UPDATE – This 1978 Subaru BRAT has shown up again, this time here on eBay in Huntington Beach, California. There is a buy-it-now price of $6,200. Check out the new photos and video and let us know your thoughts on this one at the new price.
FROM 4/2/2021 – The seller refers to this Subaru BRAT as a 1976 model but 1978 was their first official year on the market so I’m assuming that it was a typo. They don’t give a VIN, unfortunately, so we’ll have to go with it being a 1978 Subaru BRAT and a spectacular one it is. They have it listed here on eBay in Tacoma, Washington and the current bid price is $3,150.
As a first-year BRAT, this is a rare car, especially in this condition. Frankly, I’m surprised to see this car on eBay, it most likely would have brought more money on other websites or auctions. The seller says that it’s original inside and out and the body looks absolutely outstanding, one of the nicest that I’ve ever seen for an original car. The wheels have clearly been painted but the underside looks rock solid. There are a few dings and maybe some rust appearing on the rocker panels but it’s hard to tell from the photos.
It’s unfortunate that the seller doesn’t provide any photos of the interior or the topper/cap/shell on the back. I think I can speak for all global citizens when I say: “WE WANT TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN THERE!” Sorry for yelling. This one does not have the rear jump seats, unfortunately. The BRAT lasted in the US until 1987 and lived on elsewhere for a few years but strangely, they were never meant for the Japanese market.
The interior looks great with just a couple of issues like some very dirty seat fabric and a few tears in the adjacent vinyl, the turn signal stalk has black tape on it and the steering wheel is fairly checked but it doesn’t look like it’s cracked that I can see. The dash has a couple of minor cracks in it but overall it looks nice inside. And, there’s a CB radio! You probably noticed the gigantic white antenna on the front bumper in the exterior photos.
The clean engine compartment is the home of Subaru’s EA-71, a 1.6L boxer-four with just under 70 horsepower. The seller has removed the spare tire so the engine would be more visible and it’s included with the sale, of course. It runs and drives as perfectly as it looks and this BRAT should be twice this price by now. This will be an absolutely flipper’s delight at anything under $7,500, in my opinion. Any thoughts on this early BRAT?
These things bring good money, even without the jumpseats. This exposure will drive the price up considerably.
What in heck could that thing tow needing a 2″ ball? A kids wagon?
Somehow I knew this car had to be in the Pacific Northwest ; these (and most imports) didn’t make it out of the mid 1980s on the East Coast
I like certain Soobies, and I would take this one and put the body on a late 90s 2.2 chassis.
The only real problem was the lack of wheel clearance. At least the seller removed the spare tire from the engine compartment. They added those horrible plastic seats in the bed as to avoid paying the 25% “Chicken tax” imposed by LBJ back in 1964. Man has Subaru come a long way…
Another real problem was having to pull the engine just to replace the valve cover gaskets. They would leak onto the exhaust pipes and the cabin would smell of burned oil. Of course, if you times it right you could do the timing belt and the water pump at the same time… I still like Subarus though, but all of this era were totally gutless.
Subaru advanced from leaky valve cover gaskets to leaky head gaskets. But I still like them especially the BRAT.
They’ve come a long way…..yet, still refuse to acknowledge and fix their head gasket issues. Controversial cars; I see them with 300k and I also see plenty of classifieds of newer ones (within 10 years) mentioning having new engines or transmissions.
That’s true about the head gaskets. I own a 2003 Forester that blew a head gasket at about 60K miles. We took it to a local Subaru specialist and he told me once the gaskets are replaced and I think the water pump also, the engine will be good for 300K miles. Ten+ years later with 130K on the clock and it still runs well. Not sure I’ll be keeping it long enough to hit 300K, but we’ll see !
Can’t identify the CB radio…it’s not a Cobra, Midland, or Realistic that I recognize. Lot of work to make that antenna mount. I would have used a magnet mount on the roof.
Rust was tough on early Subaru and Honda cars east of the Mississippi.
If you zoom in one of the pics, you can see the little pic of the Cobra, and the “C”. It’s not totally clear, but I’m pretty confident. I’ve seen some basic Cobras that look like that.
That is a Cobra 18.
It’s a Cobra 18.
Boy, this brings back memories. I had one of these back in the day and I drove it everywhere. Always liked how you could kick in the rear wheels by just pulling a lever. I finally had to junk it when the rear swing arm gusset rusted through and I could see no way to repair it. A fun little vehicle that got great gas mileage. I think I still have the passenger seats in the barn..should probably put ’em on eBay and see what they will bring.
A good friend of mine ordered one in July of ‘77. Put $100 down and agreed to take the next available unit. The only out was that he got to choose one color that he wouldn’t accept. It was a blast! Put a canopy on the back, with a custom tent that connected to the back. Riding on the seats in back (with handles to hang on to) was a hoot. Rumble seat for the ‘70s.
He paid $3800, drove it 2 years and 38k miles, and sold it for the original $3800.
its doubled at this point, I expect that again B4 done (end in hi teens?). The topper is nice, I like the flatter design more (it had one as well as vedub p/u & 60s ranchero). Nice condition here – one of the 3 or 4 (already mentioned) I’d like along w/the rampage, lill moris minor p/u, etc…
My first car was a 1980 Brat. (technically a 79 1/2) Same body style as this one but with single headlights. Bought it for $1500 with 32K from my uncle. Put new front fenders on it, did necessary bodywork and painted it a mid 80’s what I called IROC blue. You get the gist… Loved that little rig, and the girls in HS loved it too. Sold it for $1900 about 5 years later. I’d love to have it back again. Ahhhh memories…
The best part of these things is the way the canopies were aptly re-named the Brat Hat!
Wow. This one sold for $8600. Seems like a bargain.
It’s now relisted with no reserve, a high bid of $3,000, and a day left on the auction! Something must have happened with the $8,600 bidder.
My buddy had one back in 83 or so with the jump seats. Some other buds and him were tanked up (bad on him) one night and flipped it on its side. No one got hurt (slow speed) and the only damge to the thing was a scratched passenger mirror and I believe one bumper end cap got torn up. They got it flipped over on all fours and were scared $##&less as a OSP trooper could come by anytime (on a four lane street) He cranked it a couple of times and it took right off, smoking like a freight train all the way home. Sold it several years later still going strong.
Just came inside from working on my BRAT. It’s a 78 and I got it for next to nothing non-running. It’s only got a little rust and has the jump seats! I can’t get the thing to make spark to save my life! Excited to get it running, it’ll be a good commuter up my mountain dirt roads. (No other cars can really make it except Eagles haha)
Was this the last affordable 2 door Subie? – let alone 1 with frameless side glass!
I believe Subie was the 1st car company to stop making 2 door vehicles for the USA – which is why i have never been to 1 of their showrooms since the ’70s.
Trying to find the accelerator pedal on this Brat – & i thought the 1 on the ’76 Chevette was small. lol
I loved the frameless side glass on my 1997 Outback. That may have been their last version of that, so 1999 would be my guess for the demise of frameless side glass in a Subaru.
The Justy was offered until 1994 in the US and it came in a two-door.
Auction update: this one says that it sold at $6,200.