Subaru BRAT rescue

[Hrimfaxi]

Awesome, following with interest!

[Jhonno]

Cool thing these! Following!

[DaveEvs]

Thanks for all the interest. I’ll try and update as we go along.

There’s some great examples out there. This is a favourite:

https://www.motortrend.com/news/subaru-brat-custom...

[Penguinracer]

I have fond memories of these when I used be a ski patroller.

Throw the skis in the back on a Friday night & make for the mountains.
Sometimes the grader hadn't been down the road & in the light of the headlights I'd be out with a torch i tramping a path through the deep snow drifts so that I could take a run at it - sometimes even chains on all four wheels have their limits!

Not a soul around & fighting through snow drifts until 10 PM - those were the days!

[Hrimfaxi]

DaveEvs said:

Thanks for all the interest. I’ll try and update as we go along.

There’s some great examples out there. This is a favourite:

https://www.motortrend.com/news/subaru-brat-custom...

The wood burning stove completes that.

[sunbeam alpine]

Wow, that's a blast from the past.

We had a few of these on the farms back when I was young.

Good luck with the restauration!

[DaveEvs]

Minor update while waiting for parts and tools.

I’ve started stripping the back end down for welding. Roll bar is out, as are all access panels to the inner wings. This will be useful for access to some tight spots. Trying to be organised and place fixings in labelled freezer bags as I go along.

The roll bar definitely needs lights when refitted.



Also decided to drop the dashboard to replace blown bulbs. Hardly a priority you may think, but I like to start with a non-vital job to “get my eye in” and gain a feel of how the car is put together. Very simple in this case - lovely 1970’s exposed (or slightly hidden!) screws.



Finally, had a play around with the roll bar as a bike rack. I don’t want to just put a pad on the tailgate, as a modern 29er with long forks will touch its front wheel on the ground!

[DaveEvs]

Hello again,

Pleased to say the dash has gone back in, and the seats and floor mats are out. Floor pan has one repair (done well), and few signs of water ingress. Will jet wash all parts.




I’ve also started about the rear aches with a wire-brush grinder. Cue lots of rust and filler flying out and feelings of “what have I done here”!

It’s going to get worse before it can get better.

[Cambs_Stuart]

Looking good so far. Interested to see how bad the rust really is.

[DaveEvs]

“Show me the rust!” you said.

Well, here goes…



Passenger rear arch.



Drivers rear arch (fuel flap has to go!)



Drivers cill. Seatbelt mount behind here, so needs rebuilding.



Still somehow looks ok from 10 feet. to my eyes anyway.

Edited by DaveEvs on Friday 21st October 10:13

[Cambs_Stuart]

So, it looks like you've got some localised patches, so repairable?

[RB Will]

Nothing a few layers of duct tape wont fix

[ballans]

That rust isn’t too bad for these.
The ones I looked at had nothing but fresh air where the sills used to be.

[DaveEvs]

I looked at a few others which were held together by air and hope.

This project shows a similar amount of work on an even rarer 3dr.

https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/100046/1983-s...

[DaveEvs]

More small steps.

Temporary fuel tank arrived, but pipe the wrong size to feed carb, so will need adapting. Luckily all pipes move freely and are not perished.

Can anyone confirm the carb make from these photos (believe it’s Hitachi), and also is the pipe being pointed at the fuel return line? (Front pipe is fuelfeed).

Thanks in advance.

[Spinakerr]

Good progress, keep going!

Carb def looks hitachi from the intake sape and slanted pipe, layout of fuel lines and the fact there are 145 vacuum lines.

If its and EA-82 engine, could it be a Hitachi 286? They are never stamped with manufacturer but somewhere on the side should be the three digit designation. Its not a 306.

A move to Weber 32/36 could be a lot easier...!

[donkmeister]

Can't see a Brat without thinking of "My Name Is Earl"; the truck features frequently, if you feel drawn to watch things with your choice of motor in them.

[DaveEvs]

Big steps forward today: rear diff support and fuel tank now removed and truck ready for welder to inspect.

Found a few small holes under there, but the bottom of the bed appears ok. The grinder will reveal the truth!

[Cambs_Stuart]

Do these share much componentry with any other subarus?

[DaveEvs]

Hi Stuart,

The Brat shares many parts with the EA81 Leone / GLF ranges, most of which have dissolved in the UK! There are still new-old stock parts available though.

Update!

The fabricator has started today!
Mostly cutting out and gaining access, but we have at least made a start!