I was a rabid Subaru fan a couple of years ago. I would have been such a serious bidder on this car that it may not even be showing up here on Barn Finds because I would have made the seller an offer that he/she couldn’t refuse. I have somewhat tempered my crazed love of Subarus in the last couple of years but I would still like to have the 1980 Subaru 1600 DL that the seller has listed here on eBay. It’s located in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania and the current bid price is $1,825.
There’s something about small 4WD cars with manual transmissions that still gets to me. When they have a boxer engine with a spare tire on top of it, even more so. The Subaru Leone wasn’t called a Leone in the United States, it was known by its trim levels such as STD, DL or GL, and sometimes by its engine size, which in this case is 1600. No, that’s not horsepower, that’s 1,600 cc (1,595, actually) or 1.6L.
This is where I normally get into trouble buying cars online. From looking at the overall photos I would have jumped on this car faster than (insert un-pc phrase here) because the seller has included good overall photos. But, they have also included detailed, close-up photos (kudus to them for the great photos!) and there is some rust on this car. It’s not as much as we normally see on 40-year-old Subarus that live above the Mason-Dixon line, but there is rust. And, dings. Still, for a four-decade-old Subaru, it looks really nice.
Being a DL model which is below the GL, this car doesn’t have the coveted “cyclops” third headlight that’s hidden behind the grille badge on DL models and BRATs between 1980 and 1982. I had high hopes after seeing that it was a 1980 model and that it had square headlights, but this is a DL according to the window sticker that the seller has included.
The interior looks better than I expected. The seller is the third owner and the original owner had it for 90,000 miles and it now has 104,401 miles. The 4-speed shift knob has been changed and I’d want to track down an original-spec one, but otherwise, things look nice and original and very tidy and clean inside. It isn’t perfect, however…
The radio is missing and the left turn signal doesn’t cancel on its own (easy fix, new turn signal cam replacement) and they mention a few dash cracks. The seats look like new both front and rear, simply amazing. The rear compartment even looks great. And yes, it has 4WD – not automatic AWD as we’re all used to now, but switchable 4WD. I had a 1988 Subaru RX Turbo sedan that had fulltime 4WD with a switchable lo-hi range and differential lock. I miss that car. I may have to think about this one the more I look at it, that’s not good since I’ve sworn to not buy any cars this year.
Yes, there is that spare tire! Hey, wait a minute… No worries, it’s not shown here but it does come with the sale. And, this car even has AC! This sweet engine is Subaru’s EA-71, the aforementioned 1.6L boxer-four which would have had around 68 hp. This car has new belts and front brake pads, new front axles and new KYB gas struts and inserts, and more. Are there any fans of these small 4×4 cars out there? If so, please outbid me so I don’t have to sleep in a tent.
Pretty sure this Subaru is not the nicest one left! There is rust, a cracked dash, dents, dented front bumper, etc. There has to be an OCD Subaru hoarder out there somewhere that has one much nicer than this car. After an Internet search of the VIN, I found a listing for the same car from 2015 in Oregon that describes the car pretty much word for word, the only difference that I found is that it is listed as an 1800, not a 1600, but the VIN is the same. The price is listed at $100.00, not sure if that is accurate or not.
https://saleofcar.com/subaru-other-180/036348
I recall seeing a listing for a very nice Subaru out of East Tennessee a couple years back. The car was a rotisserie restoration and I understand the seller was an enthusiast who may be flush with NOS Subaru parts.
The butter is this car might want to track that guy down.
I recall seeing a listing for a very nice Subaru out of East Tennessee a couple years back. The car was a rotisserie restoration and I understand the seller was an enthusiast who may be flush with NOS Subaru parts.
The *buyer* of this car might want to track that guy down.
Considering the car has had less than 4000 miles put on it since it was listed for sale in 2015, the seller’s claim of “extremely fun to drive” rings a bit hollow.
It may depend on how many cars he has, but yeah.
I get Scotty’s reference to the nicest one left, because it’s probably the ONLY one left. A novel idea, turned a whole group onto 4wd. Trouble was, they were made of tin foil, and not many survived long in the salt, they very climate they were designed for. I like my old GMC, but in winter, the 2wd has limitations here in Colorado, and I’d love a small 4wd car like this, to get over the passes. 2wd vehicles get turned back during “traction warnings” that can last into May. Plus, the GMC still loves fuel, even with the new carb, and while gas is cheap now, make no mistake, once this fracas is over, you can bet gas will go up to $5/gal. to make up. Also, I’d worry about parts, and in states that require all cars to emission test, old Subaru’s fail miserably. Cool find, tho.
How true ! In CT. we used to say the metal in these cars were sugar based ,because they dissolved in water . In the mid 1980s our junkyard had so many of these cars coming in, many were trade ins from Subaru dealers and they all had the same issue -severe rust out . The workers used to use them for yard cars ; I remember we had plenty of those “cyclops” lighted cars. They couldn’t have been more than 5-6 years old and were already junked.
HowardA, this car makes me think of Tosa Imports, 62nd & North ave. in Wauwatosa. Remember that place?
No cyclops light is a deal breaker for me.
Nah, too creepy for Americans. Hollywood killed that. The Tucker and I think shoebox Fords had a aftermarket option for center headlight too showed, it just didn’t fly here.
Good thing that tinworms don’t have internet access.
I love old-school Subarus. I love the part-time awd that Subaru was known for back in the early 80s. I also loved the Boxer Engine that powered them.
Thank you for this opportunity-> 1987, SuperBowl weekend, and I’m driving my Subaru DL down the freeway when the arse end get’s loose, and I go careening into a concrete bridge abutment at 60 mph, fortunately wearing my seatbelt. The engine is pressed to where the exhaust manifold is where the shifter formerly was. You see, the rear axle snapped in half. I go to the hospital, car goes? Shortly thereafter I get a recall notice from Subaru for a defective rear axle (ya think!). The impound lot guy offers to buy the car for a couple hundred bucks, so away she goes. I press Subaru, and for a year, then two, then five, then ten, the case goes nowhere. Pretty nasty legal department, theirs. Ultimately the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, class action. Of course I got zero. As I said to their attorney though- “you won, however I will tell thousands of people about your friendly little eco-green car company.” Done.
Hey guys, I purchased an identical Leone not to long ago. I’m not sure if I want to restore her or sell. My Leone has original everything including the purchase options book. Is anyone interested in buying? Just putting out feelers as I truly want this car appreciated and I’m not sure I have it on me.
Owned suburbs for years. Live at 9500 feet in elevation. Gets me home almost every time. These little dl builet proof. Not power house, but hi- low 4 wheel can plow snow with the bumper.
Have you had to replace a lot of head gaskets? Or is that only an issue for people who don’t maintain the cooling system?
They need them no matter what ; roughly between 80- 100,000 miles.
Bought a Subaru for my daughter while in college. Impreza with the 2.5. She insisted on the extended warranty. Sure enough just after the 3 year warranty expired so did the head gasket. Got it replaced & I took it back when she got a new one. Fast forward 16 years 270,000 kms & it just keeps going. Tires & oil,thats all. She’s on her 4th Subaru.
Thanks for writing this up, Scotty.
I am a very recent convert to the Seven Sisters fan club myself, and therefore wouldn’t have been able to do it justice the way a true aficionado could.
I have a Baja and an Outback, for what that’s worth.
Great comments, folks! You’re too kind, Russell. Wait, you have a Baja? Very cool, sir, that’s on my must-have list. Why don’t they still make that model?!
I love mine, so much so that I have spent a considerable sum of money on it recently.
IMO they were introduced at the wrong time, but they’ve experienced a surge in attention and interest recently. Rumors are circulating of a possible reboot…
Now this is the type of 80’s everyday car I like to see. I’ll take this over any Olds Calais with fancy seats and stickers, a woody Le baron or any other auto trans malaise machine. This car, a snowstorm and an empty parking lot would be a lot of fun.
This must be 1 of the last affordable TWO door cars for SINGLE people that Subaru ever made. Shame on them!
Ads say , 97% of Subarus made in the last 10 years are still on the road
SOLD for $2,400.
Scotty, would you have offered more or less than that?