L top end is really all i need at the moment, but the body is nice i love the room in it! 

spot on on the camping, concerts, road trip, etc though! :thumbup::thumbup:


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## QuantumSyncro (Apr 28, 2000)

HBDasher said:


> thanks for the incite! i will continue looking into some things, really wish i could find a good syncro to scrap! but until then i will focus on a good short-term goal of just getting it to be a 5 speed FWD 1.6TD/1.9TDI. will figure out the rest down the road when money is more readily available for a big project, just need it running ASAP now... 1.5L head or 1.6L top end is really all i need at the moment, but the body is nice i love the room in it!
> 
> spot on on the camping, concerts, road trip, etc though! :thumbup::thumbup:


a wagon is worth having if you do anything outdoors or just want to be able to haul stuff.

There's a rust bucket syncro up the road about 50 miles from me sitting in a little back water JY just waiting to be harvested....

Steve


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## BigDreams Lilpockets (Mar 3, 2011)

I like your 1.9l 5spd awd idea. Lmk how that goes being that im entertaining the same thought for my quantum coupe.


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## huezang (Dec 15, 2014)

I really like the olden version of these cars, Old saying Old is gold.


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