mcbrat

this is the coldest it's been in the last 10-15 years.... the house and deck were popping last night... kept the kid awake....

I have a 4500 on mine. It made my front drop about an inch (with a lot beefier bumper too) but it was permanent mounted. I only had one time when it didn't work too well, and that was because my starter locked up, and I couldn't get the brat started becasue the incline was too steep, I rolled back and wedged a small tree behind my front tire a friend cut that tree out but I had to have another friend winch me clear to the top of the hill before I could get the brat started... his winch/alt were smokin by the time I got to the top.....

yeah, at 7:00 AM this morning, it was already up to -19.6*F at my house. the '78 took a few tries to get started, but it did..... Looking for a high today of -5*F is what I heard this morning though it looks like they upped it to -1*F now for a high.... it's already up to -12*F now....

yeah, my trans crossmember is only attached with the middle bolt. Chris cut the others off to lighten it, and it's only supporting the trans now.... and really cleans it up underneath....

I think with small 2" blocks, it'd make a good spot to build the subframe off of, just need to watch for clearance with only a 6" lift.... but the sammy tcase should help.

there is some cross of engines and body style. Yours is a Gen1 body style, which the Brat was the only Gen1 Body to get an ea81 engine, but you could get an ea71 engine in some of the Gen2 body styles. Anyway, refernce GEn1 lift kits in regards to your Brat, just like I have in my post in the OffRoad forum. General with exceptions listed behind.... (and engine designations available) DL/GL Gen1 = 72-79, 78-81 for Brat (ea61, ea63, ea71, ea81) DL/GL Gen2 = 80-84, 82-87 for Brat, 80-89 for Hatchback (ea71, ea81, ea81T) DL/GL Gen3 = 85-94 (DL/GL became Loyale in 1990) (EA82, EA82T) Legacy Gen1 = 1990-1994 there are more ways to break it down, and my engine list is incomplete...but this is the "general" listing. and I didn;'t include the XT/XT6 lists....

EA71 = 1600 engine EA81 = 1800 engine OHV EA82 = 1800 Engine OHC in the '81 Brats, you could get both the ea71 and ea81 the GL Brat (4 headlights) got the ea81, and the DL (2 headlights) got the EA71. Check out the Subarus of the 80's link in the menu above (or in my sig). There a Brat Encyclopedia of sorts there, plus lots of other information and stuff....

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=94185 there are a few people that can custom make one for you....

1982 was the firs Gen2

The "jibs" portion of this thread is from 2006

better road manners since this won't be a trail only rig, plus my wheels are still less than half the tire height. plenty of meat there still.... and it's only an inch of sidewall difference..... and more than I had before....

right, no D/R for sale. the one in it has about 210k on it, and I've got a nice 80k one stored at my parents house for when this one finally gives up stored with it is the matching 80k ea82 carbed engine that IS for sale though )

I wanted to use Toyota axles. the stock brat rear axle width is 58",so I wentwith the 86+ wider axles to make sure everything was clearing with the new suspension travel... and I wanted to get the fronts out to match (well a tad wider). For the type of use this will have, I will accept the extra stress and wear it'll get because of the scrub radius.... I will be losing sheetmetal too....

At least I have a timing light (no compression tester still) but alas, I just threw the new disty in and it's a screamer didn't even check timing besides, I usually just time by ear

Well, the way I see it, it'll have front wheel drive still

I just sold 2 clutch LSDs to board members. one 3.90 and one 3.70. $130 each.

so I don't think I ever laid out what all this build has, so here it goes.... Started with: 82 Brat, ea81 with ea71 pistons, Delta Cam, recurved Disty, weber with 155 mains, MSD 6A Ignition, Accel SuperCoil. D/R 5 Speed from '89 Wagon. Adding: Samurai divorced t-case with stock gears. Custom t-case cradle and mounts Custom built subframe. 4 link rear, 3 link front suspensions lower links are all the same length some form of Jeep coil springs. '87 Toyota 4 runner rear axle, 58" WMS '85 Toyota pickup front axle, 55" WMS + 2" wheel spacers to make it 59" '87 Toyota IFS steering box 105" wheelbase Cragar Soft 8 wheels. 17x9 with 4" backspacing. 315/70R17 BFG All-Terrains (for now) Trail Tough Rear Driveline Disconnect for Sammy t-case with Toyota driveshaft flange 4.10 Axle gears Powertrax Lockright in rear RCI 17 Gallon fuel cell Custom rollbar integrated with subframe Custom engine and trans crossmembers '85 Toyota front and rear driveshafts to custom length. will have a 52:1 crawl ratio with all stock gearing. For brakes, the fronts will have vented rotors, and the rears will be disk as well (config up in air yet) and will use a Outback e-brake handle for the rear ebrakes.

looks good. I drove my 78 Brat in to work yesterday, and had a comment from someone that was suprised it was all one color (based on other stuff I'e driven)

I'd do the tranny mounts at the same time, and make sure your pitch stopper is adjusted properly too....

I drove the 78 Brat last night to my offroad club meeting, then drove it again sthis morning, though it was a bit stiff starting this morning, and it took some effort to pull it into gear with the gear oil at -8*F glad the heater is good in it, but at -8*F it's still cold inside and I just looked. up to +1*F woohoo.....

I suppose it would depend on what your planned usage is for it. I don't recall anyone fitting one to a ea71, but with the fatcase bellhousing with the starter on the left, it should work. since you'd be keeping the ea71, the engine crossmember would still be fine.... not sure if there's any difference in distance from the front end of the trans to the stubs though it's a awfully tight fit for the axle boots to the steering rack as it is, so you might need to verify....

lots 'o fun to be had with the '78 Brat today.... the 165/80R13's really dig in

no, but got lots of looks.

very fun today. most roads were still snow covered from Friday nights storm. the little 165/80R13s dug right in... I think the valves need adjusted yet, and there's a slight exhaust leak where the weld isn't complete. other than that, lots 'o fun. I went to a hi performance auto parts swap meet today. no soob parts and it was very hard to find the brat in the parking lot since it was the lowest thing there, (other than a baby blue corvette somebody was driving in the slush)

well, it looks like the disty was it. I put the electronic one in I just picked up at the junkyard from a '82 DL coupe. the little bit I ran it, it felt like a whole new car. will take it for a drive Sunday.