The Beast I Drive

I think its 31/64", but Im not sure. I have the bit in my toolbox, but I dont want to go get it... I recall it being just over 1/2". -Bill

I do know that the 1600 uses a different clutch/pressureplate than the 1400, but according to Kostamojen, looks like the flywheels can be swapped on the 1400/1600, and the bellhousing on the 1400 should bolt to the 1600 trans. Check out his FF-1 thread, he was discussing this just a few days ago -Bill PS Ive sold him a FWD trans too

You'll be sweating Angus man... Only got to 105 here in Toppenish, but it stayed a bit cooler when the cloud cover came in, but the humidity is unreal. My black Brat runs cold, even in this heat! Really need to replace the thermostat in it... Rusty runs perfect, OEM T-stat in it We have 1 small window unit attempting to cool the shop whilst I cut, weld, and grind all afternoon, but it still keeps it a hair cooler than outside, and much drier. Supposed to be this weather all week *unamused* so Im gonna have to hit up my buddy's pool again -Bill

forgot about the antenna... I had early EA81 fenders on my 86 Hatch, I remember now the antenna was on the opposite side, though it mattered not because I had no radio... I never got around to installing the corner lights cuz I didnt want to break my 3rd and last pair, so I guess I overlooked that issue.... But they did bolt on with no problems -Bill

If your deal down there doesnt work out, I have a 5 speed 2wd tranny, its still in the car, and it shifted perfectly when i drove it. Its got the starter on top like you will need for your coupe, its in a 1980 2wd Wagon with a 1600. I don't see me using it for anything anytime soon, Im more of a 4wd/awd/rwd guy myself... I'd let it go pretty cheap -Bill

What year is your old hatch? The exterior parts are the same, but over the years a few mounting points and brackets along the chassis (mostly in the engine bay) changed to accomodate new equipment. The fenders and doors will bolt on, no problem. The interior should all swap over, but I think the 81 had the cool red guages? Anyway what are your plans for the grey interior parts? Are they in good shape? Im 40 minutes up the road in Toppenish, and I could use the grey parts if you dont need them, I have a few tan parts if you need any... As well as a lot of mechanical parts -Bill

Sounds easy enough -Bill

im gonna go buy me a good road map, but who has the best way to get there from Snoqualmie Pass? Or would it be faster to take Chinook pass? -Bill

an EA82 Turbo radiator is a 2 row, we bought a pair (I dont remember where though :-\) that had brass tanks as well, and they were a night and day difference. They were $150 a piece though All EA81 cars have the same radiators, be it Hatch, wagon, Brat, etc... The only real advantages the EA81 rads have is the all metal construction and thicker cooling area. If you get an all metal EA82 radiator it would be essentially the same thing, but it will directly bolt in, unlike the EA81 rads... Did you try hooking up 2 electric fans? Or are you ony running 1? -Bill

Man that looks like fun! If I had the Beast in driving condition I woulda been up there! When's the next run? -Bill

The hatchback one is thicker, and dimensionally different. Also, the bottom of the EA82 wagon radiator has pegs on it that go into the radiator support, whereas the HB radiator is the inverse, the pegs are on the radiator support and go into the radiator. I think you would have to notch out the lower radiator support, add the mounting studs down there, and drill out some holes in the upper support for the top bolts. I think. I'd have to go measure and look at a couple of my rigs to know for sure, but the HB radiator will take some fab to make it fit in the wagon correctly. -Bill

Yeah the work involved to make a functioning tailgate on this thing would just be unreal, the tail lights would have to be heavily modified or replaced with some from a different rig, and the whole rear unibody would have to be braced and reinforced quite a bit, there is a lot of structural rigidity in that area that would be lost... Then the whole gate would have to be fabbed from new sheetmetal as well as the latch points and hinge points, So tailgate is a definite no. Its doable, but more work than its worth right now. Maybe someday in the future... -Bill

Dude, is it just me, or are those Halo stripes Urban Camo??? Lookin Sweet! -Bill

Couple of good new supdates I got the collapsed suspension fixed on Rusty, took it back up to the mountains friday night/saturday morning and it performed excellent, especially with the new traction tires Today I got the yellow Brat running, its got a brand new carb on it and runs great! The trans is toast, though :-\ At one point I shifted into 1st, shut the motor off, then tried to shift it into the other gears, and it would row into the positions, but it stayed in 1st gear so the trans is gonna get yanked. I need to do a little cleanin up, make the tailgate handle work, and do some minor wiring, swap the trans and bolt it all together and Ill have another driver! I think Ill lift this one 4" and use it mainly as a street cruiser and poser Off-roading But Im sure it will see some mud... Also fixed the turn signal on my mom's Brat and cut off the second muffler... -Bill

Man that sucks, but I am glad you're ok... Looks like the structural integrity of the rig is gone, the only thing I could see be done with it now is try to straighten it out a little and brace any structural parts that buckled with some plate, then full cage, 4 or 6" lift, and make it strictly an off-roader Im sure you can get a fair price from the insurance company as long as you fight them hard. Edrach does have a lot of experience in that area, best talk to him... -Bill

Everyone has one of those days... I stipped an exhaust stud hole today finishing the exhaust on my brat, and I also discovered a coolant leak under the carb, and in the process of fixing that I stripped a carb mount stud hole too... I did get my rear suspension all welded up and back together and finished the exhaust though... Bill

There are 1st gen legacys with 3.9s, Ive seen them... -Bill

Ahh, the wonders of Fuel Injection... Very safe :-\ -Bill

Instead of taping over the trim panels, how bout removing them and then using that foam tape on every joint where they overlap? Then you wouldnt even be able to tell you did anything... Also +1 on sealing all the vent holes, make that baby air tight! I get a ton of dust that comes up through my door seals on my black Brat, mostly on the passenger side but that side got T-boned a while back and the repair isnt exactly top-notch. I also have a few holes in the firewall it comes through. Ill get mine all sealed and water-tight when I redo the interior and wiring, but thats a ways off... -Bill

Get some 4.44 gears in there and you'll eat those deep mud holes! Bad rump roast man!!! -Bill

Welcome to the board! Nice photoshop, Ive seen 2 rigs actually done like that, one came out very well done, the other one, not so much... The ony drawback of starting with a wagon for this chop is the small doors and the window angle is all wrong. This time, by starting with a Coupe, we will get a much nicer overall finish and things will be more proportional. -Bill

The front U joints are staked in, they aren't really replaceable... Unless you have some special tools. Its not like on a Ford or Chevy where you pull the springclip, there is no clips on theses... -Bill

From what I can remember off my head, thats a 2.2 with a Holley 390 cfm 4bbl carb. IIRC the crank is bent in that motor, but he was building a new one with new parts to have it ready by WCSS 10. From what i heard before the crank went bad, the car had huevos GRANDE!!!!!! Said he pegged the speedo needle in 3rd gear and was still going... it has a 5 speed D/R swapped in and custom 14" rims with like 27" AT tires. Modified Jeep roll bar, dual exhaust with stacks which sounds pretty sweet, onboard air, Peterbilt airhorns, working cyclops light, custom bumpers, 4" lift, and I could go on... I have not seen the Dual carb setup yet, but I have seen what those carbs will be sitting on... And it will "blow" your mind... -Bill

I also dont see how your rig can be chewing through tires any faster than Jeff's rigs, seeing as how you guys are using the same setup... Unless you have something bent or installed backwards/upside down... Have you had Jeff look at it? -Bill

Thats a sweet lookin Brat man! I would say keep it stock, it looks cherry! -Bill