cwok

Howdy Mike, nice to see Okies round here. I have a feeling many people might just upload their pictures to a picture hosting service and then just link them here.

Aaah, sorry. Didnt see the auto bit, that is a bit different. All of mine are manuals, so I cant really compare well there. My 1600 with a manual definitely seems slower than the 1800 with a manual, but I dont know what an auto would do to the 1800. 85 is Gen2, there were no Gen3 Brats from the factory. (although one guy on here made his own) Gen 3 subarus are the 85+ wagons/sedans with the EA82 engines. It may depend on your transmission preference. After driving a Brat with a manual, I dont know if I could go to auto, it just takes alot of the fun out of it. Although my wife might appreciate the auto, alot of the womenfolk we know seem to have trouble with manuals, for that matter. So if you like or can stand autos, you might still try the 85. Also if you plan on doing alot of summer driving, of course. Brats cool down pretty well with all those windows open, but summer heat gets to everyone eventually... Given the situation though, $700 could be a whole extra car, not to mention money to get parts, of which you will likely need many. So that plus the auto might swing me to the 78, if I were in your shoes. One caveat: if you can, and haven't already, try to do a thorough inspection for rust to judge the relative condition of the bodies. They are going to have rust of some sort, but not all rust is created equal.

Well here in the historic forum, you are probably more likely to get pro-gen1 responses, since people here are more predisposed towards the 70s look. (and rightfully so, my 79 is probably the best looking of the three) But the Gen2 is quite attractive in its own right, and has been mentioned it does have significant practical benefits. Easier to swap EJ engines, bigger cabin and bed, dual range transmission, and many also have the super fun halo twin roof. So of the two, I like the Gen2s better. But I also use one of my 85s as a DD, so might be a bit biased. As to your other questions, BRAT toppers are speial, and do not swap between the two generations. You can also choose between high tops (so you can sit in the seats with the top on) or low tops (if you dont have seats or want/need a sleeker look) for each gen. My DD has a low top because it doesnt have the seats, and it is handy for stashing stuff, but we also have a high top for the 79. They each have their benefits. Pugeot wheels seem popular around here for bigger wheels. I have hub adapters on mine and fit 15" honda wheels, but they have street tires not mud. So bigger wheels with mud tires might fit. But I have no experience with those tires to say definitively. Oh, one last thing I just remembered, the Gen 1s have non vented front disks which I have seen be more difficult to find parts for. But if you have your heart set on a gen 1, there is a swap guide on the boards to put 83+ vented disks on. Something to keep in mind though.

*shrugs* You never know, could be more lurkers running around. But Subarus in general are more rare around these parts, especially of this era. Imprezas aren't really my thing, but you could certianly try that. Just be prepared for the worst - despite Subarus being well built, you are still carrying around a quarter century's worth of issues, and murphys law likes to follow you around. Tulsa's not too far away until something breaks on the side of the road that you haven't learned how to fix before. But every time something breaks, it is just a chance to learn something new. Learned the 4wd=rwd trick when a wheel hub stripped on the way back from broken bow, and learned all about alternator wiring coming back from miami (uh not ee) which eventually led to learning all about replacing the underhood wiring harness. So I guess the simple way of saying that is bring your tools, and hope you don't need to use them. Oh, and if you do go to Tulsa, it is a fun trip in a Brat on 66.

There are not really very much more of us around. I think I saw one other person from stillwater running around awhile back, but I believe their 'roo was newer. I know of one other family which has a nice BRAT they take to shows, but they are not on the boards. I seem to remember someone from bob moore poking around too though. But their interest is obviously new subies, not clasics. But if you are looking for meet spots, I have heard of dealers sponsoring that before.

Nice to see another Okie BRAT, especially looking so nice. Last I was at the PaP a few weeks ago, all they had was one Loyale and another Legacy, pretty slim pickings. But for a dollar it might be at least worth a look. You might have some trouble sourcing parts locally, but it is worth the search to get to drive a BRAT every day.

Given the grill, it is most likely somewhere between 84 and 87. If it has seats in the back, it is most likely 84/85, unless they were added. Vice versa for without seats. (but I do have an 85 without seats, people take them out for the space sometimes) It should have an EA81 in it, probably somewhat similar to your 81 but maybe a few more HP, different carb, things like that. (but more weight, so...) I don't know of alot else that would swap for your 81, maybe the front discs, which are vented in the later Brats and a little easier to find replacements for. Price probably depends on where you are. In the NW you might be hard pressed to sell something like this for 500. But here in OK, that might be worth it, even if only for the parts. $2k for the engine is a joke though, thats about what I was quoted for a complete rebuild and reinstall of mine, so I picked up a nice low mileage example from a wrecked Brat for about 400. (now can I get it installed and working? That remains to be seen...)

Those are a little...special. They came off a mid 90s Accord, thanks to a bolt pattern adapter set that came with the car when we got it. No idea where those came from, probably custom machined.

If you have another event later, you should let us know. (missed this thread the last time) Right now our brats aren't real mobile, but as soon as we get the clutch fixed on the 79, it should be able to make it up to Edmond much easier.

Well, we have some up on Facebook, let's see if they will show up on here. '79: Bailey the '85: Opti the '85: Glad to see more okies, subarus are pretty rare around these parts.