VW’s B1 Passat was certainly a revolutionary step forward for the company – water-cooled, front-engine, front-wheel-drive, midsize – and their success (as well as the longevity of the model, even if it’s grown tremendously) speaks to how right they got it. More sporty than the Americans, and made with nicer-looking materials than the Japanese (though the Japanese ultimately built the more durable product), they didn’t find a tremendous amount of success in North America in the 1970s and 1980s, since VW was pigeonholed as the maker of Beetles. Forty (yes, forty) years on, that means it’s hard to find an early pre-facelift B1 Dasher in North America, but every so often, one pops up. Check out this 1976 VW Dasher wagon for sale for $750.
Rusty But Trusty 