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brat questions


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Will the front fenders and hood from a sedan fit a brat?

 

Assuming Gen2 Brat ('82-'87), yes, as long as it's a '80-'84 sedan ('80-'81 fenders may need a little trimming behind the headlight bezels... also, antenna placement changed in '83 to oppsite fender

 

What about the doors and windows?

 

No.

 

Also how hard is it to install power steering and brakes? Can you salvage those parts from a Sedan also?

 

Using same assumption as above, power steering will transfer over, but the easiest/best way to do it, is to transfer the entire crossmember, rack, pump, and lines over as one unit.

 

Brakes should already be power assist, but will interchange if need be. '83 is a crossover year for going to vented rotors too, so if swapping from solid to vented, you need the calipers to match, but will bolt up.

 

Really need more info on years....

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Sorry. It is an 84 brat that needs a fender and a window. Just looking to see if I could get these parts from my local u-pull-it. I want to use it to teach my kids to drive but would rather it had power steering.

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Sorry. It is an 84 brat that needs a fender and a window. Just looking to see if I could get these parts from my local u-pull-it. I want to use it to teach my kids to drive but would rather it had power steering.

 

the Brat Window is specific to the Brat, but you can use a door from a 2 door coupe or a hatchback.... but still need to get glass from a Brat...

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Lack of power steering in my Brat made for good upper body strength over the years:). Actually it's not so bad as long as you aren't doing K turns all the time.

 

As I remember, front fenders and hood off the wagons or hatch with interchange. Antenna hole did change but McBrat covered that also. I always thought the hatch doors interchanged but wasn't aware that the Brat glass was unique. Rocker panels between the Brat and Hatch also were interchangeable if you were good at welding.

 

All my comments refer to the '84 Brat (which I have) but are mostly true for all the gen2 versions from '82 to '87.

 

You should be able to find the glass for a Brat at the u-pull-it yards; a bit rare but Brats will show up now and then. Wagons and Hatches are much more common.

 

If you're near Portland, you might look up Superior Import Repair (www.fixmysuby.com). The owner is a dedicated Subaru person and USMB member and might have the parts you're looking for.

Edited by edrach
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but you have to change the entire engine cross-member

GD

Not necessarily. I did a PS conversion using my non-PS cross member. You just need to make dimensional location notes of the isolation block mounting holes from the PS xmember and drill them in the same place on you non-PS xmember.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I now have the brat in my shop. It will not get power steering after all. It needs a fender and alot of rust repair. I was able to get the glass from Rich over at Superior Import Repair. Tommorow I will try and remove the front axles. Thanks for the help guys I probibly will be asking alot of questions has this project moves forward. I will post a pict has soon has I learn how.

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  • 3 weeks later...

OK did the axle and the window so now my new question is....

I have read before that it is possible to make a 2 inch lift with like some 2 inch bar stock and some bent plates for the rear. Can someone give me more info on design and instalation? I work in a steel foundry so I should be able to find and make the parts once I understand how. Thanks again guys.

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All you are doing is spacing the entire drivetrain and suspension down from the body. There's 10 mounting points in the front plus the struts, and then like 6 more in the back plus the shocks. All the blocks are pretty simple - it's the struts and steering that give people the most trouble. The steering requires some welding typically, and the struts are a little more involved as you can't simply use blocks - the camber will be messed up if you don't offset the struts as you drop them.

 

GD

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I was under the impression that adding 2 inches was easier than doing 4. If it is the same work I would rather go for 4. Is it possible to buy a completly bolt on kit or do all of them require welding? When you buy from a vendor do they come with directions?

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Get a-hold of "The Beast I Drive" for the "pre made" lift. His lifts are outstanding and he does supurb work. SJR lifts are another reputable lift outfit and he is here on the board as well. "Scott in Bellingham" is his name.

 

Welcome to the BRAT club, and the forum.

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It's not easier if you want it done *right* - the camber issue has to be dealt with no matter if it's a 1" lift or a 10" lift. Thus plain spacer blocks cannot be used there.

 

The steering linkage does have to be welded but a "kit" can be bolt on for a car without power steering - most vendors are going to at least want your old steering shaft as a core though.

 

The power steering has a different linkage to the column and I don't know if anyone makes a bolt-in kit for those.

 

It's really pretty simple to build your own kit. You can buy the steering and strut peices from somone that makes them and build the blocks yourself. 4"x2" sqaure tube with 1/4" wall thickness makes fine blocks - you just have your steel yard cut 2" sections for you - figure about $5 per block and another $5 per cut. Then you need either a drill press or a vise and a hand drill to punch out the bolt holes. You use your existing hardware to mount the blocks to the body and then buy new hardware to mount the drivetrain and suspension to the blocks.

 

It can be really simple if you buy the strut/shock and steering bits. It's nice to be able to do a bit of welding yourself though - things like extending the shift linkage and shortening the throw.... etc. But buying all the tools to build your own is probably a bit much for most folks. You need a metal cutting bandsaw, welder, drill-press, etc.... If you want to do it right anyway.

 

GD

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  • 1 year later...

Ok everyone has been great so far now I have 2 new questions.

Will seats from an 98 inpreza fit? From what I have read I will have to use the tracks from the brat seats but then it will work.Is this correct?

 

I talked with a person that told me a nissan alternater is a direct bolt on. Is this true? Also what year and type of car?

 

Thanks again for all the help. I plan on buying and installing a lift this summer. Not sure though if I want to go 4 or 6 inches.

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I did a search and could not find the exact answers. Not sure why the offroad area would be able to help me with seats and alternators but I guess I could try that.

The other reason that I posted the new questions was becouse I was looking for some first hand experiance. The reason I joined this site and continue to tell others about it is becouse the members are willing to share the info that they have learned already. No sense reinventing the wheel. Hopefully even someone local knows something about my problems and I have a chance to make a new friend.

I understand that I am new here but I dont belive answering questions with a request to use the search is the best way to continue building the community here.

When I get some more time I will search some more. There really is alot of great info here. Even if I dont find my answers I will learn alot about the brat.

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