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James Cooperider

@jamesssc

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Jammed a new turbo on the Kubvan just in time for my favorite event of the year! There was something really special about this year’s AVF - I swear it just gets better every time. Go for the cars, stay for the people

Additionally, I took lots of notes for my MK2 and I’m getting super pumped. Alpine Volks Fair 2027 is the goal! taken in Helen, Georgia by @jamesssc

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2 months ago

Forgotten 1978 Rabbit ✅
Junkyard 2.0 ABA ✅
Quickie cut & polish ✅
1,500mi test drive ✅

I spent a couple months working on this car with this trip as a deadline. Although it came down to the wire, I’m so happy I made it happen. Not only is this the cheapest rabbit “build” I’ve ever done, it’s also my favorite? Guess that’s the “invisible” money-to-expectation ratio at play. Either way, this thing came out great and I can’t thank everyone enough.

I have way too much to say about the car & back-to-back trips for one post. But I will say this; get out there and meet the people. The cars bring us together but the people are what matter most.

Nerd stuff: 1978 Rabbit Diesel C engine swapped with ‘97 ABA 2.0L and FF-code 5-speed transmission. Car fully re-wired with SESH CE2 conversion harness and an engine harness by yours truly. Amazonian aluminum radiator, original manual brake master, updated to GTI rotors/pads with KH calipers. Refreshed suspension with Solowerks V3 coilovers. Snowflake wheels (with snow tires!) borrowed (stolen) from my ‘84 Rabbit. Bumpers tucked. taken in Fontana Dam by @jamesssc

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3 months ago

Tonight, I wear a hat, Derek’s cat makes a move and we see how long a New Process 246GM transfer case will last with no oil (longer than you’d expect!)

What started with a $500 1985 Golf turned into a $5,000 ‘05 GMC Yukon and a tow dolly. I’d debated a few different options for tow rigs and the GMC seemed like the best fit but man did it throw us for loop. What started as a light “ticking”/rattling noise turned into a “BANG!” on the interstate. After getting the truck 160mi back to Derek’s (no small feat), we quickly discovered the T-case didn’t have any oil… which explained a lot.

Now, the MK2… that’ll be my next project! It’s super clean and a great foundation for the 3.6L swap I’ve been collecting parts for. Ricky & I even went past Techtonics Tuning on the way home and picked up exhaust systems for Matt’s 1.8t pickup and this Golf.

Am I gonna’ keep the GMC? We’ll see. It has a handful of proper-chev-specific issues like a loose steering column and questionable oil pressure on cold start accompanied by random engine noises I don’t love. I really do like driving it, it’s much more comfortable than either of my 90’s diesels but kinda’ lack-luster in the power department which shocked me for its rated 295HP/335TQ. In the end, it got us 3,000 miles home trouble-free and averaged a shade over 15MPG.

I can’t thank Derek, Josh, Dexter, Ron & Ricky enough for all the help and hospitality. Even the “simplest” trips seem to take the whole village. taken in Yakima, Washington by @jamesssc

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4 months ago

Seven new cars, sixteen roadtrips, countless time spent with friends - this year had a rocky start but a smooth finish. Seriously though, I can’t imagine how many miles I drove in 2025. 🫨

Pictured in order:
Fort Worth, TX - Work
Saluda, NC - Misfits Meet
McHenry, MD - Dubs at the Lake
Helen, GA - AVF
Seattle/Yakima, WA - Rabbit P’ups (x3)
Mohnton, PA - MK1 Madness
Elkin, NC - ‘85 Jetta
Fontana Dam, NC - Miatas at the Gap
Pottstown, PA - L’oe Show
Wildwood, NJ - Roots Classic
Seattle/Yakima, WA - Ranger/Rabbit/Ram/Ferd
Jeffersonville, IN - Euro District
Los Angeles, CA - Work
Lenhartsville, PA - Rabbits on the Rocks
Boston, MA - Work
Puyallup/Yakima, WA - ‘84 Rabbit taken in Ohio by @jamesssc

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7 months ago

Here’s to all of the friends who made my 27th-trip-around-the-sun something I’ll never forget. This year was unbelievably weird; the trips, the people, the chance-friendships and everything in-between (like running into Charles on a sidewalk randomly in LA - seriously, what’re the chances??). All I’ve gotta’ say is thanks. *Photos in no particular order* taken in Ohio by @jamesssc

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7 months ago

Current fixation: 1984 Ford Ranger. Three years ago, I impulse-bought a 1987 Ranger (2.3FI/5MT/2WD) and absolutely fell in love with it. My plan was to TDI-swap that truck but the body wasn’t nice enough to justify the cost & effort, so I sold it and promised myself I’d find a nicer starting point. Three years later and I finally have it.

I’m gonna’ drive this Ranger with its stock 2.0L/4MT for the remainder of the 2025 season but as soon as the weather turns, it’s coming apart. I’m using is a CJAA 2.0L common rail TDI turbodiesel engine pulled from a (totaled) 2013 VW Golf. I’ve been sitting on parts waiting for this swap for years, so this is pretty exciting. I have a lot of decisions to make in regard to tuning, turbo options, etc. I bought a @tdconversions SBF-TDI adapter plate, planning to use an M5ODR2 5-speed Mazda transmission from a ‘97-‘02 4.2L F-150. Like a lot of my cars, it’ll be a conglomeration of parts borrowed from 39 different vehicles but it should be super cool in the end! #Ferd #TDI taken in Ohio by @jamesssc

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10 months ago

When I flew to Seattle last Friday, the only thing I knew for sure was that I owned a 1984 Ranger… the other three vehicles were completely up in the air. In fact, I hadn’t heard back from the seller of the ‘78 Rabbit in over THREE weeks, so my hopes of that actually working out were damn near zero. I had a deposit on the F-250 but the seller of the Dodge wouldn’t take any money until I was there.

When I landed at SeaTac, @klunkgarage picked me up and drove me down to Chehalis, where the F-250 lived. Thankfully it checked out so I bought it & drove three hours to Yakima and met up with @ripley.derek & @joshhyland28. To my surprise, Rabbit guy messaged me back Sunday morning so I immediately asked for an address and said we’d be there that night. At this point I was nervous because I had two cars (Rabbit/Ranger) that needed towing but only one truck… then we went to look at the Dodge Monday night. I was a little put-off initially but the more we looked it over, the better it became; mechanically? Fabulous. Rust? Absolutely none. So I bought it, we loaded everything up and without checking a thing, drove both rigs over 2,500 miles back to Ohio.

1999 Dodge 2500: 5.9L Cummins 24V, Auto, 2WD, 227K (will be for sale soon)
1995 Ford F-250: 7.3L Powerstroke, Auto, 2WD, 224K
1984 Ford Ranger: 2.0L, 4MT, 2WD, 87K
1978 VW Rabbit: 1.5D, 4MT, mileage unknown taken in Mount Rainier by @jamesssc

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10 months ago

I bought two 90’s turbodiesel trucks, a time-capsule ‘84 Ranger and a ‘78 Rabbit that I was convinced wouldn’t work out. More details to come, currently on the road headed EAST! taken in Grand Teton National Park by @jamesssc

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10 months ago

Quick detour to Pottstown, PA for L’oe Show! It was a last-minute decision to go but I’m glad I finally did, what a cool event. The Kubvan developed a few issues on the ~700mi trip but nothing that left us stranded… just a coolant leak and turbo that works right about 78% of the time. Now I just gotta’ get the thing fixed so I can hobble it to Wildwood, NJ for Roots Classic this weekend! #Kubvan taken in Pottstown, Pennsylvania by @jamesssc

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a year ago

Pre-2K Miata, chili for breakfast, soaked thigh, Cappuccino (the Suzuki kind!), broken ball-joint (on the Dragon), rock-hammer, ironic bumper sticker(s) and one hell of a weekend with friends. Miatas at the Gap was a blast and I highly recommend going, even if you have to commandeer a friend’s car to make it happen. taken in Fontana Dam by @jamesssc

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a year ago

After getting demoted to “shipping & receiving,” the V8-swapped Fairmont wagoon has been sitting since July of last year. It may not look like it, but it’s one of my favorite projects that has (unfortunately) faded into the background. Well not anymore, DAMMIT! I’m gearing-up to pull the drivetrain & rebuild this thing the right way: MAC shorty headers, custom stainless exhaust, P71 aluminum driveshaft, a flywheel that’s actually balanced correctly (exciting!!), a new windshield and most notably, multi-port EFI from an SN95 5.0 mustang. The carb got us home, but now it’s time to go. #Foxbody taken in Green River, Wyoming by @jamesssc

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a year ago

Gold truck good, especially after a quick engine-out for a reseal, clutch, brake update & front-end rebuild. Thang thang’n! #MK1 taken in Columbus, Ohio by @jamesssc

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a year ago