bbbs53

After 6 years of sitting, mine is in the garage for a total restoration. Pulled off the hood and started digging. First off I need to pull the trans and do the clutch and cover etc. Since it has a 5 speed, it will need an EA-82 set. I bought all of the parts years ago and now it is just a matter of getting them installed. Due to being close to the beach in Washington, I have some rusted fasteners, but none in the body. I have a Weber for it and it already has the rear disc brake conversion. Since it is an '82, it has power steering, brakes and air, all of which will be put right. The "third eye" and switch are in and it is getting a "roo bar" I had sent from Australia, all aluminum. I am going to install the 14" Pug rims that now have my studs on them, not necessary at the coast. Most of the expendables are getting done, shocks, brakes, struts, rotors and a new windshield and rubber. About the only thing I haven't found in this mess is the new T-tops I have, somewhere. The old rubber is, well, old rubber. Once the mechanicals are finished it will go back to black with the gold and red stripes. I figure all of this will take the rest of the winter. I scored a new set of bed surround chrome about 10 years back. This is a San Diego truck I bought from a fellow member on here in '03. No rust. I do need to find the EA-82 interior shift cover parts and the steering column covers. I toyed with swapping engines, but after compression checking, no need. The dash has a crack, naturally, and will need some repair, outside of that the interior is fairly nice. After 13 years and a lot of miles before I parked it, it is going to get the treatment it deserves. I did spring the driver door hinges in a minor snow incident when the door came open when it was being pulled out. I have a new top hinge and will make the bottom one work. I am really glad I don't have to find these parts now, seems they are getting hard to come by. Once finished, it probably won't see much use, my Z3 is my daily driver. I am going to do it because one just doesn't see '82's anymore and this one is worthy of the work. I haven't posted in a very long time. I have some fenders and other gen 1 Brat parts and a couple of sets of alloy wheels and a host of gen 2 stuff. Once I am finished, it will all be available. Since I am now retired, I can take my time and do it right. I will start adding pics in a few days. I did restore my last gen 1 I bought in Sumner from Ken and hauled back to Idaho. It now lives in Kansas. It still has the WCSS5 plate from '03 on the glove box. Like me it's a bit faded, but still there. It ran when I shut it down just fine and I suspect it will fire right up. Looking forward to getting her back in shape.

Having been around a lot of acetone and having it get on a lot of surfaces, like paint, it would take a pretty convincing double blind study before I would consider mixing it into my gas tank. I have seen it disolve plastic, swell fuel lines and paint gun air bleed lines, and the last time I looked my filters had plastic housings. Another way to put this is, if it really inproved milage to the claimed levels, there would be hundreds if not thousands of people trying it. I googled it and found very little evidence to support the reported claims. I also wonder how long it really remains in the fuel tank with vapor control without evaporating, it is several times more volitle than fuel, which is why it is such a good paint solvent. This is besides the fact that it is extremly toxic, much more so than fuel is, which is no picnic either, but does not have the same skin penetrating effect in such a short amount of time. Like toluene and several volitles, it has deletorious effects on the liver and kidneys, not to mention very small amounts can produce marked central nervous system problems and they are not temporary. It is also risky to store and spilling it in your garage in a lot smaller amount than gas can cause a fire when the old hot water heater kicks on. It would be great if it did work, but I am going to need to see some data to support the claims.

Acetone is really hard on rubber and other surfaces. It also has a bad habit of evaporating very quickly, not to mention is very flammable, more so than fuel is. If you spill it, it can react with certain clear coats and paints. It isn't that cheap either at 8+ dollars, at least here, a gallon, so the fuel savings would be small if any. I would leave it for cleaning paint guns and thinning and leave it out of my fuel tank.

Google it and find the cheapest one. I found one for under a hundred delivered. I have put too much oil in a car and had the same results! It was good oil to boot! LOL!!! I Imagine that yours is plugged or if not, and this is what makes the feel test not easy, restricted. It could still feel hot and not be doing its job. My heater core felt hot to the touch, real hot, but wasn't putting out any heat. Then when I changed it using the cut the hole in the side of the box trick, the valve was leaking miserably. I kept it as a souviner. I now have a truck that barely turns on the fan and puts out enough heat to run you out of the cab. There is something about all alloy engines that makes a sludge that plugs cores and radiators. Sooner or later if you keep running these cars, you are going to run into the problem. I have changed cores on 3 Brats and Radiators on 2. The radiator guy here in town won't touch them because they come back mad that it didn't fix them. Best of luck on getting the old girl to fly!

When I bought my '82 Brat in San Diego, I had to drive it back to almost Canada. I started up the Grapevine, it started to overheat. This was just after sun-up. I hot wired both fans, since it has AC, and it helped keep it just under red line. I babied it back to north Idaho by driving all night and not durring the heat of the day. There were several other interesting things that happened like a rear cv going out, but I digress. As soon as I got it home, I looked at the very spot you are looking at. The consenses at the time was the radiator was bad, they are not the best design and for a car that will do 300,000, they don't go that far. I replaced it and it has never gone over a third, or to the lower range line, where it stays. The really good part is, they can be had for under a hundred dollars. A junk yard radiator is just that, junk. I don't know how well your heater works, mine needed a core, another common problem, it was almost the price of the radiator. Now for the part that stinks, the valve for the heater core is a Subaru only part, and they are not to well designed. I have yet to see an older one that wasn't leaking from the back of the valve. They are more than the cost of the radiator. My money is on the radiator being the cause of the heating problem. However, running it hot for all that time is beginning to sound like other damage has occured, the smoking etc. And in my part of the world, there is no such thing as a good 400.00 dollar Subaru. The time to look into problems with an alloy engine is at there first sign, or trouble is waiting around the corner. Best of luck, what part of BC are you in? I am down near Creston. Parts a plenty, just ask.

You are most certainly excused, only a clarification. At the time, the other post wasn't on. I am really glad the old guys will be well represented. Someone has to drive this old junk! LOL, B

Hi Corky, I meant Brats and see there is another one planning. 2 years ago my 80 was the lone wolf. I hope they all make it, there arent a heck of a lot of them left. I sold both '80s and they are still going strong, but neither will ever be restored. The Q Brat has the best sheet metal I have ever seen on one except for a certain 81 that is gone. There isn't a speck of rust anywhere and now it lives indoors and gets driven just enough to keep the battery up and the seals wet. See you then!

Hi Ken, he was asking about the parts car for my '82. It was a Wisconsin car, so the body is toast, but everything else is good with only 78,000 on it. I have it stashed way off the hiway, but a lot of Brat freaks see it. Looks like I have a driver for the '78, so it will probably be the only Gen. 1 there. We are looking forward to it and I doubt that Donald will show his face again, Bradd

I aint puttin my shiny new black paint in that mud, but I might come and watch the rest of you dip. On one condition, there aint no foxes allowed! And I don't mean the female type either. Shelton is a great place for those of you that have never been there, just far enough from the city and not too far out in the sticks. See ya in July. May even bring the restored '78 Brat, looks like new Ken.

I don't necessarly agree that the EA82 is a better engine, especially for a hatch. In order to swap it, you would need to swap its wiring as well. Then you get timing belts and a host of other fine upgrades that really don't make it worth the effort. The EA 71/81 series of engines were great for their time, they are getting dated, but many went a huge amount of miles, I have one of each with over 200,00 and going strong. It would be a lot easier in this case to figure out what is wrong with the disty and fix it rather than hack a part that someone else may need to get their ride going. The pickup is a good place to start, but there are a lot of variables to look at. It has been my experience that throwing parts at something until you get the right combination to make it work is not the most efficent way to get to the bottom of the problem. Most mechanics can fix the simpler things on an older Sub and if the owner is not a wrench and not willing to learn, then maybe he would be better off finding someone that knows what they are doing. Most of the "old timers" here learned by doing things and living with the results. As mentioned I still run both engines and have learned how to keep them going. It is getting increasingly harder to find parts. My '77 Brat had better not break anything, and the '82, which gets roaded daily has to have its own parts car for spares, another plan of action that seems to be a must if you are going to run one every day. Most around these parts would kill for what I am using for a parts car. Bottom line, at last, fix the problem, don't create a new one.

For those of you to young to know, it's an Elvis joke. Donald and company met us in Troy Montana and are in the process of returning east in the Traswagon. I wish I had a tape of it, it was like a really bad b movie. Anyway, it is no longer in my posscesion, and on it's way home to Butler. May they have a safe and lucky trip home.

Beauty, nice work. Love the color and the effect. Cant wait to see it finished!

As usual, Jerry is right. One piece is the way to go. The 5 speed will get you to 70 at about 3500 rpm. It makes hi-way speed much more tolerable. Much quieter also. You will actually be able to hear your radio at speed. The dual range part works fine, but have Jerry make you a conversion kit for the shifter. Then you can run all the stock console stuff instead of the several mickey mouse ways to try and deal with the problem. It is a great mod for 4 speed rigs, some day we will be out of 5 speeds though.

If you have access to even a cheap welder, go get a stick of stud plus. Weld a nut to the broken bolt and turn out with a wrench when it cools. It does 2 things for you, expands and cools the stuck threads, gives you something to put a wrench on without re-pulling the flywheel. If the engine is out, it is a snap either way. Good luck.

Very well may be so. Bad assumption on my part to think an 86 is an EA-81. Part of the time warp us Brat guys get into. Having gone through similar circumstances not too long ago, I would have done anything to get out of removing the heater. Seems that the last time I looked at the Loyale, the hoses seemed to go into the back of the heater from the firewall. But it is a much newer car than mine, so I didn't think too much about it, except to figure out how to put the vent or cold air door back into operation. Didn't make the heater work any better, but at least it slowed the breeze down. My apologies if I got your hopes up. On checking the numbers, they seem to still have the same core, but after the early 80 Brat adventure, I wouldn't trust that either. Thanks for the heads up Skip.

I will have to go look at my pards 89 Loyale tomorrow. He had some heater issues related to the cheesy ratcheting door closer. His core is plugged also, and his wife forgot to put oil in it all summer. It is a tad noisier now, but still going 80 miles round trip a day. I will look and get back to you. I don't run one, sounds like the Skipper may.

Now why would you say that Skip? I was indeed talking about an EA-81. In 86 they were EA-82's? If that is so, they are different, but still have a control valve for the hotwater, just a different location, principal is the same. Wouldn't read this, sheesh.

Why is the taking of ill gotten gains a bad idea? If you sell poison to society for instance, why should you be allowed to keep the profits? If I have to pay taxes and someone gets caught cheating on theirs, why shouldn't the government reduce my tax load by selling off the assets or using them for some type of government work? I am affraid that I don't agree that it is never a good idea. Very rarely are the assets of an innocent person taken. It has happened, but not very often. It is a risk that we take by deciding to live by a certain set of rules, mistakes can and do happen, but it doesn't make the action invalid. By the by Tim, I would get a cheap camera to take with you on the trip or you may find out first hand about the confiscation of personal property. See notes on the first trip. I look forward to meeting you when and if you guy's get here.

If you look at the drivers side of the heater box, there is a duct that carries the air to the defroster and with the plastic that hides the computer in place, you can't see the side of the heater box. You can't tell it has been done without taking off that duct and the bottom cover. The core is wrapped in foam, and seals the hole nicely. You can glue the piece back on and it is cast into the box around the core, so it is really easy to make out where the core is. I am very concerned about the stockness, is that a word, of my rig. It is not a hillbilly method at all and does less damage than trying to remove the unit they seem to have built the car around. When I first looked at it in the repair section, I was dubious. Then when I actually crawled in and looked, I realized how easy and hidden it is. The defroster duct hides it beautifully. I would do it again in a min. I don't like stop leak except to get me from the place I put it in to home. The radiators and heater cores on these cars is one of their weaker components. Adding junk to it will only in the long run cause more problems than it fixes. Besides, I would bet the valve is leaking and not the core, so hook the hoses together until you can fix it right and hope the weather gets warmer. It the valve were working, you would have no water in the core since it bypasses when turned to cold. If it is working.

You know, I would have bet this ended up off topic. I think they invented this catagory for you Donald. I started up the Trashwagon. Runs as well or bad as it ever did. Throwout bearing is making more noise and the ultra dead battery hasn't revived even with new acid and 4 days on the charger. Went dead disconnected in 1 day. Winter didn't do it any good, or harm for that mater. I think by listening to it I am sure I can get it to Troy. It is still full of parts and the roof of boom is intact. This is one movie that will either be the snoozer of the year or the hit of WCSS6. You are going right? You will love Utah and Nevada, the only way to get there without going to California and staying OUT OF IDAHO! Of course there is the Canada to Washington then Oregon route, you can cut north in Montana. Very scenic. I will head down to the TRI-Cities and then straight out 84 to Hood River, a piece of cake. Had to drive the reverse to bring the '82 home from San Diego. Got her dug out of the snow and ran her around the parking lot a little to oil up the seals. I found the Idaho plates and you have the registration. They are legal until July 31st. She is as ready as she will ever be, now let's get it together and make that trip. As far as what you are doing for work, beats jail and dope dealing and a bunch of other things I can think of. It don't smell or itch like fiberglass either. See you when you get here.

Go to the front page and read how to swap the core without removing the heater. It works perfectly. The part that really sucks, is the valve is probably toast as well. No problem, OEM only, at least you can get one. 110.00 US dollars. MORE THAN THE CORE!!!!! The cores are pretty much the same number except in the first half of 1980 Brat's. Even though the book lists them as the same, the early ones are smaller by a bunch. The fact that your leak persists with the valve in the off or cold position, only re-enforces it's demise. You might as well look at a new radiator while you are at it, because what ever plugged up the heater core has or will plug up the radiator as well. They are less than the darned valve as well. I have a propane soldering iron. I used it to "cut" the plastic surrounding the core, remove the computer module from under the dash and slide the new one in the hole. Simple, no disassembly of the heater and re-adjustment of all the rods and doors. The core can be had online for under 70.00 bucks. Napa wanted about 90.00. However with shipping, it will be about a wash. All together with all new hoses, thermo, valve, core and radiator, it was right at 300.00 and change. Less than 4 hours to swap it all. Now the '82 runs cool as a cucumber and the heater will run you out of it, which makes it so you can open the t-tops when it is freezing and the heat flows past you and out the top and the other drivers look at you like, well, you know. Not to mention the sheer luxury of a defroster that kicks the air on once in a while and actually clears your windshield in a few mins., not days. Go for it, it is one of the best upgrades you can treat your self to. I did mine in September and this entire, bad winter, with the help of the aggressive Goodyear studded snows, has been a pleasure.

'82's are the best. Wierd, but cool. Tough find on a lot of stuff but worth the effort. Not that many around, but if it was me, and it might be, I would look at PK's on the bay.

The guy that puts 5 speeds in SVX's also sells the kit to install a SVX 6 cyl. into this set-up with the predictable results. A few cooling issues, burping the system, but the trans-axel handles it real well. I vote SVX!

Whidby, Hood River, about the same distance. Plenty of time to finish the '82. Lot's to do. Find out where in Sam Hill really is. River and orchards can't be beat. Could be a little warmer than the predicted 70 degrees, but it cools of nicely at night. Plenty of off road activities up on MT. Hood. Great resort on the top. Count me in.

Well now, the 19th ehh? Better plan on bringing a battery. I will dig it out of the snow and get it so it is operational. It hasn't run in a while. I did get the money order and I thank you. I will deliver the car to Troy Montana. Plan your trip accordingly. I don't want to drive that thing to Whitefish. The plate is good for a year. It should still be good, all I have to do is find them. You can't replate it again without changing the title. It is a one time deal. Please do not drive into this state even 30 miles. Do it for me. I will get you your car. It is exactly as you left it. Ought to be a heck of a trip and I too wish you luck and God's speed. You are a good enough wrench to get it home if nothing major blows. I would consider a tow bar in case. Let me know a few days in advance of your departure so I have time to prepare. I am schedueled for hip surgery in the near future and don't want to have conflicts. No, it hasn't healed. Let me hear from you soon, Bradd:brow: