Every roof rack system that fits the 1981 Volkswagen Golf, from Thule, plus older racks that still fit. This Golf comes with bare roof or rain gutters depending on trim, so start by matching your roof below.
Bare roof means no rails or gutters at all. Rain gutters are the metal lip running along the roof edge (common on older cars, vans and Jeeps).
Complete Thule bare-roof setup for the 1981 Volkswagen Golf
✔ Fits your 1981 Volkswagen Golf with bare roof
- Thule Evo Clamp feet (4-pack), clamp into the door jambs
- Thule Kit 145009, the kit for your 1981 Volkswagen Golf
- Thule WingBar Evo bars, sized for your roof
- Everything in one order, nothing to figure out
Complete Thule rain-gutter setup for the 1981 Volkswagen Golf
✔ Fits your 1981 Volkswagen Golf with rain gutters
- Thule Rapid Gutter Low feet (4-pack), clamp to your rain gutters, no fit kit needed
- Thule WingBar Evo bars, sized for your roof
- Everything in one order, nothing to figure out
Thule Rapid Gutter High - + Thule WingBar Evo 118
Ships within 6–7 business days
- Roof types: Bare roof, Rain gutters
- Rack systems listed: 4 across 1 brand
- Crossbar lengths: 46" to 53" depending on system
- Max rack load: up to 220 lb (always stay under your vehicle's roof limit)
- Legacy fits: 1 current kit replaces older kit numbers
1981 Golf with bare roof
| Brand | System | Fit kit | Max load (lb) | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thule | Thule Evo Clamp | Kit 145009 | 132 | Thule Kit 145009 — ships within 2–3 days Thule Evo Clamp Thule WingBar Evo 135 Thule SquareBar Evo 135 |
1981 Golf with rain gutters
| Brand | System | Fit kit | Max load (lb) | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thule | Thule Rapid gutter high | None (universal) | 220 | Thule Rapid Gutter High Thule WingBar Evo 118 |
| Thule | Thule Rapid gutter low | None (universal) | 220 | Thule WingBar Evo 118 Thule Rapid Gutter Low |
| Thule | Thule Rapid gutter super high | None (universal) | 220 | Thule WingBar Evo 118 Thule Rapid Gutter Super High foot for… |
Already own a rack? Reuse it
Older kits that fit this Golf. If you already have one, you may only need bars or feet:
- Kit 1323 (older) is the same fit as current Kit 145009 for the bare roof Golf. Use it with Thule 480 Traverse or 480R Rapid Traverse feet.
Parts that fit your 1981 Golf
-
Thule SquareBar Evo 135 (53″) – Black (2-Pack) – Part # 712400
$179.95 Add to cart -
Thule WingBar Evo 135 (53″) – Black (2-Pack) – Part # 711420
$279.95 Add to cart -
Thule Evo Clamp – 4-Pack Black – Part # 710501
$264.95 Add to cart -
Thule Covers w/Locks & Keys for EVO Clamp Towers – set of 4 – Part # 1500052982
$69.98 Add to cart -
Thule WingBar Evo 118 (47″) – Black (2-Pack) – Part # 711220
$279.95 Add to cart -
Thule WingBar Evo 118 (47″) – Silver (2-Pack) – Part # 711200
$279.95 Add to cart -
Thule Rapid Gutter High – (Set of 4) Black – Part # 387101
$299.95 Add to cart -
Thule Rapid Gutter Low – foot for raingutters (4-pack) – Part # 300101
$279.95 Add to cart -
Thule Rapid Gutter Super High foot for rain gutters 4-pack black – Part # 953101
$319.95 Add to cart
Cargo boxes for your 1981 Volkswagen Golf
A cargo box mounts on the crossbars above. Check the box’s crossbar spread range and make sure your rear hatch opens clear of it. Boxes are oversized, so most are pickup at our Ashland store, where we’ll mount it for you.
-
Thule Force 3 Sport Cargo box -In Store Only – Part # 645650
$829.95 Add to cart -
Rhino Rack MasterFit Rooftop Cargo Box 16cu ft- In Store Only
$549.00 Add to cart -
Thule Force 3 – M – Cargo Box – In Store Only – Part # 645250
$829.95 Add to cart -
Thule Force 3 – XL – Rooftop Cargo Box – (Store Only) – Part # 645850
$929.95 Add to cart
Bike racks for your 1981 Volkswagen Golf
Roof bike racks clamp to your crossbars. Hitch bike racks need a receiver hitch — check whether yours is 1.25″ or 2″ before ordering.
Roof-mount bike racks
-
Kuat Trio Rooftop Bike Rack – Grey/Orange & Black/Silver
$249.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Yakima FrontLoader – Rooftop Bike Mount – Part # 8002103
$275.00 Add to cart
Hitch bike racks
-
RockyMounts MonoRail Solo – Single Tray Hitch Bike Rack 1.25″/2″
$419.99 Add to cart -
Yakima OnRamp LX E-Bike Rack 2″ Hitch – In Store Only – Part # 8002756
$999.00 Add to cart -
Thule Verse 2″ 2-Bike Hitch Platform Bike Rack- In Store Only – Part # 903452
$999.95 Add to cart -
Yakima EXO SwingBase – EXO HITCH SYSTEM BASE – *In-store ONLY* – Part # 8002715
$699.00 Add to cart
Buy used
Looking for a deal? Check Rack Trader for used racks and parts that fit the Golf.
Other Golf years
Fit info is compiled from Thule, Yakima and Rhino-Rack data. Always confirm against the manufacturer's install instructions and your vehicle's roof load limit.