GoldDiggerRoo

Think I'd have to fix that car, and drive the piss out of it. I've seen worse fixed, you think when wrecked cars sell at auction they get parted out.... think again. A vintage mopar yard I used to go to also did salvage work, I've seen stuff that you woulda never though could go back together again look like new.

Most everything pre '85 (except the hatch's, then '88/89) and post '92 is great, I've had bad luck with the middle, so have a lot of others. The earlier ones are built like rocks, they'll last forever. EA81 FTW!

First off..... Car: '87 Standard Hatch, 4WD s/r 4 speed, hitachi, no a/c, no power anything, not even carpet. The car is from Denver and has altitude compensation equip. Ok, when I first got my Hatch it was semi warm and even though the idle was a little high I was getting around 25mpg highway/city, but once the temp started to drop around 40 or we had any amount of rain (no matter the temp) that went out the window. It seems that during these times my choke is sticking on, so the car idles around 1500rpm or more, enough to make the heat sheild on the cats rattle at a stop light. Not only is it slightly embarassing it's killing my mileage, this last tank I got 18mpg, less slightly less than 200 miles on a tank. Not only does it geat bad mileage it runs like crap, it acts like it's gonna die when you've got the throttle at crusing position. When the choke isn't on the car runs like a champ, idles well, best running EA81 I've ever owned. There doesn't seem to be an adjustment screw for the choke... just a stop, so can I just disable the choke on this thing? If so how? I looked at it, there's an electrical connection that goes to it (bolts on like a wire to the coil) and there are also two vaccum pots there to, so I'm not sure what to disconnect. Thanks for the help!

As far as I know there is only a difference between auto and manual x members

Cool, I'll have to keep an eye on that page, I'd love to run one sometime soon.

Really? Got any more info on it?

should be a direct swap as far as I know, you've already got the x-member and shifter linkage.

OK, I got my hands on a GEN 2 brat today. The headrest frames/sliders from a 1st gen are exactly the same length as the gen 2's, but if you bolt the bottom on the top bold hole is about 1/2 inch lower than the hole in the mount, but the flat piece is longer in the GEN 1's, so there is plenty of room to drill a hole to bolt it in the correct spot.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

Yeah, I speak from personal experience, of having a 5'9 guy b!*ch all the way on a 1 1/2hr trip about having no leg room in the rear

You know, the more time I've spent around this Brat I may actually fix it, it really isn't as rusty as it looks in the pics. The floors are solid, there is no rust above the wheel wells or in the bed, only two holes in the passenger side rocker and two small places on the lower bed on the drivers side. The fenders however are crap. I still haven't seen the '78 Wagon, it's on a mountian and apparently hard to get to because of the rain/mud lately. Might get to check it out tomorrow, but it may be rougher than he intially thought.

nice Brat btw Looks familiar...

And it helps to look for the ones close by, most times they're gonna need a tow, likely why they're in the "parts cars" section.

While my maroon '84 wagon isn't turbo it is an auto and I could never get better than 18mpg on the highway with two people with me, it gets even worse if there are any hills in the picture. Take the Taurus, your back seat passengers will thank you. Rear seats in EA81 wagons aren't the best for trips unless you have kids back there.

Uh, it's an EA82 car, and it looks like my old one.... not good things. Mine had trans issues too, I think..... sold it for $300.... far less than the $500 I paid..... I drove it twice.

Lots of dings but no rust! I'd buy it!

Oh yeah, I've seen that one before. That makes me want to keep the Brat I just got and lift it.

Sure no problem, it's not all that pretty which is why I'd like to do some rally x with it, it runs great had has a s/r 4 speed. It seems the closest rallys going on are in NY. I guess I'll have to wait until spring and check for some closer events or just move out west. I don't have any good interior shots since I got it and straightend it up, but I'll get some soon. This thing doesn't even have a switch on the passenger side to make the dome light comek on when the door is open

Pics?

Not in Raleigh, but I do make it down to Greensboro semi often.... just for the Steak & Shake

PM sent, and yet another Va memeber, comin' out of the woodwork lately

There's never any sonw in the east anymore. Pretty much any weekend is open for me right now, I'm still looking for work.

I'll have to try and work it in, hopefully I can head up Wed. but I have a feeling it'll be Thursday. That's funny, I listen to WCBS 880 around here at night all the time, for some reason I find the weather and traffic reports amusing. Can't pick it up in the hatch though, getting lots of engine noise on AM.

Wow, quadriple post! Never seen that before... The tail of the dragon isn't a difficult trail, it's a paved road 11 miles? with something like 318 turns? There are some national forest trails right off from it, nothing too difficult I'd imagine since the WRX guys run them. I'll check with that guy I know and get some more info on them...

Who needs the slap now?! Well, it appears I'm driving my former Brat the final leg to Conn. sometime this week, apparently it like me better anyhow. Wish me luck!