19 replies to this topic

[Alliturken]

Can anyone tell from the pic? It's sitting a little low so it looks like maybe 2wd to me. If so, too bad, it's for sale near me. Nice price too. I have not been able to speak with the owner yet to find out for sure. If it is 4wd, me wantey.

white hatch for sale

[TheSubaruJunkie]

It looks to be 2WD with how low the rear end is. And it has steel rims too.

Easiest way to find out is look under the rear end, if it has a diff... its 4WD.

-Brian

[XSNRG]

I agree with Junkie, looks like 2WD.
Even easier, look on the left lower corner of the hatch, if it has a 4WD emblem your in biz, if there is no emblem, 2WD. This is not as reliable since the hatch could be changed or the emblem off but quicker.
Looks like a nice car:burnout

[Alliturken]

I think you are correct...2WD. I dont have an exact address where the car is parked, so I can't go look yet. I hope to talk to the owner this morning to get all details. The thing is in such good shape...wish it was 4WD!

[Sweet82]

Gimme a vin and I'll tell you!

It must be a DL, that would explain the steel wheels and no roof rack. In 1983 they didn't make a DL with 4wd. 1981 and 1982 had a different grille.

If it is a 4wd the rear suspension is toast!

My money's on 2wd!

[Alliturken]

If I had a VIN, I'd already know. His ad says it's an 86, btw. The body looks so nice, I'm considering maybe trying to swap in a 4wd driveline. Depends on what I can do in the price negotiation.

[Negasonic Teenage Warhead]

It's no DL. It would have 2 head lights, not 4. I would bet 50 bucks that it is indeed a 2wd.
It rides low, has no mud flaps.

Chances are, it's a later model, it may have a young hydrolic motor in it. Could be wort getting just for the engine. I'm guessing later model because it looks like the front bumper is part chrome.

[VaporTrail]

yeah. trim around the headlights (inside of bezel, and the metal holders) all looks to be black, which would make it a 84-89. assuming of course the front end hasn't been redone....

[Alliturken]

Do you mean a motor with hydraulic lifters? When (year) did they go to this? And, forgive my ignorance, but why are the hydraulics so much better? No adjustment?

BTW, congrats on the Rubicon outing. You guys are nuts. You've inspired me to go down and do a Baja outing (500 miles) with a bunch of trucks and Jeeps next year. Not nearly as technical as Rubicon.....mostly sand, rock and water crossings. But I wanna do it just to say I did! Gotta get a new rig first tho.....

I'll do a sep post on the Baja goal a little later with a link to the folks that organize it. (Ohh, I just hijacked my own thread for a second....doh.)

[Sweet82]

Just kidding about the vin, if you had it we wouldn't be here!

In the 1986 brochure section of the board here, it shows only the 4WD GL had a black bumper. If someone can see a chrome section on the front bumper it would not be 4wd!

Still voting with everyone else...2wd!

For what it's worth...
Glenn,
cars...

[VaporTrail]

the 85-89 ea81's had hydraulic lifters. no adjustments, and slightly better lift I think. maybe 2-3 mor hp
84 with auto tranny also had hydraulic lifters.

[Alliturken]

Thanks. Is there an easy way to tell if it is a hydraulic lifter motor, by looking at one?

Any opinions on whether or not this car would be worth doing a tranny swap to go 4WD?

[CIS Subaru]

I gamma corrected the picture, and it's definitely a 2wd. There's no brace bar under the front bumper, and the plastic bumper sides are the fat 2wd ones. It also appears to have a 3rd brake light which verifies that it's an '86 or newer car.

Now for the interesting stuff. It's possible that it could have an EA71 engine!! In '86 and '87 they made some 1.6L 2wd 5spd GL Hatchbacks. The EA71 engine never had hydraulic lifters.

If it has an EA81, you can easily see if it has hydraulic lifters by looking at the valve covers. The hydraulic lifter engines have stickers on the valve covers that say not to adjust the valves.

It has recently come to my attention that models with different transmissions came with different transmission tunnels in the floor, so I would only try to do a 4wd swap on it if it has an automatic transmission. The 2wd manual models had a smaller tranny tunnel that would need beaten out to accomodate a 4wd tranny.

[Alliturken]

Gamma-corrected the picture? And you could see all THAT? Whoa.

That's very interesting info. I found out for sure it is a 2wd. Not sure if it is an ea71; I did not go over to look at it due to the 2wd. Decided I dont wanna mess with a swap right off the bat!

Tranny tunnel: Weird. Why would they go to the trouble of making floor pans and firewalls with two different size tunnels?

Lifters: That's great info....thanks.

[Alliturken]

I bet you'd know this: I'm also looking at an 82 wagon right now, and it has 2 round headlights. Did they have round and square HL styles all at the same time on wagons?

[Negasonic Teenage Warhead]

I believe that the round ones would make it a DL in 82. After that, all the dls had square headlights.

I know they madet he 1600s all the way thru the ea81 series, but don't think there'd be much of a chance of a GL sporting one. . .

[Alliturken]

Thanks Zapar. I was just looking at the Subaru 80's brochures, and I think I get it now: The DL's all had round lights and the GL has single squares. Any idea what you get on the GL that did not come on the DL? Any reason NOT to buy an 82 DL?

[Negasonic Teenage Warhead]

"Didn't Leave nothin' but an a.m. radio"

GL will have a tach and a dual range, third eye, stuff like that.
DL lacks these.

[Alliturken]

Lol, that's pretty funny. Well, I think I'd need the tach. Maybe I should hold out for a GL then. thanks for your help.

[Qman]

Very good information. I do need to make one correction though. The EA71 did indeed come in a hydraulic application. The JDM(Japanese Domestic Market) EA71 had hydraulic lifters.

Qman