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1978 Subaru Brat. From death to life and everything in-between


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WOW.  That engine carnage shot is just awesome!  I cant tell but is that a EA71 or 81?  If its a 71 id be using now as an excuse to drop an 81 in there for a bit more oommpphh. 

 

 

It's an EA71. I actually have another supposedly good EA71 that came from a junkyard but I am opting to keep the car more true to its original self. The plan is to have the EA71 rebuilt so it can go on for years to come trouble free (hopefully).

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  • 2 weeks later...

This just in. The broken motor is now at my machine shop. The block has been inspected as looks (and I quote) "perfect". The cylinder walls are perfect. The bearings will need to be .01 over-sized (I believe that's the correct terminology). Now for the not so good news. The second motor I purchased and was planning on using the heads off of, the heads are different. The spare motor doesn't have all the ports on the heads for the emissions equipment to bolt up. This tells me that the "spare" EA71 is earlier than 1978. Well just my luck! Now what? Can I use the heads off the older EA71 motor without all the emissions equipment connectors and hope it passes smog? I want to do this build right and certainly not half rump roast anything.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It has a Weber on it.  :D

 

Okay, text update tonight. I just saw photo's of the motor at the builder. Oh-my-gawd. It looks so clean I could eat off of every surface! Received my pistons and rings in the mail today and the motor should be all put together and ready to install into the Brat by this coming Tuesday!  :) My builder is using a factory original 1978 Subaru OEM manual for all his torque and assembly settings. I believe his exact words were "amazing" when I pulled that book out. Stay tuned for excitement starting next week!

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Okay here is a pretty big update. The new engine internals have been assembled in the block, the heads have also been rebuilt and refinished. Just looking at the motor it looks SO GOOD! While the motor was out I had the engine bay coated in a resilient black textured coating. This should help fight any possible rust and it makes the engine bay look GREAT! Since it was getting cleaned up and sprayed I had the front passenger fender fixed, and repainted as well as the hood. Take a look at the photos and I think they speak for themselves. We replaced the smashed turn signal assembly with a better one that I picked up. The Brat is starting to look damn good. New motor mounts, new oil pump, new water pump, new engine, new heads, new clutch, new pressure plate, new flywheel. I am also having the weber rebuilt on Monday so at the end of this coming week the Brat should be BACK ON THE ROAD! Take a look at the pictures and let me know what you guys think.

 

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Untitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr
Untitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr
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Untitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr
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Untitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr
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Untitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr
Untitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr
 
Edited by spicypeanut
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Thanks for all the warm thoughts guys! I just got back from the mechanics and the motor is in! In fact it was ready to go as of Thursday but during the initial testing we found out the entire steering rack was severely worn out. We had it sent out to be completely rebuilt and it arrived back at the shop today! It sure is a thing of beauty!

 

Major things to do:

Install Steering Rack

Install new Throttle Cable

Install new Weber Air cleaner assembly

 

Once those 3 things happen I believe this will be back in my garage. Next week can't come quick enough!

 

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Almost forgot. It has a new battery (not the deep cycle marine battery I stole out of our boat but an actual auto battery :) )

Edited by spicypeanut
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Nice. I like you kept the EA71. Hope to have a 1st gen with one someday.

 

Thank you. Keep your eye's peeled. They are out there.

 

WOW, love the progress!  I wish my classic was half this far along!

 

Do you have a build thread? I'd love to see what you are working with.

 

Looks great man!!!

 

Thank you. :)

Too bad you have to have all of that emissions stuff on there in CA...otherwise I'd say chuck it and get a weber!

 

So the original EA71 motor that was in the car, the heads had 2 ports for the emissions equipment. But the other spare EA71 motor that I rebuild the heads only had 1 port for the emissions equipment. I was under the impression that all EA71 motors were the same. Do you have any idea how many revisions to the heads SoA made, or how to tell the differences?

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