I love that it actually had selectable 4wd not just a viscous coupling that needs wheelspin before it works, or the modern equivalent, brake-based tc. Very capable over that wombat hole course
Modern Subaru's have all time 4wd with a center limited slip clutch that makes it better to drive on the road as the lsd have some give when turning in a parking lot but the engine is trying to spin all wheels at all times.. Other brands use viscous systems that allow wheel spin before engaging. My 05 forester even have selectable low and high range 5 speed gearbox and it plows thru snow like a train.. That center lsd also allow one to pull the hand brake while powersliding like a pro :D
@@vihreelinja4743 lsd’s still need wheel spin to work…And having a locked center diff doesn’t mean you’ll have trouble turning as the axles are not locked
In Australia it was sold as the Subaru *Brumby until production ceased in 1994. Here later models had 1.8l engines, with some variants having dual range (H and L) selectable. You can still see a few on the roads in rural areas, but many seem to have been kept for on-farm use only. * Feral work horse.
LOL Reminds me of a couple battles I had with dumb cops in my youth. It ultimately was not about the ticket that got thrown out of court, but the court fees I had to pay regardless. What a crock of shit that was. Mistaken identity of an 83 S10 4x4 Blazer that had the weak ass 2.8 liter engine. Cop claimed it was doing some absurd speed down the highway. When in fact, I had just got on the highway from an onramp and there was 0 chance it could have got up to the speed he said in the time I merged and he came at me out of nowhere. Even wrote up the wrong license plate #. SMH. Another time was a 63 Ford Galaxy 500 4door. With a small 351 gutless engine. Could not spin the tires even on wet roads. Cop said I was speeding up hill when in fact, I could not even get the car up to the speed limit. Had 3 friends with me in the car and said, write it up you lying POS and we will go to court and have it thrown out. And your name will be tarnished in this dinky little town for harassment. He didn't write up. lol
Got pulled over years ago in my 78 GL Wagon in rural Iowa. When the cop said he clocked me at 73 my reaction must have surprised him. I said with a big smile; "Really!?! Wow! I had my foot to the floor, but it usually won't ever do more than 65." He laughed and told me to keep an eye on the speedo going downhill in the future.
@fastinradfordable Of course, there was no 351 in 63, so I'm assuming the OP meant 352. Which with the standard 2bbl would not be a powerhouse in this application.
You mentioned the exposed oil pan. That brush guard originally came with a large steel bash-plate -- very sturdy (and heavy) for the size of the vehicle. You can still see the mounting flanges on the brush guard.
I have a BRAT and people love it like nothing I've ever owned, People who remember it from back in the day love it, kids love it , women love it. I rarely take it anywhere without someone approaching me to ask a question or tell me that someone they knew had one and how cool they think it is. People wave, point, yell something in passing , give a thumps up or smile, it never ceases to amaze me.. It is completely stock with original paint and a little rough around the edges but in overall good shape. It is just a great little machine......
Tommi my neighbour had one new in 78 or 79 and it just plowed through any Manitoba winter and it started in cold weather without issue, they had a manual choke and had decent enough heaters in them to, he later traded it in for the first wagons to come to North America with the selectable 4WD transfer case and it did even better than the Brat did in bad weather , i do know it pushed snow as high as its front bumper without getting stuck ,I don't know if it had open diffs or an LSD in the rear , I heard something about that , just can't confirm it, in snow storms we use to tow toboggans behind it what a blast it was 👍
Back in the 1970's my oldest brother worked for Southern California Edison as a lineman. That was when Global Cooling was a fear. He was issued a 4X4 utility van but it couldn't get through the unusual amounts snow that fell upon the Tehachapi mountains at the end of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. He started using the Brat he owned because it was the only vehicle that could handle the snow. It was so light that it just floated on top of the snow where the big Ford just sank and got stuck.
You should try to find a 1980-85 or 87/88 AMC Eagle to test (in 1986 they changed the AWD system and it wasn't as good as the other years). Those things were tanks and fairly capable, and would make for an interesting VS against some newer CUVs or wagons.
1984 was probably the best year of my life, not that I haven't had a few others since. On march 11th I got my discharge from the navy. Moved back home to Santa Fe NM and a week later bought a brand new Subaru Brat and then a month later swapped my old Yamaha DT 175 for a 2 year old Yamaha XT 500. I've owned many vehicles and bikes since, but those two are still the best I've ever had !. Right now in my garage is a 1980 XT 500 basket case I'm just starting to restore, but as I emigrated to the UK half a lifetime ago I doubt I'll ever get another Subaru brat, mores the pity.
They were hugely popular in the North Yorkshire Moors back in the day, perfect for the terrain & weather, pretty much every sheep farmer owned one. They could go like stink along the narrow twisty back roads too, surprisingly fast & nimble. Now farmers use a quad bike & trailer for the serious off road stuff, with a bigger 4x4 like a Hilux for everything else, which is a more versatile combination. But in their day they were superbly useful vehicles.
I had that exact car in silver with blue accents, jump seats and a factory tonneau cover. It had the 4 round headlights and everything. I never did serious trails but I worked on a huge farm and summer or winter it would go anywhere. Even in 3 feet of snow. Great video as always. Thank you 😊
I agree with you Tommy. I also wish Subaru would have kept this powertrain recipe. I also loved the T-tops on the next generation of the BRAT. I stopped looking at Subarus when they went to the CVT.
Yeah - I gave up on Subaru when the CVTs came here (UK). I'd had a couple of Legacys including one with the 3-litre engine. Still the best snow car I've ever had (on winter tyres).
I had a 78 I bought in 86 for $200. It was rough, but I would love to have it again. It was rusted away and the motor probably needed a new head gasket. I love it still
I had an '85 Camero when the USAF sent me to Montana for a tour back in '88. I picked up an '85 Brat and put some serious miles on it as a back-up/winter vehicle. I took that thing places that most people wouldn't have, used it to get to trailheads and as a winter vehicle. It was solid . . . I sold it when I left Montana, but after a few interesting winters in Washington I wished I's hung onto it. - I just spotted the temp plates . . . Did you just buy that?! Awesome! I'd looked for one a while back and they are hard to find usable and ESPENSIVE!'
I love the brat as well as all of the older Subarus including the Justy. Growing up in the foothills of the Adirondacks they were everywhere driving a long side the AMC Eagles of the day. Even though my family out grew our Subarus (an ‘01 Forester and a ‘13 Outback). I wish Subaru made a modern pickup and a vehicle with sliding doors, I would head back to them even as I love our odyssey and Powerboost F150.
What a hoot. I owned over a dozen early Subaru wagons, each had a personality. My favorite still was the 87 with low range. Every gear seemed dialed in to explore. Low range was impressive for a 1.8 boxer.i traveled back country that would task a 4runner. Early Subaru’s were hard to kill. Side note: I did the head gaskets on every Subaru I have owned, part of the boxer charm. The ole Subaru’s seemed to float over terrain being so light. Shame they bet the farm on CVT’s, I have no use for.
I, too, had an 87 wagon, the last year for the carbureted engine. Mine was the GL with the two-speed transfer case (the DL had the button on top of the shifter to engage the “hi-range” only AWD). Great car; had both the front mains replaced, which could easily be done without tearing the front of the engine off, along with the motor mounts. The head gaskets had been done by the previous owner. Solid running vehicle, always started on the first try on cold mornings, very stable on wet or snowy roads. Was a hoot off-road; people always wondered how I could get this little wagon in the places I did. Fun side notes. Dual timing belts, so if the belt on the side of the engine without the distributor broke, being a non-interference head, one could continue motoring, albeit slowly, with only two cylinder running. Happened to me one day onto the way home from work, about three miles from home. The local Subie expert came by after he closed his shop for the day and changed both belts in my driveway! Also, tried one day to show off to my new wife how to do an emergency turn in the snow using the handbrake; forgot that Subies in the day ebraked the front, not the rear, tires. Thank goodness that old Subie had AWD because I lost control and put it into a snow drift. Still married 32 year later.
I wouldn’t exactly call them ugly. My father had one of these and got all sorts of positive attention whenever I was running around in it and could not believe how much interest it got when it was time to sell.
I owned a 79 Wagon I inherited from my Dad when he bought a 84 wagon. Both were selectable FWD/4WD. The 79 had the same 1.6L boxer at 67 hp. The 84 had the upgraded 1.8L at 82 hp. The 79 had 150K miles on it when I inherited it. Gave it to my younger brother 4 years later with 210K miles. He rolled it down a hill with 240K miles and was scrapped. Motor ran perfectly up until it was wrecked. My Dad drove the 84 for 20 years and had 420K miles when the engine seized up. It was rusted out but was the most reliable vehicle he ever owned. Always started in Minnesota winters and lived its entire life outdoors. He bought a 99 outback to replace the 84. Last vehicle he ever owned. It finally died in 2015 with 280K miles after my niece bought it from my Dad. Subarus hold a special place in our family. Unbelievably reliable, the FWD/4WD and the AWD outback simply go anywhere you point them. The excellent ground clearance and light weight made them exceptional winter vehicles. I currently own a Jeep grand Cherokee AWD just for the added horsepower but it’s a similar vehicle to the Subaru wagons. My only advice to a prospective Subaru buyer is to choose a color you’ll like forever as it will far outlast most vehicles mechanically.
Had a '78 GL Wagon for years. Bombing that thing around country gravel roads was some of the most automotive fun of my life. It was gloriously composed. I could toss it into a curve at speed, 4 wheel drift, lift and it would tuck right back in, hit the apex, punch it and she'd dig and squirt out of the turn. All at about 40mph. Awesome cars!
We had a ‘92 Loyal and it would go anywhere. All factory 4 or 2 wheel drive. We pushed a 2wd Isuzu trooper out of the mud, bumper to bumper, with little effort. Loved that car.
I found the BRAT to be anything but delicate. I watch on do a tough truck competition at a fairgrounds and it wound being one of only 2 vehicles to survive the competition. And there were over 24 on them participating, including some monster trucks, jeeps, one tone pickups and even a 60’s VW Beetle. And it got a lot of air under the tires while doing it. It I’d not survive damage free, but it was still in one piece and running at the end.
Had the 2nd gen awd hatchback as well as one of the older wagons. Great cars. A tad unstable at speed. Great gas mileage. Reliable. Unpleasant to work on. Off road prowess was good enough to get you into trouble. Kinda hated the engines sound but it was a torquey little mule. I'd have another if the stard all aligned.
I purchased my 1980 Subaru Brat in 1986 from a family friend. It was silver with the same blue interior. All my buddies loved the rear seats until winter came around.....lol. It was great in the new england snow and even drove it on the beach out on long island a few times. Tried to find one to restore a few years ago but not many survived the rust. I did purchase a 2023 WRX recently and wow it's fun!
Every now and then I toy with the idea of getting one of these as a little runabout/commuter. Although most in my area are are in a "ran when parked" status. Still it could be a fun little project someday.
The rear suspension is that way for a reason. Its actually an independant torsion bar set up. That gives the simplicity, ruggedness and easy build of a torsion bar but allows it to remain fully independant for better ride/handling. Its a pretty good compromise when you consider the era and price they were aiming for.
Had a neighbor who was an early adopter of Subaru. He got his first in the mid '70s and we all thought it was called a 'Super Roo'. We had no idea that that was actually another car from down under. Anyway, he'd buy one, get about 3 or 4 years out of it until the tin worm had its way and then retire it and get another 10 years out of it as a logging vehicle. He had 3 or 4 of these running around his place hauling firewood and skidding small logs. Sort of like a modern side by side ATV. These BRATs were great cars. If they had about double the power they would have been the all time greatest.
I have a 78 in the driveway, Az no rust. Has 14" wheels, 3" lift, weber carb, low roll bar, custom front bumper. Had it for years. If I get it going again I may weld the back dif. I have a spare one.
I had one of these brand new. Back in 78/79 if you remember we had the gas crunch and if you owned a full size 4 Wheeler at the time you know those trucks were getting 8 miles to the gallon if you were lucky. So being kids at the time trying to afford something like that was next to impossible. Now Subaru show's up with this little jewel and now you have a 4X again only this one uses about as much gas as a lawn mower. Great and fun little truck, I used to fit down small little paths in the woods that a big truck couldn't go near. In the winter this thing was so light when switched to 4 wheel would just clime up on top of the snow and kinda just float. Very cool vehicle for the time, lots of fun.😁👍
In I took a test drive in one back when they came out. The salesman took it off road on some very steep trails, even backing up an insanely steep slope. After conquering everything he told me he hadn’t engaged the four wheel drive yet!
Love seeing these videos on older vehicles I’d see around occasionally growing up in the 70’s/80’s, but never got up close to. Brats, VW Things, etc. So wild to see - thanks!
"Inexpensive. And built to stay that way." Too bad the old Subaru philosophy was abandoned years ago. Can't even buy a proper manual Subie anymore. Cars are sad now.
I love these small Subaru’s, the first car i drove in my teens was the second gen BRAT. I worked for a farmer in Sweden that had it as his farmtruck. It really was the perfect tool.
I owned a 79 BRAT in 1989 when I first moved to MT for a ski bum career. I was no stranger to snow and cold having grown up in northern Minnesota. That thing was absolutely unreal in snow and icy road conditions. IT would easily plow through snow deeper than the hood, as I did many times just for fun. The only drawback was the lack of power. I drove old VW's at the time, so I was accustomed to slow cars, but the BRAT was a chore to drive on hills and highways. But, on backroads and off road, it was amazingly capable. Mine was already heavily rusted from ten years of life in the rust belt. It even had fiberglass front fenders that replaced the rusted factory steel. I bought a second gen BRAT from my dad in 1999. A much more comfy vehicle, but still underpowered. The T-tops are awesome! So much fun to cruise around and great in the snow, but once again it rusted away. My wife actually hit a moose with it about a month before our wedding. The BRAT survived, the moose did not, and my wife was fine other than some situational trauma.
I had a lot of Subarus in the 80s and 90s, including a BRAT and even a Justy. I actually enjoyed driving them in the dirt and snow. Very capable little cars.
I grew up in a little East African country called Kenya and we had this exact vehicle but called *Datsun* . Very reliable and practical for light duty. No rear seats in the bed though.
I had a friend that owned a BRAT. That thing did Everything. He beat the hell out of it. He used it as a farm truck after he yanked the rear seats out. He WORKED that truck. He had a rack custom built for the bed and hauled a LOT of hay, wood, and worked it. It finally died at 270K miles. I was so surprised how much punishment that BRAT took. It was finally totaled when he was passing a semi on the “Blue Bridge” going from Kennewick into Pasco, Washington, when his BRAT hit a patch of ice and a semi pushed him up and over the Blue Bridge sideways, only to dump him in the median where the freeway splits. Those of you from Tri-Cities, Washington know where I’m talking about on the Pasco side.
Those seemed rather neat ! Was a teenager when they were big, and loved the concept ! Many car/truck creations were made by Ford , Chevy, etc. . But they seemed to get it right with that one !!!
Great review. Th '79 Brat was my first new car! I had it for 2 years before I totaled it in a roll-over (oops). I had a great time with it. My best memory was my Colorado trip where I had to pull an F150 out of a river so I could cross. What a great time. I always wanted a low range for it for off-road. Locking diffs or at least some form of traction control would have been nice. I used the emergency brake for traction control a lot.
We had these things all over the place back in the 80-90's here. Both these and the wagons. Super popular. Also, I have so much distaste for people that rhino line vehicles. It is so difficult to get them back into good shape. This looks like its otherwise a pretty solid car. But is going to take a lot of work to get it back to just paint.
Back in the 80's, I had the same 1979 Subaru Brat. I used to drive it on desert trails and cross stream beds. It was as capable as the jeeps driving the same trails. It was lightweight and nimble. It seemed unstoppable, but was unfortunately totaled in an accident.
Tommy told us what the Brat is, a car based truck and that is the definition of what a ute is, which Tommy mentioned at the end of the blog. The ute was invented in Australia.
When Subaru first started in Cherry Hill NJ, I lived about a mile away. Subaru had a dirt track behind their building and one could drive their earliest model in the dirt for free. I don't think it was the Brat, memory fails, but it was roughly equivalent to a Yugo. Glad Subaru survived behind those early cars.
I had a couple gl hatchbacks from that era. Such good cars. Pushrod boxer. Real duel range 4x4. Used em as winter beaters. Rusted away but could not kill them.
Many Subaru BRATS ended up in the hands of Northern California college students in the 90's because they were one of the cheapest cars to take to the snow, to the beach, and to go camping. People used to go rafting by having your friends in the back hold on to the raft on the way to the river. Wish they would make a modern version!
these were popular with farmers here in the UK before quad bikes were commonplace or even available. the main differences were we didnt have the seats/carpet in the rear (illegal here) and i dont think we ever had the twin sealed beam headlights, having more 'standard' headlights similar to the 'leone' estates etc that were around at the time here. i also dont think we ever got the low range transfer unit. if we did i dont remember ever seeing one. id love one just as a fun toy!
I owned one for a few years ans even had the Tamiya Radio Controlled Subaru brat that I would take off trails and meet up with friends and mess around with our rc vehicles. That was in 1980s.
My dad had one of these. The little engine was Tuff as could be. I remember one night my brother and I were on our way home driving down the highway and the engine surged and check light came on. I pulled over and it was running very rough and had low power. I walked to the nearest house "this was the 80s so no cell phone" called my dad, he came looked it over and said idk just drive it home. Home was 10 miles away. Dad and I unbolted the engine and he grabbed one head and I grabbed the other we pulled engine out by hand literally. Upon inspection we found the cam broke into 3 pieces and it was running on 2 cylinders. Blew my mind it drove 10 miles like this. Anyway we went to scrap yard hand pulled the engine out of a waggon and put it in our brat by hand. Simple and Tuff.
I got mine by accident, which is to say it was offered to me having been diagnosed as having bad CV joints. On my test drive I discovered the front lug nuts were loose. I returned immediately and bought it on the spot. It was in beautiful condition but, boy oh boy, the fuel mileage was just terrible.
I had a 1980 Brat back in the day. It really was a wonderful little car, fuel efficient and reliable. The seats, however, I believe were designed by the Marquis DeSade. Terrible on a trip of more than an hour or so. Offroad, ground clearance aside, it more than held its own and was surprisingly nimble.
Hey look!! A Ford Maverick predecessor!! Wish i had one to bounce around back roads and trails. They could get through many narrow woodland trails and were very popular with hunters. Remember, the modern side by side was not really available back in the 70s. Put some better tires on it and it will do most things you need to do in the back country.
the parking brake goes to the front drive wheels so when one spins, you can jiggle the handle and get torque to go to the wheel with traction. like a poor mans traction control. its a neat little trick thats gotten me unstuck a few times. it works with any vehicle that the parking brake is mounted on the drive wheels
How do you do a review of this awesome one of a kind little ute without making someone climb into the backseat and go along for the ride on the course!
Ah, memories! I wanted one back when I was in high school and they were still being sold. Not sure I would've fit very well, the headroom looks a bit tight. Still, nostalgia is a good thing.
Where's your T-tops? mine had T-tops... plus the cyclops center driving light... The little brat was just a beast... I towed a trailer with probably nearly a ton of stuff in it coast to coast, and made it no problem... although, uphill was s-l-o-w. Put it in 4WD LOW, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, then shift on the fly to 2WD in 3rd, then on to 4th... so, sort of a make shift 5sp, or 4 with a granny gear. I think a brat was Ronald Reagan's favorite ride on his ranch... wonder if that one's in a museum somewhere. I did cut off the ski pole hand grips in back... took too much volume up in the bed when carrying bulky things. Can's say enough good things about it. Only wish mine had the 5spd so I didn't have to spin the engine so fast on the freeway... Single downside was about 25mpg highway... Subarus didn't offer great mileage for their small size... but I never saw a Brat, or their sister 4WD wagon broken down on the side of the road... Anywhere. If you can find one in running shape... get it. :)
So imagine a Subaru version of the Santa Cruz and you get what a modern Brat would probably be. Not sure how many of them would sell but would be interesting if they did it. 😊
![Rebuilding a Subaru Brumby (BRAT) Ute that we found in an orchard! [EP2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-ATI5e0TKRo/mqdefault.jpg)
Goofy little AWD/4WD cars/trucks like this, are what I'd like to continue seeing from you guys here on all your courses!!! Nice vid.
I second this
I love that it actually had selectable 4wd not just a viscous coupling that needs wheelspin before it works, or the modern equivalent, brake-based tc. Very capable over that wombat hole course
Modern Subaru's have all time 4wd with a center limited slip clutch that makes it better to drive on the road as the lsd have some give when turning in a parking lot but the engine is trying to spin all wheels at all times.. Other brands use viscous systems that allow wheel spin before engaging. My 05 forester even have selectable low and high range 5 speed gearbox and it plows thru snow like a train.. That center lsd also allow one to pull the hand brake while powersliding like a pro :D
@@vihreelinja4743 lsd’s still need wheel spin to work…And having a locked center diff doesn’t mean you’ll have trouble turning as the axles are not locked
In Australia it was sold as the Subaru *Brumby until production ceased in 1994. Here later models had 1.8l engines, with some variants having dual range (H and L) selectable.
You can still see a few on the roads in rural areas, but many seem to have been kept for on-farm use only.
* Feral work horse.
I just bought a 1990 that has been a farm car for 18 years.
It's been the funnest rebuild so far
First speeding ticket I got was in a 1984 Subaru. Judge dismissed it when I told him the car was not capable of speeding on that uphill road.
LOL Reminds me of a couple battles I had with dumb cops in my youth. It ultimately was not about the ticket that got thrown out of court, but the court fees I had to pay regardless. What a crock of shit that was. Mistaken identity of an 83 S10 4x4 Blazer that had the weak ass 2.8 liter engine. Cop claimed it was doing some absurd speed down the highway. When in fact, I had just got on the highway from an onramp and there was 0 chance it could have got up to the speed he said in the time I merged and he came at me out of nowhere. Even wrote up the wrong license plate #. SMH. Another time was a 63 Ford Galaxy 500 4door. With a small 351 gutless engine. Could not spin the tires even on wet roads. Cop said I was speeding up hill when in fact, I could not even get the car up to the speed limit. Had 3 friends with me in the car and said, write it up you lying POS and we will go to court and have it thrown out. And your name will be tarnished in this dinky little town for harassment. He didn't write up. lol
@@WW-wf8tuno 351 cubic engine is
“Small”❤
Got pulled over years ago in my 78 GL Wagon in rural Iowa.
When the cop said he clocked me at 73 my reaction must have surprised him. I said with a big smile; "Really!?! Wow! I had my foot to the floor, but it usually won't ever do more than 65."
He laughed and told me to keep an eye on the speedo going downhill in the future.
@fastinradfordable
Of course, there was no 351 in 63, so I'm assuming the OP meant 352. Which with the standard 2bbl would not be a powerhouse in this application.
You mentioned the exposed oil pan. That brush guard originally came with a large steel bash-plate -- very sturdy (and heavy) for the size of the vehicle. You can still see the mounting flanges on the brush guard.
Exactly. Figures he'd miss that
I have a BRAT and people love it like nothing I've ever owned, People who remember it from back in the day love it, kids love it , women love it. I rarely take it anywhere without someone approaching me to ask a question or tell me that someone they knew had one and how cool they think it is. People wave, point, yell something in passing , give a thumps up or smile, it never ceases to amaze me.. It is completely stock with original paint and a little rough around the edges but in overall good shape. It is just a great little machine......
Tommi my neighbour had one new in 78 or 79 and it just plowed through any Manitoba winter and it started in cold weather without issue, they had a manual choke and had decent enough heaters in them to, he later traded it in for the first wagons to come to North America with the selectable 4WD transfer case and it did even better than the Brat did in bad weather , i do know it pushed snow as high as its front bumper without getting stuck ,I don't know if it had open diffs or an LSD in the rear , I heard something about that , just can't confirm it, in snow storms we use to tow toboggans behind it what a blast it was 👍
Back in the 1970's my oldest brother worked for Southern California Edison as a lineman. That was when Global Cooling was a fear. He was issued a 4X4 utility van but it couldn't get through the unusual amounts snow that fell upon the Tehachapi mountains at the end of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. He started using the Brat he owned because it was the only vehicle that could handle the snow. It was so light that it just floated on top of the snow where the big Ford just sank and got stuck.
You should try to find a 1980-85 or 87/88 AMC Eagle to test (in 1986 they changed the AWD system and it wasn't as good as the other years). Those things were tanks and fairly capable, and would make for an interesting VS against some newer CUVs or wagons.
@6:19 when you start pulling off, i so luv the sound of those older Subaru engines😏 I miss the/my '81 Brat i had when i was a teenager🥲
1984 was probably the best year of my life, not that I haven't had a few others since. On march 11th I got my discharge from the navy. Moved back home to Santa Fe NM and a week later bought a brand new Subaru Brat and then a month later swapped my old Yamaha DT 175 for a 2 year old Yamaha XT 500. I've owned many vehicles and bikes since, but those two are still the best I've ever had !.
Right now in my garage is a 1980 XT 500 basket case I'm just starting to restore, but as I emigrated to the UK half a lifetime ago I doubt I'll ever get another Subaru brat, mores the pity.
"mores the pity"? Yes, I can see you've been in the UK awhile 🙂
They were hugely popular in the North Yorkshire Moors back in the day, perfect for the terrain & weather, pretty much every sheep farmer owned one. They could go like stink along the narrow twisty back roads too, surprisingly fast & nimble. Now farmers use a quad bike & trailer for the serious off road stuff, with a bigger 4x4 like a Hilux for everything else, which is a more versatile combination. But in their day they were superbly useful vehicles.
Love the video! Glad to see someone in the family don't just bash Subaru and just let's them be what there built to be.
I had that exact car in silver with blue accents, jump seats and a factory tonneau cover. It had the 4 round headlights and everything. I never did serious trails but I worked on a huge farm and summer or winter it would go anywhere. Even in 3 feet of snow. Great video as always. Thank you 😊
9” ground clearance ain’t moving over 3’ of snow😂
I agree with you Tommy. I also wish Subaru would have kept this powertrain recipe. I also loved the T-tops on the next generation of the BRAT. I stopped looking at Subarus when they went to the CVT.
Yeah - I gave up on Subaru when the CVTs came here (UK). I'd had a couple of Legacys including one with the 3-litre engine. Still the best snow car I've ever had (on winter tyres).
why not just get a manual
@@NigelMarstonget a manual or do a manual swap
I had a 78 I bought in 86 for $200. It was rough, but I would love to have it again. It was rusted away and the motor probably needed a new head gasket. I love it still
I had an '85 Camero when the USAF sent me to Montana for a tour back in '88. I picked up an '85 Brat and put some serious miles on it as a back-up/winter vehicle. I took that thing places that most people wouldn't have, used it to get to trailheads and as a winter vehicle. It was solid . . . I sold it when I left Montana, but after a few interesting winters in Washington I wished I's hung onto it.
- I just spotted the temp plates . . . Did you just buy that?! Awesome! I'd looked for one a while back and they are hard to find usable and ESPENSIVE!'
But it says they’re cheap in the title😂
excuse you. That's the most beautiful car I've ever seen.
If you're thinking of buying one, check out the A-pillar! Seen several that have rusted off at the bottom.
I love the brat as well as all of the older Subarus including the Justy. Growing up in the foothills of the Adirondacks they were everywhere driving a long side the AMC Eagles of the day. Even though my family out grew our Subarus (an ‘01 Forester and a ‘13 Outback). I wish Subaru made a modern pickup and a vehicle with sliding doors, I would head back to them even as I love our odyssey and Powerboost F150.
What a hoot. I owned over a dozen early Subaru wagons, each had a personality. My favorite still was the 87 with low range. Every gear seemed dialed in to explore. Low range was impressive for a 1.8 boxer.i traveled back country that would task a 4runner. Early Subaru’s were hard to kill. Side note: I did the head gaskets on every Subaru I have owned, part of the boxer charm. The ole Subaru’s seemed to float over terrain being so light. Shame they bet the farm on CVT’s, I have no use for.
I, too, had an 87 wagon, the last year for the carbureted engine. Mine was the GL with the two-speed transfer case (the DL had the button on top of the shifter to engage the “hi-range” only AWD). Great car; had both the front mains replaced, which could easily be done without tearing the front of the engine off, along with the motor mounts. The head gaskets had been done by the previous owner. Solid running vehicle, always started on the first try on cold mornings, very stable on wet or snowy roads. Was a hoot off-road; people always wondered how I could get this little wagon in the places I did.
Fun side notes. Dual timing belts, so if the belt on the side of the engine without the distributor broke, being a non-interference head, one could continue motoring, albeit slowly, with only two cylinder running. Happened to me one day onto the way home from work, about three miles from home. The local Subie expert came by after he closed his shop for the day and changed both belts in my driveway! Also, tried one day to show off to my new wife how to do an emergency turn in the snow using the handbrake; forgot that Subies in the day ebraked the front, not the rear, tires. Thank goodness that old Subie had AWD because I lost control and put it into a snow drift. Still married 32 year later.
I wouldn’t exactly call them ugly. My father had one of these and got all sorts of positive attention whenever I was running around in it and could not believe how much interest it got when it was time to sell.
My first car was a 79 Subaru Station Wagon. Had a similar drive train, manual transmission, and 4x4 system. Great vehicle.
I owned a 79 Wagon I inherited from my Dad when he bought a 84 wagon. Both were selectable FWD/4WD. The 79 had the same 1.6L boxer at 67 hp. The 84 had the upgraded 1.8L at 82 hp. The 79 had 150K miles on it when I inherited it. Gave it to my younger brother 4 years later with 210K miles. He rolled it down a hill with 240K miles and was scrapped. Motor ran perfectly up until it was wrecked. My Dad drove the 84 for 20 years and had 420K miles when the engine seized up. It was rusted out but was the most reliable vehicle he ever owned. Always started in Minnesota winters and lived its entire life outdoors. He bought a 99 outback to replace the 84. Last vehicle he ever owned. It finally died in 2015 with 280K miles after my niece bought it from my Dad. Subarus hold a special place in our family. Unbelievably reliable, the FWD/4WD and the AWD outback simply go anywhere you point them. The excellent ground clearance and light weight made them exceptional winter vehicles. I currently own a Jeep grand Cherokee AWD just for the added horsepower but it’s a similar vehicle to the Subaru wagons. My only advice to a prospective Subaru buyer is to choose a color you’ll like forever as it will far outlast most vehicles mechanically.
In 1982, had a buddy in HS that had a BRAT. We used to fight over who sat in the back. Buddy would hoon it everywhere. Never broke down.
Had a '78 GL Wagon for years.
Bombing that thing around country gravel roads was some of the most automotive fun of my life.
It was gloriously composed.
I could toss it into a curve at speed, 4 wheel drift, lift and it would tuck right back in, hit the apex, punch it and she'd dig and squirt out of the turn. All at about 40mph. Awesome cars!
Subaru Justy was interesting too! It was subcompact with pack of features for its time.
We had a ‘92 Loyal and it would go anywhere. All factory 4 or 2 wheel drive. We pushed a 2wd Isuzu trooper out of the mud, bumper to bumper, with little effort. Loved that car.
I found the BRAT to be anything but delicate. I watch on do a tough truck competition at a fairgrounds and it wound being one of only 2 vehicles to survive the competition. And there were over 24 on them participating, including some monster trucks, jeeps, one tone pickups and even a 60’s VW Beetle. And it got a lot of air under the tires while doing it. It I’d not survive damage free, but it was still in one piece and running at the end.
My mom said she t boned one of these in 1986 with a 69 mercury cougar. Was only going 30. She said she drove home. And the brat was a tuna can.
Had the 2nd gen awd hatchback as well as one of the older wagons. Great cars. A tad unstable at speed. Great gas mileage. Reliable. Unpleasant to work on. Off road prowess was good enough to get you into trouble. Kinda hated the engines sound but it was a torquey little mule. I'd have another if the stard all aligned.
I purchased my 1980 Subaru Brat in 1986 from a family friend. It was silver with the same blue interior. All my buddies loved the rear seats until winter came around.....lol. It was great in the new england snow and even drove it on the beach out on long island a few times. Tried to find one to restore a few years ago but not many survived the rust. I did purchase a 2023 WRX recently and wow it's fun!
Every now and then I toy with the idea of getting one of these as a little runabout/commuter. Although most in my area are are in a "ran when parked" status. Still it could be a fun little project someday.
The rear suspension is that way for a reason. Its actually an independant torsion bar set up. That gives the simplicity, ruggedness and easy build of a torsion bar but allows it to remain fully independant for better ride/handling.
Its a pretty good compromise when you consider the era and price they were aiming for.
So instead of twisting against the position of the other wheel, it’s working against the chassis at the attachment point in the middle of the car?
@@chir0pter Pretty much. The attachment points are slightly outboard but they remain seperate rather than one single bar.
Had a neighbor who was an early adopter of Subaru. He got his first in the mid '70s and we all thought it was called a 'Super Roo'. We had no idea that that was actually another car from down under. Anyway, he'd buy one, get about 3 or 4 years out of it until the tin worm had its way and then retire it and get another 10 years out of it as a logging vehicle. He had 3 or 4 of these running around his place hauling firewood and skidding small logs. Sort of like a modern side by side ATV.
These BRATs were great cars. If they had about double the power they would have been the all time greatest.
I have a 78 in the driveway, Az no rust. Has 14" wheels, 3" lift, weber carb, low roll bar, custom front bumper. Had it for years. If I get it going again I may weld the back dif. I have a spare one.
I had one of these brand new. Back in 78/79 if you remember we had the gas crunch and if you owned a full size 4 Wheeler at the time you know those trucks were getting 8 miles to the gallon if you were lucky. So being kids at the time trying to afford something like that was next to impossible. Now Subaru show's up with this little jewel and now you have a 4X again only this one uses about as much gas as a lawn mower. Great and fun little truck, I used to fit down small little paths in the woods that a big truck couldn't go near. In the winter this thing was so light when switched to 4 wheel would just clime up on top of the snow and kinda just float. Very cool vehicle for the time, lots of fun.😁👍
In I took a test drive in one back when they came out. The salesman took it off road on some very steep trails, even backing up an insanely steep slope. After conquering everything he told me he hadn’t engaged the four wheel drive yet!
My dad had a BRAT. he wasn't much for import cars. But he loved his. And loved the fuel mileage and the 4x4.
Things like the Maverick and Santa Cruz and hopefully Toyota Stout in the near future are the modern day equivalent of this thing.
Love seeing these videos on older vehicles I’d see around occasionally growing up in the 70’s/80’s, but never got up close to. Brats, VW Things, etc. So wild to see - thanks!
Great video. Not a BRAT fan but I do love old subarus like the GL and DL. Simple, capable, and can live basically forever with a bit of maintenance.
"Inexpensive. And built to stay that way."
Too bad the old Subaru philosophy was abandoned years ago.
Can't even buy a proper manual Subie anymore. Cars are sad now.
Nobody buys manuals anymore.
I love these small Subaru’s, the first car i drove in my teens was the second gen BRAT.
I worked for a farmer in Sweden that had it as his farmtruck.
It really was the perfect tool.
I owned a 79 BRAT in 1989 when I first moved to MT for a ski bum career. I was no stranger to snow and cold having grown up in northern Minnesota. That thing was absolutely unreal in snow and icy road conditions. IT would easily plow through snow deeper than the hood, as I did many times just for fun. The only drawback was the lack of power. I drove old VW's at the time, so I was accustomed to slow cars, but the BRAT was a chore to drive on hills and highways. But, on backroads and off road, it was amazingly capable.
Mine was already heavily rusted from ten years of life in the rust belt. It even had fiberglass front fenders that replaced the rusted factory steel.
I bought a second gen BRAT from my dad in 1999. A much more comfy vehicle, but still underpowered. The T-tops are awesome! So much fun to cruise around and great in the snow, but once again it rusted away. My wife actually hit a moose with it about a month before our wedding. The BRAT survived, the moose did not, and my wife was fine other than some situational trauma.
I think the colors are appropriate for the '80s it looks cool
Makes you appreciate today's vehicles.
I had a lot of Subarus in the 80s and 90s, including a BRAT and even a Justy. I actually enjoyed driving them in the dirt and snow. Very capable little cars.
I grew up in a little East African country called Kenya and we had this exact vehicle but called *Datsun* . Very reliable and practical for light duty. No rear seats in the bed though.
Love It!!! I remember the two backwards facing seats with the handgrips to hold on and that sort of VW Bug swoosh sound!
My dad had one of these when I was young. I loved riding in the seats in the back!
Best mini truck ever. Had a 78 wagon unstoppable except in very heavy snow.
Jeez what a flash back. Hippies loved those things for carrying bird seed to the co-op to trade .
Mine was yellow, which I used to carry cases of beer...😉 Peace✌
Bird seed well we had something agricultural
I agree Tommy, the ‘70’s truly were the last decade for any manufacturer building a purpose built utility vehicle with a couple exceptions.👍
I had a 1979 model with the 4-low transfer case. Unstoppable machine.
Let's see a video like this on the AMC Eagle!
I had a 78 GL and I had a 81 station wagon 4 wheel drive with a lever in the middle of the seats to engage 4wd I loved both of them great in snow ❤
Also sold in its primary market Australia as the Brumby Ute in big numbers. A very reliable and much loved vehicle.
I had a friend that owned a BRAT. That thing did Everything. He beat the hell out of it.
He used it as a farm truck after he yanked the rear seats out.
He WORKED that truck. He had a rack custom built for the bed and hauled a LOT of hay, wood, and worked it.
It finally died at 270K miles.
I was so surprised how much punishment that BRAT took.
It was finally totaled when he was passing a semi on the “Blue Bridge” going from Kennewick into Pasco, Washington, when his BRAT hit a patch of ice and a semi pushed him up and over the Blue Bridge sideways, only to dump him in the median where the freeway splits.
Those of you from Tri-Cities, Washington know where I’m talking about on the Pasco side.
Those seemed rather neat ! Was a teenager when they were big, and loved the concept ! Many car/truck creations were made by Ford , Chevy, etc. . But they seemed to get it right with that one !!!
Great review. Th '79 Brat was my first new car! I had it for 2 years before I totaled it in a roll-over (oops). I had a great time with it. My best memory was my Colorado trip where I had to pull an F150 out of a river so I could cross. What a great time. I always wanted a low range for it for off-road. Locking diffs or at least some form of traction control would have been nice. I used the emergency brake for traction control a lot.
Had a brown one in the 80’s. Never got stuck in it on the muddy roads on the Gulf Coast in S.E. Texas.
We had these things all over the place back in the 80-90's here. Both these and the wagons. Super popular. Also, I have so much distaste for people that rhino line vehicles. It is so difficult to get them back into good shape. This looks like its otherwise a pretty solid car. But is going to take a lot of work to get it back to just paint.
Back in the 80's, I had the same 1979 Subaru Brat. I used to drive it on desert trails and cross stream beds. It was as capable as the jeeps driving the same trails. It was lightweight and nimble. It seemed unstoppable, but was unfortunately totaled in an accident.
as a New Zealander yes they where everywhere on roads and on farms sadly hardly no more probably just farm thrashing now without regos etc etc
Tommy told us what the Brat is, a car based truck and that is the definition of what a ute is, which Tommy mentioned at the end of the blog. The ute was invented in Australia.
I worked on them you could shift it into 4 x 4 at 50 to 55 miles an hour,it did everything you wanted and fun to drive
Great video. Brings back memories my first car was a 1979 brat that I bought in late 80s .
I used to have the same vintage GL wagon Subi. We called it the Goat, because it would go anywhere........slowly
When Subaru first started in Cherry Hill NJ, I lived about a mile away. Subaru had a dirt track behind their building and one could drive their earliest model in the dirt for free. I don't think it was the Brat, memory fails, but it was roughly equivalent to a Yugo. Glad Subaru survived behind those early cars.
I had a couple gl hatchbacks from that era.
Such good cars.
Pushrod boxer.
Real duel range 4x4.
Used em as winter beaters.
Rusted away but could not kill them.
Many Subaru BRATS ended up in the hands of Northern California college students in the 90's because they were one of the cheapest cars to take to the snow, to the beach, and to go camping. People used to go rafting by having your friends in the back hold on to the raft on the way to the river. Wish they would make a modern version!
these were popular with farmers here in the UK before quad bikes were commonplace or even available. the main differences were we didnt have the seats/carpet in the rear (illegal here) and i dont think we ever had the twin sealed beam headlights, having more 'standard' headlights similar to the 'leone' estates etc that were around at the time here. i also dont think we ever got the low range transfer unit. if we did i dont remember ever seeing one. id love one just as a fun toy!
I was here when the BRAT first hit the road. The Dealership had a blast promoting them - - ->>
I kinda like the paintjob especially on a funky little Subaru like this
I love that you do videos on these quirky little cars and trucks! Keep up the great work!
I owned one for a few years ans even had the Tamiya Radio Controlled Subaru brat that I would take off trails and meet up with friends and mess around with our rc vehicles. That was in 1980s.
My dad had one of these. The little engine was Tuff as could be. I remember one night my brother and I were on our way home driving down the highway and the engine surged and check light came on. I pulled over and it was running very rough and had low power. I walked to the nearest house "this was the 80s so no cell phone" called my dad, he came looked it over and said idk just drive it home. Home was 10 miles away. Dad and I unbolted the engine and he grabbed one head and I grabbed the other we pulled engine out by hand literally. Upon inspection we found the cam broke into 3 pieces and it was running on 2 cylinders. Blew my mind it drove 10 miles like this. Anyway we went to scrap yard hand pulled the engine out of a waggon and put it in our brat by hand. Simple and Tuff.
I got mine by accident, which is to say it was offered to me having been diagnosed as having bad CV joints. On my test drive I discovered the front lug nuts were loose. I returned immediately and bought it on the spot. It was in beautiful condition but, boy oh boy, the fuel mileage was just terrible.
Used to work with a guy in New Hampshire who had a rowboat in the back of his Brat so he could go fishing after work.
My brother-in-law had one of these in the early 80's, and I thought it was a cool little car.
As always nice job Tommy.
I had a 1980 Brat back in the day. It really was a wonderful little car, fuel efficient and reliable. The seats, however, I believe were designed by the Marquis DeSade. Terrible on a trip of more than an hour or so.
Offroad, ground clearance aside, it more than held its own and was surprisingly nimble.
We had one here in south east Texas as a goose lease vehicle. When we got stuck 6 of us would hop out and pick it up. Move it over. Keep hunting
In high school a friends mom had one and we took in everywhere, the beach, the mountains, the desert, and we got it stuck in all those places, lol.
Hey look!! A Ford Maverick predecessor!! Wish i had one to bounce around back roads and trails. They could get through many narrow woodland trails and were very popular with hunters. Remember, the modern side by side was not really available back in the 70s. Put some better tires on it and it will do most things you need to do in the back country.
the parking brake goes to the front drive wheels so when one spins, you can jiggle the handle and get torque to go to the wheel with traction. like a poor mans traction control. its a neat little trick thats gotten me unstuck a few times. it works with any vehicle that the parking brake is mounted on the drive wheels
My Dad bought a new BRAT in '79. I should have never let that truck get away.
Brumby is an Australian word for wild horse (as in Mustang).
I took a few rides in the back seat of a BRAT back in the day. It wasn’t bad. A pillow helped.
I owned two in the late 80s, early 90s, a 1980, and then later, a 1978. Very fun cars, no way I would fit in one today.
My first two cars were Brats. I would love to still have the last one; I loved that thing and it would be worth a lot more today too, it seems.
How do you do a review of this awesome one of a kind little ute without making someone climb into the backseat and go along for the ride on the course!
Ah, memories! I wanted one back when I was in high school and they were still being sold. Not sure I would've fit very well, the headroom looks a bit tight. Still, nostalgia is a good thing.
My daddy had the wagon when I was little. I loved that thing and I always thought Subaru was so weird and quirky because of it
Where's your T-tops? mine had T-tops... plus the cyclops center driving light... The little brat was just a beast... I towed a trailer with probably nearly a ton of stuff in it coast to coast, and made it no problem... although, uphill was s-l-o-w. Put it in 4WD LOW, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, then shift on the fly to 2WD in 3rd, then on to 4th... so, sort of a make shift 5sp, or 4 with a granny gear. I think a brat was Ronald Reagan's favorite ride on his ranch... wonder if that one's in a museum somewhere. I did cut off the ski pole hand grips in back... took too much volume up in the bed when carrying bulky things. Can's say enough good things about it. Only wish mine had the 5spd so I didn't have to spin the engine so fast on the freeway... Single downside was about 25mpg highway... Subarus didn't offer great mileage for their small size... but I never saw a Brat, or their sister 4WD wagon broken down on the side of the road... Anywhere. If you can find one in running shape... get it. :)
That's cool 👍 I got a 86 GL wagon 4wd plus I got one of those bush bumpers and just got 4 new mud tires installed 👍
My uncle had the 2nd gen in red. I LOVED that thing.
So imagine a Subaru version of the Santa Cruz and you get what a modern Brat would probably be. Not sure how many of them would sell but would be interesting if they did it. 😊
They made the Baja and not sure it sold well.
@@johntotten4872 Loved the look of the Baja.
Here in Australia it was called the Brumby and was quite popular here too
Good to see the Brat getting some love. Hopefully Subaru will jump into the subcompact truck market.
I have a cashmere beige 1979 Subaru GF with 42k miles I love it!!!!!
Nice, but doesn't appear as capable as the newer Subaru systems.