Three Generations of the Subaru Brumby: 1978 - 1994

[@moopurce8973]

I live in Az, USA. I have A 78 brat, no rust, 3" lift, 14" wheels, weber carb, custom front bumper, low roll bar, camper shell. Luv it!

[@DPOSFS]

Thanks for the post. I used to live near Detroit for a good few years ... really harsh winters. Saw some cars being driven with nothing much more than duct tape holding things together. Thank God your Brat's in AZ! All the best with it!

[@jonlowing7907]

Thanks for the video. It's great to see some working Brumby's unretired! My introduction to Subarus was a 3-speed auto, '83 GL Touring Wagon, with digital dash, purchased 2nd hand in '84 and which turned me into a hopeless Subaru tragic! It took 3 adults with 2 dogs, a fully loaded 6 X 4 trailer and roof rack from the Gold Coast to Mosman, North Queensland, including 3 days on Fraser Island. From Mosman we travelled west to Normanton in the gulf and ultimately south again to Wagga Wagga in the NSW riverina. There we dropped off 2 people and a dog, picked up another human and headed for Melbourne to catch the ferry for Tasmania on Christmas Eve, '84. We managed to see most of Tassie before the suby tried to pick a fight with a motorhome, on the road to Queenstown, and lost. No injuries, except the sube which would never leave Tas.😢 I've owned a number of Subarus since, including an '85 Touring Wagon manual, a 2001 Forester and a 2009 Forester which I still own, along with my '86 Brumby Sport, purchased in '97 and which is not currently in road-going condition but, well, you know......one day!

[@DPOSFS]

Your Brumby Sport isn't a Taga Top model, is it? The TT is a great looking lifestyle car. No room for more, but I'd be tempted if I found a good one. Cheers again for your comments.

[@jonlowing7907]

​@@DPOSFS It is a targa top, yes. I think that's why they gave it the 'sport' designation. They were rare in Australia, most common in the US, where they also had a pair of seats in the back up against the rear window so it could be registered in some states as a passenger vehicle. Bureaucratic inanity, in my opinion; give one to an eighteen-year-old for his birthday and the first thing he's going to do is take it down to the beach to play and roll it over. But, hey, that's freedom! Interestingly, though mine's an '86 model, it has the dual headlights like all US models and later Australian releases. Personally, I think the duals are a more appealing design, but of course, that's a matter of personal preference.

[@michaelking42]

Great video mate, thank you. My first subie was an 84 Touring Wagon, then I had a couple of gen 2 Brumbies. Love the old Subies. Saw a gen 3 in Colorado Springs 2 years ago, it was great to see. Your video takes me back to when me and me neighbor (he had a gen 3) would go mudding in them.

[@JamesBond-yl9nc]

Australia had twin headlight sports or targa brumbys in 1985/86 with all of the "new" 3rd gen features you are talking about

[@DPOSFS]

Thanks for the info. I've updated the video description. Cheers

[@Cor141]

Surprised the rear “kidney-buster “ seats not mentioned, probably only for the US market. I had a 1987, last of the breed without the seats. Had to pay for truck registration. Bought it new, with flip up,sunroofs, 5 speed.Dark blue in color. My wife drove a 1984, silver in color with the sunroofs and also auto.trans. When we drove the two of them together, we called our self’s, “The Brat Patrol”! Had a cap installed on the ‘87. Subaru had the seats installed for the US market to beat a tariff, and they could be registered as a car. Also, the early 1980s models had a revolving center lamp in the grille as an option on the Brat as well as the other models. Never knew they were called “Brumbys”. Great collection, the selector for 4wd seemed strange in the early one. Thanks! Bill

[@DPOSFS]

Cheers Bill. Yep, only for the US market. They looked good, though, even if they were uncomfortable unsafe hahaha. There were quite a few subtle differences in the different markets. we didn't have the "Third Eye," or the rear facing seats, and the dashes were quite different. I didn't see too many when I was living in Michigan, but I reckon the salt must have got them early.

[@canalwaysgetmorepets]

Just posted your video in the subaru brat owners group on facebook, hopefully give this a few more views. I have an 86 Brat, for the $8k you have into them that's amazing!

[@DPOSFS]

Cheers for that. Is that a US group? When I lived in Michigan I saw only one Brat over 10 years, and it was held together with duct tape! The winters are savage - salt and rust aren't a good combination. Thanks for watching!

[@canalwaysgetmorepets]

@@DPOSFS I live in new england so they're VERY rare here, compared to the west coast. I shipped mine from vegas where its rust free. It is mostly an american group, super helpful people. Been in the group since I bought my car 2 and a half years ago.

[@rods6405]

Great Video takes me back I had a second gen wagon dual range back in the 80's drove it up and down the east coast of OZ. Got bogged in the sand entering Noosa end 40 mile beach just took all the luggage out inc beer and it was fine. It was great on that beach left everything else behind! Such a great design!

[@DPOSFS]

Cheers for watching.

[@redreuben5260]

Let the tyres down in the sand, makes all the difference.

[@JEMASH]

Wow. Great collection. Thanks for sharing 👌🏻

[@DPOSFS]

Thanks for watching!

[@tyz987]

I’ve got an early 82 model with quad headlamps. Registered as a Leone, so possibly high spec?

[@DPOSFS]

Hi. Are you in Australia? I reckon you have the upper spec sports model. Is it a Taga Top? Nice car if you do! I like that look. I’ve written a bit about earlier quad light Brumbys in an earlier post and my reply to someone in case it’s of interest. Thanks for your post.

[@tyz987]

@@DPOSFS Am in NZ, no Targa Top, no power steering or A/C either.

[@DPOSFS]

Cheers for the reply. I’ve heard that the first gen lights/grille were different on the Australian and NZ cars; I wonder how many differences there were in the other generations? To me, as we’re so close, it’s strange to have them being different.

[@redreuben5260]

I had a Gen 1 the “ugly” not fast but pulled like a schoolboy. 😱 Pulled a few “proper 4wd’s” out of the sand.

[@DPOSFS]

Yep, have to agree ... more capable than I first thought.

[@stevewandel9317]

This is the first place I've seen that someone thought there were 3 generations of Brumby. Been into Subarus since the early 90s when I bought an 85 L series (or what most people call the Gen 3 Leone) sedan. That 90 is the same as the 84, everything would swap over and bolt on (and vice versa). That 4 headlight front was available on an 83 Touring wagon, Coupe, & Sedan (ie the top, more luxurious spec). Be curious to learn why you think the 89-94 Brumby is a Gen 3?

[@DPOSFS]

Thanks for your comment. The description was updated about a year ago to reflect the comment of another person about the availability of the quad lights. There’s nothing in the paperwork or designation by Subaru that I have seen to distinguish these as separate models, so you’re right there. The round headlight body shape vs the other two is easy to distinguish as different enough to say it’s a different series of the same platform/model. You could get the quad lights earlier than the general move to that shape, but you would have had to have optioned the Sports model / Taga Top, so here I’m generally talking about the standard model. I know I’m saying stuff of which you are already aware, but I’ll say it because it’s part of my reasoning, and I’d like to answer your question. In late 1989 the standard model moved to the quad light configuration and after this time you could no longer get the twin headlight arrangement. In different markets there were different offerings. I lived in Detroit in the USA for 10 years and occasionally I saw a BRAT - these were always the quad light look. I think you’re right to say the differences between the twin and quad light Brumbys might be too small to warrant the designation of a new model, especially as there were other running changes along the way. But as this is an easily identifiable change to the look of the “face” of the car, and as it signifies the point in time when you could no longer get the twin headlight model, I’m using this as the marker for a new series (quad light) of the same model. In other words, I’m using “series” and “model” interchangeably and loosely to identify the standard look available in Australia. Taking a Holden example, the VR and VS Holden Commodores, despite modest differences, were known as different models, but they could have easily been seen as being *basically* the same car, just Series I and Series II iterations. Thanks for the question. It was good for me to think about it.

[@stevewandel9317]

@@DPOSFS Thanks for the reply. Very well considered. I think the Americans tend to be the ones who use the generations more than Aussies because of the way they didn't call them "MY" or "L series". I know in the groups/forums I've been in, lots of people are advised to say they've got an 83 or 84 model so source parts otherwise the parts interpreters tended to get confused with the squarer L series. And I agreed completely with the VR vs VS thing :p

[@Mr_jz_12]

Do they all have the weird rear shock setup?

[@DPOSFS]

Hi. I haven't paid much attention to it. I'll take a look when I next see them. They are kept in 3 different locations 75km apart.

[@alpharaptor7510]

I have the Gen 2 She’s very rusty and has no floors. But still runs and drives great

[@sirfirewolfe5647]

As far as I know Subaru had the 4-headlight design selling concurrently with the 2nd-gen as a higher trim model since 1981, with the lower "DL" trim discontinued in '89

[@stephenw2992]

The sports wagons had them from around 1983, and I think the utes with the twin sunroof also had them from around that time.

[@sirfirewolfe5647]

@@stephenw2992 that makes sense, that's about when they dropped the "third eye" flip up high beam headlights. Switching from that to a more conventional 4 headlight design seems to line up pretty well.

[@HeimataSq]

Yeah my grandfather’s BRAT which got passed down to me was an 87 with the 4 headlight design and had the T-tops. Here in the States.

[@Mr123trade]

Where did you get you Tornaeu Cover from for the Gen 3?

[@DPOSFS]

Kemptons. They're very good. Not all my bungy cords line up 100% with the tie down hooks, but that's the only thing negative I can say. Professional people to deal with and quick turn around time. I think it was $246 or $248 delivered.

[@joeclulee1524]

Seen this brumby few weeks ago wat a beast

[@Michka1001]

I've seen so many of the third gens (a friend of mine owns one), quite a few of the second gen, but I can't say I've ever seen a first gen on the road here in Australia

[@DPOSFS]

I've been looking out for them. Haven't seen a first gen one for many years. Cheers for watching.

[@stephenw2992]

I dont think they ever sold many including the sedans which were a really ugly looking thing. The first gens died off quickly between the rust and failures of the 1.6L motors. A friend had a wagon with seized motor. I saved the lights and bull bar off it before it went in the crusher. Nothing was of any use on the later ones.

[@DPOSFS]

@@stephenw2992 I was told there are only 4 Gen 1 utes registered in NSW. Don't know how they got that figure or how reliable it is. I reckon he must have meant full rego, but in any case, 4 is a ridiculously low figure, even if it's only 10% right. I agree with you about the rust. Ours is close to rust free ... don't know why. No bog either. The problem with the rarity is spare parts. It took a miracle to find a rear tail light after a few months of searching everywhere.

[@stephenw2992]

@@DPOSFS I think there were a couple getting around Hobart back in the day. Until maybe 5 years ago there was one that sat next to a shed in Huonville for many many years. Hopefully someone is going to restore it if its possible.

[@suziq4394]

Here is my 1st Gen of the MK2 I was telling you about. In the video I failed to mention that it also has a chrome bumper .. unlike the later one. This model of the MV/Brumby is now a rare beast... but they do exist ! Good hunting ! kzbin.info/www/bejne/omivl4awYrypZqM

[@chrisrutherford3862]

It's like a disease I had 4 MV,s and a 1987 1 Hatchback in black in the UK Never seen a hatchback in Australia

[@bestamerica]

' oh my favor old time 1984 sedan subaru car GL-10, 1800cc, automatic, LED speedomotor, 4 doors, A/C, 2 little strong bumps, sunroof easily removeable... but gasdoor on the passage side was a wrong design... 2000 to now is a big lousy subaru vehicle