[My '92 Loyale: Safariwagon]

Amazing build! Keep up the good work!

[1980 GL Wagon "My quest for something different"]

Thanks for the info!

[1980 GL Wagon "My quest for something different"]

Great build so far! Maybe I missed it, but are those VW 5x205 wheels and what size tires? It all looks great under that 4" lift.

[Tim's Brat]

Good to know, thanks!

[Tim's Brat]

I updated the first post with more photos. In case anyone reads this and possibly has one I am looking for a driver's side kick panel for my Brat. It was missing when I bought it.

[Tim's Brat]

 

Hey everyone,

 

My name is Tim and I'm a long time USMB reader, first time posting. Back in August of 2016 I picked up this sweet little stock 1982 Brat GL that had lived its life primarily in the Southwest, so very little rust. With fresh tires, light maintenance and a new front axle I drove the Brat daily from my home in the mountains about 40 miles round trip in to the city for work and it was great. I love older cars and the Brat has a ton of character. Anyway, after five months of daily commuting we experienced a cold snap and the stock 144K-old head gaskets blew. Here's a photo just days before that happened.

 

 

After sitting down and budgeting a rebuild of the stock motor and considering a carb upgrade (mine has that terrible large single bore carter) I took two days and researched the EJ swap here on USMB and weighed the pros and cons. I ended up sending Scott at SJR an email and ordering his transmission adapter plate and redrilled flywheel while I began hunting for a parts car. After two months and three botched deals I bought a 1995 Legacy with front end damage, but not enough to make contact with the motor. We managed to bend the radiator core support enough to get a fresh radiator in there and I drove it 70 miles home with no issues. The white Brat in the picture kind of fell in to my lap, so I just took a few parts I needed and sold it, which paid for the Legacy.

 

 

I pulled the motor and wiring, then sent the wiring to Scott to be thinned down and labeled so I stand a chance of doing this correctly   Big thanks to Scott for all of his help so far!

 

 

While Scott was doing his thing with the wiring my buddy Alex helped me get the EJ22 from the Legacy freshened up for what I am hoping are many trouble-free miles.

 

 

This week all of the the SJR swap parts arrived and I am just waiting on a fuel pump and clutch to begin the swap. 

 

In the future I would like to make it a bit more truck-like with better ground clearance, but one step at a time.