jonpaul03 Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 I recently joined the group and thought I would share some pics of my 78 BRAT. I bought the beast in 2008 with 85k miles on it. (It still has 85k miles on it) Due to working on a ton of other peoples projects, mine has been slow progress. I will start off by showing you all the truck I originally bought. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 im excited to see where this goes! that thing is a diamond in the rough! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Its been some time since those photos were taken. Here are a couple more... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffanyus Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Very cool!!! more pics when you get further along Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Fortunately these pics were taken a while ago...I am further along. I will be posting pics "kinda" in order as they happened. Unfortunately I ran into a snag. Hopefully it will get straightened out soon. I took my motor apart to rebuild it (since it sat for 18 years in a garage) and found that one of my heads are cracked between the exhaust and intake valve seats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 wow you got lucky when you bought that thing, almost no rust! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 There was a little rust under the front fenders, and I only patched a 50cent piece sized hole in the rear driver side wheel well. My first auto was a 79' BRAT which I restored when I was 15 yrs old in Pennsylvania, so i knew the bad areas to look at. That thing was a heap when I started!!! I couldnt pass this ride up when I saw it. I figured the climate in Colorado would be good for these beauties. I dont think I went wrong for $1100 back in 2008! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 good deal man! wish mine started out that nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BratRod Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 That looks mean. I think im more in love with the fading than an actual paint job. Nice one. Cant beat it for 1k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 Since I mentioned it earlier in the thread.... Here is the 79 BRAT that I built when I was 15 years old! Minus the mud (which belongs there) I rattle-canned the entire BRAT. It took me 1 year to build...the body was rusty as hell, but the motor was strong (79K miles). I only had to replace the clutch to get it goin strong. I wish I could find someone selling a set of 5 of the AWESOME wheels I took off a 1st GEN soob sunk in the dirt of PA. ENJOY!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 that thing is sweet! and those rims! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 I wish I still had them!!! Unfortunately, I was forced to sell the 79 when I joined the military. Atleast its still on the road! I sent a good center dash section for the radio and such to the guy last year. I couldnt stand the thought of it and him sufferring with the lack of a functional interior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 haha yeah! man i think these first gen brats are my favorite thing ever haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 Me too! When I tell people that I am restoring a car they always ask me "what car?". When I tell the a 78 BRAT, they always ask me (in a weird and very curious kinda voice) "Why?". I alwys answer... "CUZ THEY ARE AWESOME!!!" They will never understand unless they have owned one. I think the 8 spoke steel wheels are they cleanest looking if I cant have my other wheels back.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 i feel exactly the same! and yeah, jackmans look amazing on these old brats ive got a set and i was debating on whether i wanted to paint them white or black, and that picture just made up my mind, black! i do have a set of chrome rims that would look good, but i think i might sell those Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 I guess I will keep the story of my 78 BRAT goin... Next....I decided to change it up a little bit. I hated the flimsy vinyl wrapped partical board behind the seats, so I decided to do something different. Its waaaay more solid and sound proofs a bit. Check it out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Is that spray painted gold? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 nope... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Oh, haha well on my screen it looks gold! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 What looks gold? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BratRod Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 The wooden panel you replaced the particle board with. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 what BratRod said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonpaul03 Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 Its 3/8" plywood with a funky grain...stained with a dark stain called Jacco Bean and the polyurethaned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBrat Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 alright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman18 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Looks like stained wood grain to me lol. I had a piece of teak plywood on my BRAT in the same spot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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