The Beast I Drive

Got the tail light problem figured out tonight, it was a combination of horrid wiring from a previous owner, and the plugs being exposed to water/mud from me hacking off the quarter panels... So I replaced all the plugs, and it seems to be fine, the tail light fuse doesnt blow anymore... The whole car is going to be re-wired eventually, there is too much half-rump roast work done to the harness from previous owners, that and I am swapping in a guage cluster from a 1980 wagon as well as wanting to eliminate completely the wiring for any circuits Im not using or going to use. But that will all come later. The List (in no particular order): -Fix driver side rear shock mount (broken bolt) and install the CORRECT shocks when they come -Build front and rear bumpers Done! -do some cleanup trimming on the front fenders -clean and paint the body -modify/enclose/reinforce the rear quarterpanels -reinforce/enclose the rockers from the door to the framerails -replace/reinforce the lower radiator support Done! -build skid plate for the engine/exhaust/tranny -build the new exhaust when the tubing comes -replace the old 4 speed tranny mounts (new ones on the way) Done! -replace windshield and gasket -replace the lower control arms with reinforced ones -rear disk brake swap -weld the rear diff -build 2 sets of EA81 hybrid axles with EA82 DOJ cups -build skid plate for the rear diff/stubs/inner DOJ cups -mount fog lights and some kind of winch Fog Lights Done! -mount mudflaps of some kind Done (for now) -Install CB radio -setup Dual E-brake handles (halfway there ) -Bill

You are talking crazy. There are really only a couple of options if you want to get serious about going Turbo with that Brat. 1) Find a true 83-84 EA81 Turbo car and pull the motor and all the wiring and accessories and swap that in. Probably the easiest way to go, about 110 HP or so 2) Do a ton of work and go through a lot of BS to try and get a EA82 Turbo motor in there and be super pissed when nothing works right and it has no power and watch the car burn in flames when it blows up on a pass..... About 115 HP when it runs right... 3) swap an EJ22 Turbo from a Legacy or a EJ20G turbo from a WRX using an adapter plate and make a custom wiring harness and slight modifications to the car, about 180 HP stock, easily upgraded to 600+ hp 4) Pay out the a$$ at RAM engines for their Uber-built Turbo EA81 (built for aircraft usage, so you know it is built right) around 300 HP or so Other than that, I would say there's not much else you could do reasonably, the EA82 Turbo parts will not fit on an EA81 motor because of the different head designs. -Bill

Thanks, love constructive criticism man! -Bill

What you could do to make it even more functional, is wire some fog lights or off-road lights (or both, the more the merrier ) and mount the switches for them in the plate you install, just in front of the map light. That way it looks less like you messed up and more like you made a trick mounting bracket for your switches -Bill

The tailgate handle is the same part as the doorhandles, which are interchangeble left or right, AND the Gen 1 Brat doorhandles interchange with any EA81 door handle. The only difference is the EA81 handle isnt smooth like the Gen 1s, but it is the same size/shape/fit. Pretty comon in Junkyards and also check the Subaru Parts for sale section of the forum, you'll prolly find one in there -Bill

Dont go through all the hassle to swap the tranny out again, just swap out the rear diff with a 3.7 unit to match your 45k mile tranny. Much easier As for how to tell, the only thing I can think of would be check serial numbers against the dealer database, or count rotations... It was somewhat random as to which cars got 3.7 trannys and which ones got 3.9s, but IIRC all Loyals got 3.9s, all DL's also got 3.9s, and all Turbos got 3.7(with 25 spline axles stubs vs. 23 spline on all the other ones) so it must be some GL's that got the 3.7s, but I have found a couple that had the 3.9s even though they were carbed. Also, if you decide to swap to a Dual Range 5 speed, most of those were 3.9 from 85-89, the only ones that were 3.7 were the RX dual range 5 spds w/Diff lock, but those also had a higher low range and are more for Rallycross then offroading. They also had the 25 spline axle stubs instead of the 23 splines that the 3.9 Dual Ranges had. -Bill

Much more streetable than whats in the bed, don't ya think :-p -Bill

That is an Eagle Medallion, basically a chrysler-imported version of a Renault something-or-other, also has no title. Has a 2.2 FWD auto, ran great last year but now it wont start... -Bill

Almost ready -Bill

Got the street tires on Not as aggressive appearing, but they ride a lot better. As for the 510 wagon, it has no title, I was going to make a buggy out of it at one point, but I lost the ambition. The body on it is rough, but it ran when I got it, just needs a radiator hose and a carb to get it running again... -Bill

Well, yesterday was not a very productive day at all. But, today, I lengthened both radius rods 1", modified some different control arms (the ones Im going to plate also will be getting Polyurethane bushings ) and trimmed the front fenders. AND I FINALLY DROVE IT!!! Just a little around the house, it still needs the thermostat replaced (runs too cold) but it finally moved under its own power! Look at my PERFECT CAMBER Still a ton of work left to do, but Im very happy with the progress right now :banana: -Bill

Nice dude! Looks like you'll have that done before the snow hits! Thats gonna be pretty sweet -Bill

I bet the moisture is getting in from the bottom of the winch mount holes. There is a bushing welded in to each hole, BUT they are only welded in at the top, so the bottom is somewhat open. Those bumpers are only 1/8" thick, so you might want to see if you can shoot some Rust Doctor or other rust converter in there, then weld any openings solid, so it will be completely sealed. -Bill

Im down for a run at Walker, hook me up with a PM with the directions, and Ill be good to go -Bill

http://www.indysworld.com/80s/general/wheels/wheels.html Yeah, that Subarus of the 80s link, at the top of the page, has almost everything you could ever want to know, with pics -Bill

Blown trans, EA82T, EA82 bodystyle..... $200 in my area, But they are everywhere here. If it had a good tranny and was in A++ condition, $1800 would be the highest price anyone would probably pay. I would say put some junkyard steels on it and keep the Enkies and try to get over $500 for it if you can, but that will be hard with a blown auto trans.... -Bill

Its Ace Rust-Stop, so I have no clue if it will withstand the heat, it doesnt have a rating for it anywhere on the can... Oh well -Bill

Did some minor work on it since last night. I made up the primaries for the exhaust, then ran out of 1 7/8" bends so I ordered some new ones from Summit, and am waiting for those to build my new exhaust. Took off the oilpan tonight, and was a little disturbed by what appeared to be small chunks of metal in the oil :-\ Oh well, it ran fine, so Im not worried about it. Found both my motor mounts are broken, so those will be replaced after the new OEM oil pan dries (painted it to match my lift blocks ) Also will be getting some new 4 speed mounts from Logan (Schatzi). I also modified my horribly mangled anti-pitch rod to accomodate the lift, and I rigged my shifters to work better, extended the gearshifter 1" below the bushing, so it shortened the throw a little. Also bent it a little bit more toward the driver seat, so I dont have to punch my passenger in the knee to get in reverse now . Also took the struts out and did some much needed strut tower clearance bashing (didnt do enough the first time) and now there is no more steering binding. This weekend I have to build about 4 full lift kits, but I still plan on getting my radius rods extended 1" and sleeved with pipe, as well as plating my new (straight) lower control arms with 3/16" diamond plate and trimming the front fenders to clear the mud tires. Once its able to move under its own power, I will put the street tires on and make diamondplate fender flares and fix the tail light wiring, install the correct shocks, replace the lower radiator support, finish the exhaust, build a skidplate and bumpers, and then go wheelin'! Or something like that.... -Bill

Im still planning on making it, I just need to know where to be Everything is going smooth here right now (knock on wood) so I should be able to make this one -Bill

Im not gonna put any flaps or covers on them, if I have to cover them for some reason Ill just put some old tin cans over them As for the smoke, with the way my Weber was jetted, it smoked plenty ebough already nice big black cloud every time I hit the gas hard... Started working on the exhaust today, got as far as the headers, and I need to buy more exhaust tubing Also got the steering link made -Bill

Oh yeah, that too -Bill

If its a 5 speed 3.9 D/R, there will only be the linkage for the 4wd and the rod that goes from the transfer box to the low-range lever, in addition to the gear shifter linkage. On the RX D/R box there is a lever on the passenger side of the transfer box, and usually a vacuum diaphram mounted near the bellhousing with a cable running to the lever. If there is no lever on the side of the transfer box (the rear half of the tranny) then it is most likely a 3.9 D/R. The 3.9's had 1.59:1 or so low range, and the RX trans had 1.19:1 or something like that. -Bill

I plan on having some fun in the snow this year, these tires will either be super awesome for it or suck totall rump roast and dig to much, Guess Ill find out when the white stuff hits -Bill

Thanks, hopefully Ill be able to wheel it with you and Jeff this fall/winter -Bill