Old vs New - How Much Better (Or Worse) Is a Subaru Outback Off-Road Than Its Great-Grandfather?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2024
- Check out our new weekly PODCAST - TFL Talkin' Cars! ( tflcar.com/pod... )
( www.TFLcar.com ) Subaru has been building all-wheel drive wagons for more than 40 years, but just how far has its technology and capability come in that time frame? Is the old 1978 Subaru DL wagon still a capable "four-wheel drive" machine? We find out in this off-road test by comparing it against a modern Subaru Outback!
( / tflcar ) Please visit to support TFLcar & TFLtruck.
Check us out on:
Facebook: ( / tflcar )
Twitter: ( / tflcar )
and now even Truck Videos on TH-cam at:
The Fast Lane Truck ( / tflcar )
and classic cars as well at:
TFLClassics ( / classicsunleashed )
#OldvsNew #Classic #Subaru
![[Watch Party] RoV Pro League 2024 Winter | ( Bacon Time Vs PSG )](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zM25REvnJW4/mqdefault.jpg)
![[TH] 2024 PMSL SEA Finals D3 | Fall | รู้ผลทีมแชมป์ พร้อมตั๋วสู่ PMGC](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7NxsN0Ch6vk/mqdefault.jpg)
Best video ever!!
Man that 1978 Subaru is in ultra mint condition.
Tomoko Kishi and it’s cooler than the new one
Needs a proper tune up, otherwise it's great.
would love to own one of those subies. omgosh its sooo clean!
Zach Reynolds
Even the Mona Lisa is falling apart
Yo, Ive a mitsubishi gt3000 and it have a better awd than the newer. Mecanical is better than electronic and the newer ones is more weak than the old ones.
I had an '84 GL with the "big" 1.8L, 2 speed transfer case (2wd/4H/4L), manually adjustable ride height, and factory skid plate. Subies have gotten "softer" ever since.
I owned 2 GL4wd 1.8 wagons 😎 let's remake that car
Subaru: Andre, I know our tagline is Love, it’s what makes a Subaru a Subaru, but you don’t need to hug us.
Andre: Do you want a hug?
Subaru: Yes
Remember??? "Inexpensive and built to stay that way"
Honda used to say " we make it simple" but that is no longer the case.
As the (former) owner of an '07 2.5 I can say that they have now taken completely the opposite tack - Expensive and built to stay that way.
Cheap and ugly does it
You guys should try a manual crosstrek. I feel it's more of a proper successor to the DL than anything else. Manual 6 speed with a low 1st gear.
You're right. Watch this Subaru commercial th-cam.com/video/ZXLsB6sAGlk/w-d-xo.html
They are discontinuing the manual, and the cvt really does suck for anything beyond a dirt road. Such a shame, especially since the new sport trim got the larger engine.
I own a 2013 OB stickshift, which I believe was one of the last ones offered, and I agree with you that 1st gear is too tall for much offroad use. For that matter, so is reverse -- it's gotta be the highest reverse gearing of just about any car! Wierd. The Crosstreks do seem like good cars although the seats aren't terribly comfy.
Love the look of the old school Subaru even now! And if given the choice, I'd take it over the new one. Cheaper to maintain, manual trans, true 4wd, just Iconic! It was different from everything else. Can't say that these days.
@@costaet Ford Escape, Honda CRV, Mazda CX-5, Acura RDX, Porsche Macan. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the newer Subaru's. I just prefer the styling and simplicity of the older ones. Just my opinion.
Hey old guy in Car Connections: I owned a 1978 Subie DL manual 4x4. Drove it through college and had it when married until it hit 350K miles. Like I told your Dad who seems to have a grudge. The only descent newer Subie is the Crosstrek 6-Speed. I’ve a 2019 and blow past Rams and other power trucks in very heavy Mi snow. 18” to 30” . At lights and cornering the lumbering Rams and Tacomas are not nearly as nimble. If the rear end begins to come around on a 25 mph right turn I just hit the clutch it straightens up and either power on in 2nd or 3rd. All the unnecessary mass of these automatic Trucks there only manageable in a straight line. Unless know how to drive a Subie stick with your happy assed minis. Ps I also own a 2006 A3 6-Speed . It’s all about powers to weight ratio and a high driving skill set. The dude driving his new Outback was whining like an old woman. Your son seemed to realize the point I was making about manual vs automatic trannies. So give it up when you bash Subies kids. You sound like you live in gated communities an someone used the pool late at night! Hey Pops, develope some character and a bit integrity, This is a country of diversity these day. Your personality is so milk toasty!
I had a new 80's GL wagon with the high/low 4wd transmission. The spare was still under the hood! Took that thing to Lake Tahoe for ski trips many times 👍
In the 80's you'd see tons of AMC Eagles come out only in winter here in Wi.
My great grandfather (who passed away about 20 years ago) had one at a hunting cabin in the U.P..
I was never up there while it was snowing, but there was a pretty gnarly, rutted road I remember being on when we visited for fun in August (not hunting season, but we did get to do some fishing... and battle massive flies, mosquitos and ticks).
Lifted, AWD and relatively compact station wagons are a great package.
@@dzelpwr I'm in the UP and there's still a few left... problem is rust killed most of them.
@@markmalinowski5951, yep, it eventually gets virtually every car in Michigan. Hard to escape.
I've been giving California a try the last few years, I'm continually astounded at the 30+ year old vehicles still being used as daily drivers here. Even more astounded when I get under them to work and there's a complete lack of rust on underbody suspension bolts, brakes etc. It really is a whole other world out here.
Stupid expensive to be here, but man does it make turning wrenches so much easier and efficient.
Back to the topic at hand, having an off roader in this state is great. There's plenty of awesome mountain trails to go on to get away from the masses. The weather and the scenery are the primary redeeming qualities here. I'll leave the massive population and talk of local politics out of this discussion, though.
That was my very 1st car! 1986 Eagle Wagon... Loved that thing, pretty reliable, other than the front end bushing needing to be replaced every 50,000km
I love my AMC Eagle woody wagon. It would be interesting to see it being tested alongside these.
Love that old station wagon! I had one the same color but a few years newer with the Low range option that I used many times to rescue Jeeps.
I had the '82 GL Wagon with the "3rd eye" and we used it for TSD rallies. It ran great in the mountain trails of BC. Never an issue. I miss my old goat.
I had 82 GL wagon too. Loved it. Went anywhere. No problem
Wow, what a treat. Tommy really took it to the limit with the old one.
And that air filter is the size of a spare tire!!
Nah...he barely scratched the surface of what those lil ol' Subbie DL's were capable of!
The spare tire in the engine bay was advertised as a safety feature back in 70's and 80'. Supposedly it was there for front-end crash protection.
Because of the tire in front: the old Vw beetle had better front crash ratings than a Vw rabbit
Sounds very fishy to me, like maybe an urban myth. There was nothing in front of the tire but the air cleaner and empty space (since the engine was lower than the tire), so the front end of the car would have needed to be compressed all the way back to the centerline of the front axle before the spare tire came in contact with anything solid from its front side. Significantly more compression of the body would need to occur beyond that point before the tire would be pushed back very much into the firewall, which probably would fail before the tire itself did, and by that point, there wouldn't be much left of the front body to compress. I never recall hearing anything about this as a "safety feature", but stranger things have happened, I suppose. Do you have a link to old ads or literature which would verify this? That would be interesting to see!
Nope, because spare tire in the front, fuel tank was able be located at higher position under the floor. That's an advantage for higher ground clearance.
At first i wondered how engine heat would affect the spare.... but... that's such a tiny engine.....
It was installed there because that's where it fit.
Be interesting to see how the Outback performs when it's 42 years old.
I suspect the CVT would have been turned to burnt toast years before then.
Never-mind the CVT, all the electronics and sensors will have long given up the ghost.
In Australia, the 100,000 km (about 60,00 miles) service includes an overhaul of the CVT transmission and it will cost about $6000
@@jacobmoses3712 My sons 2015 Outback has done 200,000km. All services as per Subaru Australia manual. Nothing over AU$600 per service. Not sure where you got that figure or milage?
@@jacobmoses3712 That's just plain crazy!
@@michelt4390 That's because it's completely untrue.
I love Andre and his sense of humour...hug test lmao
The Kimi Raikonnen of car reviewers.
"This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen on any automotive program. What are we proving here...?" best quote. Woot Subi I have a 2002 outback LLBean edition baby!
That comment about Subaru in CO is totally accurate. I moved here when I was 30 and I saw more Subaru vehicles my 1st day in CO then I had in my previous 30 years combined.
Just imagine how much better the old subaru would have done if it was one of the ones with a low range transfer box.
The low range wasn't available until later. If you had a 1.4L, the first gear was lower than the first in low on the newer ones, but the power on the 1.6L was much better. I had the best setup, a 1.4L wagon with a 1.6L I shoehorned in there. It was even better because it was geared lower. More than 4000 RPM at 65mph in fourth gear.
I started watching because I'm a Subaru (manual transmissions only) guy....I stayed for the hug test. You guys knocked this one out of the park. Keep up the good work and thank you for the entertainment!
Just wanted to let you guys know. That your channel just went up in value for displaying that beautiful classic piece of Japanese Engeniering 👌
We had a Subaru Brat back in the 80s. So much nostalgia!
Great to see the old roo off-road!! Be safe & godspeed gentleman
Jacob Berlin (Godspeed)is this Captain Kirk.😉
Old one all day. Looks cooler, doesn’t have a cvt, has 4wd, is lighter, has a full size spare.
and it has manual transmission which is way more fun
That old Subaru is soooo clean!! Please do more offroad videos with it :)
Pre-CVT era subarus are the best. Some EU and JDM versions even came with a low range transfer case with a viscous center lock.
US had dual range transmissions as an option on almost all pre 90 Subarus.
Running a custom ratio AWD dual range here with 12kgf centre diff ;)
yeah i got a 99 EUDM impreza with a 1,6 and the dual range 5 speed manual and oh boy is that lowrange a really neat thing to have, i also found it useful for backing up slowly lol
@@andrechristiansen2161 I fitted the L series low range gears in my 2003 EJ d/r gearbox and its my favourite thing ever. I also fitted a centre diff that has 3x the torque transfer. You can put it in gear, let the clutch out and it will crawl away up a hill lol. I even open the door and get out while it's moving and let it crawl up the road for a laugh. I use low all the time, off road, hill starts, peak hour traffic, reversing, reversing with a trailer...so sad that Subaru has totally ditched those cool gearboxes.
Yup, I had a 1997 Legacy Lancaster Grandwagon (aka early Outback) with dual range manual transmission which I sadly sold 13 months ago when I moved from NZ to USA. Possibly a mistake because I'm back again (which I didn't expect). But there's a fully loaded 2008 Forester XT (automatic :-( ) for sale nearby that I might pick up.
I had the 1978 wagon, 2 1980 hatchbacks, a 1985 hatchback and a 1986 brat that said I would rather have the old hatchbacks more than a new one the problem with the 78 no low range. I used them all off road what great cars miss them.
I had a 4spd 78 wagon with a dual range from an 80 brat swapped in.
Best/most fun subie I have ever owned.
Just a go cart on gravel. Pure joy.
And that EA71 was a bulletproof mill.
I owned a 1978 Subie DL manual 4x4. Drove it through college and had it when married until it hit 350K miles. Like I told your Dad who seems to have a grudge. The only descent newer Subie is the Crosstrek 6-Speed. I’ve a 2019 and blow past Rams and other power trucks in very heavy Mi snow. 18” to 30” . At lights and cornering the lumbering Rams and Tacomas are not nearly as nimble. If the rear end begins to come around on a 25 mph right turn I just hit the clutch it straightens up and either power on in 2nd or 3rd. All the unnecessary mass of these automatic Trucks there only manageable in a straight line. Unless know how to drive a Subie stick with your happy assed minis. Ps I also own a 2006 A3 6-Speed . It’s all about powers to weight ratio and a high driving skill set. The dude driving his new Outback was whining like an old woman. Your son seemed to realize the point I was making about manual vs automatic trannies. So give it up when you bash Subies kids. You sound like you live in gated communities an someone used the pool late at night! Hey Pops, develope some character and a bit integrity, This is a country of diversity these day. Your personality is so milk toasty!
I went through a terrible blizzard in Denver on christmas eve (82 I think) in one of these Subarus. We drove all day trying to deliver Christmas gifts which hadn't got delivered for MayD&F. We were leaving everything else behind. It was amazing. The biggest negative was that the CV joints cost a fortune to replace in those days.
After owning a great BMW 1600 and a POS Saab 99 in the late '60s and early '70s I rolled the dice and bought two 1978 FWD Subies when no one except CR and a bunch of crazy Montana cowboys knew what they were. CR was already reporting their outstanding reliability. Whereas, on a trip to Montana and remarking that Subies were everywhere, I asked: "what gives?". The aforementioned crazy -- and definitely racist -- cowboys growled:. "it's the only G-D J@p car that can stand-up to a Montana winter". With those kinds of unvarnished endorsements the purchases were no-brainers. The Subies lasted so long we were able to save up for our first house. Thanks, Subaru!
What can you tell about your Saab 99?
@@Maalt I'd love to tell a glowing story about what a wonderful car the Saab was. But, I can't.
In 1974 I lived on California's scenic North Coast, which means lots of two-lane twisty roads in the rain. I needed something a little more sure-footed than my terrific 1969 BMW 1600, which was nearing the end of its service life. So, I took a chance on a new 1974 FWD 4-speed Saab 99E.
The car was a little more powerful and certainly more stable on the road. Its safety features for the time were also attractive, as were some of the quirkier design ideas. It was also a little larger and therefore more comfortable than the somewhat utilitarian Beamer. However, that’s where the advantages started and ended.
You would think with what I’m about to say I am a car slob who never services or washes his machines. Worse, yet, that I’m the kind of guy who would leave a machine out in the elements. So, as a result, I deserved what happened with the Saab. Oh, contraire! Saturday mornings are for automotive preening and missing a scheduled maintenance is tantamount to spousal abuse. Garages are not storage spaces, they are shrines.
In the less than 3 years I had the car, the exhaust manifold cracked twice, but only once during the short warranty. Those Swedes were no dummies in regard to the financial risks posed to them by long warranties. It went through brake pads like toilet paper and the OEM replacements squealed like slaughtered pigs. The interior ventilation fan died with great frequency. It was a little Electrolux gem that cost a lot more than the monthly car payment. And, of course, it was in a nearly impossible-to-reach location meaning extra labor charges for replacement.
It needed frequent tune-ups back in those plugs-and-points days. For a week after a tweaking the car ran like a champ. Then, it was back to its oh-hum self.
The exterior chrome bits discolored into dazzlingly exotic colors. Being cars designed, spec’d and built in Sweden Saabs were never intended for climates where temperatures ever rose above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. On warm days - oh, say about 80 degrees - the vinyl covering on the dashboard would peal up exposing the particleboard underneath. The front cloth seat coverings tore away from the vinyl headrests the day after the warranty expired, of course.
Despite it all, though, I kept thinking I’d keep the car until it was paid off. That is until one morning I went out to the garage to start it up. That’s when one of those aforementioned quirky design ideas came into play and convinced me it was time for the Saab to go. For whatever reason Saab’s engineers thought it was a great idea to put the keyed ignition switch on the floor between the driver’s and front-passenger’s seats. It may have looked cool in some kind of aircraft design way. But, it was the perfect place to collect any crud or grit that might be dropped by the occupants despite weekly vaccuumings.
So, I hopped in and turned the key to the “start” position. Oh, it started! However, the ignition switch wouldn’t return to the normal “on” position. The starter motor kept on cranking while I frantically opened the hood to detach a battery cable. Of course, that was the morning after I reorganized the tools and couldn’t remember in the panic where exactly I put the necessary wench. By the time the battery was disconnected the starter motor was smoking and the control computer was fried.
Fortunately, I had already taken that trip to Montana and had been researching Subarus. So, I knew exactly what to do. AAA hauled the deceased Saab’s carcass to the nearest Subie dealer that very morning. I returned home later that afternoon the proud owner of a 1978 5-speed FWD station wagon that lasted years and years . . . and cost nearly nothing to maintain!
Sad to hear that. I have heard only good things about my dads many Saab 99s. Thanks for the long description!
@@Maalt Your dad was indeed lucky. I'm really glad for him. That said, the standing joke among Saab owners in the San Francisco Bay Area at the time was: "if you need Saab spare parts, drive down the freeway for 10 minutes until you find what you need". 😉
I'm going to remember that joke. It's cool hearing stories like that. Hope you had atleast some good memories about Saabs.
Audi: We invented the 4wd car
Subaru: hold my vape
Hold my ale, old boy: Jensen FF.
They didn't invent an affordable 4wd car, though..
@@gerijokub7737 Quite so, the original quattro was expensive too. I worked in a audi dealers at the time.
@@russcattell955i True! When introduced to the USA market, the emissions equipment knocked the horsepower down from 200 to about 160. Audi decided to only sell 500 Quattro coupes in the USA that first year (1982?). MSRP was $35,000. Two years later you could get the 115 HP Audi 4000S quattro for $17,000, a relative bargain by comparison.
@@russcattell955i The FF was AWD, which is NOTEWORTHY AND HISTORICAL! YAA Brits, for having the balls to try it and produce it, and being the first! Audi made AWD popular and desirable for the masses. (WRC, anyone?) Subaru made AWD affordable to the masses.
The first Subarus, like the old wagon shown in this video, were part-time 4WD. Subaru's first AWD didn't come out until the 1984 or 1985 model year. It was a high-end Loyale with a lockable center diff, just like an Audi.
New Mexico plates on your '78 brings back childhood memories. I grew up in Santa Fe NM. My mother bought a brand new 78 Subaru our first year there. It was perfect for the snow and ice during the winter driving months. That little car went into the back country with no problems at all. I have very fond memories of that little Subaru. Thank you for much for the video!
The spare tire under the hood was actually a safety feature. In a frontal impact it would force the engine down. I remember that being one of the sales pitches when my dad bought an ‘81 brand new.
TFL:
High/Neutral/Low Range were available on that era of Subarus.....including the re-skinned versions which were available until the Bigger/Angular ones came out in the mid-1980s which had the 5 Speeds (with High/ Neutral/Low lever by E-Brake) along with manually adjustable suspension(easily and quickly done with a ratchet or wrench) which could give you another 2 inches of Ground-Clearance......before switching to Peugeot 14/15 steel or aluminum rims....which can get a Scooby Do high like AMC Eagle.
That's what I have in my High/Low Weberred EA81 1984 wagon. Stock 13"s though but with that 3.90 diff, she crawls.
Tommy: I actually think the front of the older Subaru looks like you! 😂🤣💯
I had a loaded, fully optioned '81 Subie GL10 Wagon with the bizarre plaid interior, AC, power windows, white steel wheels and roof rack- an amazing little vehicle - not very refined or advanced, technologically speaking, only (maybe) 67hp, four speed stick, hi/lo manually engaged 4WD and very cheeky, centered mounted headlight that appeared under a powered cover. Not by any means an exciting car on paved tarmac but an absolute mountain goat when the paved road ended. I sometimes foolishly drove that Subie offroad where few other vehicles could go. Absolutely loved and adored that little car and put many miles on it with a huge grin on my face.
Andre is scared of his wife🤣🤣🤣😂😂💨💨🔥
Andre is a wise man. Koolkev75 must be single.
I drove a new Outback with the CVT and couldn't wait to get back into my '05 Honda Element with 5 speed manual. Thanks, but no thanks.
Wow! The old Subaru is such nice shape! Parents had an 80's era one when I was a kid. It ran solid. It just rusted out really badly. Salty roads in winter. It was absolute junk after 10 years. But did it ever run well! That old one has way more class than the new one. And in many ways, it was actually better at off-roading!
I owned that same Subaruu that we bought new in 1978! I loved that you found one and it was in such good shape! I’m also from New Mexico so seeing that NM plate super cool. I attempted to drive on one of Colorado’s toughest roads back in the day but was turned back due to the lightened flywheel which limited my already low torque. Man what a blast from the past! Thanks so much.
Seeing that '78 in action was like seeing an old friend. My family started buying Subarus in the mid 70's because they were the only car you could buy that would allow my grandmother to bus 6 or 7 kids to school every day through the long New Hampshire winter. We didn't get snow days... Or seat belts for that matter!
I so miss the older Subies. They were so simple to fix and were better than even Jeeps in the back woods. Farmers here in Idaho loved them.
I've been wanting to see this one. Its about time. Old Subaru are better. Ant least ones without the CV transmission. When they put that it, they lost all creds. You should put the sidekick and this 1978 sub on some trails and see which one performs better. I personally would take a 1978 sub over the new ones any day. Lobe the hug test too. Lol
CVT's are such a bad a idea for offroad vehicles.
Agreed. And the Outback is not really an offroad vehicle; more of a softroader.
I couldn't care less about CVT... but Subaru doesn't even gives the option of anything else...
Replacing the cvt fluid with redline synthetic cvt fluid feels like a chip tune on the trans.
So much less slipp.
No more rattle.
@@fastinradfordable Really?? Interesting- I have an appt to get my CVT fluid changed later this week- may have to give the Redline a try.
CVTs are such a bad idea, PERIOD! CVT must be utterly exterminated!
I love what you guys did to this museum piece Subaru😋. Awesome car and it needs a recognition. Your team need to restore that awesome Subaru. Love the show 👍
As someone who just purchased his second consecutive Outback I loved when this channel gives some love and attention to Subaru. Wonderful video. Fun to watch. Although I just purchased a new 2020 Onyx XT Outback I would definitely agree older were less fragile. Still I love my Outback. Thinking of buying an older one for my 14 year old son to practice driving with.
I learnt to drive in my 92 Brumby GL, or BRAT in America. I'm 17 almost 18, driven 6 or 7 different cars now + a truck and a bus, and the old subie is hands down the most fun. One thing to note with them is that your son won't have any temptations to touch his phone or get distracted, cause these things definitely need your attention. Less safety features, but very reliable, and a hell of a lot of fun to drive. They come up well with a bit of love too.
You guys should do an episode of AWD cars off roading... Like really light gravel roads and such... With the Impreza, Legacy, WRX, ECT.
That was one of your best ever. Yeah to the old suby. Simple mechanics will beat electronics every day when longevity is concerned. Like you said the old suby will do it time after time. The new one will self destruct between the cvt, brakes instead of simple front to rear locked diff, etc.
Grew up with this model in the 70s running up and down the mountains here in Alaska. This ol' vintage car was a game changer. Official car of the US ski team back then. I recall ours had high and low range as well as some of the next generations that came along. I remember Mom rolled her Suby in the mountains a few miles below our home descending mayonnaise on a mirror ice even w/ studded tires. The guy behind her in a modified spiked out VW Bug rolled right after her, and they both bobsledded upside down the road. Everybody shook it off and walked away. Fun video guys!!! Love to find an old one in that nice a condition.
I feel like Subaru Crosstrek with the manual transmission would have been a more fair comparison
There is no fair comparison to a car that old.
@@Aashishkebab I said "more fair" bud
I had the 1976 4wd wagon. It went everywhere, sand dunes, beach and loose rock hill much steeper than on this video and just ate it up. But no more than 300 metres above sea level. I loved that car. I even launched a 14 ft catamaran at the beach which is why I bought it. Had to lower the tyre pressures. Couldn't go on bitumen at all in 4wd it would bind up comimg off the tracks. Only did that once front wheels only, rears were still in sand but no problem.
I owned the same car, except mine had a 1.4L transmission with a 1.6L engine I put in it . The trans was lower geared than yours.
You need a 2wd old Subaru to refine your driving style, always at the horsepower peak when you start up the hill or you will lose motor and traction. Then you will always make it first try with the 4wd car.
Also, after you break your first front CV shaft (I broke about a dozen on my 70s and early 80s Subarus, if you don't break a shaft, you are not using the car hard enough.) you can keep the inboard stub in the car for when you break the next one so you just take your hammer and punch (Must haves) and pull the broken shaft, (they always break the outer joint) and put your stub in and all of a sudden you have a RWD Subaru with a parking brake on the front tires. 67HP will spin the back tires all day long on dry pavement with the parking brake on.
One last thing, the spare tire absorbed about 1/3 of the blow in a head on collision, making the old Subarus much safer than their contemporaries. The old Subarus were also better in roll overs because of the many side posts.
PS, when you start breaking front struts, that is when you should tone it down a little bit, not when you start breaking CV shafts. You won't break struts unless you are jumping more than about 15 linear feet with an elevation of 6 feet or so and land badly, anything less, and you can do it all day. Also, do not be tricked into getting aluminum rims, they shatter and crack when you use the car correctly, the steel ones just bend a bit. (You will eventually end up with 2WD rims, they are stronger than the spoked rims.)
Never broke a CV joint in mine. Or did I? LOL I do faintly replacing one or two of them. I used mine (a late '77 model) for camping in the desert and tearing around washes and up and down hills. I even drove mine through the infamous Pinion Mountain "Squeeze" and back out again once. I have pics to prove it.
I did blow the transaxle apart on one trip. A gear tooth must have come loose I figured. Started getting worse over a 2-day trip to Ocotillo Wells, CA. Nasty tapping sound from the gearbox area. Finally went "bang" while was driving home on the highway. Such fun times. ;-)
For the wheels, I had the factory plain disk wheels widened to, I think 5.5" or so by a shop in LA. That was to run wider tires 'monsterous' 195/70s.
@@SDwriter.and.surfer If part of your Subaru Enjoyment consists of full throttle with the steering at full lock, that is when the CV joints let go the fastest. I was a poor kid at the time, but not too poor to put a bigger used carb on and remove the factory muffler for the extra 5 horsepower that overwhelmed the CV joints. I also used to play games like "pretend the cops are chasing me" and I found jumping to be a fun pastime. Of course this was in the good old days when if I hurt myself, the next morning it was all better. Pretty sure I would quit and go home in the first five minutes if I tried that stuff today.
I once destroyed the spider gears in a front differential, but I really enjoyed being able to fix the car cheaply and easily. I had I had a total of six Subarus from 77 to 82 vintage, and I had the most fun with those cars that I have had with cars.
@@ethanc4920 Hah. I never tried that hard to break mine. Shortly after buying it I did have fun jumping it on sand dunes, on Fiesta Island at Mission Bay, San Diego. Dumb kid. I always told people, in the past and in comments here, that the Subaru was basically a water-cooled 4wd Baja Bug. No low-range so you had to charge some hills. Just like with a bug. I rebuilt the engine once. Had it "blue printed" by an engine shop. Hah. Balanced pistons, rods, etc. Just because I read it was the thing to do. Had Schnieder Cams do a reprofile on the stick for better 'low end' supposedly. Result of that was questionable. And I also had a complete exhaust system custom made. Sounded cool. Biggest improvement made was the Weber carb. That improved the personality of the car by so much. Legend had it there was a twin-carb manifold for the 1600cc engines, available in Japan only. I was unsuccessful in finding one here in the US. I did buy the high-compression heads from an importer in LA. Added a half a ratio to the stock compression. I never had the engine dyno'd so I don't know what all that did. But it helped for sure.
If someone had said to me back then, "Someday you'll be able to buy a Subaru with a 300-hp engine", my head would have exploded. Nothing outside of Italy was making that kind of power (stock) in those days.
@@SDwriter.and.surfer Driving without horsepower or gearing requires much more skill than what is required when either is present. All of my Subarus had a flat underside and a gas tank up inside the car, I sure I have hours of cumulative time dragging the bottom of the cars. My 77 (it might have been a 76) Wagon came from the factory with a 1.4L engine and therefore had a very low final drive ratio. In fact, that car had a lower first gear than the low range in my later Subarus. With the bigger pushrod 1.6L it went very well. I used JDM carbs on my Subarus, they were a few millimeters bigger on both the primaries and the secondaries. (And they were cheap.) Eventually I started putting 1.5 inch spacers under the Carb (on a 82 two-door hatchback with low range) and cut a hole in the hood for a round air cleaner. That worked very well for some reason.
@@ethanc4920 Interesting. I have to admit, I've never heard of JDM carbs. For me at that time, the Weber 32/36 progressive was the best choice. It needed an adapter that was an inch or so tall, and the 3-4" K&N air cleaner on top of that. Still fit under the hood nicely though. It ran very well out of the box. Finally at one point I had some Weber 'guru' tell me now to tune more optimally. Jetting and emulsion tube changes.
Some of the specs are really testing my memory, but I think the 1400cc engines were wet sleeve weren't they? Might have had two separate exhaust outlets on the heads, like a VW? My EA71 engine had 'Siamese' exhaust ports with one outlet on each head I remember that for sure.
I don't recall the final drives of the axles, 3.8 something?, but I seem to remember that my 4x4 trans had a 4.0x:1 first gear, whereas the 2WD transmissions had something like 3.66:1. So the '77.5 4x4s had lower 1st and possibly 2nd gears than the non-4x4s. I don't know what it was for the years before and after that. I remember that my Subaru had the same 1st gear (4.02:1) as the 4-spd trans in the IH Scout II that I replaced the little Subaru with in 1991. (I still drive the Scout!)
BTW, I also still have my Chilton's Subaru manual on a shelf I think. It covers all these pre-1980 cars/engines. And I have a copy of the "How to Keep Your Subaru Alive" book, which was modeled after the original VW book.
I had the same color, car everything, and other than rusting all the way in half, that little Scoobaroo ran for 15 years and 157,000 miles, and it was surprisingly durable.
I grew up in the 80's in a 3rd world country where roads are typically what 1st world country call "terrain". We drive very basic 4x4 to move around towns this is a normal thing for us. I'm afraid that we are becoming too soft that unless you don't have enough buttons to push you will be stuck! 4x4 is supposed to be an exciting challenging endeavour where all your senses and driving skills will be put to the test. Comfort belongs to the paved road.
I had one Subaru Station 1979 4x4
Amazing car, the Best trails off roads
in south of Chile
Love this! Owned a '78 and an '83. '78 was a beast, '83 had rust in the fuel line and tank even though the body had none. Got to where I kept extra filters on board and could change a clogged one in 2 minutes.
My father was one of the first in Switzerland who bought this car when Subaru started to export to Switzerland.
The Subaru was unbeatable in the snow. No matter if a lot or less snow on the road. He never had to mount snow chains ! I claim that the first Subarus had the same qualities in the snow as the new ones. Because they were light...
I have a 75 DL 4WD and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!
Tommy you are now the best tester of all the guys. Sorry guys. Tommy is so relaxed and natural on camera.
Knowledgeable too.
my 98 Impreza Outback has 4 recovery points and is a weapon offroad, absolutely love this video
My '90 Legacy L wagon was destroyed in a collision last year. It was the most rugged, trustworthy car ever, and I had it all dialed in for at least another 10- 12 years of use. We called it my Range Pony. Even a new wagon is , I suspect, not going to meet my needs for camping, dirt roads, and hauling the canoe. I just test-drove a 2019 Outback, and was appalled at the lack of attach points, overall height, and plastic and electronics everywhere. It was like driving a videogame spaceship (not good).
Man, I had foil tape sealing up the rust holes on my 87' GL behind the rear wheel wells, and the car was only 14 years old then. This thing has been sitting in a museum. Would be amazing to see one of the 80's subies with the low range have a go. Pro Tip: Don't drive locked in 4WD with a donut spare on for weeks.....
I'd love to have one of those old Subaru wagons. My college roommate's family was in the business--had a Subaru dealership--and he often drove one at school. One he had for a while was nearly identical to this one but had some extra goodies. We had a ball in that thing. Memories!
Don't forget to disable Traction Control or it will choke it to a stop. Offroad you disable TC. or suffer with it's application of brakes to control traction.
Dang! you forgot what you learned about newer subarus.
I must not be the only one to suggest this test to Roman. I'm so glad they did it. No surprises here at all. I knew the old one would clobber the new one. My 86 GL wagon would have. Plus it had low range.
The results here beg the question: After 50 years of R&D, why is the new Subaru less capable than the old one?
My first car was a “John Deere green” with a white vinyl interior 4 speed manual 1976 Subaru DL sedan. My best memories of that car are of me driving all over my grand parents farm.
The Subaru dealer looked at me kinda funny when I asked to hug a Forrester!
That old 78 is the exact year and model of my first car. Except mine had a 'better' paint job (someone spray painted the back half of it blue... the rest was white) and one of those awesome add-on bumpers.
I miss that thing so much. I loved every minute of owning it.
Watching this just makes me miss my '78 so much more... maybe its a good thing it was stolen (for scrap metal) or I would probably end up spending a lot of time and money restoring it instead of moving on.
Also, the first 'Outback' he points out at the end was a gen 1 Legacy (1990-1994), which was my second car. The Outback was introduced as a trim level of the gen 2 Legacy. Still makes his point though if you consider the point to be about Subaru wagons instead of the Outback specifically. Edit: he later points out a gen 2 Legacy wagon and calls it an Outback as well. Subaru did eventually stop selling the Legacy as a wagon, presumably because they mostly sold Outbacks instead, so I can't say I can blame him for making that mistake. 😉
I also miss that car, even though it was an automatic. It moved me home from college with *all* my stuff crammed in the back.
My gen 2 1997 Legacy is pretty nice too though, even if it is just a sedan. I fit a lawn mower in the truck the other day so it does alright. And it isn't white like my other two cars, so thats a plus! 😂
Those are tie down points not recovery points. Do not put too much effort into a recovery, they may come off or twist the body. Ask me how I know.
That's true, but on old Subarus, the connections of those hooks to the body were very strong, and the body itself was fully boxed on each side into a frame-like design with thicker metal than what you see on cars now. The hook connections were much stronger on Subarus of that time than is the case on similar cars these days. I used mine to get a strong "running start" into a tow rope when rescuing stuck vehicles numerous times, back in the day, with never a sign of over-stress.
My wife and I both had two of the seventies Subaru wagons, both of ours had a lever between the seats with with 4 high and 4 low range. We took them over the passes in Silverton in the late eighties. Loved the little rigs.
Tommy " I hit something pretty hard there
But she can take it." 😂
I am not sure why people are fussy with the CVT. The CVT on the Subaru works better than most of the other 5-8 speed automatics which I have owned.
I am pretty sure 20 years from now people will be looking all around to add a 2011-2018 Subaru AWD with CVT to their stable🤷♂️
It’s economical, it’s reliable , it’s fun to drive & it never fails!
The boxer engine, Symmetrical AWD and that CVT works just perfect in my humble opinion.
It's like comparing to yourself to your grandpa you may be faster , stronger more tech savvy , but you don't have his character and you wouldn't be here without him .
My first Subaru was a 78 2wd wagon. It went everywhere I pointed it, slowly. My 6th and last Subaru is a 3.6 Outback. Dropping the six was their second biggest mistake. My favorite OB was a 06 XT manual. God, that was fun.
It's getting near impossible to find parts or parts cars anymore, but the 80 brat had a dual range trans.
#1 recommended swap/upgrade...if you can find one.
#2 Weber carbie.
And the EA71 sounds fantastic and responds really well to freeing up the exhaust.
Tom Mc i have a '78 ea71 brat. I also have a doner dual range brat. I may keep the ea71 but put the dual range in. I also have the fat case bell housing to do that.just have to get off my duff. Suby on.
I'm on my 6th subie. My first was an 82 GL wagon with 4wd and low range. Don't forget hill holder clutch and center lamp! That sucker could go anywhere! I loved it. But I got rear ended badly while stuck in traffic and the cat was totaled. Another one I had was an 89 Subie Justy. Most amazing little snow car. 3 cylinder engine, paper thin doors. Perfectly geared for the Sierra. Passing everyone, including k5s and broncos. Something about the thin tires and gearing. Lots of control in the slippery.
Where did you find that beautiful old sub?
That little '78 subaru is awesome! I've never seen one like that in person. My parents had a few Subaru's through the 80's and into the 90's. We had a 2 wheel drive 1989 Subaru Justy from 1996-1999. It was a great little car.
They're just as popular here in Maine. My first one was a '92 Loyale wagon. Automatic with push button 4 wheel drive. I now have a '10 Forester. Both good cars.
I bought my wife a 78 Subaru GL back in 1983. Great car, even with over 100K when we bought it. Since then we have had 8 Foresters, one L.L. Bean Outback and a 1985 (?) Subaru XT. All were GREAT and I would recommend a subaru for anyone (less than 6'4" tall) and so would my wife.
By the '80s, Subaru had added a low range to its transfer case, operated by a lever that was pulled up once for 4H and again for 4L without needing to stop. I had an '85 BRAT that went anywhere (except the interstate). The spare tire was still under the hood.
Funny seeing all those Subarus.
Where I live it's Hiluxs, Prados, and Landcruisers.
Because there is a masculinity/status thing that white collar guys can have in exchange for $$.
You’ve got to have traction control off just about everywhere off road in these Subaru’s. The best is manual mode with xmode on and traction control off. They just cut too much power with the tc on off road. That’s power that you need to use for momentum because they’re lacking that low range.
You guys are hilarious! Made my day! Tommy there just bouncing up the hill full tilt made my sides ache from the lolz!
Last snow storm of this year I went to head home 22 mi commute, the highway was stopped so took back roads 3 mi from home there was a hill and a semi in the ditch. The Mazda SUV in front of me stopped to talk to the truck driver then turned around I asked him what was up and he said a gal was going to try and drive up she didn't make it and he got stuck behind someone trying to drive up and both of them didn't make it. I said never a better time to test out x mode and my all season tires and drove up the hill like it was nothing. 2014 Forester gotta love it.
Mountain goat is the exact term for those old Subies! For the older ones, as you saw, you just have to give it the go! They will bounce their way through almost anything. I miss my old '83 GL...Had the 4W Low...That little beast went everywhere without modifications...Literally, miles from any "road" across steppe brush highlands and through deep streams (I once submerged it over the hood while powering through a very deep 'puddle' deep in the Cascade mountains, and drove right through without a stall...whew!!!) ...currently have 2006 Outback XT Limited, super fun with the turbo, but nowhere near as capable. I think I may need to get myself another '83(ish) GL and just restore it to grandeur (with maybe a few upgrades) so I can once again go where I once traveled:-)
I've owned that same 78 Subaru Wagon and I wish I still had it right now. My 2 Subaru Wagons were the best 4x4s I've ever owned
A friend of mine has a 78 Brat he's real proud of. Yes, it's pretty good at getting around, even in snow, has a small bed and the camper shell. He likes to think he can follow me around in my 73 Ford F100 Short 4X4, lol. I could almost put his Brat in the back of my truck, LOL! He says they only weigh about 1600 lbs. I've owned my truck for 35 years and am the second owner. It has all the goodies including a locker with 35X12.50 XTerrain tires. It'll climb a tree, I've stood it straight up and down with the front end off the ground. Anyway I could go on forever about my truck but suffice it to say, the Subarus are good vehicles no doubt!
That little Sub is winning the hearts of a lot of people.
Fix the approach angle and anything other than a CVT and I'll buy Subaru again.
Thanks for the video. My wife and I bought a 1978 yellow 4WD wagon just like the one in the video. We lived in Ft. Collins. Took it on some crazy mountain trails. Once took on hunting trip near Chambers Lake with my Dad and brother. Was pushing snow with front bumper. Came upon a 4x4 Chevy pickup stuck in snow. We just went off trail (in deeper snow) and drove around it. Guys in truck couldn't believe it. Drove through blizzard from Michigan to CO the whole 1,100 miles in 4WD with no problems (keeping around 50-55). Loved the car, no problems at all. Just too small when we started having kids
Great video, guys! I drive that exact same Subaru (the '15), and took it offroad in New Mexico, close to Carlsbad caverns. There was nothing quite that steep, but the Subaru handled it, (and some heavy snow outside Santa Fe) like a champ!
Thanks again. It sucks being stuck inside so much, and this kinda stuff gives me a little life.
My first newish car was a 1978 BRAT bought in 1980. Sold it with 280,xxx miles on it. Great in Colorado winters, and light trails. When I sold it you could almost see through it, RUST. I'd love to find one to restore, but finding one without rust is impossible. Still have a Forester.
Anyone else remember the Justy? Had one for a bit in Vermont. Mud season on the "dirt" roads was no big deal :). Just had to keep your foot on the gas and keep the tires spinning. The thing weighed nothing, had something like 10" of ground clearance and skid plates. Tiny go anywhere car
At the 1986 Alaska State Fair Mud Bog, a Subaru GL Wagon with oversize front tires outperformed the competition! The GL was the first to go and had a "clean track" (pun intended) and went the furthest!
My uncle had a 79 or 80 model station wagon. Only thing that stopped that beast was rusting to bits from the west Virginia winters and all the salt on roads.
Tommy has been an awesome addition to TFL! Andre is one of my favorites, hillarious!
I like that they use everyday cars in their reviews
Love that old Subaru. I had a 1976 red. And was awesome.. thank you for bring old good times...👍
Seeing old blue warmed my heart!
Those Subies got my parents around through the 70s 80s and 90s in the So Cal.mountains of Lake Arrowhead.... After getting my license in 86 I drove the hell outta a little 81 GL wagon through the trails and snow. Very rarely even used 4wd unless, itd do great in fwd.
Bought a new 2017 Outback and was not disappointed when it was totaled around us, I was also glad to see it gone. It handled well and got decent mileage but it had so many little niggling problems that made it unpleasant to drive. I.E. There little reflective bits everywhere in the cockpit which glared annoyingly, like the chrome rim around the vents which left bright stripes on the windows so you couldn’t see the mirrors, the unusable GPS when rolling, the fact that the screen was angled just perfectly to catch all the light coming from the windshield, the drivers seat was the most uncomfortable thing I had ever used, a fact not discovered on a test drive of less than 10 miles (had to buy a custom cushion to use it), expensive regular maintenance, huge A pillar blindspot, you get the idea. Took the insurance money and bought a lower spec Nissan Pathfinder and does everything well. One thing I will give it, after almost two years of use it had barely depreciated and I did not lose my shirt to the market.
Owned an older Subaru back in the day. So many regrets selling it and not keeping to just plunk around the woods. I could get into many places that larger heavier vehicles couldn't.
4:33 you know it's japanese when the spare tire is in the engine bay...😳😂
regarding safety in the EA71 (GL), they were surprisingly safe for the era and hold up extremely well against even modern full size pickups in accidents. Also Subaru considers the boxer engine a safety feature because it is more likely to slide under the car in a wreck than a V or inline engine.