The Beast I Drive Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 (edited) Just figured I would share my latest acquisition This is Rusty, the Brat that Twitch was selling, as seen in this thread http://ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=95448 This is what i started with (Twitch's pics, not mine) It had a few issues... The rear bumper was destroyed, and it took much of the rear unibody framerails' structural integrity with it. The same incident which caused the bumper damage also apparently killed the clutch, the rivets had dug into the pressure plate about 1/8" . It is rusty, hence the name. I have done some work to it so far though, I started by removing the canopy and replacing the rear bumper with something I whipped up to match the front Then I fixed the hood hinges, the mounts were ripping out of the body, but a little WD-40, liquid wrench, and some welding and all is well. I also replaced the split sunroof with a single piece unit from an S-10, cuz the slit roof was missing one of the glass pieces. It didnt come put pretty though :-\ but thats ok with me this time. I then pulled the engine to replace the clutch. While the engine was out, I polished up a 1400 intake manifold and mounted a Weber carb. Then I reinstalled it As you can see, the 1400 makes the engine bay much cleaner. This is a Factory A/C equiped car, and I saved most of the AC stuff, I just don't need it on this rig. I still have to do the exhaust work though, Im running 2 1/2 foot long headers right now, so i need to make an X-pipe and pull the glasspacks from my burnt RX. I also replaced the tail lights and a side marker light. The interior is black with faux woodgrain, which I dig! the seats need re-upholstered, but I don't care. Amazingly, the stock AM radio works! The dash is cracked, but who has a Brat with a good dash anyway? There is a good bit of rust. The car came from Colorado, and I have deduced from the condition of the mechanicals that is only has 127,xxx miles on it But the rust is killing it. There is rot in the rear of the floorpans, the rear unibody framerails are toast, the rear inner fenders are rotted, the rockers arent pretty, the rear fender arches are being eaten, and the front fenders are only held together by the bondo someone laid over the rust While all the rust on this car is curable with a lot of work, my long term plan is to part this one out for one of my less-rusty shells. But for now, Im gonna spruce it up a bit and drive the crap outa it. As of today, this is what it looks like On the to-do list still: -Build the new exhaust -Oil change, tune-up, trans/diff fluid changes -clean and paint front winch bumper, acquire winch for it -install my high roll bar after I paint it to match the bumpers -Paint the rims back to stock silver -add tow hooks to the front bumper like I did the rear -make my mounting points for the Brat snowplow I recently acquired -fix the random electrical issues. The fuse panel has to go, Ill put a newer blade-style panel in its place. the dash lights dont work, the high beams dont work, and there is a wierd short in the column/dash area, its intermittent. -clean it up a little -new wiper blades -Drive the crap outa it! Eventually I might use it to break in the hot rod 1600/1400 hybrid motor Im building. It already has a lot more spunk than stock, what with the Weber and opened up exhaust Anyway, just thought I would share -Bill Edited June 26, 2009 by The Beast I Drive lots of pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Do you have an express line at the DOT or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niku-Sama Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 that is the mad max/road warrior of brats if i have ever seen it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted June 26, 2009 Author Share Posted June 26, 2009 Did a little more work on it tonight, nothing worth pictures though. Took the roll bar off one of my pther Brats and set it in the bed, Ill have to make some spacers to get it to set just right. Then Ill weld the joints, make new mounting tabs for 4 lights instead of 2, paint it white, and install it. I also will be running stacks on this brat too, I want to be able to drive it out on my buddie's ranch in the summer, and I do not want to start a fire. Ill go with black 3" tubing for those. I got about 1/3 of the exhaust done, this weekend I hope to mount the mufflers and the roll bar, and the stacks too if i can get ahold of some 3" tubing Overall I think it will be a good companion to my other Brat And The Road Warrior is one of the greatest movies ever, period. -Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 You seriously need a headcound of what year and model of subaurs you have. I saw 5 in one shot just lined up; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Well Bill, I'm glad I sold it to you. At least you're willing to polish and drive a turd :-p And doesn't it feel nice to have some barely broke in internals to play with? I'm glad you're willing to do what's right to an old subaru Twitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman18 Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 You seriously need a headcound of what year and model of subaurs you have. I saw 5 in one shot just lined up; Yeah, how many do you have? And what are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 haha, I have to re-count them all, but off the top of my head: -3 1980 Brats -1 1978 Brat -1 1985 Brat -1 1986 Hatch -1 1983 Hatch -1 1980 GL5 wagon parts car -1 1973 Tailgate wagon -1 1976 4WD wagon -2 1986 turbo wagon parts cars -3 1987 GL wagons (one for parts) -1 1989 DL wagon (soon to be sold) -1 1996 Outback parts car -1 1985 DL wagon - Robbie's old offroader, now a parts car - the burnt remains of my 1988 RX I think thats all of them, for now, looks like I might be gettin a 84 wagon soon, and Im trying to save up for a bad rump roast built lifted mudracer '78 Brat -Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilDead Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Jeebus man!! Sell me one of those epic soobs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 Well, i plan to keep all the Brats and the Gen 1 wagons, but the 86 Hatch Im stuck in a rut with, I started a project with it, 6" lift, stripped interior, re-wiring it, body mods, etc. Its not that I want to sell it, there isnt much there to sell so I prolly wouldnt get my money's worth out of it. I plan on making it a mud rig, but I have so many projects I get too easily distracted. Its not that I lose interest, its just I have to many interests and conflicting Ideas... As for Rusty, I got the mufflers welded up yesterday, and I got the high beams to work, but my dash lights still dont work, and there is a very weak current to the lighter jack. So today I plan on fixing the electrical issues, then maybe get to work modding the High roll bar I have so I can get the stacks installed I also have to figure out why it likes to randomly cut out 2 cylinders after it has been driven for a while and gets warmed up :-\ its fine under throttle, but if youre just cruisin, it will start to miss on 2 cylinders, but if you give it more gas its fine. its just anoying at this point, Im thinkin it might be the disty, but Im sure it could be the carb too. Its jetted for a 1.8, I have the idle mixture screw turned out 1 turn IIRC, might be 1 1/2 turns... Also I smell gas really bad if I take a hard right turn... -Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 That would seem easy to me. Your not getting a high of a spark then your idleing but when your movin you create a bigger spark. Seems you have an ignition problem wheather it be plugs, wires, cap, rotor, disty, or coil. You choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one eye Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 haha, I have to re-count them all, but off the top of my head:-3 1980 Brats -1 1978 Brat -1 1985 Brat -1 1986 Hatch -1 1983 Hatch -1 1980 GL5 wagon parts car -1 1973 Tailgate wagon -1 1976 4WD wagon -2 1986 turbo wagon parts cars -3 1987 GL wagons (one for parts) -1 1989 DL wagon (soon to be sold) -1 1996 Outback parts car -1 1985 DL wagon - Robbie's old offroader, now a parts car - the burnt remains of my 1988 RX I think thats all of them, for now, looks like I might be gettin a 84 wagon soon, and Im trying to save up for a bad rump roast built lifted mudracer '78 Brat -Bill You got me by one bill, But I got two more coming with in the next short while................. Like I always tell people when they ask me why so many, I tell them , It keeps me out of the hard drugs!!! Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 Well I played around with it a bit so far today, it is definitely missing on cylinders 3 and 1. I can unplug either spark plug wire while its running and it makes no difference. the plugs are new, there is spark to the plugs, the plug wires are new, the cap and rotor is new. Im thinking its time to swap out the stock ignition and put the disty from the Beast and a new coil in, but there is a lot of different stuff in the Brat that isnt there in the Beast or my other Brat, like a transistor box or something. Im not real sure what I can remove...:-\ I did a compression check on 3 and 1, 3 showed 110 psi while cranking the starter, and 1 showed 105 psi cranking the starter. Is this low? I did the check with the engine warm... It seems like they should be in the 130-140 psi range, but I forget... -Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 Im an idiot. After 3 or more hours of ******* around with the carb, timing, replacing the entire ignition system, and doing all kinds of various tests, I determined that the problem was.... A vacuum line hooked up wrong. I had the HVAC line hooked up to the fuel return line I disconnected that, plugged the port, re-tuned it and it runs perfect now, smooth as glass. im just PO'd that it took me 3 hours to realize such a simple mistake But at least I figured it out, and my ignition system is practically all new now now to mod the roll bar... -Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 Well I didnt get around to workin on the roll bar, but I did accomplish a few other things Got a handle installed and working on the tailgate Got a sliding rear window installed Threw in a spare tire after I tuned it and adjusted the clutch Replaced the stock battery cables with ones i made out of ultra heavy-duty 220V welder ground cables Pulled most of the carpet out of the bed, exposing the rust :-\ and hosed it out. This is the bung i plugged, I had a hose on it before for the HVAC, but I had it hooked up to the fuel return line instead and i was too lazy to hook it up right. My heater core is bad anyway, waiting for the replacement to come, and its summer, so HVAC operation is not important to me right now Unfortunately, I discovered the reason I was smelling burning brakes every time I stopped is because my passenger front calliper is seized and it will not let loose at all. Ill have to see if I can get some new calipers in the morning, as well as new rotors. Once I have the brakes fixed, then I can start using it as a daily driver. -Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Sorry for the bum advice there bill. It for sure sounded like the ignition system. Who knew a vacume line would cause that. Atleast if you part it out you have a new ignition system for one of your other cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 Actually I used the new disty I built for the Beast, so I have to make a new one for it before I can get it to move on its own power... The coil is brand spankin new though, as are the plugs, wires, cap and rotor. I think Im gonna have to install some relays, Ive noticed that on all the Gen 1 Brats I have here, the lower plug on the back of the fuse panel is always melted to some extent. I replaced the plug on this one with a less-melted one, but I think something more permanent needs to be done... -Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 Well this rig proved itself out in the mountains just south of Satus Pass east ouf HWY 97 yesterday :banana: I love it, its so narrow and without a lift it was able to go places no vehicle had been in over 30 years There were a couple spots that I wish I had a low-range, and some spots where a 4" lift woulda been nice, but overall I was quite pleased with its performance. Ran great the whole day! The only problem i had was a short on my possitive starter cable, the spare was pushing it down into a bolt on the anti-pitch rod and it burned up the ground cable for the tranny, but I made a makeshift repair and went on our way, fixed it when we got home. On a side note, me and my buddy covered a lot of terrain, saw tons of tracks, and a flock of wild turkeys Now I have to get my 78 Brat running (it has an EA81 and D/R 4speed swapped in) so I can see if they used an 81-82 4 speed. If it has the low gears I want, and it shifts good, its goin in Rusty Gotta finish up the roll bar, I have it mocked in the car, but I still need to weld on my new light mounting tabs and get the stacks mocked up, but Im waiting for my exhaust cutouts before I do that. Then I can paint the roll bar white and fully install it -Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Ok. Being that i have no time and only 1 subaru i cant understand why you are putting so much work and good parts into a brat that i believe you said has very bad rust. When i think bad rust i think of my cousins subaru wagon that snaped in half. Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 I am putting my time and money into parts that can be transfered onto a less rusty body when the time comes... The rust isnt near as bad as some of you midwesters, but its infected the entire chassis... As long as it is safe to drive Im gonna drive the crap outta it and love it Also this way, if this rusty body gets damaged, its no big deal, its demise is inevitable, but I might as well give it a good run as long as I can Plus I just love to work on it, its not hard, just frustrating at times :-\ but its fun to play with it, this car just does something for me, its like going back in time every time I sit in the seat and turn on the stock AM radio and blast classic country 1460 -Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Awsome keep us posted. Wish i had the time and money for projects like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoobieDoo Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 I like your thinking, Bill. Parts can always be moved! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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