# Early B1 Build, Eurospec Passat L



## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

*B1 Volkswagen Passat L 4speed Manual*

Now a little back story on My New rides history, or at least how it was passed down to me through the owner/s

I saw an ad on craigslist in Jan of 2011 for a 1973 VW Passat. I did a bit of research and came to find that the 1973 wasn't available in the US. Not until 1974 did the Passat come over, but rebadged as a Dasher. This information peaked my interest so eventually some time in February i went and looked at the car. The original owner was stationed overseas in germany at the time that he purchased the passat and when he came back home he imported it over here. And thats how a eurospec B1 came to be in the states. Only 62,000km original miles  on the clock. and Registered in Ohio (State i'm in, no inspection for instate transfers :thumbup: ) The owner got it running for me off some ether and a jump box. Ultimately i passed on the car cause i just didn't think i could fix the rust issues that were present and i thought of the possibility of other hidden rust. Well about 2 months ago i had an itch to look for some another car since i was in the midst of selling my mk4 golf and my mk3 cabrio was good enough to drive as a daily. Lo and behold i get on thesamba.org and do a search for early watercooled vehicles and up pops the same car i had looked at almost 2 years ago. I get in contact with the new owner and messages back and forth we come to an agreement and now here i am with quite a project. PO had replaced the coil, throttle cable and fixed a birds nest of wires left from the neglectful first owner. Definitely something you don't see often and many parts are similar on the B1 and Mk1 and Mk1 Sciroccos. I hope you guys enjoy the pics and can give me some help on bringing it back to a much more presentable rendition. 




































































































The "Vin" number stamped on the firewall leads me to believe that this is actually a 1975 Passat even though the title does in fact say 1973. anyone have any more info on Vehicle identification by numbers on the firewall please let me know.


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

only one seat belt in the rear, was this typical of early cars?










back is all stripped out now, everything came out really easy, didn't break one clip fortunately










view from rear end. you can see i have a hole on the passenger rear wheel well










Hatch is in great condition


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## gti_matt (Oct 9, 1999)

Moshua said:


> *B1 Volkswagen Passat L 4speed Manual*The "Vin" number stamped on the firewall leads me to believe that this is actually a 1975 Passat even though the title does in fact say 1973. anyone have any more info on Vehicle identification by numbers on the firewall please let me know.


Post up the VIN?

I am not 100% sure, but while production of the Passat began in calendar year 1973, it may have been a 1974 model year (usually anything produced starting around July or August of a calendar year usually is the next year's model year). If you look at various pics of VWs on the 'net and you find one of these with the "1973" plate that VW often affixes to their cars, that year is the calendar year it was produced, not the model year. So I'm not entirely sure a MY1973 Passat existed, in which case 1975 makes more sense.

Anything else on the car like a plate that gives the month and year it was produced?


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

Vin is 3252152316

I just don't get if why it would be a 73 on the title. And yes there was a 1973 passat in Europe where this came from. But 
74 was first year they had em in the United States. It may just be a DMV error

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## dasherinoz (May 19, 2011)

The delay might be due to the transit? My B1 was built in 79 but complianced in 1980 due to transit time. 


I hope you know someone very skilled in the art of welding as I have seen photos of the underside of that car and rust has taken out a lot of it. That car may well be better off as a panel donor for another car.


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

dasherinoz said:


> The delay might be due to the transit? My B1 was built in 79 but complianced in 1980 due to transit time.
> 
> 
> I hope you know someone very skilled in the art of welding as I have seen photos of the underside of that car and rust has taken out a lot of it. That car may well be better off as a panel donor for another car.


Yeah really not a lot of info on vin decoding. But yeah I've seen the same pics on I think your website, vwdasher.net. Frank? I can weld ill be doing most of the work myself. If I need a hand I have a few friends who will be very helpful if I run into anything I can't handle. 

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## gti_matt (Oct 9, 1999)

Moshua said:


> Vin is 3252152316


Bah! Nothing useful in that pre-1981 VIN (before some of the standards were implemented for the characters to have more meaning).

No plates or stickers in the door jambs or anything to indicate a build date?


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

gti_matt said:


> Bah! Nothing useful in that pre-1981 VIN (before some of the standards were implemented for the characters to have more meaning).
> 
> No plates or stickers in the door jambs or anything to indicate a build date?


Nothing at all just that number stamped on the firewall

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## gti_matt (Oct 9, 1999)

http://www.dubnetworks.net/vw-vin-decoder.htm

Year: 1975
Model: Passat Mk 1
Serial Production No.: 152316

Presumably:
32 = type 32 (which is the Mk1 Passat)
5 = 1975
2 = ???
152316 = sequential production number

If I go to ebaymotors and just query up some random 1973 VWs to compare VINs, their VINs don't have the '5' that you do but have '3's and do come up as 1973s in the decoder.

So I'd say it's very very likely that you do have a 1975 on your hands and not a 1973.


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

I did that decoder too but notice it is for mk1 anf not a b1 specifically

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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

But I'm pretty sure it is a 75 though. It doesn't have correct bumpers or rear hatch vents to be a 73

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## dasherinoz (May 19, 2011)

Moshua said:


> Yeah really not a lot of info on vin decoding. But yeah I've seen the same pics on I think your website, vwdasher.net. Frank? I can weld ill be doing most of the work myself. If I need a hand I have a few friends who will be very helpful if I run into anything I can't handle.
> 
> Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2


vwdasher.com not .net 

You should chase down another car as a chassis donor, as the rot has taken out a lot of essential metal. There are several layers of metal pressed together along the floor and that's MIA in your car. It's a really big job.


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

dasherinoz said:


> vwdasher.com not .net
> 
> You should chase down another car as a chassis donor, as the rot has taken out a lot of essential metal. There are several layers of metal pressed together along the floor and that's MIA in your car. It's a really big job.


 i've located new floor pans so i'm going to work on that lead for now and see where it goes. i'll keep you all updated. :thumbup:


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## gti_matt (Oct 9, 1999)

Moshua said:


> But I'm pretty sure it is a 75 though. It doesn't have correct bumpers or rear hatch vents to be a 73
> 
> Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2


 Also found this... 









If that 1970 serial number logic is still true of the mid 1970s, that still confirms you have a '75.


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

gti_matt said:


> Also found this...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Yup I'm going to have to see if the dmv can fix that or just leave it and not worry bout it.

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## MF (Aug 22, 2004)

-73 has also long gear shifter with low transmission tunnel. Your seems to have later short shifter and high tunnel.


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

Threw mk3 Drivers Edition seats in. I cut off the right side of seat sliders and everything fits perfect now just to weld up the slider leg back on in further on the seat










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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

can quantum control arms be used as a replacement.


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## MF (Aug 22, 2004)

Nope, those are inch or so longer.


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

MF said:


> Nope, those are inch or so longer.


 So what part is longer? They would cause a lot of negative camber I'm assuming

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## MF (Aug 22, 2004)

That's right.


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## 20vr6gtiwv (Jan 20, 2008)

Good luck on the build!!Wish i could have started and finish it but you know my situation!!:thumbup:


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

20vr6gtiwv said:


> Good luck on the build!!Wish i could have started and finish it but you know my situation!!:thumbup:


 Thanks man I think I'm making good progress so far. Everything is out its a bare shell inside. Just assessing what work needs done and going to go from there. It's running kind of crappy lately but I'm thinking like you said I need to empty that tank and check all the fuel lines for blockage

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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

Got a full quarter panel stripped of the primer. I like the yellow (L20A) more and more as its revealed. 










And here is the state of the front floor pans. They aren't perfect but still very solid. The riveted in panels on the edges are holding on great. If I can get the motor and the trans out I'd like to do a diy rotisserie and weld reinforcement on the bottom and coat the underneath with a rust inhibiting coating.










Any good sources for getting a modern replacement but still vintage looking blaupunkt radios?










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## kingler5 (Dec 20, 2007)

I remember seeing this one a while back. Glad it's in safe hands!!!


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## dasherinoz (May 19, 2011)

Vintage radios pop up on Ebay UK and DE but be prepared to spend some $. Otherwise, keep an eye out anytime you're wandering through a wreckers. Look for Euro cars from the seventies and eighties and you never know your luck. I found an 82 Pug with the original radio in it a while back.


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## thecheesemannn (May 17, 2012)

Yeah, Ive been looking at the wreckers for a while now, found one with a tape deck, but i didnt think it would look good in an 80' at a car show...... Better than a cd player i guess..... My car came with am/fm only, so I will try to stick to that.


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## Haard (Apr 18, 2006)

I plan to get one of the retro look moder radios. There are some of them out there that pull off the retro look flawlessly while hiding features like a CD player, MP3 hookup, etc.

I'm all about the retro look, but some things I just want in my car, and an old raggedy radio isn't one of them.

I'll be sporting something like this with a couple of well hidden small amps and some sensibly hidden speakers.


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## thecheesemannn (May 17, 2012)

Thats a good idea!


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

Haard said:


> I plan to get one of the retro look moder radios. There are some of them out there that pull off the retro look flawlessly while hiding features like a CD player, MP3 hookup, etc.
> 
> I'm all about the retro look, but some things I just want in my car, and an old raggedy radio isn't one of them.
> 
> I'll be sporting something like this with a couple of well hidden small amps and some sensibly hidden speakers.


thats almost a perfect match to stock, do you happen to know the brand?


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

I've been slacking on my updates here in the B1 section so here is what i've been up to with the Passat

Removing some paint, a little wet sanding and wet sanding using gas which helped make it move along a bit faster. 










got the whole car minus hood cleared up of all the primer










Some Vinyl material for doors to be redone in and Local Paint shop did me up a spray can, color matched perfect. 










Carb is leaking and motor is running a bit rough since its gotten hot cold hot cold over the past few weeks










door cards finished



















did the full lower pan swap with the Mk3 drivers edition seat now a perfect fit and much more comfortable than the old ragged ones. 










Swapped in some B4 passat Wagon rear carpet and its a perfect match to carpet on rear of seat. Length is dead on width isn't but its not a real big deal to me.










Another forum member met through the mk1 forums has located me a better dash so i'm pretty excited for that. only one spot screwed up but i'll just graft in my section there since its good. Its from an Audi fox



















And thats it for now but i've decided i'm going to pull the 1.3 Carbed 8v and i'm going to try and fit this aba/16v Turbo motor i'm building


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

I'm trying to locate a turbo off this car a Merkur Xr4ti. Its a Garret Turbo T3/.63 AR turbo










it was a German assembled vehicle so i'm kind of keeping it in the family


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

Front Suspension coming out. passenger side completely out. amazingly everthing came out just great. nothing broke or got stuck. i will have to look up ordering a new brake line. i had to cut one could not get it loosened from the hardline coming out of the bay.  





































and now to get some parts to make coils...or bags :thumbup:


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## krautwhlz (May 10, 2010)

Moshua said:


> I'm trying to locate a turbo off this car a Merkur Xr4ti. Its a Garret Turbo T3/.63 AR turbo
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 "it was a German assembled vehicle so i'm kind of keeping it in the family". And, they were assembled by Karmann, while Ford owned Ghia! Damn near a VW cousin! 

For the turbo, you might want to check out the classifieds in The Merkur Club of America Forums at *http://forum.merkurclub.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=27&sid=e2e95ba8a4fd0d18ca757867e1bd1f0a* 

J.R. 
SoCal


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## Moshua (Jul 20, 2010)

krautwhlz said:


> "it was a German assembled vehicle so i'm kind of keeping it in the family". And, they were assembled by Karmann, while Ford owned Ghia! Damn near a VW cousin!
> 
> For the turbo, you might want to check out the classifieds in The Merkur Club of America Forums at *http://forum.merkurclub.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=27&sid=e2e95ba8a4fd0d18ca757867e1bd1f0a*
> 
> ...


 Good info

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