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Rx Brat!


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alrighty! now for now i'm going to keep this "theoretical"...

 

but lets just say, for instance, that perhaps i could get a complete RX drivetrain for free if all i did was get it...

 

as of for now in my theory the drivetrain is the only parts left... so engine, trans, rear end... (although there is most likely brakes, ect. perhaps the car was rolled and say most of it was destroyed...)

 

now perhaps i just so happen to have a brat...

 

now i know it would be uber hard to do... but what might i have to do to make everything smoosh together to make a RX Brat? this would be in my 79... so that makes it even harder...

 

input? cool idea? to much work to make it cool? i've been told that the engine is to wide to fit in between my frame rails... options?

 

mounting the trans? crossmember issues?

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I t could work, it just depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it. Garner did an ea82T swap into his 79 brat, so that woulod work. He had to cut the frame rails a bit to work on the valve covers easier. Other than that you'd need to change a whole lot of stuff, if you're gonna keep the stock brakes you'd need to have custom axles made. Sorry I can't be of any more help, I haven't done this swap yet.

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i just test fit an ej22 in my 79 wagon, now the ea82t is wider... here are the problems i see,

 

wiring, this is going to be painstakeing long and involved confuising and a mess, but NOT HARD, anyone with time and a FSM can DO it,

 

you will need to moddify the crossmemeber to make room for the turbo up pipe.....

you will need to notch the fram(check out garners pix he has some of his)

 

you will need to build a custom rear trany support.( i asuume.)

 

you

 

 

if i were you i would do this.

 

if you must swap go ej22, because if you do all the maint on it it will be grate once its in...(ea82 not as good) IMHO

 

i would use the LSD out of the rx and the trany. mybe just mate it to an ea81 that was webberd and piped.... that would be relitivly easy and be a sweet setup with minnamel fabbing,,,

 

basicly it can be done and SHOULD be DONE if your of mind to. just think it through so you know what your up against. ...

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alright after much thought and deliberation i've come up with somewhat of a scheme for what i might do... mind you its 2:15am so it might not make all that much sence in the morning...

 

so i'll be running the RX trans...(obviously) with the LSD...(duh...)

 

from a source i learned that that the rear disc brakes will bolt right onto my 79... so sweet... i get disc brakes! (lets hope they are still there... i dunno exactly what the guy has...)

 

then as for the engine... i feel that not only is it to much of a hassle to stuff it in... but its also overkill for what i am going to be using it for... the ej22 was also kinda overkill in my mind... this car is going to be a commuter for 90% of the time... and i really don't want to kill myself... the 1600's have a lot more gusto then people think...

 

that aside... i think my engine of choice is going to be the ej18... not only are they somewhat plentifull but they fit the #'s that i want... plus my parents wouldn't be to happy with my bombing around with 140hp... they don't feel that its safe... so i think the 1.8 is a good compromise... 110hp seems like a good power...(its way better then 65 thats for darn sure...) and with exaust and what not it sound be a better then stock #'s... (a custom exaust would probably be easier then hodge podging together an exaust from the stock pieces right? maybe just the y-pipe? dual exaust perhaps?:D )

 

also from another source... i learned that with some modding the rear suspension can be used in my car... once again i don't know if its still around... but its worth a shot eh?

 

so i'd most likely be trading the EA82T for an ej18... or selling it and buying an ej18... any takers??? nah i better wait till its actually in my garage before i go selling the stuff...:rolleyes:

 

i'm gonna email the guy tomorrow... see if i can get a full list of whats there... and perhaps set a date in which i can scoot my arse up there...

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since when is 140hp too much??

 

my first car was the impreza 2.5rs that came stock with 165hp and 166tq.

 

the ea82t only has 115hp and you wouldnt have to get an adaptor plate for it.

 

ive been wanting to build a rx brat, but havent been able to get ahold of one, but i have just about everything that is needed to do the swap... i just need the tranny and lsd. and a brat.

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subyrally

 

since when is 140hp too much??

 

my first car was the impreza 2.5rs that came stock with 165hp and 166tq.

 

the ea82t only has 115hp and you wouldnt have to get an adaptor plate for it.

 

 

 

i'm really not into notching my frame... first off i don't have the equipment to do that... and 140hp is to much for me... i plan to learn how to rally and stuff in this car... i don't need 140hp to do anything that i do... and the ej18 is upgradable if i choose to go bigger/better... so is the ej22 but hey...

 

and last not many people use the ej18... i like being a little different then everybody else...:)

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heck a kia has 140hp:lol:

 

hey subyrally, there is a brat in PA for you that was on CL.the guy needed some yard work done, and some wiring run in his house, then the brat is free (if you do the work).

 

yeah, im not an electrician nor do i do yard work, besides, i dont look at craigslist.

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tailgatewagon

 

um i hope i didnt miss lead you. the ej22 and the ej18 are the same width i think, you will need to notch the frame a bit like 1/2 on each side. ill shoot you some pix when i get mine done. looks like it should take about 1hour to do it. anyway keep us updated...

 

 

oh you do have to notch the frame... how hard is that to do? how what is required to do it? any welding? i don't have easy access to a welder... so i hope to be able to do this conversion with as little welding on the car is possible...

 

i'll see what i can come up with...

 

i won't be able to do this until summer probably... for 2 reasons... i am driving the car daily to school... and i can't get another car...(parents rules...) and also its technically illegal for me to modify my car... i had to go through vihicle inspection... and i can get called back to VI anytime during the first year...

 

there is a sticker on my windshield to let cops know... so if i'm caught speeding or something they can screw me over by sending back into VI... and to pass VI the car has to be stock... if i add little stuff like disc brakes, carb, ect. they don't car... but a complete drivetrain swap they wouldn't go for... especially when it requires notching the frame!

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there is a sticker on my windshield to let cops know... so if i'm caught speeding or something they can screw me over by sending back into VI... and to pass VI the car has to be stock... if i add little stuff like disc brakes, carb, ect. they don't car... but a complete drivetrain swap they wouldn't go for... especially when it requires notching the frame!

 

Is this inspection a local thing, a B.C. thing, or a nationwide thing? Just curious.

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Is this inspection a local thing, a B.C. thing, or a nationwide thing? Just curious.

 

it is a nationwide thing and a provincial thing... there are actually 2 inspections... one federal and one provincial... the provincial is a more difficult inspection to pass... only about 1/3 of the cars on the road will pass...

 

but luckily for everybody else they don't have to take it... but since my car came from the states they feel it isn't safe...

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yet they let people drive around in Smart cars... and Micra's, My dads a 280 plus man and he drives around in a Micra! Those can't be safe!!

 

BTW: Next time I go to BC (hopefully I won't have to do a roadside Wheel bearing) Thanks to Rieds Chrysler Auto Wrecking for helping... I'll Have to see what your doing to that poor brat!

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  • 4 weeks later...

So now an update...

 

i've been talking with they guy a fair amount... and i have a list of the stuff he's taken out so far... this is what he wrote:

 

You won't need too much in the way of work time. Just about everything is out of the car and sitting under a tarp in the back yard. The dash is out, the steering column with computer is out, the entire wiring harness is out and sitting in a box in the garage. The rear subframe, with diff, brakes and struts is off the car but all in one piece. The transmission is out, and most of the linkage. The front cross member is in one piece, with the suspension, brakes and struts. I think all that's left on the shell is the handbrake cables and items like the clutch and brake master cylinders. We even have two good doors, and a set of seats.

so heres my questions... do i need anything else from this thing!? i can modify the clutch so i can use a cable instead of the hydro right? brake cylinder... meh... right?

 

i might take the seats... mine are uncomfortable... and ugly... and i slide outa the seat when i turn sharply...

 

now heres a good question... you think i can get all that stuff into my 79 brat?!?! engine, trans, front end, rear end, seats, dash, stearing columb, computer, harness... anything else? i know i'm picking up a piece of the body kit for shadow... erm... anybody want anything? mind you i have dibbs on all the above stuff until i can determine if i need it or not... i don't know how much of it i'm using...

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Technically you can use all the running gear and suspension stuff from the RX, but it will require a lot of work, engineering, and fiddling with to get it to work. Also when you got done you track width would be wider, and your tires would stick out of the fenders. But it would be really swee to see, and drive.

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Adam N.D.J.

 

Technically you can use all the running gear and suspension stuff from the RX, but it will require a lot of work, engineering, and fiddling with to get it to work. Also when you got done you track width would be wider, and your tires would stick out of the fenders. But it would be really swee to see, and drive.

 

 

see i was thinking of using my original front cross member, and getting a set of struts that mike(can't remember board name) makes... using EA81 struts with some crazy VW cartrage in it... so all i'd be using is the springs...

 

so that wouldn't widen my track width would it? and for the rear, i was told i might be able to just make the struts fit in... and get rid of my torsion bars... (or maybe keep them... super duper stiff!)

 

sway bar i have no idea about... but it's goin' in the box anyway!

 

i plan to pick and choose the parts later... i'd rather have more then i'm using then to have less then i need... save money and time...:D

 

but ya, you think i'll be able to carry all that stuff in my brat?

 

i just got a lead on an ej22... the guy who is gonna store the RX stuff for me also has a bevy of other vihicles... he'd let me trade him the EA82T motor for an EJ22 that has blown HG... how hard is it to change HG on an ej22? according to him they recommend you replace the head bolts... but him being a metalwhatzit engineer, he says that if i cook em in the oven for 24hrs at 500F, then cooled at room temp, they'd be good as new... save me 200 bucks... downside, i have to pull it outa the car myself... big woop! it'll be freakin' freee!(since the EA82T is free...):grin:

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