I enjoyed this video far more than I expected. Tommy's witty remarks were on point and seeing Roman jumping and "woofing" like a happy puppy was hilarious. Any obstacle named the @$$ scratcher is going to generate some buzz and laughter. Great job guys and great job by the old Subie gal.
I absolutely love stories where the underrated, unappreciated, underdog makes the big guys stop and take notice. I would love to have that Subaru as a daily driver.
pssht...better hurry cause it aint gonna last at this rate. in fact did you hear him at the end? it definitely has a new rattle... i remember these cars new and they were hard to keep running! and i got really use to hearing that cranky Suby starter motor
4 роки тому
@@philtripe Why were they apparently so hard to keep running?
@RollinRat - I took mine around a friend's motocross track. We even jumped it. The only thing that happened was the battery shifted (wasn't tied down) and pulled the cable off the starter.
I own a 1992 Subaru l-series in Australia. These things with a 2 inch lift and minor mods, make it the ultimate budget offroader. The car has cost me well under 5k, including purchase, upgrades and accessories. And it goes many places it shouldn't. Even out conqours some vehicles which allways pisses them off ahahaha
I'm in WA, you in Ausubaru? I was years ago, l built a WRX offroader, check Pimpreza Lancelin on UA-cam, also a couple of posts after this for my Liberty.
In college my girlfriend had one in red. We lived in NM and could go anywhere in it. We'd leave my almost new 88 civic at home and take the old Subaru when we were going to hit snow or dirt. These are amazing cars.
Awesome video! My daily is a ‘77 Subaru wagon and it always surprises me the places it can get me on camping trips here in Australia. So small you can drive around wheel ruts of the big 4WDs without getting stuck in them 😊
Just went through this trail in my 08 2" lifted forester with rear torque locker. It's not that tough if you pick good lines and have an auto box with 4.44 gearing!
@@dirttales It just shows how much better of a rig a Subaru could be if it had decent non CVT trans option. I had a 5 speed XT Outback but then you had the issue of slipping the clutch when trying to move slowly over obstacles or uphill.
Lived in Colorado my whole life, and I can't remember the last time I saw a 70s or 80s Subaru that wasn't a rolling ball of rust. Seriously in awe of how clean that little wagon is.
Tommy seems to be learning what all us old guys who drove under-powered 4 cylinder “foreign jobs” back in the ‘70s would remember. You have to get off that clutch quick and keep the revs up when doing anything where power was likely to be an issue - such as steep hills. You definitely didn’t want to be slipping the clutch to try and go too slow. Most of those cars weighed so little that they just bounced around a bit and you rarely broke anything as long as you didn’t go beyond “moderately stupid.” Carbs were another story and they took up way too much of my time back when I could still look under the hood and not feel like it would cost me $5,000 if I experimented a little.
I completed Fins and things no problem in a 2019 forester. Of note, towards the end of the first half there is a 33” tire and locker recommended obstacle that my forester also conquered. I have a 2” lift and 30” tires
Heck yeah! I know exactly which obstacle you are talking about. I go down for the EJS almost every year. I do it in my AMC Eagle SX/4 on 28" BFG KM2's. Here's some of Metal Masher from last year. My son following in his '85 Toy. ua-cam.com/video/k3pBRUdnE0c/v-deo.html
They are great vehicles. I owned a 1989 L Series Touring Wagon with the 1.8 EFI engine and a low range gearbox and could tackle anything that was thrown at it. Great entry point for a novice offroader and fun to drive. Conquered the Brindabella and snowy mountains through mud and snow and a heck of a lot of fun.
Michael Schmidt you can get hold of the ea82T engine and gives you a little more torque but some here in oz do a 2.5T upgrade and all the sti bolt ons...downside is the spare has to go on the roof or in the boot. Notorious for the roof liner sagging at the worst possible moment and ball joints are problematic.
Watching this reminds me of my buddies '81 wagon we routinely took from L.A. to Baja, Mx. on holiday weekends. Beer, tacos and miles of sandy beaches. Great times.
Loved this video. Entertaining through & through. That Subaru has some skills. I didn't think it would be able to conquer half those obstacles but turns out that little thing is one very capable vehicle. Great job as always guys 😊👍
@@markv78 Let's see how their new ralley cars will be, if they really do re-enter the WRC in 2022. The Subaru Impreza was a total legend as a ralley car.
That was fantastic! Great production on that video and I’m just amazed by that little car. I believe it’s greatest asset is it’s size and weight, like the Suzuki, it could just bound over anything. Thank you TFL.
I had a a 1974 dl wagon (same body) when I was in high school. It was my first car. I took it off road all the time. Your video really takes me back to some great times. Thanks for sharing
I have a dual-range '84 with a Weber 1.8 liter that does great! I just wish I could afford a locker or two. 13" traction tires are about extinct. Using snow tires.
I bet that was Tommy's most fun day off-roading ever. Point and shoot lifted trucks are fun but when you have to really pick a line and are not sure if it can make it, well you just can't beat that for excitement. I had a Wagoneer and I would get similar comments 'I can't believe you got that back here' and stuff like that. Tommy, hats off to ya for trying and succeeding.
I enjoy watching every moments of father and son having a great time together doing what both enjoy on a nice day. The cars (especially the Subaru) are really just a bonus of the whole show. Would love to raise my kids on the same path. Good job Roman and keep up the good work guys!
Late 70s early 80s were great days for playing around in the hills like this. Subaru just plain, simple, functional, economical, and capable got it done!!! Our mountain rigs were all trucks or vehicles like Cherokee, International Travelall, Jeep truck, full-time 4x4 Ford F250 'Ranger' Supercab, etc. Subaru changed that... other than still having pickup trucks. Looked like this was a great outing and having lots of fun. One of my favorite videos you have done.
I had half dozen Subaru 4 wheel drive wagons from 76 to 84. Although I did 4 wheel all of them, the best was definately the 84 dual range 5 speed. It actually could handle seriously gnarly stuff. I had one that I raised the suspension an inch or so and put on large mud tires. I loved it.
I do love those old cars. My first Subaru was a 1971. It was a rocket. My newest is a 2014. How fun! My sister was a ranger for the Canyonlands and drove her old 1976 front wheel drive on some places where 4x4's thought were theirs alone. It was fun long ago. These cars were awesome in snow. I lived in the mountains west of Denver when I grew up. We got these cars and they were good on gas and great in snow. Win win.
I had to watch. I used to have a 1979 Subaru Brat., the tiny truck version of what you tested in Moab. This was back in the 80`s and it was relatively new, but I used to take it on drives through desert trails and it proved very capable. It kept up with the Toyota truck's and Jeeps sharing the trail. I took it through dry stream beds. It conquered large rocks and some steep climbs.
Have had 2 second gen and 1 third gen GL wagons. Absolutely loved them. Had the 1.8 ltr with "Dual Range" and manual trans. My 85 had little white spoke wheels, Bridgestone mud and snow tires, grill guard with 1500 lb Superwinch and skid plate...dealer installed when new. Took it into a canyon hunting one time. Slimy red clay that you couldn't walk on. Chained up all 4 wheels, low range, 2nd gear and the dang thing crawled up it like nothing. It thought it was a Jeep CJ. The Subies only limitation is ground clearance. Want to restore a 2nd gen BRAT now.
My first car in 1985 was a 78 4-door sedan. Loved that little car. My friends and I called it the Little Roo. Blew the engine a year later. My step-dad and I found a used replacement engine for $25 that was just about to be cut up for scrap metal. It was so small, he and I could lift it up and put it in the backseat of his car. Changed it ourselves.
I have an 84 gl wagon with LOTS of miles and the dual range transmission, I have ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT it would conquer this course with ease. It also enjoys mud too! I've had mud up to the battery so far...The 4wd system just dont know how to stop.......Thanks for the AWESOME SUBARU video!
My first car was an '83 GL wagon with 4wd. Mine had the 2hi-4hi-4lo selector with the 4-speed stick. Loved that car, but it was in rapid disintegration mode from rust and everything was breaking on it too. We gave up when the clutch finally went, as was going to cost 4x the value of the car to fix!
I have a 83 GL wagon, I've spend almost twice what it cost me in repairs, it has had an awful life before me, but every time I drive it I fell it's thanking me, always cracks a smile, even if I only go to grocery shopping, I love going out to the mountains and road trips on it, so It's worth it :)
I once owned an '81 DL wagon. It also suffered from uncontrollable oxidation which surprised me one day after work. I had a frustrating work day and was looking forward to getting out of there and going home. I got in, SLAMMED the door and heard a large "clunk" from outside. Opening the door I saw a rather large piece of metal lying on the ground. Oops! I guess it's not a good idea to slam the door. I finally had to get rid of my '81 after I crawled underneath one day to check the muffler and saw several holes rusted through the floor.
For my 1975 DL 4WD I have 2 sets of wheels with aggressive treads, one has Cooper Trendsetters in 185/70 13 and on the other set I have TOYO Extensa 155/70 13 (The older ones had pizza cutters for wheels), they are pretty great in the mud and dirt! Love the channel btw, especially this little gem.
We owned a 2004 Subi Forrester for about a decade. We never did extreme boldering, but it could easily get through some pretty crazy stuff. One thing I noticed was that when passing traffic on fire roads, many Jeep owners would warn us that we'd never make it up in "that" car. We quickly learned that many jeep owners think only jeeps can do anything. We never knew whether to take their warnings seriously. Most of the time it wasn't even that bad or any worse than what we'd already done up to that point.
This is how Subaru generated so much love in the first place with it's rabid fanbase. Cheap, cheerful, and surprisingly capable. I didn't really get it until I got a used forrester (2004) a while back. It is slow, understeers like a pig. But here in Costa Rica, it is an absolute goat! Reliable and just happy to climb things. Easy to fix too!
LOL people knew what flat 4s were in 1978, back then there were Volkswagen Beetles EVERYWHERE. In fact I'm pretty sure it was the best-selling import car from the early 1960s right on up to the late 1970s when the Japanese makes finally got a solid foothold.
Had one these as my first car, it had the low range box which made go anywhere the big boys could go. It was unstoppable, it even survived a a 6 foot high jump i launched it off.
Stuff like this is why you retain subscribers like me. This just became my favorite video you guys have ever uploaded. I knew older Subaru vehicles had quite some capability, but not this much.
Boy, did that take me back! My 1972 yellow Subaru was front wheel drive. It could get 38 miles per gallon. I drove it around the logging roads in the the foothills of the Western Adirondacks. Once in winter I got lost and found myself on a snowmobile trail that little thing just kept right on going until I found a road. My father use to say he knew I was coming home because he could hear me coming down the road and it sounded like a coffee grinder.
My mom had one of those and we nicknamed it the "roach". At 14 I would take it and wheel it down by the Skagit river. I rolled it on it's side in a trenched out mud hole. Broke the mirror off and put some scratches in it but thankfully nothing too noticeable and some other wheelers were nice enough to help me get it back on it's wheels. Mom never found out and I went on to roll several other Subaru's during my teens and twenties. I'd love to find a clean 83 GL like the one I had when I moved out and joined the ski bum life. Thanks for a trip down memory lane.
Wow Love the videos with the 1978 Subaru you guys are so brave , they are awesome little cars . I owned a 1981 1600 4WD Ute in New Zealand had the same styled front ad your wagon was an Amazing little car but never attempted anything thin ambitious. Thanks for the Awesome videos Enjoy so much , hope you kept the little Subaru looks in incredible shape most in New Zealand rusted away.
You've gotta love the underdog! I'm not too surprised it made it, my biggest concern was power. This is why I love Japanese cars, especially the old ones! Awesome video!
Had a 1987 wagon with same sorta drive train. A little more HP. Drove it for years. It got me out of a few very bad snow storms in the mountains. I’d see broncos and pickup in the ditch while my Rú would tractor through anything.
I gotta say, these 78 scoob videos are putting the BIGGEST smile on my face :) I had a 78 wagon for a little while too, but couldn't get it to pass smog :(
I really thank the UA-cam algorithm for suggesting this video and this channel, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. It was like the underdog winning a bout.
wuss, I learned to 4wd in a 80s wagon. It taught me how to use momentum, pick lines, and shame thoses in jeeps and large trucks that could not really drive. Now I drive a 4d rubicon, and a 2001 TJ. I go where I want, with no problems.
This is one of the best vids I've seen lately. Awesome to that little car do that. Back in the 70s and early 80s, I drove a Scout II. It's what I learned to drive in.
great test, I want to be out there ASAP!!! I had an '85 Subie 2 door and it was so fun, I put slightly beefier tires on so I could do crazy stuff like that. There were ride height adjustment bolts so of coarse I maxed them out... the best part had to be the center trail light behind the flip-up grill logo!
YEAH!!!! What I said when old blue made the climb. I see a new clutch in the future, LOL Longtime fan of Subies here. 1st one started with my license in 86 tearing the snow and trails in a 81 GL wagon (had 4 low). Last one was a built STI I recently sold. Youngest daughter rips around in a 05 WRX wagon (over 210k) and loves it. Great cars that never died on us. Great vids that make me smile! Keep it up!
We had a ute version as a farm hack around 2005 , we took it up a wet rutted hill track on our neighbors farm and it got up there , Dean was surprised we made it to the top , admittedly some ground clearance would've been a benefit but it's amazing how capable these vehicles are . In NZ the Subarus are very popular for the ski season and frosty winters , great vehicles no doubt
I had a 79 Brat (pickup truck version) and a 86 wagon with the dual range transfer case. To this day I've never had a vehicle that did better in the snow. Both were indestructible.
In 1978 we laughed at those Subaru's with our 4x4 pickups, single cab of course because anything with more interior was too expensive. Secretly most of us wanted a Brat with those rear seats perfectly positioned for drinking. Today I appreciate what Subaru did and how they found a market for those vehicles.
That little Subie would make a bad ass restomod! Throw a WRX motor in there, mild suspension lift, modern white mag wheels, and a winch up front. Good looking capable little car!
I loved the video. Really cool old car going threw her paces. To comment on your comment about people not knowing about the flat four in the 70's. While not everyone knew what they were looking at, many did. The flat four had been around since 1900. Anyone that had a VW knew exactly what they were looking at. The Honda Goldwing motorcycle was also powered by a flat four.
Best video yet and the best father son duo! You guys look like you have so much fun together. Secretly in the back of Romans head though I can see him thinking about how that little tin can doesn't have airbags, or crush zones, or a structurally reinforced roof if it rolls over. But Tommy loves the thing AND it makes for awesome videos.
I enjoyed this video far more than I expected. Tommy's witty remarks were on point and seeing Roman jumping and "woofing" like a happy puppy was hilarious. Any obstacle named the @$$ scratcher is going to generate some buzz and laughter. Great job guys and great job by the old Subie gal.
One of the best off-road videos you’ve made with the most unlikely of vehicles. I was totally entertained. Tommy is a champ!
Might seem unlikely if you never had one or went off road in a small car before but not otherwise.
“...I’m not brave enough...but I know someone who is...”. That’s fatherly love!
Big Mo Volontold ? Not volunteered??
Crazy enough .
I absolutely love stories where the underrated, unappreciated, underdog makes the big guys stop and take notice. I would love to have that Subaru as a daily driver.
pssht...better hurry cause it aint gonna last at this rate. in fact did you hear him at the end? it definitely has a new rattle... i remember these cars new and they were hard to keep running! and i got really use to hearing that cranky Suby starter motor
@@philtripe
Why were they apparently so hard to keep running?
@ I had an '81 1800 with dual range and it always kept going, no problem.
2big 2fail they’re bulletproof, even today
This absolutely reminds me of Richard Hammond and his little Opel Kadett, "Oliver".
True!
hahahaha...yesss!!! that episode is unforgetable
Was thinking the same thing!
oliverrrrrrr in africa.
RIP Oliver
I bet nobody in 1979 could imagine, that 40 years later these little Subaru's would be very cool
Lol, that things still isnt cool.
Still cooler than a 2020 Subaru
@Jose Martinez still isn't cool either.
@RollinRat - I took mine around a friend's motocross track. We even jumped it. The only thing that happened was the battery shifted (wasn't tied down) and pulled the cable off the starter.
It's cool to anyone who likes cool cars.
I own a 1992 Subaru l-series in Australia.
These things with a 2 inch lift and minor mods, make it the ultimate budget offroader.
The car has cost me well under 5k, including purchase, upgrades and accessories. And it goes many places it shouldn't.
Even out conqours some vehicles which allways pisses them off ahahaha
That’s great.
spectacular man! I had an '88 5 speed. Loved that car. Totally unstoppable.
Sadly, soon as Subaru switched everything to CVT's, any offroading ability they had (such as yours) vanished.
I'm in WA, you in Ausubaru? I was years ago, l built a WRX offroader, check Pimpreza Lancelin on UA-cam, also a couple of posts after this for my Liberty.
My granddad had an 82 Brat, I used to take that thing skiing in NH and I never managed to get it even close to stuck!
That dude in the Cherokee "You're outta your mind with that thing out here!"
That was comedy right there, I chuckled at that too.😆
In college my girlfriend had one in red. We lived in NM and could go anywhere in it. We'd leave my almost new 88 civic at home and take the old Subaru when we were going to hit snow or dirt. These are amazing cars.
I had a 1992 Brat with the E81 1800cc engine and 4spd man with low range. loved it!
ONE OF THE BEST VIDS IN A LONG TIME
Awesome video! My daily is a ‘77 Subaru wagon and it always surprises me the places it can get me on camping trips here in Australia. So small you can drive around wheel ruts of the big 4WDs without getting stuck in them 😊
The more I see this DL the more I love it! That thing is Awesome! And gotta love getting props from the Cherokee driver. You Go Subaru!!!!
Drove my 79 dl all over Wyoming in the 80's. Then east Texas till about 2001. Still have it behind the shop in the weeds 😢
19:28 “Yes,! Wow! The power of light weight.“ This really drives home the point how beneficial being small and lightweight are off road.
RIP to all the newer outbacks that will die attempting this.
Rip Subaru transmissions
Angel Gutierrez 😂😂😂those god dang cvt
Just went through this trail in my 08 2" lifted forester with rear torque locker. It's not that tough if you pick good lines and have an auto box with 4.44 gearing!
@@angelgjr1999 My 4EAT made it through just fine.
@@dirttales It just shows how much better of a rig a Subaru could be if it had decent non CVT trans option. I had a 5 speed XT Outback but then you had the issue of slipping the clutch when trying to move slowly over obstacles or uphill.
I ❤️ the guy in the Cherokee commending you
Yea it’s always the odd or slightly outa place vehicles that attract the most attention.
Subaru’s never cease to amaze me especially being the proud owner of a 80 dL wagon, 85 gl wagon, 92 legacy wagon and a 04 Forester. 😁
79 dl, 80gl, 92 legacy sedan, and currently a 17 Outback. The 92 was the best. That 2.2 was a beast.
@@DeepOwl1073 The 2.2 was indeed “A beast”.
@@eag4real my dad was a Subaru tech from 1976 to 2003. The 2.2 was his favorite engine.
those old scoobies had good approach angle, a short wheel base and light weight. a good combo. thanks for the great vid!
Lived in Colorado my whole life, and I can't remember the last time I saw a 70s or 80s Subaru that wasn't a rolling ball of rust. Seriously in awe of how clean that little wagon is.
This reminds me of the time I took my 96 rav4 on this trail. I can still smell the clutch.
Weight kills and in a day of armored up moded up 6000+ lb jeeps people forget that less is often more.
The more recovery equipment you bolt on your Jeep the more likely you are to get stuck !
Tommy seems to be learning what all us old guys who drove under-powered 4 cylinder “foreign jobs” back in the ‘70s would remember. You have to get off that clutch quick and keep the revs up when doing anything where power was likely to be an issue - such as steep hills. You definitely didn’t want to be slipping the clutch to try and go too slow. Most of those cars weighed so little that they just bounced around a bit and you rarely broke anything as long as you didn’t go beyond “moderately stupid.” Carbs were another story and they took up way too much of my time back when I could still look under the hood and not feel like it would cost me $5,000 if I experimented a little.
had one of these back in the 90's - I was also shocked how capable it was off road ! ( with just a set of snow tires )
I completed Fins and things no problem in a 2019 forester. Of note, towards the end of the first half there is a 33” tire and locker recommended obstacle that my forester also conquered. I have a 2” lift and 30” tires
Heck yeah! I know exactly which obstacle you are talking about. I go down for the EJS almost every year. I do it in my AMC Eagle SX/4 on 28" BFG KM2's. Here's some of Metal Masher from last year. My son following in his '85 Toy. ua-cam.com/video/k3pBRUdnE0c/v-deo.html
imagine the subi had low range a fuel injected engine and better tires.that would be a small beast :-)
Had a mate with the leone models, lifted 2" with SAT tyres, things were crazy capable.
I have lifted many Subaru's over the years and done the 6 bolt conversion
Throw in proper cooling and a turbo and it'd be a little beast
They are great vehicles. I owned a 1989 L Series Touring Wagon with the 1.8 EFI engine and a low range gearbox and could tackle anything that was thrown at it. Great entry point for a novice offroader and fun to drive. Conquered the Brindabella and snowy mountains through mud and snow and a heck of a lot of fun.
Michael Schmidt you can get hold of the ea82T engine and gives you a little more torque but some here in oz do a 2.5T upgrade and all the sti bolt ons...downside is the spare has to go on the roof or in the boot. Notorious for the roof liner sagging at the worst possible moment and ball joints are problematic.
TFL Has Gone Mad!!! Taking this car off road LOL!!! Amazing Hilarious Video. Tommy and Roman are getting funnier in every video. More please!
Watching this reminds me of my buddies '81 wagon we routinely took from L.A. to Baja, Mx. on holiday weekends. Beer, tacos and miles of sandy beaches. Great times.
Great video, guys. Wow...that little Subie is impressive! Of course, Tommy's driving skills helped a ton.
Better tires, and, perhaps a different carb. Loving this series. I had a GL, that I loved. Thanks guys.
Loved this video. Entertaining through & through. That Subaru has some skills. I didn't think it would be able to conquer half those obstacles but turns out that little thing is one very capable vehicle. Great job as always guys 😊👍
Someone at Subaru must be looking at this and saying what have we become ?
Too much luxury (and weight)!
What's wrong with the cars now?
@@Aashishkebab cvt is worthless and there cars have very little off road capabilities you would destroy a new doing that trail
@@markv78 Let's see how their new ralley cars will be, if they really do re-enter the WRC in 2022. The Subaru Impreza was a total legend as a ralley car.
@@MyRegardsToTheDodo I agree wasn't aware they dropped out of wrc
That was fantastic! Great production on that video and I’m just amazed by that little car. I believe it’s greatest asset is it’s size and weight, like the Suzuki, it could just bound over anything. Thank you TFL.
I had a a 1974 dl wagon (same body) when I was in high school. It was my first car. I took it off road all the time. Your video really takes me back to some great times. Thanks for sharing
I loves those old wagons, I owned a couple and would love to have one again.
All they need is a new carb and they'll be sorted
Neil Murphy It actually has a brand new carb!
@@tomasmica325 sorry Thomas I didn't realise whys it stalling going up hills could it be a check valve or pump/filter but some car none the less
I have a dual-range '84 with a Weber 1.8 liter that does great! I just wish I could afford a locker or two. 13" traction tires are about extinct. Using snow tires.
The little Subaru that could....
I have been watching this channel for years this is the best video
I bet that was Tommy's most fun day off-roading ever. Point and shoot lifted trucks are fun but when you have to really pick a line and are not sure if it can make it, well you just can't beat that for excitement. I had a Wagoneer and I would get similar comments 'I can't believe you got that back here' and stuff like that. Tommy, hats off to ya for trying and succeeding.
I enjoy watching every moments of father and son having a great time together doing what both enjoy on a nice day. The cars (especially the Subaru) are really just a bonus of the whole show. Would love to raise my kids on the same path. Good job Roman and keep up the good work guys!
Late 70s early 80s were great days for playing around in the hills like this. Subaru just plain, simple, functional, economical, and capable got it done!!! Our mountain rigs were all trucks or vehicles like Cherokee, International Travelall, Jeep truck, full-time 4x4 Ford F250 'Ranger' Supercab, etc. Subaru changed that... other than still having pickup trucks. Looked like this was a great outing and having lots of fun. One of my favorite videos you have done.
I had half dozen Subaru 4 wheel drive wagons from 76 to 84. Although I did 4 wheel all of them, the best was definately the 84 dual range 5 speed. It actually could handle seriously gnarly stuff. I had one that I raised the suspension an inch or so and put on large mud tires. I loved it.
Hey Tommy thanks for the old brochure pictures...those were cool to see...nice Oldsmobile picture⭐⭐
Wow it's amazing how wonderful things work originally when you just leave them alone
This little Subi was cool AF, but seeing a father and son share this experience together is what made this video for me. Well done :)
I do love those old cars. My first Subaru was a 1971. It was a rocket. My newest is a 2014. How fun! My sister was a ranger for the Canyonlands and drove her old 1976 front wheel drive on some places where 4x4's thought were theirs alone. It was fun long ago. These cars were awesome in snow. I lived in the mountains west of Denver when I grew up. We got these cars and they were good on gas and great in snow. Win win.
I had to watch. I used to have a 1979 Subaru Brat., the tiny truck version of what you tested in Moab. This was back in the 80`s and it was relatively new, but I used to take it on drives through desert trails and it proved very capable. It kept up with the Toyota truck's and Jeeps sharing the trail. I took it through dry stream beds. It conquered large rocks and some steep climbs.
Have had 2 second gen and 1 third gen GL wagons. Absolutely loved them. Had the 1.8 ltr with "Dual Range" and manual trans. My 85 had little white spoke wheels, Bridgestone mud and snow tires, grill guard with 1500 lb Superwinch and skid plate...dealer installed when new. Took it into a canyon hunting one time. Slimy red clay that you couldn't walk on. Chained up all 4 wheels, low range, 2nd gear and the dang thing crawled up it like nothing. It thought it was a Jeep CJ. The Subies only limitation is ground clearance. Want to restore a 2nd gen BRAT now.
My first car in 1985 was a 78 4-door sedan. Loved that little car. My friends and I called it the Little Roo. Blew the engine a year later. My step-dad and I found a used replacement engine for $25 that was just about to be cut up for scrap metal. It was so small, he and I could lift it up and put it in the backseat of his car. Changed it ourselves.
I have an 84 gl wagon with LOTS of miles and the dual range transmission, I have ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT it would conquer this course with ease. It also enjoys mud too! I've had mud up to the battery so far...The 4wd system just dont know how to stop.......Thanks for the AWESOME SUBARU video!
My first car was an '83 GL wagon with 4wd. Mine had the 2hi-4hi-4lo selector with the 4-speed stick. Loved that car, but it was in rapid disintegration mode from rust and everything was breaking on it too. We gave up when the clutch finally went, as was going to cost 4x the value of the car to fix!
I have a 83 GL wagon, I've spend almost twice what it cost me in repairs, it has had an awful life before me, but every time I drive it I fell it's thanking me, always cracks a smile, even if I only go to grocery shopping, I love going out to the mountains and road trips on it, so It's worth it :)
@@edo386 Do you use the built-in "cupholder"? Just put your drink into the gap between the 'L' of the 4wd selector and the end of the handbrake! :D
My first car was also that but the two door version. Great first car! :)
Me too, had a dual range 1983 for ten years, still love it.
I once owned an '81 DL wagon. It also suffered from uncontrollable oxidation which surprised me one day after work. I had a frustrating work day and was looking forward to getting out of there and going home. I got in, SLAMMED the door and heard a large "clunk" from outside. Opening the door I saw a rather large piece of metal lying on the ground. Oops! I guess it's not a good idea to slam the door. I finally had to get rid of my '81 after I crawled underneath one day to check the muffler and saw several holes rusted through the floor.
WOW!!! So cool to see this classic Subaru wagon conquer Moab. Amazing job Tommy!!
Awesome set of videos highlighting a great old car!! I'm still in shock how well it did.
There is something about this video that is so damn fun. Great work guys.
For my 1975 DL 4WD I have 2 sets of wheels with aggressive treads, one has Cooper Trendsetters in 185/70 13 and on the other set I have TOYO Extensa 155/70 13 (The older ones had pizza cutters for wheels), they are pretty great in the mud and dirt! Love the channel btw, especially this little gem.
That subaru exceeded my expectations by miles!! The magic is that is lightweight
Fantastic video, guys! The Subi was quite impressive!
We owned a 2004 Subi Forrester for about a decade. We never did extreme boldering, but it could easily get through some pretty crazy stuff. One thing I noticed was that when passing traffic on fire roads, many Jeep owners would warn us that we'd never make it up in "that" car. We quickly learned that many jeep owners think only jeeps can do anything. We never knew whether to take their warnings seriously. Most of the time it wasn't even that bad or any worse than what we'd already done up to that point.
Remember the guy (Moab local, I think) that drove up Baby Lion's Back in an old Crown Victoria? I think there's a video of it somewhere on youtube.
Simply amazing!!! Excellent job Tommy. Love TFL!!!
Had a used one with 'low range' many years ago. Though gutless, it was capable, and you certainly did it justice. Great driving!
Guys great job on the video. Your quality is getting much better. The drone shots and the editing is stepping it up. Great content.
I love the little Leone's clattery , creaky progress up and down the rocks, and wouldn't turn one down if offered to me.
This is how Subaru generated so much love in the first place with it's rabid fanbase. Cheap, cheerful, and surprisingly capable. I didn't really get it until I got a used forrester (2004) a while back. It is slow, understeers like a pig. But here in Costa Rica, it is an absolute goat! Reliable and just happy to climb things. Easy to fix too!
LOL people knew what flat 4s were in 1978, back then there were Volkswagen Beetles EVERYWHERE. In fact I'm pretty sure it was the best-selling import car from the early 1960s right on up to the late 1970s when the Japanese makes finally got a solid foothold.
Get tires and put a Weber carb on then you’ll have power
A Subaru Brat is my childhood dream vehicle. This is scratching an itch for sure!! Good stuff! MORE!!
Had one these as my first car, it had the low range box which made go anywhere the big boys could go. It was unstoppable, it even survived a a 6 foot high jump i launched it off.
Stuff like this is why you retain subscribers like me. This just became my favorite video you guys have ever uploaded. I knew older Subaru vehicles had quite some capability, but not this much.
Love this father-son video. Best part of the video was seeing Roman do the "woofing" puppy thing, hilarious
I’ve owned 2 subi wagons and a BRAT.... they all had low range... loved em! I lived in Montana and they were awesome in snow....
OMG I haven’t seen one of these Subarus since 1992 I thought they all rusted away I love them so much how did you find such a cool Japanese nostalgic
Most of them did, sadly. 😭
Boy, did that take me back! My 1972 yellow Subaru was front wheel drive. It could get 38 miles per gallon. I drove it around the logging roads in the the foothills of the Western Adirondacks. Once in winter I got lost and found myself on a snowmobile trail that little thing just kept right on going until I found a road. My father use to say he knew I was coming home because he could hear me coming down the road and it sounded like a coffee grinder.
I had a 77 DL. 4-speed stick shift. 1 speaker radio. 30 MPG. It was a fun and comfortable car to drive.
My mom had one of those and we nicknamed it the "roach". At 14 I would take it and wheel it down by the Skagit river. I rolled it on it's side in a trenched out mud hole. Broke the mirror off and put some scratches in it but thankfully nothing too noticeable and some other wheelers were nice enough to help me get it back on it's wheels. Mom never found out and I went on to roll several other Subaru's during my teens and twenties. I'd love to find a clean 83 GL like the one I had when I moved out and joined the ski bum life. Thanks for a trip down memory lane.
Wow Love the videos with the 1978 Subaru you guys are so brave , they are awesome little cars . I owned a 1981 1600 4WD Ute in New Zealand had the same styled front ad your wagon was an Amazing little car but never attempted anything thin ambitious. Thanks for the Awesome videos Enjoy so much , hope you kept the little Subaru looks in incredible shape most in New Zealand rusted away.
You've gotta love the underdog! I'm not too surprised it made it, my biggest concern was power. This is why I love Japanese cars, especially the old ones! Awesome video!
Had a 1987 wagon with same sorta drive train. A little more HP. Drove it for years. It got me out of a few very bad snow storms in the mountains. I’d see broncos and pickup in the ditch while my Rú would tractor through anything.
Tommy, I think Nathan and the Saumari have some serious competition. That’s AMAZING! A lo range would make that Subbie .... astounding.
This was absolutely fantastic and what we all didn’t know we needed right now. Kudos guys! One of my favorites by far!
I gotta say, these 78 scoob videos are putting the BIGGEST smile on my face :) I had a 78 wagon for a little while too, but couldn't get it to pass smog :(
Those old Subaru's were so cool, this video brought back memories of cruising around in my buddies Subaru Brat. Well done guys!
Dang I really love this little Thing! Honestly its my fav Subaru ever!
I really thank the UA-cam algorithm for suggesting this video and this channel, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. It was like the underdog winning a bout.
wuss, I learned to 4wd in a 80s wagon. It taught me how to use momentum, pick lines, and shame thoses in jeeps and large trucks that could not really drive. Now I drive a 4d rubicon, and a 2001 TJ. I go where I want, with no problems.
This is one of the best vids I've seen lately. Awesome to that little car do that. Back in the 70s and early 80s, I drove a Scout II. It's what I learned to drive in.
Im speechless. Love the channel guys 👌👌👌 best car channel on youtube by far wish your videos were an hour long. Keep it up
great test, I want to be out there ASAP!!! I had an '85 Subie 2 door and it was so fun, I put slightly beefier tires on so I could do crazy stuff like that. There were ride height adjustment bolts so of coarse I maxed them out... the best part had to be the center trail light behind the flip-up grill logo!
I love this little car, hope to see lots more videos on it!
YEAH!!!! What I said when old blue made the climb. I see a new clutch in the future, LOL
Longtime fan of Subies here. 1st one started with my license in 86 tearing the snow and trails in a 81 GL wagon (had 4 low). Last one was a built STI I recently sold. Youngest daughter rips around in a 05 WRX wagon (over 210k) and loves it.
Great cars that never died on us.
Great vids that make me smile! Keep it up!
We had a ute version as a farm hack around 2005 , we took it up a wet rutted hill track on our neighbors farm and it got up there , Dean was surprised we made it to the top , admittedly some ground clearance would've been a benefit but it's amazing how capable these vehicles are . In NZ the Subarus are very popular for the ski season and frosty winters , great vehicles no doubt
I had a 79 Brat (pickup truck version) and a 86 wagon with the dual range transfer case. To this day I've never had a vehicle that did better in the snow. Both were indestructible.
In 1978 we laughed at those Subaru's with our 4x4 pickups, single cab of course because anything with more interior was too expensive. Secretly most of us wanted a Brat with those rear seats perfectly positioned for drinking. Today I appreciate what Subaru did and how they found a market for those vehicles.
That little Subie would make a bad ass restomod! Throw a WRX motor in there, mild suspension lift, modern white mag wheels, and a winch up front. Good looking capable little car!
One of the coolest TFL videos of all time! Put it on the Mt Rushmore of TFL! Awesome!
One of the best episodes yet. Loved it!
I loved the video. Really cool old car going threw her paces. To comment on your comment about people not knowing about the flat four in the 70's. While not everyone knew what they were looking at, many did. The flat four had been around since 1900. Anyone that had a VW knew exactly what they were looking at. The Honda Goldwing motorcycle was also powered by a flat four.
Great video! It seems the tires and carburetor are the weakest links in the Subura for going off-road. Gearing would help too. But very impressive.
That Subaru is badass. You guys should be proud. Loved the little Subaru commercial.
Best video yet and the best father son duo! You guys look like you have so much fun together. Secretly in the back of Romans head though I can see him thinking about how that little tin can doesn't have airbags, or crush zones, or a structurally reinforced roof if it rolls over. But Tommy loves the thing AND it makes for awesome videos.
Anyone else just watched the entire video grinning from ear to ear for the subAAAru?
Such a characteristic little car.