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1978 Subaru Brat. From death to life and everything in-between

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The boxes look great! Did you build them yourself? If so, where did you get the parts?

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  • Views 51.2k
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  • spicypeanut
    spicypeanut

    Okay, so here is my big surprise update.     I recently picked up a factory ea71 air cleaner assembly (two actually) from 2 fellow members. The better one I left un-touched and pristine. The air cl

  • spicypeanut
    spicypeanut

    This just in. The Brat has passed CA Smog test. No more paper number in the window! 

  • spicypeanut
    spicypeanut

    Just received some trim rings in the mail. I think they actually make the steel wheels look great! What do you guys think?   Untitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr   Untitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

can you post some detailed pics of the bed seat mounting? I would like to convert mine to bolt-in as well.

  • Author

The boxes look great! Did you build them yourself? If so, where did you get the parts?

 

Thanks, they really came out perfect. I actually didn't make them myself. I went to the local Mobile Fantasy, whom I've gone to for my STI and my fathers truck. Sort of made friends with the installers over there so I don't mind paying a little more. They cost me about $130 or so.

 

can you post some detailed pics of the bed seat mounting? I would like to convert mine to bolt-in as well.

 

Sure, I'll try to get some pictures in the next few days. I originally wanted to put the bolts further apart but was unable to based on the way the truck bed is constructed underneath. But even with the bolts being about 1.5 inches apart, the seats are not going anywhere. 

  • Author

This just in. The Brat has passed CA Smog test. No more paper number in the window! 

sweet...living in Cali must be tough with an old car...can't believe it's not exempt.  can you get classic plates or something like that that exempts you?

I love these updates!

 

And in reply to your question, I dont really have a build-thread that is up to date, but i did post progress up to my move to Ireland... it was a 1976 two door sedan, but was very rough! *currently without a roofskin and in a friends basement* i was going to import it to Ireland, but I found one in better shape just across the Irish sea, in England. They just dont have many vintage scoobies here... There are more Irish registered Jaguar XJ220s than pre 1985 Subarus here! So late June, I hope to have my hands on the 78 Coupe that is near-ish by. I even brougt some of my rarest parts with me in a huge box last week, while over in America for a wedding.

Edited by Legacy RallyGuy

Oh yeah, another give away the mirror is a Gen 2 is that the plastic bag has blue printing. Subaru used red for the earlier models.  

  • Author

Oh yeah, another give away the mirror is a Gen 2 is that the plastic bag has blue printing. Subaru used red for the earlier models.  

 

 

That is actually a brand new '79 - '82 mirror or Gen 2. The mounting base is quite a bit larger than a Gen 1 and it is black not silver/grey.

 

Thanks for the clarification. It looks just like the pictures I've seen of the mirrors on Brats from 79-80.

Yes, because the mirror 'section' is the same.

Edited by Leeroy

  • Author

Yes, because the mirror 'section' is the same.

Its strange because I know I've seen more than 1 type of seemingly factory looking mirror on these cars. Oh well.

 

While I was cleaning up my rear sliding windows there was a date stamped into the glass, 1975. Crazy, 1975 glass when the car was built in 1977/78?

  • Author

A few days ago I took the Brat over to my dealer where they host a meet.

 

I'll have to post the pictures when I get home.

Edited by spicypeanut

  • Author

Pictures are up!

 

14322685683_2336898ac0_c.jpgbkyGNvp - Imgur by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14302511315_60e10fd170_c.jpgyUQ2b09 - Imgur by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14115860388_647b9fc527_c.jpgqEZiLZy - Imgur by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14115860238_091b5c46fe_c.jpgWLyAMqZ - Imgur by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14299161311_c57aa27fa4_c.jpgPsfW9sj - Imgur by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14115860588_659acb0660_c.jpgQ9FJYsY - Imgur by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14115884350_bd7c633b03_c.jpgyXynQaU - Imgur by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14322685413_dc8ed94696_c.jpgFyFichi - Imgur by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14115885820_684457c180_c.jpgEFakfnQ - Imgur by blue03wrx, on Flickr

Hey man did you meet a guy named Raul last night? He sent me pictures of your BRAT last night around 10pm. Small world.

  • Author

Hey man did you meet a guy named Raul last night? He sent me pictures of your BRAT last night around 10pm. Small world.

Yup, I was there and I did meet him. Seemed like a nice guy.

 

Yes I did meet Raul. Small world.

You were there too? 

bEAutiful! I just cruzed this whole thread again you have a brat to be proud of. I was wondering about the carpet did you find molded kit or just cut and glue and curse kine?

  • Author

bEAutiful! I just cruzed this whole thread again you have a brat to be proud of. I was wondering about the carpet did you find molded kit or just cut and glue and curse kine?

Thanks, it's been a lot of hard work. :)

 

As for the carpet, I originally bought a molded kit but the company sent me a kit for what I think may have been a gen 2 car, rather than the gen 1 brat. Regardless I had my interior guy do the carpet himself. Came out very nice. Really the only thing left to do on my list is buy some rear seat seat belts.

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • Author

Got some new pictures. The other day I actually used it as a truck! Needed to transport my air compressor.

14305546748_84e0046dcc_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

 

 

Then I wanted to see if I could hook up our boat:

 

14512248713_1fddfa85e2_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14488767931_2fc1abee4d_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14305534119_f1fcbbf82f_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14492137085_d46557deac_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

 

I scored a set of pretty rough alloy wheels but the previous owner had painted them white. Well needless to say the wheels had all sorts of grime on them. So after a pretty good de-greasing and cleanup, my dad and I painted them with some high temp enamel paint.

14490832694_096d16f7e5_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14305469780_3590609bea_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14490822774_480a82b1a5_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14468987336_3f2444f8b4_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14468930476_bff7b58122_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14305489849_a23c2de428_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

 

Started with a primer coat first and then the finish:

14512055973_5b41928f52_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14490093474_febcc2bfe4_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14490083714_fb559865e5_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

 

Came out pretty good. The only way it would be perfect would be to sandblast and powder coat them:

14304738779_101049b8cd_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14490120312_50f83dc968_c.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

Edited by spicypeanut

  • 3 weeks later...
  • Author

So I was thinking about upgrading my high beams. First of all, sealed beam headlights do not throw enough light for me. Secondly, the wiring in the car is very old so using the factory high beams is very taxing on the electrical system. I just received the replacement High/Low LED headlights which should be a direct drop in replacement. More pictures to come but for now I'll leave this here:

 

14650402913_05622188f9_b.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

Edited by spicypeanut

  • 3 weeks later...
  • Author

In order to install these LED lights, I would need to notch the factory bowl just a little so that the light itself sits inside it deep enough. I'd rather not cut out a notch so unfortuntly I will keep looking. In the mean time, I'll be selling the both. They work great, and are VERY bright but I just don't want to cut a notch out of my factory head light bowl. They will be for sale soon.

 

 

 

Also, I dove into my wiring harness a little bit this weekend. So I know when I use my high beams, the fuse block gets very hot. So hot in fact that it looks like at one point in time there may have been some melting involved. I pulled it aparat to get a closer look and this is what I found.

 

14582816358_29768a900c_b.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14582732410_fc62aef6f7_b.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14582726020_da5d66360d_b.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr

14582964467_c6ac3e8d0a_b.jpgUntitled by blue03wrx, on Flickr
 

 

 

I bought brand new, correct fuses. I wire brushed the actual contacts on the fuse block, and tightened up the fingers that hold the actual fuses in place. Now that all of that has been cleaned up, I need to track down another connector to try to replace the partially melted one I've got. I already checked
RockAuto and I can't seem to find anything. Does anyone have any locations that might have the connector I can buy?

Edited by spicypeanut

  • 4 weeks later...
  • Author

Posting some info for fellow user demonpossessed.

 

Here's how the air cleaner is setup.

 

 

Here's how the throttle is setup.

Edited by spicypeanut

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