First, the pic('87 BRAT as the title on it says, not '86):

 

Now, the bad:

4Lo gets me to neutral. Might be an adjustment, I'm not sure yet.

The trans sounds like a card in the spokes of a bicycle, but way louder. Only does it under positive engine load, stops as soon as I engine brake or go neutral.

Ignition is hosed, and the guy put in an 'aux' ignition, that gets started with a screwdriver(or whatever is handy).

Has some holes in the bed from drilling, and almost all body panels have some dents.

 

The good:

Very little rust, except the norm(rear fender wells).

It actually runs, and fairly decently.

The seats are actually quite nice, and have decent side bolsters on them. Somehow I doubt they are stock.

Alloy wheels on it, but the tires aren't much good.

It's black, and I quite like the look of the black BRAT.

Sounds a lot like my Brat when I got it

 

 

 

-Bill

Sounds a lot like my Brat when I got it

 

 

 

-Bill

 

Mine too:)

 

As for the 4-low thing, if it's like mine, you just need to pull up higher/harder to get it to engage. For some reason, it feels like it's in the right spot, but it's not engaged. Try that, and replace the tranny mounts when you can.

 

Jacob

That or just find you a good 5 speed D/R, its a far superior transmission design, plus it has lower low-range gears (1.59 instead of 1.4)

 

If you stick with the 4 speed, do replace the trans mounts, it makes it like a totally different car! From what it sounds like though, you need a new tranny... So I would swap in a 5 speed. Bratsrus1 makes a crossmember/linkage kit that makes swapping in a 5 speed a bolt-in swap with little or no fab needed, and can be done in a couple hours. You can use a 2 piece drive shaft from a EA82 wagon and make mounts on the body for the carrier bearing, or just get a new 1 piece driveline made, cuz the 5 speed is quite a bit shorter than the 4 speed.

 

-Bill

More pictures:

 

Dude! Nice! You can just about pop most of your dents with suction! I got a 87 with so many little dents it looks like bart simpson was making a time machine! I think you got a score! Your tail gate isn't that bad either, for stock. Get on that rust though.

 

Whats up with the custom door panels?

Dude! Nice! You can just about pop most of your dents with suction! I got a 87 with so many little dents it looks like bart simpson was making a time machine! I think you got a score! Your tail gate isn't that bad either' date=' for stock. Get on that rust though.

 

Whats up with the custom door panels?[/quote']

 

They apparently wanted some larger speakers in the doors... and didn't seem to really know how to do it.

 

Yea, there's only 2 bad spots of rust right now. Inside the bed around that one tie down, and on the pass door up front. Neither is very large though, and I can deal with both of them easily. I will probably do some 'glass work in the bed to make things whole again, and then make some drop in carpeted panels for it(for the pooch) with marine carpeting.

Hey, thats actually in better shape body wise than mine was... Nice! Mine as some pretty bad body rot, but it ran good and I have one of the few 4 speeds that still works like it should! Those are XT6 seats I believe, sporty! Nice score man

 

-Bill