ChevyBrat Posted March 18, 2006 Share Posted March 18, 2006 i'm asking this for someone i know who is interested...is it possible to put a Chevy 350 in a Brat and retain 4wd? has anyone on here done it? if so, do you have any pics/words of advice...? thanks in advance... Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxrflyboy Posted March 18, 2006 Share Posted March 18, 2006 Anything is possible with sufficient ambition. My advice would be to drop the Brat body on a 4WD chassis with the correct wheelbase. None of the Subaru running gear would be compatible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted March 18, 2006 Share Posted March 18, 2006 Somebody put a Chevy 2.8 V6 in a 79 Brat once, but it required a lot of fabrication, just like any radical engine swap. You could surely do it, but it would take a lot of work. I also think the weight increase would pretty much negate any benefits of the power you gain, but to each his own. I do think that putting the Brat body on, say, a Blazer chassis would work out a lot better. A 350 would twist a Brat in half in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChevyBrat Posted March 19, 2006 Author Share Posted March 19, 2006 i fully agree. thanks a lot guys. personally, i would prefer to just keep the Brat stock (or slightly modded using other Subaru engines/parts) and have more fun with it that way... Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z28 Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I also think the weight increase would pretty much negate any benefits of the power you gain, but to each his own. Weight increase? You are only really talking 200-300lbs here. That is not nearly enough to negate out power when you are going from 70hp to upwards of 200hp for a stock motor, and 300-400hp if it's got heads and a cam with a decent carb and intake. There are so many varieties of 350's but not too many were under 200hp. In fact, I'm pretty sure the slowest production 350 had 170hp. So, even if it was a 170hp motor, you are going up 100hp and 300lbs...you will most definately gain substantial power...imagine a worked 350 with aluminum Trick Flow heads and a .500/.500 lift cam =) And if you havent guessed by now, I'm a Chevy guy Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Sorry, I should have clarified a little bit more.... Let's say you add 200 lbs to the front of a Brat, which I think is pretty conservative, considering you'd have to put in a different/tougher tranny, as well as a transfer case. Anyway, my point there is that it's probably close to 10% of the Brat's weight. For street use, it may or may not affect the handling a great deal, and it would be WAAAAY faster. Like scary fast. For offroad use or driving in snow, I think it would cause a lot of negative changes. The reason Subarus are good offroad is their light weight. Take away the weight advantage, and it's really not that good of an offroader. Just my opinion. Life would be boring if we all agreed, right?:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z28 Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Just my opinion. Life would be boring if we all agreed, right?:cool: Lol you bet, especially the internet. But I still think that the tons of torque (300ish ft/lbs) would help it power through the weight increase in a case of offroading. I see where you are coming from though, I just don't think that increase is that substantial. Here, try this, go offroading with a heavy-set friend and see if there is a difference :-p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChevyBrat Posted March 19, 2006 Author Share Posted March 19, 2006 haha, thanks for all the help guys. there is a lot to think about and that is what i told my uncle, who is the freak that wants to do this, lol. i personally think that the Brat would be better off with a WRX motor and then pretty much leave the rest alone...so you keep the weight advantage... Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxrflyboy Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Older generation Chevy S10/T10 Blazers rust almost as bad as Brats do, so if the wheelbases are right and you have a solid Brat body, a chassis swap might be cool. Granted, you are adding a substantial amount of weight, but I think we've covered that subject.:horse:The combo would probably weigh about the same as the Blazer with the 350, and a 350 swap in an S10/T10 Blazer is a BIG power increase. And swapping in a BUILT 350 is a given! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84gl Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 why not just drop in a ej 20 its almost the same weight as an ea81 so, it handles as well as it ever did and will last forever but, I guess you could put a crappy old v8 in it that weights 3 times as much as the ej20 has 4 times the parts to ware out and if you baby it you mite get 100k out of it before a rebuilt or maybe your just afraid of wiring and ecu's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChevyBrat Posted March 19, 2006 Author Share Posted March 19, 2006 hehe...funny. wiring and ECU's don't scare me in the least. i am not the one wanting to do this. and besides...100k out of a 350? are you high? if a 350 only lasts 100k something is WRONG. i have seen plenty go 300k plus. if you read a few posts up i SAID i would rather just swap in upgraded Suby stuff. you talk about more things to go wrong...what in the heck do you call "wiring and ECU"? i'm sorry, i don't recall a carb'd 350 having those. and if i'm not mistaken, water/mud and wiring/ECU's don't get along. so, lets see, which one is more prone to mess up in an offroad environment? i would say the one with the computer crap. but i still stand by what i said before...i would rather see a modded (even computer controlled) Suby engine in it than a Chevy 350... Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack in Norfolk Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Nothing against chevys, but I think you are on the right track sticking with a Subaru powerplant. But then again, its been done before (the various sube engine swaps) for all we know, a 350 could be the best thing that ever happened to a brat, but somehow I doubt it. On a slightly unrelated note, I did know a guy who put a 351 in a first generation escort. I don;t know the details but when he was done it was rear wheel drive and he sid somehting to the effect of "I'm to scared to go over 125!". So, you can do anything. have you seen the wrx powered atv? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soobmater Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 whats wrong with a good ole ej22? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChevyBrat Posted March 20, 2006 Author Share Posted March 20, 2006 WRX powered ATV?! this i gotta see! i do honestly think the 350 would be cool, but i think it would be more a novelty factor...i think for versatility, the Suby plant would be the best. i am talking to my uncle about this right now. i also threw in the idea of putting the Brat body on a Toyota frame ('79-'85) with a solid axle, and then maybe throw a 350 in that...or just keep the Toyota powerplant... Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingbobdole Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 As far as the V8 goes, weight is an issue, no matter the power... its not moving the weight thats the problem, its the handeling... Just ask anyone with a V8 in a Datsun Z car... Always have to buy tires, and I've never heard of a RWD car that understeers so much:-\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Alright boys and girls. The man asked what would have to be done to get a 350 in a brat. Not if he should. "Nice be damned, If you don't have anything useful to say, don't say anything at all" - Author, my mother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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