bendecker

Sweet! More pics, please! (We love our pics around here....)

Pictures, please!!!! :-) I love those old wagons. I had an '84 that we let go at 210k miles with the original engine, original tranny and original clutch years ago. I've regretted it ever since!

Did you have problems with broken clips on the plastic trim pieces that go outside, behind the window? If so, how did you deal with it? Also, did you repaint them?

Would love some pics of the boxes and speakers. I'm thinking of doing the same thing and am looking for ideas. Thanks for keeping the thread going

It would be great if you could post some pics of the new and old side-by-side. Also, any mods that you might need to make to get them to work.

Found the URL after a bit of digging: http://www.dkhardware.com/four-panel-duo-vent-slider-for-subaru_ZC439M0P1.html Seems like a very reasonable price assuming shipping doesn't kill it. Note that these slide from the center, leaving an open square in the middle. On my '81, the stock window slides from the side, leaving openings at the right and left. Still, a great find, IMHO. You'll need a gasket, of course and I can't imagine them coming with one at that price. Anyone have info on that? They have them for other makes: http://www.dkhardware.com/pickup-backglass-replacement-gaskets_ZC2145M0P1.html BTW, I have a window that looks very similar that I bought and banked "just in case" when they were readily available on Ebay a few years back. It's NOS and still in the box. Here's hoping I never need it...

Nice job on the shims. I made up a mold a while back and cast a few sets out of casting resin. So far, so good. Same thing with my 4wd shift knob. I also made a mold for the gaskets on my mirrors, but those were cast out of a rubber material that has worked out really well: https://plus.google.com/photos/104996736048797020042/albums/5420708382421326497

You are so right. Original post corrected.

The 9 most unusual car features of all times. The first pic made my day. Anyone know who in NJ owns it? https://autos.yahoo.com/photos/9-most-unusual-car-features-of-all-time-slideshow/

Definitely a stand up guy. We have traded parts and it's always great to see what he's up to. I'm a bit sad to see one less Brat in the neighborhood, though. Here's hoping it went to a good home. Moosens, perhaps?

My apologies to everyone. I brain-farted on this. You are 100% correct on the Brat. I use the trick on my newer EJ's. They just gently compress.

Good to know. I don't believe this applies to my '81, but I could be wrong.... I'd love a second opinion, though, f anyone else has knowledge.

I put a large socket into the open part of the piston that pushes against the pad. The socket is just to take up space. I then use a C-Clamp to slowly compress it -- one end of the clamp on the socket, the other on the back of the caliper. Works every time. If you have rubber boot in the way, can you put something around it, like another big socket? I've never had that problem on my Brat, '93 Impreza or '96 Legacy that I recall. However, with the socket trick, you have a lot of different places you can put the C-Clamp, so you might be able to move it into a position where it doesn't muck with your boot on the back. EDIT: This is incorrect for the Brat ^^^^. Sorry about that...

Score on the piece. In case it helps anyone, the '78 combination switch is a direct, drop-in replacement into the '81. So, I'd bet good money that any Gen 1 can be swapped for any other Gen 1. The reason this was not readily apparent to me was that the turn signal knob in the '81 looks very different from earlier years, so I assumed that the switch functioned differently -- perhaps more features, an extra step or something else. Not so.... The differences are merely cosmetic and only on the knob. In short, rare part broken, rare part found. I'm back in business.

WANT!!! I had one that we bought in the '80s with about 30k miles on it. It went to 210k miles on the original engine, transmission and clutch before I was begrudgingly convinced to get rid of it for something "safer". I've regretted it ever since! Nice score

1981 Brat -- Put in new rear brake cylinders and shoes. Got the pug steelies that have been sitting in my garage for close to a year powder-coated and installed with a new set of 185/75/14 tires. Added center caps complete with Subaru logos (thanks, FleaBay!) Remove the steering wheel and fixed the problem with the turn signals not turning off after a turn (say that 10 times fast). The epoxies you can buy now are the bomb compared to just 10 years ago. Fixed the cracks in the steering wheel. Painted same to cover up repairs. Now, I'm working on a broken hazard signal switch.

This is the part. The knob and screw are fine. It's the larger piece that slides in and out to turn on/off the hazards that had broken.

Just talked with a buddy that has parts from a '78. If the broken piece from the '78 fits into the '81 switch, I may be good to go. Will find out this week (hoping...!)

Love it. My sister-in-law had one that was about the same model year. She decided to sell it when it hit around 120k miles and the trunk started leaking (bad gasket), thinking it had become unreliable (not the most logical conclusion to say the least...). She sold it for next to nothing and I've always been bummed that I didn't know she was dumping it. I would have jumped on it!

As in the turn signal/hazard switch from behind the steering wheel. Anyone have one? I was fixing the problem with my turn signals not turning off after a turn and the hazard switch (which had been cracked years ago) completely fell apart and is a goner. I can likely rig something up, but if anyone has a combination switch for a 1981 Brat, please let me know. Thanks. -Ben

From their registration page: "We love and appreciate unrestored vehicles, but for 2014, we will be limiting entries of unfinished or accident-damaged vehicles." That definitely puts most of out out of the running!

Will do (although, it might take a while). In the meantime, here are some pics and write-ups of things I've done: https://plus.google.com/photos/104996736048797020042/albums/5420708382421326497 I'm the second owner and bought her from a friend back in the '80's with only 26k miles on the odometer for the whopping sum of $3,200. She's up to 183K now and is no longer a daily driver. Overall, there are very few issues -- the air doesn't work, a couple of minor oil leaks, and a good paint job would be great. But, I do what I can when time permits.

Sure! What would you like pics of?

So, I finally got around to taking some pictures of the final product. (Hey, it's only been a year!) It turned out exactly how I wanted it to and I get a lot of positive comments on it. People think it's some rare accessory that I purchased somewhere. And (best of all) people riding in the back love it. The front left rim is off because I'm putting on custom center caps for my newly powdercoated pug steelies Nice and smooth, now that it's all fiberglassed and painted:

On the steering wheel, I've seen some very tempting tutorials on using epoxy putty to fix the cracks, followed by a spray of plastic paint. I have a black steering wheel and plan on doing that when life allows it. I figure that in the worst case scenario, if it doesn't look good, no harm done and I'll just cover it up with leather wrap. I can totally relate to your work on the interior and got a good chuckle out of the pics of the passenger-side shelf thing and the ashtray -- both of which I just redid in the same manner. One thing that bugs me in my Brat are the red buttons in the seat belt receivers. The plastic is pretty baked and you can literally scratch it with your fingernail. On my to-do list is to source some new ones so they look as good at the rest of the interior. Looks great. Please keep us posted on progress.