Looking at getting a Brumby - have some questions!?

theconcierge · Post by **theconcierge** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:39 pm

Hi all

I have been looking at getting a second car for a while - orginally I was thinking about a gen 2 outback, but more recently I have been thinking about getting a brumby. I have found a good example ( 91 model 280,00kms ) but have a few general questions.

1. Wife wants to know if the engine goes bang and dies, how much would we be looking at for a replacement if someone else did it?

2. How many people actually use the tray? I always doing stuff around the house and have trailer loads full of soil, hoping the brumby can do some of this work for me.

3. I want to keep the brumby stock apart from two things. A) seats and B) steering wheel. Just wondering what subaru items will best suit and how hard is it? I know that WRX seats don't fit easily, what about a momo steering wheel?

Unrested · Post by **Unrested** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 4:21 pm

I don't really know much about cars, but isn't buying something with almost 300k on the clock a very bad idea unless you want to put a new engine in?

Apologies if I sound ignorant, as I said I don't know much but i've always been taught to steer clear of cars with big k's on them

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 4:29 pm

Unrested wrote:I don't really know much about cars, but isn't buying something with almost 300k on the clock a very bad idea unless you want to put a new engine in?

Apologies if I sound ignorant, as I said I don't know much but i've always been taught to steer clear of cars with big k's on them

There are high km's and then there are high Subaru Km's - two completely different things.

My 1992 RS Turbo wagon had 317,000kms on it when i bought it and the only thing I could fault was the clear coat on the A/C dashboard switch had worn off. The motor still went like a rocket.

Although a 1.8 Brumby motor at 300,000k's may not be as good since it has possibly been worked harder than most. Getting a good secondhand replacement would be almost impossible, having it rebuilt would be expensive so if it does go bang your best opition is an upgrade to an EJ motor which if you can't do it yourself would also be $$$$.

Although I don't have much experience of Brumby motors though so soemone else may want to chime in with more experience......

theconcierge · Post by **theconcierge** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 4:37 pm

Unrested wrote:I don't really know much about cars, but isn't buying something with almost 300k on the clock a very bad idea unless you want to put a new engine in?

Apologies if I sound ignorant, as I said I don't know much but i've always been taught to steer clear of cars with big k's on them

Hence I am interested in how much it would cost to get a new engine if it does go.

Its not like it's possible to find a low kms brumby

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:04 pm

The EA Series OHV pushrod gear driven single cam is as simple as they get for four stroke.

Backyard_Brumby · Post by **Backyard_Brumby** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:15 pm

It is a hard one to pick. as niterida said high km's on a subaru seem to be alot better than most makes. (especially the fairly basic solid ea81) My father and I have a brumby with more than 380k on the clock. and despite the terrible condition we got the car in (gearbox didn't have a drop of oil, clutch was dead and the engine was just as dry) after some very simple fixes it doesn't miss a beat and would be a completely reliable car....saying that we have a new engine and gearbox lined up and it is getting a whole reno

So yeah it does always seem a bit of a risk getting a car with a few k's on it but I think a brumby is probably one of your safer alternatives

Tray is actually really quite useful..it's not massive but it is more than handy

theconcierge · Post by **theconcierge** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:15 pm

littlewhiteute wrote:The EA Series OHV pushrod gear driven single cam is as simple as they get for four stroke.

that's a good thing right?

To be honest the kms don't worry me so much, but if it does go I don't want to have to spend major $$ to get it going again

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:27 pm

theconcierge wrote:that's a good thing right?

To be honest the kms don't worry me so much, but if it does go I don't want to have to spend major $$ to get it going again

It is a good thing alright.

I own an EA81 and an EJ205. (02 WRX)

One has 1 cam, 2 valves per cylinder with easy adjustment.
One has 4 cams, 4 valves per cylinder and shim adjustment.

One engine is easier to build from scratch.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 12:32 am

my daily runner 84 brumby motor has 430, 000 km on it and continues to go very well. i know of another with 40, 0000km on it for every of ita 20 years no heads off yet.

i have rebored ea81s with new pistons, got away with linish crank, head job and all gaskets for about a grand plus my labour.

buy it and you won't regret it

ashleyn · Post by **ashleyn** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 12:14 pm

steptoe wrote:my daily runner 84 brumby motor has 430, 000 km on it and continues to go very well. i know of another with 40, 0000km on it for every of ita 20 years no heads off yet.

i have rebored ea81s with new pistons, got away with linish crank, head job and all gaskets for about a grand plus my labour.

buy it and you won't regret it

As other have said, 600,000k is considered high for a EA81. Is take my Brumby (220k) to the garden centre often for loads on mulch, sand, whatever, it is very handy. Seats from a L series touring wagon are a good fit or aftermarket seats. Same with steering wheel.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 3:57 pm

Unrested wrote:I don't really know much about cars, but isn't buying something with almost 300k on the clock a very bad idea unless you want to put a new engine in?

Apologies if I sound ignorant, as I said I don't know much but i've always been taught to steer clear of cars with big k's on them

These are subi kilometres were talking about here - 300k km is typically the run in distance of the subaru.

The drive train of the brumby is very simple and a great way to learn about some basic mecahics. And there are many upgrades readily available if you do your research about them

Anyway, seriously I reckon they're going to be a very hot item in the coming years if you get one with a clean body. Look out for rust, this is what ultimately kills the MY series subarus (brumby included in that). As for the drive train, so long as the fluids have been kept up to the engine and gearbox you pretty much can't go wrong...

This is what we've done with my mother in-laws brumby after some convincing on my part

- Sunnie the Brumby
And here's some pics of the tray in use:

My prediction is that you'll love the brumby and find it hard to part with it if the day ever comes...

Cheers

Bennie

EDIT: Also look for rust in the cab/tray wall, around the windscreen, under the hinges - especially if there's rust in one of the windscreen corners. This is the most common areas for rust to show up

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:37 pm

El_Freddo wrote: My prediction is that you'll love the brumby and find it hard to part with it if the day ever comes...

Cheers

Bennie

That's for sure, they are a great little workhorse.

Pootcrum · Post by **Pootcrum** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 4:24 pm

My old girl has 190k on the odometer at present, with the first 90k spent on a farm as the work horse. Still kicking very strong, no serious work has been needed so far, just clutch and usual other consumables. Just about to replace a majority of the cooling system because of a few leaks, and doing it now as the money is good at present.

Now regarding the tray, I have hauled ~750kg of dolomite in the back (the guy overfilled) up Flagstaff Hill Road without problems, though it was very much bottomed out. So yeh they can do the work for you, you just need to drive differently when hauling that much weight.

Like has been said, if it ever comes to it, I will very much miss this ute.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 6:23 pm

Pootcrum wrote:Now regarding the tray, I have hauled ~750kg of dolomite in the back (the guy overfilled) up Flagstaff Hill Road without problems, .

Wow!

That's a pretty good effort, go the brumby!

Now you say Flaggy hill, and I look at your sig, did I see your red brumby driving down Goodwood rd yesterday about 4PM? or was it 8AM...anyway I remember seeing one very similar while I was at tafe

Pootcrum · Post by **Pootcrum** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:30 pm

Silverbullet wrote:Wow! That's a pretty good effort, go the brumby!

Now you say Flaggy hill, and I look at your sig, did I see your red brumby driving down Goodwood rd yesterday about 4PM? or was it 8AM...anyway I remember seeing one very similar while I was at tafe

Haha certainly wasn't 8AM, and I don't remember being on Goody Rd yesterday arvo, but I did visit Motormate at St Marys on South Rd for a bit.

Dunno, there are a few red Brumbys of my vintage getting around down south at present so it may not have been me. My drivers side door is currently missing decals, and has a whopping dent in the tailgate (typically).

There is also a particularly nice white one at Flinders Uni floating around the Physical Sciences building.

But, I derail the topic.... yes 750kg was certainly on its limit. Next time I would be more comfortable with ~500kg. But still, it shows they really are a great workhorse when needs be.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:19 pm

Agreed on the weight , after 800kg of topsoil in the tray mounded up so that it form along the roof to the windscreen and bopped and dragged its arse along 200m dirt driveway. Think it rooted the shocks and moustache bar washers and rubbers too.

ashleyn · Post by **ashleyn** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:17 am

I have towed a Camry on a car trailer with mine, probably 2T all up.

Backyard_Brumby · Post by **Backyard_Brumby** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:18 pm

I must admit I have been shocked multiple times with the brumby's towing abilities...with only a 1.8 that is slowly dying it has managed to tow a trailer with a ton of bricks....also during the floods up here it consistently managed to carry in excess of 600kg of sand not too mention alot of both ours and our neighbours white goods lounge suites etc.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:45 pm

ashleyn wrote:I have towed a Camry on a car trailer with mine, probably 2T all up.

I bet that was a "fun" experience!

Cheers

Bennie

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Feb 11, 2011 12:06 pm

and in that lies the secret to the longer tray Brumby