shortbus

My '85. Pics are a bit older but other than the Brat stripe being a little more faded she looks about the same.

I met one guy several years ago but I can't remember his board name. Unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of us in Florida. If any Floridians happen to see this PM me, I'd be up for a meet sometime.

I used to get cards asking if I wanted to sell the Brat. Haven't gotten anything other than smiles and strange looks lately (people down here don't see Soobs very often, much less Brats).

Awesome story and photos! Be thankful you have areas like that to explore relatively close. The only place to get 100 miles away from anything in the wasteland of a state that FL has become is to go east, west or south and you need a boat, not a Soob. I've always dreamt of moving out West but with an upcoming wedding (next weekend!) and a house in a sinking market it doesn't look like it'll happen soon. One bright note is that springs like those in your pics are all over down here. They are usually surrounded by "campgrounds" for the RV folks but beautiful nonetheless.

Not many of us here from FL. I'm just east of Tampa in Valrico.

Put me third in line for those Brat seatbelts. If there are multiple radiators and they are EA81 I'd be interested in one of those as well. Thanks!

Right, I just figured that out. Glad I thought about that before hitting the one-click button

I've looked through hundreds of amazon results to no avail; anyone have a link? I need a few of these for the Brat. Edit - Nevermind, just searched using the part number in the first post and it came right up. Yippee!!

Definitely off, they just look goofy to me with toppers. I made an impulse purchase of one at a u-pull it yard awhile back and I'm at the point where I'm ready to tear the thing apart and throw it away because I'll never put it on and I'm tired of it lying on the side of the house.

I see plenty of "higher end" stuff out there. Last time I saw a '99 Acura CL, 3000GT, Porsche 914, Jaguar XJ12 (the pre-Ford long sexy body style), lots of Volvos, Fiats & Alfas over the years, a few 4th gen Preludes and plenty of late 90's early 2000's Kias, Hyundais & Daewoos (not high end but late model). I also run across lots of Z's, 240 & 280 mostly but sometimes an older 300. My past few trips though I only saw one EA81 Soob (a hatch) and it didn't really have anything I needed on it.

Man, we have the opposite problem down here, Loyales are the only thing I ever find anymore. On any given trip I'd say there are probably at least 5 in the yard and most of them in pretty decent shape from what I can tell. I rarely find the EA81 stuff I need anymore though and the only brats I find are the whiny kids at the fast food joint on the way home.

Nope, it's a 4-speed manual. The red fluid was leaking from 3 small bolts at the rear of the transmission. It is apparently a very slow leak though as it mostly sat for close to two years and I never saw anything on the floor. As for the axle seal it is apparently fine; I drove the car around all last week and so far nothing appears to be leaking from there.

Man, what I wouldn't give to pack it up and move out west; if there is anywhere that most definitely is not Subie country that place is Florida. Good luck with the move.

I'm a Honda guy too. My '06 Element is my 5th and certainly not my last. I actually have found them all incredibly easy to work on once you are familiar with them. To tell you the truth I find them easier than the Brat; all the vacuum lines and hoses under its hood terrify me not to mention I have never been good with carbs.

I think I may have lucked out. When I pulled the axle last night I cleaned out the area around the stub and everything looked intact. I think what I saw dripping was just built up old axle grease that had melted from the heat. I assume anything actually leaking from that seal would be trans. fluid (red) of which there was none. Either way I'm gonna keep an eye on it once I get her back on the road which (God willing) should be today when I get a new battery. I'm pretty excited about the prospect of being able to drive her again. My goal was to have it roadworthy by the beginning of tailgating season which starts Saturday for us and it looks like I'm gonna make it! :clap::banana::headbang:

For anyone who read my dilemma in the "%$^&*@$^* Roll Pin!" Thread last week I am happy to say that the torch worked like a champ at removing the punch stuck in the pin mess. Unfortunately I believe it did in the seal around the axle stub as I started getting a thick dark fluid leaking out from what appears to be the transmission. My question now is how does one go about replacing that seal and is it something I can pick up at the (not so) local Subie stealership or maybe even a NAPA/Autozone type place? I've run searches and searched my trusty copy of How to Keep Your Subaru Alive to no avail. The searches return a few threads about mid-90's Loyales with this issue but nothing I could find regarding mid 80's EA series cars (or trucklets as the case may be). This is an 85 Brat with the 4-speed manual. Thanks in advance for any help.

I wondered about the torch idea as I do have one. The idea of climbing under the car with a flaming can of explosive gas didn't really appeal to me though. I'll give that a shot later tonight.

This is what has happened. What irks me so much is that I had the 3/16 punch sitting there but by the time I realized the one I was using was too small it was too late. Then I realized that by pounding it it would come out a little at a time so I pounded the crap out of it until I arrived in the mess I'm at now. I have ground away most of the axle about as close as I think I can get without getting to the stub. The punch is jammed pretty much all the way through the axle stub, there is no hole anymore, I can see the outline of the pin and the outline of the punch inside it, they are pretty much one at this point. I pounded on it some more tonight and got absolutely nowhere so at this point I think that option is gone. Is it possible to change just the stub on the tranny or am I pretty much SOL?

It's more than just the pin, it just seems like anytime I find the time to do some work on it it winds up not being an enjoyable experience. Either something will go wrong as it did yesterday or I'll just find myself wishing I was out doing something else. I love driving the little thing but it's been garage bound for close to a year because I just can't find the time or desire to fix the few little issues it has. If anyone has any other suggestions I'm open, I pounded & ground it some more last night and made no progress, it just won't budge. I'm about ready to cut or disassemble the axle shaft so I can put a wheel on and let it go to someone with the time and energy to finish the project.

I think it's beyond that now. It wasn't that far in at first but after I snapped everything else I had trying that method I got frustrated and tried pounding it through which seems to have pretty much fused the three pieces together permanently. Bad thing is now I can't even get the thing out of the garage because the axle that is (halfway) on there right now has bunged up threads. I got it most of the way in before realizing that there was no way to thread the castle nut on. Today's project was supposed to be changing that out with a good one, now I'm completely stuck. I have no idea what to do. Sad as I am to say it I think the Brat is history once I figure out a way to get it rolling again; this type of BS just isn't fun anymore .

Hate to bring up an older thread but I'm stick in the same situation right now. I messed up and grabbed the smaller punch and got it completely stuck. I broke everything smaller trying to pop it back out so I think that idea is out. I've ground the axles down with the angle grinder about as much as I feel safe doing so without getting into the stubs and still no luck. Anybody have any ideas about how I can get this thing out? I'm at my wits end with this thing.

Where is this one located? Not that I need another one but even the minute amount of body work mine needs would probably run me more than $700. If this one's rust free I'll sell mine and put my efforts into it.

I need the chrome trim piece that goes around the front bumper on an 85 if you find a set. I could also use a blue radio surround (85 also) if you find one thats not cut up. Thanks!

I was planning on putting a spray in bedliner in the back anyways so its not really important what that spot looks like, just need the hole filled in. As for the valence up front finding another one down here in FL is not too likely. I found a guy giving away 3 brats but they are pretty well shot, I was only able to get one b/c there was no way of getting the other two onto my trailer (no way to mount wheels to roll it on). I did find a wagon once that had the exact part in perfect shape but the u-pull it yard had used that piece as the point to set it on the stands they use so there was no way to get it off without lifting the car up which they wouldn't do I was even thinking about just taking it off alltogether, once the bumper is on you don't really notice it anyways so I'd probably never miss it, maybe I'll be able to find one down the road somewhere.

Behind the cab: Front lip/fascia (pass. side) The pictures make it look like its still rusty, its not. I used a drill & grinder with wire brush to take it down to clean metal then treated it with rust preventer, thats what gives the color. Those two spots are really the main extent of it. There is a tiny hole in the bottom of the bed about the size of the tip of my pinky finger and the seams where the wheelwell meets the body had some minor stuff which was also cleaned, treated & primered (the wheel wells and shock mounts are in terrific shape). It really shouldn't be a problem for anyone with some bodywork experience to fix. The front piece could just be cut or unbolted from another Soob and welded or bolted onto this one. Unfortunately there just doesn't seem to be a plethora of old ones around here to get the piece from (no mountains + no snow = nobody bought 4wd cars until they became a macho thing). I don't really know what its worth since most that you see on e-bay are either really good or really bad (i.e. shock mount rust). Mine is kind of in between, I know that with just a little work it could easily fetch a pretty good amount on E-bay but everytime I start to look at the pictures I talk myself out of selling it. I'm almost tempted now to get the Brat fixed and sell the Honda once I have the Soob back in good order. How tough would that hole behind the driver be to fix with one of the cheaper Lincoln Electric Mig Paks like you can get at Lowes/The Depot? We also have a heavy duty Lincoln Ranger 10,000 and a bunch of Millers (Bobcat I believe) at work I could use. I've been wanting to learn how to weld for awhile but never had the time or motivation. The axles are no problem, I've done a few of them already (who among us hasn't...) and an exhaust is cheap. Other than that and a good tune up she's golden. Sorry for the length, I'm just kinda torn right now, one of the cars needs to go soon, I just have to decide which.