Seahag1978

As we speak, a goodly portion of the Jeeps here are seriously lifted and have tires that are way taller than the hood of my BRAT. They also stand at least 4" outside of the body with no flares. It's a little nuts I think.

Ok...I get your point. I'm still dealing with Japanese metal. What would you do?

You're the creative genius in these here parts... you know Jeeps, you know Subies... mix it up... nuff said. Yes, fasteners can show outside, not like the prissy Ford.

Ah, I was wondering when you were going to crawl out of the woodwork. This is right up you alley, kiddo. We already determined that a CJ-7 or a Wrangler will do. We also want good running gear... I want BIG tires. HUGE! Like cartoon big. Disproportionate big. Silly big. Needs a Jeep.

Ok. So we sent pictures to the fabricator. We drove there with an intact BRAT for a visual aid. Bad news. To strip the BRAT, curb the rust (sandblast and seal) reinforce everything then strip the Jeep of the tub, replace whatever is wrong on the donor and put all the pieces parts back together to make one SAFE truck will be 10K +- 2K. Not that the work isn't worth it. It's a LOT of VERY dirty work. To buy a custom car like that is impossible. No one but a BRAT freak would even consider doing this. I have 2 beautiful stock BRATS and hate to part this one out. Soooo, my quandry is... what would it cost to buy even a Hyundai? (those that know me know WHAT I THINK OF THOSE CARS. We can strip the cars ourselves and turn over the shell and chassis. The price will go WAY down. OR we can do the same and hire a welder for $50 an hour. The welder will only weld where we tell him. Can anyone give tips on the structural points that need attention? I want to do this.

Thanks! The burning it off sounds kinda fun, but it'll be really stinky.

Define?

I'm repainting the '78 soon and want to remove the bedliner I put on it. Anybody ever do it? What did you use? Help! Thanks! Mary

Yellow for sure... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=1349&cat=500&ppuser=5798 She's getting new paint when it warms up. Same color.

Can you elaborate on this? I DON'T want to part this BRAT.

Looks bleak. There isn't anything left underneath to work with. It's a beautiful example of exterior and interior. The stuff that holds it all together is toast. My goal is to re-build this BRAT to look like a remote control car, disproportionate and cartoonish. Currently, I'm working with Synaptic3 out of New Hampshire on my options. New frame to sit it on or transplant. The weak EA81, and snap, crackle, pop transaxles aren't going to cut it. Looks like a Jeep transplant is more feasible. Plus, I get an automatic lift and 5 lug swap... CHOICES for rims and tires! AND the power to turn them! Before you all get your panties in a bunch, my other 2 BRATs are stock and rather than part out this beautiful '84, I'd rather do this. Added bonus... it will free the 65k dealer maintained drivetrain to keep as a spare for my '86

I know how you feel, with the '78, trust me, it's frustrating most of the time, but when you consider the alternatives; car payments, higher insurance, gasoline, you can't afford not to make the effort and just call for help... you are a valued member of this community and most members including myself, would love to contribute back. You're on the radar now... just ask.

When I went to rent a trailer to haul my BRAT, I had to spell B-R-A-T to the teen-something clerk. She didn't comprehend and asked for a description, and as a joke, I started with the Bi-drive, All-Terrain... she typed and said, "it won't fit". So I said, "Little truck." That worked

I saw some commercial on TV that hit me pretty hard. "Oil and water don't mix, but blood and oil do." Kudos to you! Keep at it, kiddo! P.S. I'm working on a little something too

I have always hated these girly tires. For crying out loud, "Potenza" sounds more like a pasta dish or a male enhancement drug than a tire! Those blasted ABS brakes keep it home. Now, if you drive into a plow berm and get them packed with snow, they shut off It's short-lived, they shed the snow when you really get moving again Still, it's a good trick on unplowed side roads where you travel slower.

My '86 handles 100x better in the slop than the Baja. It stays home while the BRAT gets the glory. Once I can wiggle out of the pack onto the unplowed side roads, I can sail right along while the masses slip and slide all over the gradual up-grades that they iced up with their big as- umm, awkward SUV's spinning tires on the main roads. They don't know how to drive, and try to gun it, making things a whole lot worse... Ugh!

I watched that too, while I was folding T-shirts and sorting socks...

I bought the BRAT for the doors, hood, T-Tops, fenders, and tailgate, etc. I knew the underside was a mess, but, if it can be saved as a whole I want to do it.

The pictures are up. Sad....

It looks like baklava... that Greek puff pastry with nuts... I have some pictures I'll add to the album. I'm trying to find a welder around here... no dice. There's maybe a guy in NH.

If you could get those pictures, that would be awesome Jon! He's talking about swapping bodies with a Jeep. The body, interior and wheels are perfect and I hate to part it out. This is the BRAT: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?cat=798

Yes, she had the basic plan and it's useless on the towing end, she got that one because she was rarely more than 3 miles from the dealership. Figures she broke down on that rare occasion Don't go cheap on the plan.

Well, upon closer inspection, looks like there is more rust damage than is feasible to fix. Looks like a new frame needs to be built. Can anyone point me to a thread regarding this? Thanks!

With gas prices for his F-350 diesel, Tim pulled the '84 down out of the depths to make it road-worthy... good news... the frame is sound, there are a few minor rust issues that need to be addressed. I was very excited! At any rate, Rust Bullet vs. POR-15? Opinions?

Be sure to check that your coverage meets your needs. My daughter had the very basic plan and her clutch went out. She was stuck only about 6 miles away from the Acura dealership that she patronized, and AAA refused to tow her more than 3 miles without an extra charge. She is clever and speed shifted all the way there... (the lights were with her) they opened the bay door and she rolled right in.