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Hi guys,
I'm seriously considering building a Brat. Can you tell me how compatable drive and power train is with L series? I have 2 ea82T cars, rx and wagon and also a non turbo sedan. All 3 are non road worthy at this time and I'm trying to decide which way to go. Brat /brumby years being considerd are are '83 thru '86.
Thanks, Mark

relatively straight forward to fit EA82 gear to a MY based car, although it does require cutting and welding of the chassis rails in the engine bay to widen them. If you have all the EA82 gear from donor cars already then it's probably worth doing.

AndrewT wrote:relatively straight forward to fit EA82 gear to a MY based car, although it does require cutting and welding of the chassis rails in the engine bay to widen them. If you have all the EA82 gear from donor cars already then it's probably worth doing.

Isn't it only EJ DOHC motors that need the the chassis widened ? I thought EA motors bolted straight in since that is what they come with ?

Thanks andrewt, I have 3 complete runners. I just need to come up with a plan as I told my son we would start fixing up one of them for his first car. He has his eye on the rx but I dont think I will start him out with a turbo.

niterida wrote:Isn't it only EJ DOHC motors that need the the chassis widened ? I thought EA motors bolted straight in since that is what they come with ?

Nope, the overhead cam business on EA82s makes them wider than EA81 (and SOHC EJs too actually).

Dane.

GOD wrote:Nope, the overhead cam business on EA82s makes them wider than EA81 (and SOHC EJs too actually).

Dane.

Thats good to know - EA82T was one of my options for my possible Brumby project. I was thinking of using EA82T only so I didn't have to cut the chassis - may as well use an EJ if thats the case.

You actually have to cut them even more to fit an EA82 over a DOHC EJ engine.

The chasis rail mod is not a big deal anyway. It's a pretty minor cut/shut job. I don't even think of it as a structural mod as it occurs infront of the strut towers and engine crossmember. No important suspension or control arm gear bolts around there.

If it's an EA82turbo your son will be fine with it as a first car. If your worried about the immense power of the engine then u'd better keep him away from your average new economy hatchback like Corolla etc too which have similar power.

AndrewT wrote:You actually have to cut them even more to fit an EA82 over a DOHC EJ engine.

The chasis rail mod is not a big deal anyway. It's a pretty minor cut/shut job. I don't even think of it as a structural mod as it occurs infront of the strut towers and engine crossmember. No important suspension or control arm gear bolts around there.

If it's an EA82turbo your son will be fine with it as a first car. If your worried about the immense power of the engine then u'd better keep him away from your average new economy hatchback like Corolla etc too which have similar power.

Not so worried about horsepower as I'am about how fast the rx accelerates, I have an '09 corolla with the 1800 engine and the rx would smoke it from a dead stop.

The year models are all fairly similar although the turbo brat is easier as it already has the modified crossmember