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My new Brat


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Hey guys,

Joined about a month ago after having bought an EA81 hatch.  Because of my rekindled love of old Subaru's I joined some facebook groups and happened to find this 86 Brat for sale.  I've basically wanted to own a Brat forever, so I couldnt resist.

So far I have resealed the oil pump and installed a new front crank seal, fixed the fan blower motor, installed a new dist cap and rotor, and put the original wheels back on with new trim rings.  Planning to do the oil pan and valve cover gaskets maybe this weekend.

I'd like to add jump seats at some point but otherwise Ill keep it stock.  I have the original window sticker which is pretty cool.  It has no rot and almost no rust, which is amazing since its always been in VA and PA.  Interior is original and in excellent shape.  Paint is original too.  Only has 80k on the odo and runs great.  Gets alot of attention and someone already offered to buy it, but Im keeping it.  

 

 

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Edited by Scoby4wd
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Dude! Way cool I love the subaru build sheet I have never seen one before!

Where were yours located? My old Camaro came with three. One under the drivers seat, one behind the rear seat back, and one on top of the gas tank. When someone bought the car new they got a master build sheet signed by a gm employee.

Cheers on the new find, you guys are gonna kick asss at the next car show! Let everyone know that the world is flat. And I know a guy - nice guy on here says he has five sets of brat jump seats he will sell! Just tell him you want two sets one for your brat and one for your Baja ;) it'll be funny read this thread if you haven't already haha!

I came so close to buying a 85 brat. I had the money and was in love. She was black and almost all there. Went on a test drive and my german shepherd Vendy hated it! She sleeps on car rides. So I reluctantly passed (my dad hassled me too about brats being stupid- two years before the $46k brat sold at auction. Last laugh is nice) and a few weeks later my beloved 85 xt turbo came into my life. Vendy loves that car the "backseat" is perfect! Lol

Edited by sparkyboy
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That is quite the find and I’m stoked to hear you’re keeping it stock!

Over here I’ve only ever seen one beige targa brumby, but I’m pretty sure it was a roof chop job. I’ve seen a few beige targas in the states, they always look different. 

Keep her mint and enjoy! 

Cheers 

Bennie

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Thanks alot guys.  I thought it was a steal, I paid $6k for it.  Paint is definitely original and I dont doubt the mileage at all given the condition.  

The targa stripe is in rough shape, I am debating replacing it.  Not sure if this is a good idea or not.  I see a nice repro is available.

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On closer look - holy crap!! I’ve only seen one other brumby in such good condition and it’s not a targa, but it does have 288k km on it. The guy traded it in at the same dealer he originally brought it from! The dealer polished it up and it’s now on display in their showroom with all the models.  It’s seriously like looking at a 3D  catalogue for the model!

I noticed that you don’t have a fender indicator, but you have a side reflector in the front bumper. I’ve not noticed this before and will have to keep an eye out for this detail on other US brats as I’ve not noticed it before. Here’s our setup over the puddle in Oz:

Hj0nlk.jpg 

On the stock bumper there’s no reflector. 

Cheers 

Bennie

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18 minutes ago, el_freddo said:

 

I noticed that you don’t have a fender indicator, but you have a side reflector in the front bumper. I’ve not noticed this before and will have to keep an eye out for this detail .........On the stock bumper there’s no reflector. 

Cheers 

Bennie

yeah, we never got the marker in the fender, just on the bumper. it's actually a light not just a reflector.

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Northeast gem. Nice find. Catch that rust now , don’t wait. I see you’re in Duchess County. Not too far from me in CT. 

Let me know if you take it to any shows/meets over near the CT line like the one in South Salem NY that I can’t think of the name. 

Or please try to make Caffeine and Carbs in New Canaan CT , it’s gotten huge but you’ll likely see the most exotic and expensive machinery there. 

Enjoy !!! 

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9 hours ago, moosens said:

Northeast gem. Nice find. Catch that rust now , don’t wait. I see you’re in Duchess County. Not too far from me in CT. 

Let me know if you take it to any shows/meets over near the CT line like the one in South Salem NY that I can’t think of the name. 

Or please try to make Caffeine and Carbs in New Canaan CT , it’s gotten huge but you’ll likely see the most exotic and expensive machinery there. 

Enjoy !!! 

Caffeine and carbs? So does your car have to have a carburetor?

Cars and coffee has been here a few years and is my favorite show because of the time in the morning and no trailer queens.

It's funny I have shown three cars there over a couple of years and while my 77 camaro and 85 xt get lots of love, (xt got professionally photographed) my red 86 gl, the most common of the three gets a crowd because of the ej swap.

I have gone literally since they moved the show to Lafayette cause it got too big in nearby Louisville, but have been the only guy with a vintage subaru. No brats, svx, nada.

I think my gl is popular because of all the stupid kids in wrx's and their show takeover nonsense with the ford fiesta boys...smh

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No one has said anything of the details of the rear bumber bar as my mate seems to call them :) Is this the norm for this year or the US market? We only got the corner bumperettes or the step bar with built in tow bar (was it built in or just bolts to ? I forget) Your sweet ride looks to have what I suspect is the section of a sedans rear bar.

That colour is not really beige is it, sort of milk coffee (the drink , gone cold, not the Arnotts bickie) usually looks tatty due to no love, but gosh the colour looks good when washed and polished or even in two pack

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Scoby4wd you really scored on your find, sweet looking and top condition. My 1983 Brat GL is in nice physical condition, but has 203,500 miles on the clock. Just installed engine with 138,000 miles and now starting to work on cosmetic issues. 

How much of a job was the front seal replacement? My salvage yard engine has oil leaks I am trying to address.

 

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Thanks guys

 

On 4/19/2019 at 11:52 PM, jdkneppy said:

Scoby4wd you really scored on your find, sweet looking and top condition. My 1983 Brat GL is in nice physical condition, but has 203,500 miles on the clock. Just installed engine with 138,000 miles and now starting to work on cosmetic issues. 

How much of a job was the front seal replacement? My salvage yard engine has oil leaks I am trying to address.

 

The seal replacement wasnt difficult.  Removed the radiator fan and the skid plate.  To take off the crank pulley,  I got a breaker bar with a pipe on it and braced it against the ground, unhooked the coil wire and blipped the starter.  The nut unscrewed by hand at this point and the pulley comes right off.  Used a universal seal puller to remove the old seal and then carefully worked in the new seal by hand using a large socket to keep it straight.  While I was in there I pulled the oil pump too.

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On 4/18/2019 at 8:02 PM, Steptoe said:

No one has said anything of the details of the rear bumber bar as my mate seems to call them :) Is this the norm for this year or the US market? We only got the corner bumperettes or the step bar with built in tow bar (was it built in or just bolts to ? I forget) Your sweet ride looks to have what I suspect is the section of a sedans rear bar.

That colour is not really beige is it, sort of milk coffee (the drink , gone cold, not the Arnotts bickie) usually looks tatty due to no love, but gosh the colour looks good when washed and polished or even in two pack

Yep its the factory bumper, with the little 5mph cushions removed.  US had different bumpers than Australia.

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On 4/17/2019 at 4:02 AM, moosens said:

Northeast gem. Nice find. Catch that rust now , don’t wait. I see you’re in Duchess County. Not too far from me in CT. 

Let me know if you take it to any shows/meets over near the CT line like the one in South Salem NY that I can’t think of the name. 

Or please try to make Caffeine and Carbs in New Canaan CT , it’s gotten huge but you’ll likely see the most exotic and expensive machinery there. 

Enjoy !!! 

 

Did not know about either of those shows, I usually go to Bear Mountain and the small car show near Home Depot in brewster on Friday nights.  Ill have to check those out.

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North Salem NY is Hayfields , but I didn’t see any events happening with a quick glance.

The big one that you want to catch for sure , eventually is Caffeine and Carbs in New Canaan CT - check them online. They sometimes are downtown and sometimes at Waveny Park. Can’t go wrong with this meet. You’ll see it all from Paganis to unrestored funky classics.

 

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14 hours ago, moosens said:

North Salem NY is Hayfields , but I didn’t see any events happening with a quick glance.

The big one that you want to catch for sure , eventually is Caffeine and Carbs in New Canaan CT - check them online. They sometimes are downtown and sometimes at Waveny Park. Can’t go wrong with this meet. You’ll see it all from Paganis to unrestored funky classics.

 

I definetely will.

 

On another note I saw an old post that said you have some jump seats for sale.  They wouldnt still happen to be for sale, would they?  Thanks!

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Ya know , I’m going through storage now and I suddenly don’t see any. I know I sold at least one set and that I once had three sets. 

So the sad answer is not at this time. But I sure do hope to rediscover a set that should be buried in the one corner I haven’t gotten to yet. 

One of my sets was super low miles set from a Subaru of America exec I came to know who sold me his 79k mike Brat. Just had his info and bill of sale in my hands yesterday. 

If that set shows up I’ll let you know. 

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