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Dante
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PostTue Oct 14, 2003 10:41 am 
I posted this in the classifieds at www.cars101.com and the "Subaru Marketplace forum at www.usmb.net (USMB = Ultimate Subaru Message Board), but I figured I'd post it here, too, in case anyone sees one of these for sale. I am looking for a pre-1985 Subaru GL 4x4 with the dual-range 4-speed manual transmission to restore and use as a trailhead, dump and home-and-garden store vehicle. I'll pay NADA/Kelly Bluebook retail or better for a car in good to excellent condition. Please let me know if you see any for sale in the Seattle area. If anyone else is looking, but not as picky, there is one for sale in Ballard for $850 with 14" Peugot wheels and 27" all terrain tires. It seemed to run fine, but was a little too beat up for my taste. Cool car, though.

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Backpacker Joe
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PostWed Oct 15, 2003 10:45 am 
Dont forget Dante, you'll take a GLS too wont you? TB

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Dante
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PostWed Oct 15, 2003 11:34 am 
Backpacker Joe wrote:
you'll take a GLS too wont you?
I don't know about '80 through '82, but in '83 and '84 the choices were GL or DL and the DL cam with a high-range 4-speed ('83) or 5-speed ('84). I'd consider a DL, but I'd prefer the dual range 4-speed. I also considered trading my beloved VW for a Forester of comparable value. After doing the math that would only save me a couple hundred bucks a year compared to buying a beater. I think it would be worth that to have the beater for runs to the trailhead, dump or home and garden store, or for when either of our other cars is in the shop...

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Backpacker Joe
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PostWed Oct 15, 2003 12:15 pm 
In '83 and '84 they made a GLS that was turbo charged! Had a sun roof and all the other options. TB

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Backpacker Joe
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PostWed Oct 15, 2003 12:19 pm 
Ok, maybe I was thinking about the GL-10. Ya that was it. Have you seen this yet? http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/search_results.pl?make=Subaru&model=GL TB

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Dante
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PostWed Oct 15, 2003 1:05 pm 
Backpacker Joe wrote:
In '83 and '84 they made a GLS that was turbo charged! Had a sun roof and all the other options.
Yea, but IIRC the turbos only came with a 4 or 5-speed high-range tranny and I don't want a hole in the roof or a bunch of power options. Power steering, power breaks and AC is as fancy as I want to get and I can live without that stuff if the rest of the car is in great shape.

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Backpacker Joe
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PostWed Oct 15, 2003 2:30 pm 
Ok, I can understand. That low range is the most valuable thing about the bloody car! On the lookout for an '84 GL. TB up.gif

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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SeaNat
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PostThu Oct 16, 2003 2:15 pm 
Why Pre-85? The 85-87 GLs are a much nicer car. Better on the highway to the trailhead more interior space, bigger motors and most came with the dual-range and 5-spd. Prices are about the same and many more cars to choose from.

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Backpacker Joe
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PostThu Oct 16, 2003 2:26 pm 
I owned an '87, and frankly they are not as tough as the earlier models. There isnt the ground clearence either. Think about it, they had to give up off road capability to MAKE the car better on the highway. The '80-'84 cars are FAR superior in all offroad situations. TB

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Dante
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PostThu Oct 16, 2003 3:06 pm 
SeaNat wrote:
Why Pre-85? The 85-87 GLs are a much nicer car. Better on the highway to the trailhead more interior space, bigger motors and most came with the dual-range and 5-spd. Prices are about the same and many more cars to choose from.
First of all, to each his own. This same debate is raging in a thread at www.usmb.net. That said, I've been reearching and thinking about this for years. I mainly want the extra 2.5" of ground clearance. The pre-85 4x4 wagons had a little over 8" of clearance while the post '85s have 5.5". I also like the mechanical simplicity of the older cars. Generally, when it comes to cars, the older it is, the simpler it is. Sometime in the late '80s ('85 I think) Subaru also went from the "ea81" engine with pushrods to the "ea82" engine with an overhead cam driven by a timing chain or belt. I don't want that complexity. I've talked to other members of www.usmb.net who assure me they have passed emissions with the stock carb and mess of vacuum hoses and pollution crap with a Weber. I don't know if I'll do that--I think it's still illegal to remove emissions equipment even if the vehicle still passes the inspection--but it makes an already simple engine even more simple. Speaking of emissions, and older car will also be exempt from emissions testing sooner. I'm not looking to pollute more, but who needs one more thing to do. Finally, I just like the looks of the old ones better. They have all the room I need. I don't need a bigger motor--there are some pretty simple mods that will improve the performance of the ea81 significantly--and I've read the top gearing of the 4 and 5-speed dual-range is the same.

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SeaNat
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PostFri Oct 17, 2003 2:23 pm 
I'm only speaking from experience. We're on our fifth Subaru. I've owned a '84 Brat, 85, 86, 87 GL wagons and now we have a '96 Legacy AWD wgn. The 85 was my favorite. Bare bones, 5 speed, carb, no AC. Had 300K on it. I used to beat the thing on some of the logging roads around here. As far as clearance goes you can adjust the rear end hight on the GL. I had no problems bottoming out. Great little car for getting to the TH in just about all kinds of weather. Aaron's Autowrecking in Seattle has a couple sitting out in front. I don't know if they're the exact model you're looking for but are definitely pre-85. They also have any parts for Subs you can imagine.

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Dante
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PostFri Oct 17, 2003 2:34 pm 
Thanks. If I can't find an '80-'84 by April, maybe I'll get later dual-range 4x4 wagon. I can always lift it and run bigger tires if I need more ground clearance. There are two separate body lifts for them on the market, but I'd prefer to avoid resorting to one. BTW I just learned you can drop the pistons from a 1.6 right into the 1.8 to improve the compression. I'm told that, a reprofiled cam, a Weber and a slightly larger exhaust from the cat back will make 100 to 110 horsepower cool.gif You can also drop the limited slip differential from the later models into the pre-'85s after swapping-in the older gears. Of course, if I follow your advice and get an '85, I think I'd get everything I want except the mechanical simplicity of the ea81 engine and the extra clearance. All this car talk has made me realize I miss having a car I can work on...

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Backpacker Joe
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PostSat Oct 18, 2003 2:09 pm 
I havent had that problem for some time now Dante. wink.gif Whatever you get it'll be fun tricking it out. I'll get as much fun working on YOUR car as mine. TB

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Dante
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PostSat Oct 18, 2003 4:41 pm 
The cool thing about the ea81 is all the things you can do really simply, like boosting compression by swapping-in ea71 pistons, or just adding an el-cheapo turbo muffler and a larger tailpipe,...the list goes on. I'm psyched...AND I have a garage now biggrin.gif P.S. Check out these photos eek.gif 📎In case anyone is interested, here is some of my Subaru research and analysis.xls (20 KB)

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Dante
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PostThu Oct 30, 2003 12:41 pm 
I may have found it.
I may have found a really nice hatchback. The owner is supposed to call me today cool.gif
LINK

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