old McD

Can anyone provide a guesstimate of the value of a restored 78 Brat? Got a solid one from Texas some time ago and another for parts. Just want to see if it/s worth the effort.

So, i noticed that most of the websited posted bellows and mounting plate kits for the new struts. Are they worth buying before i get started on replacing the struts?

Thanks, i ordered the last set Rock auto had in stock; the KYB front struts on ebay were not for 4wd; indicated not applicable when typing in year/model etc

Anyone have suggestions about decent replacement struts and rear shoclks for an 83 4wd wagon and a reliable source?

Thanks for the tips--i found the leak at the bottom right passenger side of the windshield gasket (brittle, with a little buckle). Crazyeights: where is the cowl drain? i removed the cowl grill to look for it, but due to the welded in baffles could not see any drain. The shop manual i have for it indicates there is to be a bead of sealant between the metal and the gasket and between the glass and the gasket-- i know that was not applied during the glass replacement. I see permatex makes a dedicated product.

My 84 DL wagon leaks rainwater from the extreme right (passenger) corner of the bottom side of the glovebox onto the shelf and soaks the floor/carpet with each rainstorm (leaving a nice musty smell) . I had a cracked windshield replaced, and this did not solve the problem. I removed the cowl grill and looked for a drain that may be plugged but could see no evidence of a drain due to the horizontal fin welded in the duct. Is there a water drain that can be opened up? Will the dash have to be removed to locate it??

Sorry for the typo's: "as long as I have it torn apart it would be a good idea to replace the seal" = correction

My next project on Sarge (1983 DL 4wd manual 4 speed) is pulling a front axle to take care of a torn CV boot (i read a lot of negative reviews about the split boot repair kits.) There is an oil stain on the transaxle there, likely representing a minor seal leak. So i fugured that as long as I have it torn abart it would be a good idea to replace the sea. lBefore i get into it, are there any special alerts or tricks to be aware of for replacing the transaxle seal?

I just finished converting my 83 DL with the EA81 engine to an offroad weber carb from redline (best price i found), with a manual choke. The conversion kit cost almost $300. You will need to use the old carb's arch lever that the throttle cable is attached to--using the one that comes with the weber will cause it to to idle at over 1000 rpm because the original throttle cable is not long enough. The other thing i had to do is modify the mounting bracket that holds the end of the throttle cable. I had to reverse it, bend it a little and grind one of the bottom corners down a little. Otherwise once again the original throttle cable is too short and holds the carb half open. The manual choke cable/knob fit perfectly in a moulded knockout in the dash near the drivers left knee. A 1/2 inch drill bit to open up the plastic and the metal behind it, and the cable threaded nicely through one of the existing grommets. Getting the old carb mounting bolts out of the intake manifold required patience, using the double nut technique. Your big decision will be what to do with the emission hoses/ disconnecting the emission/vaccuum hoses that all tie into the carb. Mine will never have to pass an emissions test, so I got brave and pulled them all, except the valve cover vent hoses--(see bumblebeasts thread on re-routing those) i used 5/16 vacuum hose pieces 1 inch long plugged w 1/4 inch machine screws. Runs like a honey- and left a clean uncluttered engine compartment--i did have to reset the timing because of the increased vaccuum on the distributor advance. Good luck!

tried a can of Fluid Film from A-Zone store--leaves a waxy surface--the company web site promotes it as an anticorrosive and says a pressure washer is needed to remove it entirely. So it halts additional corrosion by preventing oxygen to get to metal., Seemed to penetrate old undercoating cracks nicely and bubbled into seams. will see how it holds up.

HEY all. As a newbie to the forum, I wanted to show off my 6th Subaru. I just finished getting it up and running. I call him Sarge, because it looks as if a past owner was in the Air Force Academy (see the sticker in the rear i removed in the cleanup). He has a custom 2 tone metallic air force blue/gray paint job. Looks like a nice job--all the parts I've taken off have the metallic finish underneath. Bought him from a 'dealers collection' in NW PA. Carfax indicates he sat in car several lots in the PNW with only 250 miled added to the odo since 1991. I got him w 102k miles on the odo. The dealer said the carb was unfixable...with a can of carb cleaner and 2 tanks fresh gas and Lucas treatment i got him running, but 18 mpg and frequent stallouts lead me to get a Weber carb/manual choke from redline. Purrs like a kitten at idle and very spunky accel now with the new carb and no underhood spaghetti. Only rustout i've found is the left frame member at the usual jacking point and under the drivers door. Prev Subarus were 78 4wd wagon we bought new, 84 GL wagon and 90 4 dr coupe--all rusted out in 5-6 yrs. Wife has a 2007 Forrester. # 5 is a 78 Brat I picked up in TX for $400. (stashed in the barn for future restoration!)

Looked at some website based on you guy's advice.Thanks An older thread on this site also mentions fluid-film. That company's website makes it look like an impressive product.The KBS website looks like a comprehensive line of products. That waxoyl sounds very interesting --i think i'll try that. A few older guys around here mix used engine oil w chainsaw bar oil and have a side business applying it annually inside door/rockerpanels etc.

Thanks- the fan switch/thermosensor is bad---ordered a new one, and temporarily plugged the wire to a ground wire so the fan runs constantly when the ignigition is on. New problem----i discovered a crack in the passenrer side radiator tank just below the switch, and successfully soldered it so it no longer leaks. However---when I pulled the radiator i discovered that the top mounting bracket is not soldered or attached to the radiator tanks--it came off the radiator when i unbolted the fan bracket.. Should it be attached?? Was thinking of using an epoxy resin or JB weld to re-fasten if it is supposed to be attached.

is kbs an epoxy rust sealing paint like por-15?

I plan to use the 1983 DR 4wd wagonthat i just bought--gem of a body--came from PNW--- as a winter car here in NW PA. Lots of road salt used around here. I have ordered a spray unit from Eastwood to oil/spray the inside of the doors and rockerpanel insides. Any favorite/proven recipes that seem successful as a rust inhibitor? I've read about chainsaw bar oil, linseed oil and other home brews.

Thanks--will check it on my next free day. I know there had to be a relay problem causing the fan not to turn on, but it was weird that it began when i put the new carb on. As an aside, I thought i read on this site a few weeks, ago that disconnecting certain of the emission hoses would cause the engine to run hot?

I recently bought a 1983 DL 4wd wagon ea81 engine, 104 k miles from a dealer with "a bad carburetor that can't be fixed". I got it running smoothly with a can of cleaner and a few tanks of fresh gas w Lucas gas treatment. It still kept stalling at decel and only got 18 mpg, so i bought a carter carb kit w manual choke kit from redline and installed it. I got it idling nicely-accelerates great, but now the radiator fan won't turn on, and of course it runs hot. I plugged the old vaccuum /emissions hoses during the carb install till i see what can be removed (never will need emissions inspection). The only thing i can find in a manual that may affect it is a :thermosensor" in the old carb. Is the fan not turning on because of a vaccuum/emissions hose that needs opened up, or the old carb sensor missing?---can this be by passed?