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anyone have a 1983 subaru gl wagon?

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this was my family car as a little kid. it had no air conditioning, a manual transmission, and 5 tons of chrome (not literally). it was a good car, but the engine kept overheating and the doors had big rust holes in it when it was 9 years old!!! my parents sold it after that. my question is, has anybody ever heard of a, i think its called, clutch brake. if your on a hill and you push in the clutch it wont roll or something like that.

  • Author

so this legend exists? do they still have this in the newer subarus?

I guess now it's considered an older car, but my 1995 Subaru Outback had the hill holder.

 

 

 

 

 

so this legend exists? do they still have this in the newer subarus?

They discontinued the Hill Holder system for a while, but I understand it's back on some of the newer models availible now.

 

Pretty much all the Subaru's with manual transmissions of the 80's had the HH. I think some of the DL's and STD model's perhaps did not.

 

This was actaully not an original Subaru concept. It was first seen on the Studebaker. Subaru just stole the idea.

 

GD

well I have had 2 83's now lol and one is a stick (I still have it) and has the Hill holder and man I love it sure wish my 04 OBS had it sometimes though

Subaru (back in the day), had the forethought to steal a LOT of good ideas. In fact, I can't think of anything they didn't steal from someone. The Japanese were real good at that. They didn't have the money to research new tech, nor the ability to risk new tech on an already soft market here in the US. Their products had to be both cheaper and more reliable than the domestic competition even with the added cost of shipping across the ocean.

 

GD

My GL has it, it's very nice, I love showing it off to my friends with newer "nicer" cars, and making fun of the fact that they don't have it!

 

-Chux

  • Author

i remember the day my parents sold that car, they sold it to some collage student who wanted to restore it, i said but i wanted that car when i get my license someday. they said i could have my dads truck (1987 ford ranger). i said i dont want that thing, its too modern and aerodynamick looking, ha. well, i ended up with the 87 ranger which i have now, but hey, im still a subaru fan. i know, what am i doing here if i dont have a subaru, well, maybe ill get one someday, i dont know. i wonder where that car is now.

It would be NICE to have a CLUTCH BRAKE, but it isn't necessary with small synchronized transmissions

 

a CLUTCH BRAKE is used to shift between low and reverse on heavy duty transmissions without grinding

They discontinued the Hill Holder system for a while, but I understand it's back on some of the newer models availible now.

 

Pretty much all the Subaru's with manual transmissions of the 80's had the HH. I think some of the DL's and STD model's perhaps did not.

 

This was actaully not an original Subaru concept. It was first seen on the Studebaker. Subaru just stole the idea.

 

GD

i know it comes in the new Forester....sadly we cant get the duel range tranny in the US...the US seems to get screwed over sometimes...it owuld be a nice option...oops off topic

 

i use my hill holder, not all th time but it sure is nice to have at times.

  • Author

how do you "engage" the hillholder? i just though it worked automatically.

well when it is perfectly adjusted all you do is on an uphill situation you push down the clutch and then mash down on the brake and it engages the hill holder it's sorta like a line lock and then when you let off the brake the car should stay put and then when you let off the clutch when starting the hill holder then disengages

  • 7 months later...

its actually called a hill brake you press the clutch in and press down on the brake and then release, while leaving the clutch engaged, and you remain stationary

 

i have an '83 subaru gl wagon (limited edition) but i recently got in an accident and its out of commission at the moment, but i never experienced any of the problems you described, it is a hell of a car though

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