Some folks love to modify cars. 4WD vehicles seem to be ripe for modification, sometimes turning into almost cartoon-like vestiges of their former glory. This 1981 Subaru BRAT is destined to be one of those former glory dealios.. unless one of you saves it! It’s listed on Craigslist with a $3,000 asking price. It’s located in North Boulder, Colorado, a place that has seen its share of 1970s and 80s Subarus. If the listing goes away the photos and info can be found here. Thanks to Dan for tracking down this BRAT and for wanting to see it be saved from a life of extreme tuner’ism!
Speaking of tuner and modification culture, the seller says that they’re “doing some body work ATM and depending on how far I get before you buy it, the price will be negotiable.” (ATM = at the moment) (I know) We’ve gone down the road before about a person having a right to do anything that they want to do with and/or to their own personal vehicle. There is just no arguing that point even if it’s the last example on the planet. I’m just such a nerd when it comes to liking my cars to be original or restored to original-spec. I don’t have memories of a bloated, jacked-up, overly-modified BRUT like I would with a bone-stock BRAT. But, I’ve been known to wear a zippered sweater like Fred Rogers wore, too – I’m not exactly UOATCTKS (up on all the current trends, know’m sayin’?).
Ahhhh yeeee’uh, there you go, the infamous rear jump seats that everyone wants. With almost every BRAT post people ask about the rear jump seats and the “Cyclops” third-headlight in the center of the grille for passing. Those seats are worth a pretty penny by themselves and they were on BRAT models to and theoretically through the 1985 model year. The center passing headlight was available on the 1980-1982 BRATs so this one would most likely have it being a 1981 model? There’s no mention of it at all, maybe this example doesn’t run and the seller isn’t aware of it being there? The seller says that they have replaced the rear suspension “with adjustable air shocks. Looking at converting to 6 lug wheels and putting bigger tires on it.” NOO! Someone please save this original BRAT!
It’s hard to tell what the interior looks like overall, but from the three photos provided in the listing it looks pretty good compared to a lot of them. Finding an uncracked dash top in a 1981 BRAT would be like finding 1) A cure for baldness, 2) Jimmy Hoffa, 3) A 2.5L Subaru that hasn’t needed head gaskets (not bitter). The seller says that this BRAT comes with a “high-top topper” but there is no photo showing it.
With no mention of the engine at all – whether it runs, leaks, is cracked, is made of molded circus peanuts, etc. – we don’t have a clue whether it runs, turns over, or is all there, but it looks like the engine-mounted spare tire is missing. This is Subaru’s EA-81, 1.8L boxer-four and it would have had 73 hp. Additional engine, interior, body, and underside photos would have to be seen before I’d ever throw down money on a car without seeing it in person. But, if a person were looking for a pre-1986 BRAT with jump seats, this could be a contender. Would you restore this BRAT or turn it into a jacked-up BRUT?
Sweet old BRAT, Scotty. These things were super-cool. Didn’t the jump seats let Subaru import it as a passenger car not a more heavily taxed pickup? Great write-up. I’ll trade what I know about Jimmy Hoffa for this BRAT any day.
Ha, thanks, Todd! I love these first-generation cars. Yeah, the infamous “chicken tax” which imposed a 25% tax on imported pickups, so SuBARu (as they said in the ol’ days) added some carpet and those jump seats, which somehow worked to classify it as a four-passenger vehicle? Uhhhh, I’m fairly sure that wouldn’t work today. Now, most insurance companies make you sign a waiver guaranteeing that you will never let anyone ride in those seats before you can get one insured.
The brats were super cool with the rear seats 💺 n the bed !
This needs some work but if the miles are real then worth scrounging to get missing pieces lost in grille etc
Jimmy who ,,,, joking
I got a set of those Jump seats, I have run them in the back of my Chevy Luv (Dont hit your head on the rollbar I had in it as well)
and several Datsuns.
First thing people do/say is when they see those seats,, I use carriage bolts and a lock as I bet someone would swipe them if i still had the quick disconnects I used to use on them.
Pretty penny is right.
I had an 86 Brat, and have a set of these seats in the back of my Studebaker
Pickup for “Cruise Nights.” We cut the floor out of an 84 Brat bed with a Harbor Freight battery powered sawzall in the local Pick ‘n Pull to get the frame and seats. I only install the seats when going out for a cruise, otherwise they are secure on a shelf in my garage, to protect them from sun, weather, and 2 legged coyotes…..
Always take the top of the air cleaner off of these engines to check for oil in the bottom of the filter housing – a sign that blow by is present. My Brat had about 135K on it when I sold it, still ran good, passed smog. This earlier model is a bit cramped in comparison with the later ones – not much leg room for the driver, and I’m under 6 ft.
ex – spirt @ hidin as much as possible it the sales info (even w/pic available!).
A real pro.
Those jump seats were awesome! My uncle had the twin to this one only a 1983 I believe.
Great (sometimes scary) memories riding around in the bed. Later on when it was a junker we could slam it around off-road on his property.