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VW Rabbit Mk1 Interior Guide

VW Rabbit Mk1 Interior Guide
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VW Rabbit Mk1 Interior Guide

It's almost 50 years since the VW Golf / Rabbit was first released to the public and enthusiasts are still getting excited about owning this iconic car today. For over 15 years, Heritage has been a leading name in supplying the parts to make restoration and upgrades as easy as possible, and one such area we can help with is the interior. Let us walk you through what is available...

1. Rabbit Mk1 Carpet Sets

The carpets in classic VW Rabbits are coming up to half a century old, and on top of seeing their fair share of feet, they are also likely to have got damp from leaks, had food and drink spilled on them, and probably been damaged being removed and refitted many times. It might just be time to swap them out!

The good news is we can supply brand-new replacements which are moulded and feature heat-pressed heal pads just like the originals, thanks to our friends at FORST.

Available in LHD and RHD in both black or in a choice of special order colours, they can also be modified to work with Caddy variants if required. 

Shop Mk1 Rabbit carpet sets here

Shop Mk1 Rabbit Cabriolet carpet sets here.

We also stock a new under-carpet sound deadening kit, to replace the rotten or missing original and reinstate a little bit of padding below your feet. 

2. Mk1 Rabbit Seat Covers 

By far our most popular seat-covering option for Mk1 Rabbit owners is supplying original-style material, allowing you to have your seats retrimmed just as VW intended. This is also great for those fitting bucket seats or Recaro recliners from later models and other marques and needing them to match the rest of the car. 

On top of the material, we are also able to supply brand-new foam bolsters to replace those which have split and crumbled away, this range extends to seat centers and full backrest pads too, depending on how bad the situation is!

Find our range of OEM seat materials here.

Find our range of seat padding here

3. Rabbit Mk1 Door Panels

Unlike the later Mk2 Golf which had molded door cards with bespoke fabric to match the seats, the Mk1 Rabbit still used a flat board type door panel and had a simple vinyl cover on top. This makes manufacturing much easier, and because of this, there are a number of choices open to owners of first-generation Golf / Rabbit. 

It is worth noting that 3 and 4-door models have different-length front doors, the latter also being the same as the Caddy pickup. As with the carpet sets, the Cabriolet models are also slightly different in both design and fitment. 

Check out Mk1 Rabbit door panels here. 

Find Mk1 Rabbit Cabriolet door panels here

Before you fit your new door panels, be sure to re-seal or renew the plastic door membranes first to save any moisture from getting into the cabin and spoiling your interior. 

4. Rabbit Mk1 Headliner 

Headlinings tend to age quite well in older VWs, although vehicles with a sunroof fitted may have signs of damage or discoloration from water ingress. Similarly, if you are completing a full restoration and the windows are out,  you may as well finish the job properly and replace the roof lining too. 

It will come as no surprise that cabriolet and 'tin top' headliners are different, likewise, the Caddy has its own version. The headliner also differs for 3 and 4-door Golf/Rabbit models (denoted by 171 and 173 prefixes on the part number) so make sure you click on the right one to order. 

Find Mk1 Rabbit headliners online here

Find Mk1 Caddy headliners online here

Find Mk1 Rabbit Cabriolet headliners online here

5. Mk1 Rabbit Sun Visors

With their primary job to prevent UV rays from getting in your eyes, the sun visors on many classic VWs deteriorate with the padding inside breaking down and the material on the outside fading in the sun. Changing them is a pretty simple task, and makes perfect sense if you are renewing the headliner too. FORST handily offer them in black and off-white, with options to have the vanity mirror on either side.

Check out our range of Mk1 Rabbit sunvisors here. Don't forget new sunvisor clips too! 

6. Mk1 Rabbit Parcel Shelf

Any car that managed to escape the nineties with its parcel shelf in place and without speaker holes being cut in, did pretty well in my book! If your parcel shelf is either missing or has seen better days then help is at hand. It is worth noting FORST offers two widths of the parcel shelf, so worth double-checking to ensure you order the correct item for your car. We can also supply replacement retaining straps too. 

Check out our Mk1 Rabbit parcel shelves here

7. Mk1 Rabbit Interior Accessories

Let us also share with you a few additions or upgrades you may wish to make. 

A practical yet cool retro edition to your early VW Golf / Rabbit is a rear window blind. Whether you want to keep prying eyes out, stop UV light from damaging your interior, or just play further on your car being a classic, this is for you. A simple to assemble kit which slots under the rear window rubber to hold itself in place. 

Find rear window blinds online here

Steering wheels come in all sizes (mostly the same shape) and are available in a choice of a few materials too. Whether you want something small and sporty like a Momo wheel or a larger more elegant wood rim wheel for some slower cruising, we have something to suit. 

Check out our steering wheel range here

Gear knobs are prone to wear and damage, so why not treat yourself to a new one? Original and aftermarket options are available. 

Find our gear knob range online here

Lastly, as these cars are from an age before electric windows, you may find the manual winders are showing their age or have broken. We can offer a range of replacements and upgrades to best suit your taste. If you are finding the windows are stiff, pop a little bit of grease on the mechanism while you are at it - it'll do wonders!

Find our range of window winder handles here

Hopefully, this post leaves you feeling inspired, or at least confident that you can still source many Mk1 Golf interior parts to help complete your project.

Should you have any questions, leave them in the comments below or email our team on help@heritagepartscentre.com 

If you've found this guide of help you may also wish to read about fitting alternative seatsVW Rabbit brake upgrades, or VW Rabbit engine conversions

Andy 

 

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