Anyone have real knowledge of swapping a later model EA81 and dual range tranny into a '79 wagon?

 

Also, do the '77-79 wagons rust as easily and severely as the '80-84's?

 

Thanks for any input. I am still trying to decide how to put my great EA-81 dual range drivetrain into a body that will be around for years. I love the performance on and off road of my slightly modified '84, and I have a great '87 EA81 hatch drivetrain...but I need a good 4-door body in the Southeast to put it all together!...forgive my whining.

 

Scott

the swapping can be done. Hondasucks here on the board swapped a EA81 and d/r 4-speed into his '77 wagon awhile ago. I've heard you'd need a steering rack from a gen 1 body style EA81 Brat. Only came in '80 and '81 I believe but Andrew (Hondasucks) said he never swapped one in his and he never had a problem with it hitting the axle like I've heard.

 

I have a gen 1 wagon that's lived its whole life in the PNW and it has hardly any rust on them. From what I've seen, the EA81s have a bigger rust issue then gen 1's BUT when you do need to replace fenders, hoods, etc., they become hard to find a lot of the times.

Bump. Anyone else have input? Thanks.