The Beast I Drive

Yep I likes no timing belts and no smokescreen goin sideways on hills, my previous EA82 powerplants both burned oil horribly goin through hard curves or sideways on a hill. -Bill

Any Gen 1 Brat or 77-79 4wd Sube should have the right part. -Bill

Yes, when I go in to Triangle Auto (our true blue import auto store) the first thing I notice is the EMPI Volkswagen performance parts hangin on the wall I read a while back in a post from GD that the axles where like 50 bucks a piece but I priced them at $89 a pop, but thats what i payed for my "lifetime waranty" who-knows-where-its-from auto store axles, might as well buy quality if Im gonna drop that much cash at each wheel. -Bill

Im gonna check tomorrow after work, but it is so odd that it doesnt make noise under acceleration, and it is loudest when coasting, it gets quieter when i hit the brakes but not much. The brakes looked good before WCSS10 (good enough for the trip there and back anyway, I kinda just forgot about them after the whole blew ANOTHER engine on the way home thing). Loose caliper does seem to make sense though. Hehe, should have a pool and make bets on what the problem could be... -Bill

I say take it. If nothing else you can fix whats wrong and try to sell it, or be like me, get a rig for 250 in the summer, do nothing to it, and sell it for 500 come winter cuz it is 4wd and a guy NEEDS it Im bad... -Bill

Hey ya'll Well, the Beast (my 87 GL Wagon w/my first lift) is back in the shop. About 2 months ago or so I began noticing a light grinding/clunk coming from the passenger front area, only when decellerating/braking. It has gotten progressively worse and worse, and today I decided it needs to be fixed. Today it sounded like a bulldozer scraping lavarock everytime I would let off the gas. This anomoly has had me stumped because Ive had the sound before about a year and a half ago but it was only when i used the brakes and it eventually went away. I have NOT replaced the brakes on this car since i got it, about 4 years ago. I also have NOT replaced the wheel bearings on this side yet, although I have done the Driver's side ones, at the time this side seemed fine so I didnt care(right before WCSS10). I HAVE however replaced the axle on this side twice, and this one needs replaced again (goin to EMPI this time). I plan on replacing the wheel bearingd, seals, axle, and brakes if necessary as I believe it is well overdue for these, and I will inspect it tomorrow (was too busy fixing the RX to drive while this one is down to look at it tonight). Im sure i will find the culprit, but right now I am stumped, it does NOT make any irregular noise during acceleration, but when coasting/braking it makes the most awful pulsating gringing noise. Im thinking axle/brakes/something's lose? What do you guys think it could be? -Bill

We bought a Painless kit for my dad's 47 Ford Pick up rod he started, it had like 30 circuits, a fuse block w/ all the fuses, flashers, and breakers necessary, and plenty of wire. Every thing is labeled and/or color coded and comes with instructions. It makes wiring as easy as changing wheels. -Bill

You need a new tailhousing and driveshaft, and maybe a new shifter cable. It really isnt that hard to replace the cable, just a couple bolts and 2 pins. You just missed out, I just sold a tailhousing that you need to another guy with the same thing happened. Good luck! -Bill

How bout get the house, then add on to one room and gut it and make it into an attached garage??? It would even be heated then :cool: -Bill

them 31's are way nice offroad, lots of clearance I would suggest maybe 9.50 wide instead the 10.50s i have now, might rub less on the inner fender area down by the door. I need to go beat my inner fenders some more, I still get rub at full lock when turning. -Bill

Dude, if you wanna make it float, just remember the kind of stuff Jesse Jame's crews pulled off on Monster Garage... If they can do stuff like that in 7 days then a RWD mid engine Brat is a cakewalk... If you have the parts, ambition, and skills. -Bill

look for a kit that has all the circuits you are going to be using. I would get one with 1 or 2 extra ciruits too just in case you add something to it in the future. -Bill

Oh you'll need 2 seals for each side. -Bill

dude the haynes manual can be so full of BS sometimes.... All you need is the new bearings, the new axles, a proper wrench set (+ the BIG wrench for the axle nut) and a BFH to beat the axle out of the hub. Gettin it out is easy, the harder part is gettin the new axle into the new bearings, but its still easy. Just reverse of removal. -Bill

IF it were me i would keep em both, BUT thats me I cling to cars like a fat kid on a cupcake. I would be more willing to bash up a car thats already been bashed though, just swap the D/R from the maroon one into the white beater and lift it a little and bam. A days work at best, but you already know that -Bill

whats wrong with the marron one? I would make the damaged car the wheeler, especially since it runs good -Bill

Are you gonna flip these or make wheelers? -Bill

Nice -Bill

I forget but did you look into maybe modifying some 2wd EA82Turbo rear discs to work with your FF-1 rear suspension? That would be pretty cool... -Bill

You guys gonna have a banner contest for the logo again this year? -Bill

If you can't get it working again I have a good one from a '97 OB i could sell ya. -Bill

Here is a video from some night time off roading in the Beast I would post pics but my friend never seems to take pics, just videos. -Bill

Arent valve cover gaskets like 10 bucks for the pair? for that much I would just get new ones, coat them in RTV and let them sit, then install those. And if you cant get them that cheap, I have a a pair for that cheap. -Bill