christopher G Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 ok... I have looked...(from experience of getting yelled at).. (I know that alot of people dont search the forum before asking a question that is already been answered 100 times...) I just got my hands on a 80 brat EA-71 motor, single range... The truck is in good shape for the price....(a 10hp Honda Kicker Outboard motor) the first thing I want to do is lift it. how come I cant find anything about lifting a Gen1??? Is there a way? Is it even worth it due to its amazing 77horses of ground stomping, tire burning fury? The car is in such good shape that I plan on doing a complete restoration with slight mods. thanks for the helps Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 77?!?! Your funnay. But seriously the EA71 is about 60 HP. The EA81 is 73, or 74 for later large valve head models. People rarely lift gen 1's due to the complexity of the rear end assembly. The rear trailing arms use seperate torsion bars for each wheel, and they are not mounted at right-angles to the body. If you look you will see what I'm talking about. This makes it very difficult to design lift blocks for the rear end. The best way is to put in the torsion tube setup from a Gen 2 in the back. Even this requires some serious welding and fabrication of new mounts for the whole assembly - and they have to be STRONG to support the lift blocks and the torsion tube. Coupled with the lack of low range in the transmission, underpowered engine that cannot be coupled to any of the D/R trannies, and you have a bad recipe. In order to be effective with the large tires afforded by a lift you have to replace: Engine Transmission Entire rear suspension And that's not even counting the lift, tires and everything else. You have to REALLY, REALLY want it. The interior is small, there's no cargo space, power steering isn't even an option (absolute MUST have off-road IMO). Might as well start with a Gen 2 or 3. Tons less work, and won't cost you an arm and a leg. And this HAS been covered many times, just not in the last few months that I can remember. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christopher G Posted January 6, 2007 Author Share Posted January 6, 2007 AWESOME!!!! That's Exactly what I DIDN'T want to hear!!!! So basically My dreams of a cool Brat just fell off the cliff that I think I am going to push this car off of. NOW I WANT MY MOTOR BACK FOR MY BOAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 If it's nice, sell it and find a Gen 2. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjaben43 Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 i have a motor, and a rearend, and my buddy has a tranny. if you are feeling up to it and you have a little cash:brow: pm me and we can meet up somtime and look over your situation:headbang: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank B Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 That doesn't mean you can't do it, it's just going to take more work. This board wouldn't be alive today if everybody listened to folks saying "it can't be done" or " it isn't worth it". Just take it as a warning that's it's going to be tough going, do your research, save the money, then do it right. There's my motivational speech for the month................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spigma01 Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 It's really not that hard to put the gen two rear-end under the gen one body. I used four pieces of two inch X 1/2" flat bar, total. two pieces on each end of the torsion tube. About the only thing you need to be real critical about is to put every thing in the right place for driveline length and then make sure the wheels are square to the body. If you can weld a little bit then the lift in the rear is very straight forward and simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveAP Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 I have owned two gen ones, wagon and brat. I drove those single range trannys all over the hills here in central ariz. Just have to make a run at some stuff. When I bought the brat it had had a lift already on it. 3". I believe they had clocked the rear end to raise it. They also had welded a new shock mount about an inch higher than stock. The front was lifted with alum blocks. I run 14" 205's on it. I am hoping to take out the single range, and install a dual range tranny. I bought a fatcase bellhousing here a long while ago. It is supposed to mate my ea71 to the dual range. I am running a '87 dual brat so am spoiled. I like the idea of keeping the '78 as stock as possible, it runs really well as it was a jap import with hydraulic lifters ,and has a weber as well. I am not much of a gear head, but am willing to try the tranny switch. It is not my daily driver anymore, so I won't be put out while working on it. The only reason I retired it, it developed a really nasty clunk in the steering. It would lock up, and I'd have to muscle it past the hard spot. Someone on the board thought it might be at the steering coupler. He said he had only to grind off the high spot to relieve it. I haven't tried that, but will soon. I imagine people would like some pics of the lift, but I am puter disadvantaged. I could probably email some but that is about it. I am just getting ready to move back into the house where I have kept it stored. So it will no longer be out of sight out of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 It is supposed to mate my ea71 to the dual range. IF you can find one, it will indeed allow the mating. But (and this is a big one), you still can't run huge tires as the EA71 is limited to the 200mm clutch due to the flywheel being a different bolt pattern. It might be possible to redrill an EA81 flywheel to get the 225mm clutch, but it's not a bolt up. And for that much work, it's easier to just put the EA81 in and get the added power as well. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveAP Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 IF you can find one, it will indeed allow the mating. But (and this is a big one), you still can't run huge tires as the EA71 is limited to the 200mm clutch due to the flywheel being a different bolt pattern. It might be possible to redrill an EA81 flywheel to get the 225mm clutch, but it's not a bolt up. And for that much work, it's easier to just put the EA81 in and get the added power as well Still no reason not to do it. That brat pulled just fine. I have plenty of clearance with the 205's. With the dual range, it will be that much finer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrap487 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 my wagon was pushing 29.5" tires with the 200mm clutch before I pulled the motor. It will hold up for a while, the pressure plate failed before the clutch starting slipping too much. When I got it apart the clutch disk looks at about 60%, while the PP is almost completely flat. But I only had it running for about 6 months? you'd have to get used to replacing the clutch fairly often or just do some custom flywheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Range Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Do the lift, it takes some work, but all things are possible. My '79 brat came out well, gets plenty of looks, 3" lift, complete '81 wagon running gear. power steering is possible on a gen 1, you just have to mix and match a bunch of different gen 1 and 2 parts. my next gen 1 project should be fun too: '79 FE coupe (hardtop) ea81 and 4spd d/r from '80 brat 3" lift (gen 2 rear torsion setup, blocks up front) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldDiggerRoo Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Do the lift, it takes some work, but all things are possible. My '79 brat came out well, gets plenty of looks, 3" lift, complete '81 wagon running gear. Pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phizinza Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Pics? Plenty in his gallery http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=6432&what=allfields&name=Free%20Range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveAP Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Plenty in his galleryhttp://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?p hoto=6432&what=allfields&name=Free%20Range NICE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Range Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 here are some more, I had ea81 front struts with the adjustments maxed out when I first built the rig to save on axles, the ea71 struts are now back in with the adjustments ~1/3 up, that brought the front 1.5" up. so far no broken front axles since the strut change... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldDiggerRoo Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Oh yeah, I've seen that one before. That makes me want to keep the Brat I just got and lift it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christopher G Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 Thanks Guys... I have to say.. I really like Rippin around in this little thing. Although I AM convinced on lifting it. and I will soon enough... I cant stand it. Now I dont know what I want to drive around more.. MY LOYALE OR THE BRAT???? TOSS UP>>> thakns:headbang: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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