18 replies to this topic

[wallaby]

i couldn't get any interest in this thing to sell....
so i guess i'll just have to keep it
need a more family friendly car anyway
this will allow me to play with the blue BRAT at my leisure.....
with out having to worry about keeping it on the road....
(lift?????, EJ????????)


specs:
bought from a mechanics yard (did a heap of work and couldn't pay so gave him the title...that was 10 years ago.....)
too good for a farm hack so gave my mother in law the 88 DL for a beater and got this back, had a fuel supply issue.
84 GL wagon, D/R, full power options, in pretty good condition, just neglected and sun faded.

fixed the fuel issue - removed the guts of the fuel cut out solenoid....also replaced the fuel pump, looks like it has had a tune up (plugs, leads etc) so will just do an oil change and runn it.

replaced RH ball joint - source of major clunk.
had axles and WB done at the mechanic so they are good
tyres are old but good tread - will get some good winter treads on soon.


tore out whole interior to clean and replace front seats
DS seat monts are screwed up and i have GL10 seats with height adjustable drivers side so will have to custom make the brackets - see how that goes....
pass side fits fine with standard 1" spacer .
installed a radio so at least i have SOME tunes - speakers are iffy have some boxes i might just thow in the back

needs a polish - any suggestions on an "easy" way to get really badly oxidized paint back to shiny?

will get some progress pics soon
this is how it started....

[cpreset]

cant think of an easy and cheap way its either elbow grease or pay someone else to do it. i just washed and waxed my 85 hatch two less doors still alot of work

[TheLoyale]

Rubbering compound will do it. Like they used to do in the '40s, rubbing compound will cut through the damaged surface, and then you can rewax it to seal it up better.

It's gonna be a little work either way, it pays off though.

[wallaby]

i was kind of afraid thats what the answer would be........
did the hood, looks about 1000 times better but could still use some work
working on the doors - not as bad
rubbed the roof with diesel - see if that wives tales works - looks good for now
will post pic when its done

[Mechanical_misfit]

the paint on my 84 was in similar shape to yours when I got it. I used a cheap buffing compound from auto zone and my Makita buffer. I spent about 4 hours total on the entire car, its easy, and doesn't take much work to make that old paint look better. I think I gave a better explanation in my thread.

[TheLoyale]

I could see the diesel soaking into the top layer of the paint, and making it look better. Dunno if it'll eat away any oxidization, but looking forward to the new photos!

[wallaby]

whole lot of other stuff came up.....
FIL's tranny blew up, engine toasted in my chevy 6.2......
anyway
this has to get me to work soon....
spent a hour last night scraping the flaky stuff of the headliner
about 90% done - will just paint it when im done
need to weld the seat mounts on the DS
will be using GL10 height adjustable seat....should be cool
hopefully get that done tonight.
more pics tommorrow..

[wallaby]

got a little more done,
removed the muffler and put staight pipe to the back
finished scrapping the flaky stuff off the headliner with a toothbrush, didn't take as long as you would think.
then painted it with color coat in "warm grey".....did the console as well
vacumned up all the flaky stuff from the carpet - got 80% done and my shop vac bit the dust..... (smoke and sparks - i think its dead)
installed the passenger seat,
got to do the driver seat and i'll be on the road

[wallaby]

drove it to work today.....
drives pretty well....for a stock standard EA81
got the seats done, not great but its done enough for now
would like to have a bit more legroom but not sure how that will happen



didn't realize how small these things are, the bigger doors on the BRAT are really nice.

still needs a bath and a cut & polish and a vacumn

[wallaby]

drove this thing for a week....
now it has a fuel supply issue,
hardly made it to work one day, changed the fuel filter at lunchtime(it was only a week old)
drove home, left the next morning and it started doing the same thing...
changed the "other" filter (underneath) and seafoamed the carb.

still has a splutter at higher RPM, will idle fine but doesen't accelerate from idle - just stalls then doesen't want to restart

i am thinking its in the carb, i am torn between trying to make it work, trying my stripped hitachi again (no vacumn lines, manual choke, mech secondary)
or i could wack on the weber of the brat....but then the brat would be completely dead in the water:(

if it doesen't behave it might get stripped of its engine and power steering....that'll teach it a lesson - the brat is wayyy more fun:burnout:

[wallaby]

so found the source of the problem.....
tank has gunk in it and is clogging the inlet (screen????)
don't know what it is - rust, varnish, general crap....
on a brighter note...
got my studs on!!!!
used 185/80 r13 $150 fitted

Edited by wallaby, 05 November 2012 - 06:08 PM.
add pic

[Crazyeights]

That's looking great! I like that color too. Perhaps a little Naval Jelly would shine up those wheels a bit.

[wallaby]

That's looking great! I like that color too. Perhaps a little Naval Jelly would shine up those wheels a bit.

i have never seen naval jelly....i have heard about it and wondered if it came from the navy or from someones navel.........hmmmmm

anyway....
cleaned the fuel tank with marine clean, not as dirty as i would have thought, car ran like a dog for about 6 miles.... now it runs great
i am going to replace the fuel filter again just to be sure. hopefully its fixed and i can just drive it, just in time for winter here

not as easy to drive as the Brat, the long doors make a HUGE difference, i don't know if there is any other differences but i like the brat a lot better.

[TomRhere]

I can relate to the 2-door/4-door ease of access going from BRATs to the '88 Wagon.

6'-2", 34" inseam, 225 lbs. Not real easy to exit the Wagon. When Son, Chris drives it, he slides the seat forward a couple notches. I don't always catch that he has the seat forward when I go to get in it. I don't fit the Wife's '07 HHR very well either.

Took a few "window in the ribs" before I learned to open the the DS door differently. The BRATs have glass that's angled forward, Wagons are straight. Driving a BRAT for 12+ years, one gets use to certain things.

[wallaby]

I can relate to the 2-door/4-door ease of access going from BRATs to the '88 Wagon.

6'-2", 34" inseam, 225 lbs. Not real easy to exit the Wagon. When Son, Chris drives it, he slides the seat forward a couple notches. I don't always catch that he has the seat forward when I go to get in it. I don't fit the Wife's '07 HHR very well either.

Took a few "window in the ribs" before I learned to open the the DS door differently. The BRATs have glass that's angled forward, Wagons are straight. Driving a BRAT for 12+ years, one gets use to certain things.

i am just a bit taller - not much room for my legs....
i am about to push this thing of a cliff........changed another fuel filter on the roadside this morning, didn't help, took the line off the fuel pump underneath, fuel ran back out - hooked it back up....have fuel.
i think i will take all the connections of this afternoon and blow air though them (again) see if thats the last of it.
its starting to get on my nerves....and i smell like gas all day

[wallaby]

still having fits with this thing
i think the line from the pump to the engine is bad....rusty, gummed up with junk???
i blew air though it and it ran for about 5 minutes
so i ran a fuel hose from the pump up front, not a lot of space to do that once you get into it.....
STILL no fuel out of it, thinking maybe my new pump is bad, have some more testing to do tonight.

put new gas struts on the rear hatch - cause i whacked my head on it....
new LED interior light - trailer reversing light, looks kind of agricultural but puts out heaps of light
and put the seat cover on the rear seat.

but it still doesn't run.......

Edited by wallaby, 19 November 2012 - 02:17 PM.

[wallaby]

finnally have this car running......
seems the fuel pump i replaced 2 months ago is bad
replaced under warranty, car runs great....
did not cover the pain and suffering though......

[88wacaroo]

finnally have this car running......
seems the fuel pump i replaced 2 months ago is bad
replaced under warranty, car runs great....
did not cover the pain and suffering though......

Boy O Boy, I am lucky I find ONES that don"t have the fuel issue!! It"s aggravating as Hell:horse:!! I"ve had my share though...I bet you were ready to step back an pull out the ole 45 an teach it a lesson EH?!! I had a 67 GTO that did that:horse: I had to put a new tank in it:banghead: I just revived a 83gl JUST like yours-same color and all for a friend...I had to do a new mtr.,brks.,tires,just all the major crap-it sat 4 A LONG time But alls good now-my buddies 1st Subie He Loves that thing!!! What would you expect...go from a gas guzz.v-8 xploder to a 30mpg Subie Yeah buddy!!!

[wallaby]

Its amazing how getting good parts makes the car work so much better....
Car is running great now, drives really nice..
BUT
I don't like it as much as the Brat and my wife dosen't like it much either..
so i think its for sale again,
on the road with all the improvements i have done recently,
will keep driving it and post an ad.