48 replies to this topic

[Hedgenettle]

Wow,that's gonna be a heck of a project. Good luck with it,Mike. Please keep us posted and if there happens to be anything I have left to donate I sure will.

Nice score of the wheel arches. Are rockers stil available?

So are new Brat rear wheel wells still available? If so, where? How much?

[ettev]

So are new Brat rear wheel wells still available? If so, where? How much?

I found a guy with NOS wheel wells. Still has 7 of one side and 2 or 3 of the other. Price.......salty. $350 per side.

[ettev]

Looks like all of the structurally augmentation was wrapped up tonight. Not a lot to show for it though. One really heavy duty patch on the drivers front frame horn, rocker panel patches on both sides, and a lot of reattaching of removed parts. Got the rear end back up into place and we reinstalled the gas tank. Since I pulled it to do the structural work I had a local shop cook it out and check it for leaks. All good! Sprayed the top with rubberized undercoating, reinstalled the sending unit and back up she went. All new hoses and clamps too. We got rid of the short metal fuel return lines that come thru the rubber grommet in the passengers rear wheel area and went back in with new rubber lines. Alas, the magic spray from PennDOT's winter road pre-treatment got to the metal lines. Reinstalled the trailer hitch. Test fit the front brush guard but didn't install it until the rest of the body work is finished. Put the old set of shocks back on temporarily until the new Ranchos go on in conjunction with the lift kit. LOTS of tool clean-up, etc.

Well that just about does it for this portion of the work. Stay tuned for future work including lift kit install, finished body work, reinstallation of interior plushies, installation of the camper top and finally the paint job. All should start next week and run for another month or two.

As long as you're all reading this let me ask for opinions. Should I keep all the high thin and low thicker side body moldings on this thing or take them off and fill in the holes prior to painting? I'd need to pull them anyway to do some rust repair behind a few of the mounting locations so either way is no extra work. What would look best?

As for paint the boy and I were really liking the idea of a dull snow camo job. My brother-in-law says go back all white with the original red/black/white halo stripes. I am putting a high topper on it and was going to paint it to match the truck wheter its snow camo or something else. If it matters the interior on this one is blue, not grey and I'm going with a set of 15" Pugeot alloys with swampers. All opinions are welcome.

[McDave]

As for paint the boy and I were really liking the idea of a dull snow camo job. My brother-in-law says go back all white with the original red/black/white halo stripes. I am putting a high topper on it and was going to paint it to match the truck wheter its snow camo or something else. If it matters the interior on this one is blue, not grey and I'm going with a set of 15" Pugeot alloys with swampers. All opinions are welcome.

I'm sure your B-I-L has become attached to the project and has his own vision for it, but you have to go with what the boy wants to make it his own. Besides, I'm partial to anything camo, even snow camo.

[kiwi subbie]

well done on all the work you have done so far on the brat. yea i thought of painting my brumby camo colours to haha:)

[ettev]

More cosmetic work today. I need to fix a leaking brake line then its off for the lift install. Check back later in the week or next weekend.

[ettev]

Been a while since I posted progress pics. Go here:

Lots done since July. Complete ignition system tune-up, new coil, installed power steering, installed 100A Cadillac alternator, rebuilt oil pump, installed new water pump, installed 4" SJR lift, installed high top camper, installed factory driving light system, had a local shop cook out the radiator and test it. I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff but what the hell.

Now its time for some fiberglass body work. Once that's done the bed gets Rhino lined and the jump seat go in. Then paint. Still undecided between soild white with the Brat halo stripes or a complete snow camo job over the whole thing including the camper top. Stay tuned for updates.

p.s. I can't seem to find the ADVANCED EDIT feature on the board anymore. I want to change the title of the thread to reflect an update date of 8/30. Moderators.............a lil' help please.

Edited by ettev, 14 September 2008 - 08:25 PM.
New photos added 9/14.

[ettev]

Updates as of September 6, 2008. Some fiberglass work around the new wheel wells and bed patches. Soon time for Rhino Lining. The new Weber carb is on the way too. That goes on the first weekend of October.
http://www.flickr.co.../detail/?page=5

[Scott in Bellingham]

This ones cool

[ettev]

They are nice kits. How do you do the cutouts? Water router, plasma torch?

This ones cool

[Zefy]

They are nice kits. How do you do the cutouts? Water router, plasma torch?

that looks like laser cut CNC to me.

nice project!

[ettev]

More updates as of 9/14/2004. Rhino Lining, back seats, cyclops light. Check it out:

Edited by ettev, 14 September 2008 - 08:26 PM.
Added photos on 9/14.

[subyrally]

that brat is looking great, keep up the good work.

[XT6 Magic]

I just went through this for the third time. Fantastic work! It really makes me want to learn how to weld. I need to look in to getting the equipment so I can start practicing on some small stuff. Thanks for sharing the text and photos.

[lostbrat]

my brother and I have done all this before. we have done to three diffrent brats. one we just took off road, got 7 years out of the rebuild..had 280 000 miles and ran great but 7 winters in NH was all it could take. all pictures were very similar in size and location. working on another brat, but this one is mounted on 75 bronco frame. just had to cut front frame rails yesterday for header clearence. 302 powered brat with 37 " tires. oh this is big. i will start thread soon when i figure out how to

[Wirebrush]

ettev:

I'm really looking forward to seeing that Brat with the swampers on it. I have the same wheels and lift ready to go onto mine, but I haven't decided what tires I want. I really want the 29x8.50s but I'm afraid they will require too much body "modification".

[CWP8]

What did you do for the rear wheel wells? the one on my brat are bad.

[ettev]

When I did this project there were still some available thru Subaru parts at the dealers.

[CWP8]

is it just any dealer?

[ettev]

Yep. Visit your local Subaru dealer parts counter and ask them to search for the Brat wheel wells. There were only a very limited number of them remaining in stock when I got mine.

[CWP8]

Ok thank you

[CWP8]

And also where did you get the wheels? im looking to go to a 14 or 15

[ettev]

Peugeot 14's or 15's. check classifieds on here. They come up for sale regularly.

[CWP8]

Ok thanks