bratman2

Things that are hard to remove get taped up. I have to admit he is very good at taping up door handles and any other item hard to remove. Larger items like grill and headlight combos, glass, he uses a paper roll that attaches tape to one side. Then he tapes a strip around the border of large areas and attaches the paper up pretty much like he does trim or door handles. The sander he uses takes the round stick on pads. I have never seen him hand sand a vehicle in my life except to get tight corners, edges of trim and such. I will try and call him tomorrow and message you the tape and sandpaper he uses.

That is what I would do too! But, my brother fired me from doing my own prep work on the Brat paint job before last!! Something about I sucked and wasted way too much sandpaper that he purchased. So I left the painting and prepping to him. I just request a family and friends discount. He added 10% to the bill for my waste of sandpaper, sorry sanding and family discount, lol!!!! If you have a particular question let me know and I will try call him.

I would have never thought that anyone would still use a straight 30. When I was a kid a couple of years ago all the old timers said only a fool would put that 10w-30 stuff in their car when straight weights had worked for years. To answer your question though I would stick with 5w-30, that is what I thought the 2.5l was spec for. Many newer vehicles have rolled over the 200k mark running the newer light weight oils. So conspiracy theories do not hold much weight with me. All oils are too thick at start up to protect like we wish they could. So there is no harm in using a lower W weight, generally only benefits such as easier starting in frigid cold weather and faster lube times to critical parts at start up. All most all Ow oils are group IV are better synthetic and really perform pretty good over the long haul. Surprised they would give those oil changes away for free. Time and technology moves on!!

Good tips so far. My brother owns a body shop and has been doing body work/painting over 40 years or so, he is 62 this year and I think was 19 when he started. Prep is 80%. Poor prep will lead to a very poor paint job. He uses an air sander and only hand sands into corners or tight spots that the sander will not get into. Like already mentioned you will need a little practice to get the coverage right. Your old fenders would be good for that. If done in a garage try and make sure it is bug free as spraying will stir them up and they will land on the wet paint. Sand, wipe down with enamel reducer and a final wipe with a tack cloth. He also uses large trash bags for wheels, works very good. He usually tries to spray all paint very early in the morning when it is very calm. Even though he does all painting inside except for large boats and diesel trucks such as Peterbuilts. And yes, he has painted a few of them too! Me, I suck and wouldn't even attempt painting a vehicle! Forgot to add that he typically wets the floor down with water to try and keep dust to a minimum when he sprays. All I can think of now and this is based off just watching him over the years!

The tire patch string kit and a 12v compressor sounds best That's what I use.

I drilled the rubber out of them on my EA81 Brat. Then cut a groove in it and they came out without too much trouble. Putting them back in was a little more trouble. I finally had to take them and have them pressed in.

Third Magnaflow 2" SS muffler owner. Been on my 87 Brat for many years. Sounds very good to me and like already mentioned, not super loud or raspy.

It would take a pretty penny for me to part with my Brat. Each to their own. I saw a really nice California Brat go for over 12k.

I agree, the flat four is a pretty easy motor to work on. If taken care of generally last a very long time.

Yes, I was kidding. Seemed mighty steep for a pair of axles. I have done more also, don't remember either. But, 17 years and counting is a long time to drive a vehicle. She is a keeper!

You should go back tonight and burn that shop to the ground. I have replaced an axle in as little as 20 mins for one. I hope they at least found new axles and not remanufactured. Motor and transmission mounts bad will cause excess boot failure. So you may want to check them also. See, you made me remember something else, I rebooted my rear axles and swapped sides with them. Boots were about dry rotted.

Rebuilt the shifter linkage to remove slop, motor and transmission mounts. See I am already remembering more!!!

I would be more concerned that the body was intact, not a rust pit! I have had no problem sourcing any part I have needed in the 17 years I have owned my 87. The biggest head ache I had was sourcing decent axles and three different electrical shorts. There is plenty out there and most are junk. I purchased new EMPI axles 3 or 4 years ago and they are still there with no issues, but I hear they have been bought out and the new axles are no as good. Special tools, none that I can think off. Older vehicles such as these could need a multitude of parts replaced in a few years. I can't even remember all the parts I have replaced, some preventive and some worn out. Here is a feeble shot at it, clutch, clutch cable twice, all the wheel bearings (front twice and rear once, rear were ok, preventive!), u-joints (worn completely out), brake pads and recently brake lines, electrical side of ignition switch, alternator, starter, oil pump twice (think the first rebuilt one was for shite!), water pump, radiator ( I only paid a little over $100.00 for a new one 10-12 years ago), new tail light fixtures (you don't want to know what that cost), headlights twice, seats (new RS seats in 04 from a rally car take out), windshield and gasket, struts and shocks twice, ball joints, tie rod ends, rubber bushings underneath, Hitachi to Webber conversion, three mufflers (last a SS magnaflow with exhaust replaced from Y-pipe back), driver's window crank, all the hoses under the hood, several thermostats (preventive), water temperature sender, oil pressure sender, oil pan gasket twice, valve cover gaskets once, I think I replaced the speedometer cable years ago, two paint jobs, many oil, coolant, gear oil changes and a whole slew of things I have surely forgotten. It would take a decent stack of bills to pry my 87 out of my hands. With a motorcycle and truck I only put 3-3.5k a year on it now. Was 8k a year for quite a few years. Only had to tow it home one time and that was my fault. If I would have checked one more thing it would have went home on it's own.

Sounds like idle adjustment on your carb and clutch cable adjustment will solve those two pretty easy. On the axle I have replaced a dozen on my Brat. Owned it well over 17 years now. Reman axles are hit and miss with way more misses on the last few I bought. I would try sourcing new axles or the one highly rated rebuilder that is a member here. A search will find his info. I bought new EMPI axles a couple of years ago and they have been the best by far. Only problem is they have been bought out so I cannot comment on the new owners. Looks like a very nice Brat. Good luck!!! Clutch is not hydraulic.

I don't know if others with the EA81 and Weber have the same problems as me. I really don't think mine is a Weber problem at all. I have had this Brat for over 17 years, maybe 14-15 years with the Weber. Some years it was my only four wheel vehicle. Those years were way less problematic. Just guessing but I believe it was because it was driven nearly daily. Some years such as recently I also had a second vehicle so it sat more. Seems the longer it has sat, say a few days or a week, the more trouble it is if say it is mid 25 degrees or less. I have gone through dumping the fuel tank from the drain into a bucket. Saw no water separation in the bucket. Installing new filters front and rear. Going to a different fuel station with above ground tanks. Same results with in a week in frigid cold weather. We also have high humidity here in Eastern NC, don't know if that is a factor but willing to bet it is. Currently get my fuel from a fuel distributor at his huge above ground tanks with no ethanol gas. I thought maybe the ethanol was causing the problem. Still does it if it has sat for more than a few days. It is weird but a drop lamp at the fuel pump/filter solves my problem. It will start in the teens then with just a few pumps of the gas pedal.

Magnaflow SS oval muffler. Find the one nearest size to stock. Have the muffler shop cut the brackets off the old and weld onto the new. I have bought mine from Performance Peddler. Check them out.

Same here. When it gets well below freezing my 87 Brat is hard to start. I think my problem is moisture or condensation somehow forming in the fuel filter or pump. Reason being I have put a drop lamp at the pump/filter and it will start down in the teens relatively easy. Replaced filters multiple times only to have it reappear pretty quick.

Getting ready to replace the lowers in my Brat. I already have the replacements just trying to grow the balls to start cutting my baby. Appreciate all the post as they have helped me also. I have the Mills lower sills also here now. My intentions after I get them in is to have my brother shoot with bed liner from the weld down. Good tip on the rustoleum or POR on the inside, I will be sure to hit the old and new during replacement.

In the cab you can barely hear it compared to hearing nothing from stock when accelerating. Cruising at a set speed I don't think I hear it at all. Listening to my wife go down our 175 yard driveway in first brought a smile to my face. Has a unique flat four sound without being loud or ricey sounding. I am 54 years old, I would have tossed it if it was too loud. I think I bought it from "Performance Peddler". Measured the stock muffler, length, width and picked the right offset. First I bought a Thrush Turbo muffler which is similar to the Magnaflow. It sounded okay but the inlet rusted out. So I matched that size muffler up to a Magnaflow.

Magnaflow SS muffler. Just a little deeper sound. Stainless Steel so you only buy it once. Have had mine installed 5 years are more now.

I was replying to Funk's photoshop picture showing the black rims. Which looked better all black than I thought they would. I guess a picture is worth a thousand words. The yellow pin strip looks pretty good too! The wheels in plain aluminum really don't do much for the looks of your car. Sorry for the confusion.

You may have a point!

I also think the Nissan rims look better too. I would polish and leave the face of the rims natural aluminum. Blackout the inside of the spokes are whatever you would call it. My opinion. I think all black is too much black. I have reinstalled the black steel Peugeot 14" steel rims with 185/75-14 tires on my 87 Brat. Kind of wish the rims were gray or something now to break up all the black with the Brat, tires and rims being black.

I gave you a relatively cheap solution to your problem. The wiring harness does not run all the way to the firewall. It plugs in just a couple or three inches past the column under the dash. If you take the steering column covers off you can easily trace the wiring harness to the pink connector. It is a relative simple and cheap fix. Probably much easier than installing a push button. Worse case you are out $30bucks and a hour of your time.

If I am understanding the op correct, turning the key sometimes gives nothing. Trying several times and she may start up as if nothing was wrong. If so that was the same thing my Brat started, actually four years ago, sometimes starts on first try and sometimes nothing. Engine would not even turn over. One day I noticed when it did it there was a ever so faint click in the column. I replaced the electrical side of the switch with the pigtail and pink connector. Has never done it since. I do remember some people stating years ago that pink connector could go bad also. It would have a slightly melted or burned appearance. The two links I put up are for Brats with tilt wheel. If someone is trying to sell you something different it is the wrong part. Not saying that is the op's problem cause at these ages our Subarus are they could be several problems causing the no start.