HomeCar CultureFather-daughter duo working to restore a 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit

Father-daughter duo working to restore a 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit

Nicknamed ‘Rocket Bunny,’ this compact car could be the daughter’s daily driver

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In Bristol, Tennessee, a car-enthusiast father and his curious 7-year-old daughter have embarked on a journey of restoring a 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit.

The father, George Linke, said in a Volkswagen article that he grew up around car racing and has been tinkering on vehicles with his family since he was young.

When he noticed his daughter, Juliana, starting to express interest in helping him with home projects, he was eager to give her a more hands-on experience – restoring a car.

“We talk about STEM in schools all the time, but I think with a project like this you can learn a whole lot,” Linke is quoted in VW’s story.  “I always felt that the car is a great platform to learn all kinds of different skills, like mechanical, electrical, painting and art. There’s so much you can do with it that they (kids) can explore.”

1983 Volkswagen Rabbit

Linke purchased a 2019 Golf Alltrack, his first VW vehicle, a few years ago. When his colleague and fellow VW fan noticed his car, the pair struck up a conversation about their interest in the brand and Linke’s dream to restore a car with his daughter.

Luckily enough, Linke’s coworker had a 1983 VW Rabbit that needed some work and offered to sell it to him.

Linke and his daughter started work on the car, named ‘Rocket Bunny’ by Juliana, in July. Since then, they’ve been able to remove the seats and carpet, clean off surface rust, take off the bumper and paint it, and apply sealant.

When asked what her favorite part of the project has been so far, Juliana says “choosing colors and painting,” and the most challenging part has been “pulling off the bumper.”

“It’s really been fun spending time with Juliana and actually watching her do the work,” Linke adds. “It’s nice to not be under any pressure, to just take our time and let her learn.”

Linke hopes that Juliana will be able to drive the Rabbit when she’s older, and be the teen with the coolest car in high school.

Volkswagen notes that the full restoration is expected to take up to two years to finish.

You can stay up to date on the duo’s restoration journey on their Instagram page.

Racheal Colbert
Racheal Colbert
An experienced writer and editor, Racheal brings her enthusiasm for collector cars to her role as the Content Manager of the Collector Car Network. Former Content Writer and Marketing Manager in the tech and publishing industry, Racheal brings a fresh perspective to the Journal and the automotive world.

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