Hi all, I finally found a good gen1 brat to have as my newest project. I bought a gen2 last fall and found it to be too rusted.So i've been looking for another body to use with my frankenmotor (2.5 w/2.2 heads).

My freind who owns the local wrecking yard saved it for me.It's a 1978 and has ea81 and d/r4spd partially installed.Someone seen fit to paint the body wth bedliner,thats gonna be fun to remove for new paint. My plan is too build it into a rwd street brat. I have a ej25 high comp motor with delta 230 cams and ported heads joined w/ 5spd ej trans converted to rwd.The rear end will be 4.44 lsd with 225/50/15 on six lug wheels.

Should be able to do all three D's with this one (drivin,draggin and driftin)

Here a bigger pic!

Wow nice Gen 1 score! Have fun with your new project.

its be 1 sweet project your doing there:grin:

with a 2.5 and that light rear end you'll see more driftin' miles than straight... drift on!

 

 

--Spiffy

I like the way you think

Full write-up as you progress please!

Here's Day two progress ! Got rained out or would've had whole car sanded.Installed the 6 lug hubs and wheels.removed all trim and bad sheetmetal. Not too bad for one day into the build.

Before :

 

AFTER :

This is the '85 Brat that I was building until I found too much rust to continue.I was setting it up with 295/50/15 tires on the rear, too bad would've been cool!

This is the '85 Brat that I was building until I found too much rust to continue.I was setting it up with 295/50/15 tires on the rear, too bad would've been cool!

 

Wow that woulda been so sweet with those big fatty tires in the rear.... which I assume it could still melt into rubber streaks

Lumpycam,

 

The amount of progress you've made after just two days is superhuman. Looks like you be done in a week and a half?

 

I have to ask, where was the rust that made you quit on the 85?

 

Keep up the good work,

Crabman

The rear quarter panels mostly, some 10 pounds of sand fell out when I was removing rearend. The rockers are going and the innner bed sides have big holes. The car came from the oregon coast and must have seen lots to beach duty. The rest of the car was pretty good shape except were the frontend had been crudely repaired from a collision. It will make good parts for my next gen II brat when ever I find another.

Why aren't you still going with the fatty tires? They look awesome and so does the paintjob!

To answer your ? is I'm not building the '85 anymore since I found the '78.

I may pro-street the '78 at a later time , I want to get it together and drive it as quick as possible.Narrowing the rearend is a major job ,taking more time than I want to spend right now. Although It would look really COOL!!!!

 

Day Three:

Not much progress, I did spend time locating parts i need.I decided to put rear disk brakes and ea81 vented front brakes on.I figured a little more WHOA! to go with all the GO! was needed.

Finally making some progress again. I installed a used ej22 and 5mt to mock up mounts and rad.I also stripped wiring harness and made it run with key. Installed the ej rad with dual fans.Modified trans crossmember to accept ej trans.removed engine and trans to clean and paint engine bay.Installed rear lsd and rear disk brakes.changed steering rack and entire front suspension for good used stuff.Also installed vented front brakes and parking cables.changed wheels from alum to steel rallye , front ea82 spare and chevy truck 15x8 rear. put 225/50/15 cobras on rear and continental 155/60/15 on front. I also made and installed short axle on front. The driveline was sent in to driveline shop and is ready for pickup .

I still need to make head gaskets for ej25/22 combo and assemble them on engine.The center diff in trans needs to be removed and welded to rwd. And take note of this :

 

To install ej trans in ea71 , the bottom drivers bellhousing bolt must be shortened about 1".The rag joint and bolts hit the bolt and nut ,will not allow turning of steering.I tryed positioning the engine in different ways but still could not escape the problem.My solution is to remove a corner of bellhousing and using a shorter stud. You could also counter sink bolt hole in trans and use a socket head bolt.

 

Lot's left to do !!! getting really excited to get the ej25 in and here it run. Later.......

pics?

 

To install ej trans in ea71 , the bottom drivers bellhousing bolt must be shortened about 1".The rag joint and bolts hit the bolt and nut ,will not allow turning of steering.I tryed positioning the engine in different ways but still could not escape the problem.My solution is to remove a corner of bellhousing and using a shorter stud. You could also counter sink bolt hole in trans and use a socket head bolt.

 

Lot's left to do !!! getting really excited to get the ej25 in and here it run. Later.......

 

i am having the same issue with mine however i opted to modify the steering rather than the bellhousing. if you remove the rag joint entirely and weld a rod in place then cut off the 'ears' with the studs on the steering than you're in the clear.

Here's a few teaser pics of whats to come ! I got the engine assembled and thought you might want a peek. Sorry for crappy pics from my Wmart $19.00 digi cam.

ooooh shiny red cam pulleys

Are you coming to WCSS10 this year?

And if so, are you bringing the Brat?

Are you coming to WCSS10 this year?

And if so, are you bringing the Brat?

 

I want to make it the show it depends on if I get the brat finished.So to aswer you, Yes and yes.

Well, get r done!

I've have 3 cars to get ready, you only have 1! :-p

this thread needs more pictures.

Nice pics

I manage to get the brat together enough to drive temporarily. I won't be able to make it to wcss10 due to stupid head cold that put be behind at work. The brat also didn't get finished enough to drive it across state.I will miss seeing everyone and all the cool suby's. However I have been ripping around locally in the brat and am enjoying the power of the ej motor. Here's a pic of the dual headers I had built for it. Enjoy!!

thatz looks good