April 30, 20187 yr New here, hope this post fits guidelines! I recently inherited a 1980 4x4 Brat and I'm at a loss as to what to do with it. I've tinkered in the past but this will be my first ever full project and I'm hoping to get some suggestions/feedback from anyone who has taken on an older Subaru! Some info: EA71 had 80k OG miles and was recently resealed by a friend of mine. Currently runs and drives no problem. Rust isn't too bad, currently grinding out All original glass and body All interior stripped - still have but thinking about spraying bed liner on floor Missing door cards Dash is cracked but not the worst looking Have OG seats but badly need re-upholseting Pics here Willing to put about $5k into it immediately, $10k tops - what's your take?
April 30, 20187 yr Endless possibilities. What do you want from it ? Lifted ? Go off roading ? Lower and look pimp ( my apologies ) , go faster ? Stay close to stock ? The “if I had your money I’d ....” thread. This ought to be fun. Best of luck. You have a base and money and I’m assuming youth on your side. Should be fun. Enjoy !
April 30, 20187 yr The EA71 is a very, very reliable engine. If it's been resealed, it should go for many years with only oil changes and occasional tune-ups. I would concentrate on eradicating any rust, and then a decent paint job. Then start talking to upholstery shops. Try to find one with experience and passion for old cars, then go as wild as you want with the interior. I wouldn't recommend trying to source original interior pieces. Even if you could find some still in ok condition, they probably wouldn't stay that way for long. Too many years.
May 1, 20187 yr Author Endless possibilities. What do you want from it ? Lifted ? Go off roading ? Lower and look pimp ( my apologies ) , go faster ? Stay close to stock ? The “if I had your money I’d ....” thread. This ought to be fun. Best of luck. You have a base and money and I’m assuming youth on your side. Should be fun. Enjoy ! Seen it lifted and liked it. Makes sense for a 4x4 for sure. Perhaps swap engine for extra power after a while but as Scott said I appreciate the reliability of the 71. Yeah definitely encouraging the “if I had the money I would...” suggestions for sure to get an idea of what the weird enthusiasts out there have conceptualised!
May 1, 20187 yr Author The EA71 is a very, very reliable engine. If it's been resealed, it should go for many years with only oil changes and occasional tune-ups. I would concentrate on eradicating any rust, and then a decent paint job. Then start talking to upholstery shops. Try to find one with experience and passion for old cars, then go as wild as you want with the interior. I wouldn't recommend trying to source original interior pieces. Even if you could find some still in ok condition, they probably wouldn't stay that way for long. Too many years. That’s super helpful thank you! I have a hard time thinking about projects linearly as has been proven by my failed 1986 Toyota Dolphin remodel.
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