Seahag1978 Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Looks bleak. There isn't anything left underneath to work with. It's a beautiful example of exterior and interior. The stuff that holds it all together is toast. My goal is to re-build this BRAT to look like a remote control car, disproportionate and cartoonish. Currently, I'm working with Synaptic3 out of New Hampshire on my options. New frame to sit it on or transplant. The weak EA81, and snap, crackle, pop transaxles aren't going to cut it. Looks like a Jeep transplant is more feasible. Plus, I get an automatic lift and 5 lug swap... CHOICES for rims and tires! AND the power to turn them! Before you all get your panties in a bunch, my other 2 BRATs are stock and rather than part out this beautiful '84, I'd rather do this. Added bonus... it will free the 65k dealer maintained drivetrain to keep as a spare for my '86 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Suzuki Samuri frame might be a better option than a jeep. At least it won't be a Chrysler product. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Suzuki Samuri frame might be a better option than a jeep. At least it won't be a Chrysler product. GD With an ej swap, to keep it in the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted April 7, 2007 Author Share Posted April 7, 2007 Suzuki Samuri frame might be a better option than a jeep. At least it won't be a Chrysler product. GD Can you elaborate on this? I DON'T want to part this BRAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=72433 He doesn't go into a whole lot of detail on the procedure, also check out his photo's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Mary I feel your pain with having plans for something ....then finding a structural issue that wont allow for the plans....I am basically in the same boat with the XT6..has maybe another 2 years left in the frame before it will be completely unsafe. Unless I can find someone I can afford with the ability to fabricate new front frame rails and put them under...I may be in the market for another one and swap my good drive train out. It breaks your heart to have such plans and put so much work into to turn around and discover something like that. And then the budget..I know I surely dont have the money. Good Luck with it ...and Happy Easter:grin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Basically you reinforce what you have left, lengthen the Sammi frame, fab some brackets and some steering column modifications and bolt the Brat to the Sammi frame. Being that the Sammi isn't uni-body, has solid axles, and a low range transfer case it's similar to what your guy sugested with the jeep but the Sammi axles are aready the correct width and the frame is much better proportioned to a Brat than a Jeep frame would be. As you say - automatic lift, and lug pattern swap - although in the case of the Sammi it's a chevy/toyota 6 lug pattern. Figure on about a 30" tire when it's all done. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 Ok. So we sent pictures to the fabricator. We drove there with an intact BRAT for a visual aid. Bad news. To strip the BRAT, curb the rust (sandblast and seal) reinforce everything then strip the Jeep of the tub, replace whatever is wrong on the donor and put all the pieces parts back together to make one SAFE truck will be 10K +- 2K. Not that the work isn't worth it. It's a LOT of VERY dirty work. To buy a custom car like that is impossible. No one but a BRAT freak would even consider doing this. I have 2 beautiful stock BRATS and hate to part this one out. Soooo, my quandry is... what would it cost to buy even a Hyundai? (those that know me know WHAT I THINK OF THOSE CARS. We can strip the cars ourselves and turn over the shell and chassis. The price will go WAY down. OR we can do the same and hire a welder for $50 an hour. The welder will only weld where we tell him. Can anyone give tips on the structural points that need attention? I want to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 Seriously, don't bother going to the 10-12k guy. Do you want this to look like the ford in the shed, or could it be rougher? The guy you talked to will do a professional, slick looking, show quality job. Doing it closer to half rump roast would make a vehicle that will generate plenty of comments and still be able to be beaten on without remorse. I think there's a sami frame in the J/Y. Want measurements? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 Oh, yeah, and you could start by stripping the carpet out of the brat. It sucks welding the body and having the carpet catch fire. Take all the carpets and insulation off the floorpans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 Oh, yeah, and you could start by stripping the carpet out of the brat. It sucks welding the body and having the carpet catch fire. Take all the carpets and insulation off the floorpans. Ah, I was wondering when you were going to crawl out of the woodwork. This is right up you alley, kiddo. We already determined that a CJ-7 or a Wrangler will do. We also want good running gear... I want BIG tires. HUGE! Like cartoon big. Disproportionate big. Silly big. Needs a Jeep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 WHat was that about needing a jeep for big tires? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 WHat was that about needing a jeep for big tires? You're the creative genius in these here parts... you know Jeeps, you know Subies... mix it up... nuff said. Yes, fasteners can show outside, not like the prissy Ford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 WHat was that about needing a jeep for big tires? Ok...I get your point. I'm still dealing with Japanese metal. What would you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 You need to research mass laws on bumper height. Lifting something way up may make it uninspectable, and you'll get pulled over all the time even if you are able to get it inspected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 You need to research mass laws on bumper height. Lifting something way up may make it uninspectable, and you'll get pulled over all the time even if you are able to get it inspected. As we speak, a goodly portion of the Jeeps here are seriously lifted and have tires that are way taller than the hood of my BRAT. They also stand at least 4" outside of the body with no flares. It's a little nuts I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 Would you retain the brat engine and transmission, and run a divorced t-case and the truck frame off of that? Or would you want to run the frame's drivetrain with only a brat body as decoration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 Would you retain the brat engine and transmission, and run a divorced t-case and the truck frame off of that? Or would you want to run the frame's drivetrain with only a brat body as decoration? The latter. The BRAT's culpability as a support system is nil. The engine as a power source is nil. It's decoration only. The former are spares for my '86 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 The latter. The BRAT's culpability as a support system is nil. The engine as a power source is nil. It's decoration only. The former are spares for my '86 I must dissagree. The EA81 has more stock HP than the Sammi in the picture above, is more reliable, and easier to maintain in an off-road vehicle. It also has more HP and torque than many of the old Jeep 4 cylinders. With SPFI it can easily run at any angle which is far superior to the older jeep offereings which are carb based. It's all about gearing with tires like that. HP will just break the tranny or drive axles. That's why recent Jeep offerings from the 80's and up have such a horrible reputation - V8's do not make good off-road equipment. They have too much power for the small drive systems required by the size of these vehicles, and they consume too much fuel. Even the military Hummer H1's only have 160 HP, and they weigh close to two tons because of the heft of the frame and drivetrain required to support the GM 6.2. I'll say it again - Sammi frame, dual transfer cases, EA81 and 5 speed D/R. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted April 15, 2007 Author Share Posted April 15, 2007 Thanks Rick,I appreciate that input, and take it to heart. I think you know what I'm trying to do. Jerry sent me some info on his transplant too and can elaborate. If I were there, I'd have no issue. I'm here and so I do... we are in a different mentality. They figure why replace inferior metal with inferior metal? ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH! I have a headache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 Yeah - I understand. It's difficult to find people out your way that have any experience with things like the Brat or the Sammuri. Jeeps are ubiquitous and there's lots of so-called "fabricators" that have no experience outside of domestic rigs. If you can't find anyone that will do what you sugest then you might have to just buy a welder and make it a learning experience. These folks have no experience with Brat's, so they naturally try to substitute their expeirence with Jeeps instead - that's not a good fit as the jeep frame is much too wide to accomidate the Brat unibody in a clean way. Perhaps explain to them that the Sammi basically IS a jeep but it's proportions are better for the Brat body. Maybe that will get their attention. Or get a couple issues of Petersons 4WD and show them pictures of modified Sammi's like the one above. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 I must agree with the samuri's cleaner look under a subie body. Jerry's hatch is a great exaple of that. Now if you wanna talk about messy, about 15 years or so ago there was a gen1 Brat around here that had been grafted onto a Bronco II Frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 yea, i`m sorry but this looks like junk if you ask me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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