This Guy Found A 1978 Subaru BRAT In A Barn, Cool News Under The Hood

The Subaru BRAT was launched in 1978 in an attempt to tap into the growing pickup market, and while it never enjoyed the same popularity as the El Camino or Ranchero, it quickly became an icon that is still surprisingly popular in some circles.

The BRAT was based on Subaru passenger cars but sported the typical truck bed, with a 4WD powertrain is a 1600cc engine with just 67 horsepower.

It wasn’t the most powerful truck on the market, but Subaru buyers weren’t necessarily interested in performance, since that wasn’t what made the BRAT special. Its off-road capabilities were impressive, and Subaru installed a four-speed manual transmission with a transfer case.

The BRAT also features two unusual rear-facing seats in the bed area. Subaru installed handlebars to make them safer for passengers using these seats, although the purpose was twofold. First, the company wanted to evade import duty, which for pickups was 25 percent; the two additional seats allowed Subaru to position the BRAT as a passenger car, paying a significantly lower 2.5 percent tax. Second, they increased the BRAT's off-road appetite, allowing more people to ride in the pickup even on rough terrain.

A first-year BRAT has made its way to eBay courtesy of seller outlawjosies, who says he found the truck in a barn. The car still has its original paint and is equipped with air conditioning, a new carburetor, and an electric fuel pump.

Its condition is obvious from the photos, but I can't help but say that rust has already invaded the typical metal parts. This means that you should carefully inspect the BRAT before placing a bid and you should put it on a lift to check the underside. We don't know how long the truck has been in storage, but it's safe to assume we're talking more than a decade, considering the invasion of rust.

The engine department is good news. The BRAT still has a working engine, and the owner says it runs and drives perfectly in his yard. The truck isn’t yet considered roadworthy, but a working form is great news for anyone interested in giving this otherwise iconic model a second chance.

I doubt this Subaru will be around for long, but the asking price could be an issue. The owner listed it on eBay with a reserve, and we don't know how high the bid would have to be to unlock it. Right now, the only bid is $500, and it obviously hasn't triggered the reserve, so fingers crossed that more people will discover it and join the fray.

In the meantime, if you want to see this first-year BRAT in person, you can find it in Freeport, Florida. You’ll have to move fast, as the auction site says about 60 people have added the vehicle to their watchlists.