This is my first brat and I need a little help. What is the difference in a brat DL and a brat GL. I do not see any badges or decals on the little brat. Also, how do I figure out what size engine is in it. It is a 5 speed with high and low range 4 wheel drive.

Also, the hood is bashed in, What other vintage soobies would have the same hood?

Thank

GL is the fancy version and has 4 sp dual range gearbox, tach, nicer trim and "fun" roof. DL is the spartan version without the tach, has a single range gearbox (4sp) and a solid roof. There are other minor differences but I think they both have the EA81 engine.

 

Re-read your post. If you have 5 speed dual range engine, someone installed it since that was never an option with the Brats. You'll need to have the tach or sunroof to know if it's a GL or DL. Also, '82 to '87 EA81 Hatch models have the same hood. Not sure but the EA81 wagons might have the same hood. Sorry, it's been too long for me to remember all the details. Also someone here can tell you which model it is from the VIN #.

Edited July 12, 201213 yr by edrach

Thanks for the help!! I was wrong about the 5 speed. I looked at it again and it is a 4 speed trans. It also has t-tops.

what head light set up do u have? thats the difference between dl and gl, gl has four head lights 2 on each side and dl has 2 head lights 1 on each side. the hood is the same on every ea81(besides the very last 1st gen brats gl only came with the ea81 instead of ea71 also they came with dual range instead of singlr range four wheel drive) if u have any more questions about your brat i can probably answer it i tore one down to the unibody over a year ago

hears a link to my threadhttp://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=133905

My brat has 2 headlights- one on each side and a center light under a flip up door in the middle of the grill. t-tops, sliding back glass, dual range 4wd, air conditioning (the guy said he had that installed by the dealer about a year after he bought the brat)

The GL also had tilt steering wheel.

also u can tell the difference on the tail gate on 2nd gen models by looking at the emblem in the right upper part of the tail gate and there should be a plastic emblem that says "subaru gl" or "subaru dl" and the dl models where only single range, but he said he has the cyclopse headlight and i dont know if those are gl or dl because they where only made from 82-83 on the brats

Dirtywork, your Brat sounds like an '82.

 

Givaways: Cyclops light in the grill, halo-twin sunroofs, sliding rear window: all things that were only on the GL model.

 

The Cyclops light was made from 1980-1982 on wagons, 1982 on hatches, and 1982 on Brats.

 

If the Brat was made in 1982, it would not matter if it was a DL or GL; it would have single headlights regardless.

 

All ea81 body hoods are interchangeable.

 

turbosubarubrat, OP says the little emblem that states the trim is missing.