Remember when 4x4s used to be fun? They were playful and carefree, advertised with photos of smiling folks unloading surfboards or having a picnic on a mountaintop. Nowadays, it’s all Very Serious blacked-out faux-tactical bullshit, and nobody looks like they’re having any fun at all. So today, I thought we’d take a look at a couple of 4WD toys from the good old days.
Yesterday’s crossovers weren’t much fun, but you all really hated one of them in particular – the Jeep Compass. The nicest comments I saw about it were along the lines of “it’s kinda okay, I guess.” Most other comments were far less charitable. I probably could have put a Power Wheels Barbie Jeep up against it and it still would have lost. (Actually, that gives me an idea for the future…)
The Fiat 500X wasn’t really anybody’s idea of a good time either, but at least it carries out its humdrum suburban workhorse duties with a modicum of European flair. Some of you were concerned about the reliability, but from what I’ve heard, the modern Fiats aren’t too bad in that regard. I guess, if you have to drive a compact crossover, that Fiat wouldn’t be completely terrible.
My wife and I love going to antique malls, thrift stores, and flea markets. Last weekend, I came home with a cool old toy truck, which I’m sure my fellow 70s/80s kids will recognize immediately:
Yep, that is a genuine original Schaper Stomper 4×4. If you’re not familiar with these little wonders, they were all the rage in the early 80s. They’re about three inches long, powered by a single AA battery, with 4WD and working headlights. They sold for about three dollars, if I remember right. I paid … more than that for this one. Sadly, it doesn’t work; someone left a battery in it for who knows how many decades, and the terminals are corroded away. But it’s a cool conversation piece anyway.
You could get Stompers in a dizzying variety of bodystyles, all kinds of makes and models, all brightly-colored and decked out with stripe kits and roll bars, just like any good 4×4 back then. I’m pretty sure both of today’s featured vehicles were available in Stomper form, actually. Let’s check them out.
1980 Plymouth Arrow Sport 4×4 – $4,900
Engine/drivetrain: 2.6-liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, 4WD
Location: Vancouver, WA
Odometer reading: 84,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
This truck, apparently, never existed. Plymouth sold its version of the Mitsubishi-built Dodge D50 as the Arrow from 1979 to 1982, but it was never available with four-wheel drive. And to my knowledge, no 4WD Mitsubishi was ever available in this country with a solid front axle. This is a custom job. It’s well-done, though; it looks like it could have been a factory product.
Power comes from the stock Mitsubishi 4G54 four-cylinder and a five-speed manual. if I had to guess, I would say that the transfer case came from a later 4WD Mitsubishi Mighty Max or Dodge Ram 50, and if I’m not mistaken, the front axle is a Dana 30, probably from a Jeep. The rear axle is probably stock. Both axles are hung on leaf springs. The only information we get about its mechanical condition is that it “runs and drives good.”
The Arrow Sport came with bucket seats, a center console, a tach, and some other goodies. It looks stock inside, with an additional shift lever for the transfer case. It’s in great condition, except for maybe a missing trim piece or two, but that’s not a big deal.
Outside, it has some rust, but it also has those glorious factory stripes. I’m not as fond of the wheel choice, though; they look too modern. Some nice white or chrome 8-spoke wagon wheels would be a better choice. And it’s absolutely crying out for a roll bar in the bed with lights on top.
1985 Subaru GL 4WD Hatchback – $3,650
Engine/drivetrain: 1.8 liter OHV flat 4, four-speed manual, 4WD
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Odometer reading: 205,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Now this one absolutely came from the factory with four-wheel drive. Subaru started offering 4WD in its cars way back in the 70s. This car was known as the Leone in other parts of the world, but here in the US, it had no model name, just trim designations: DL, GL, or GL-10, available in a variety of different bodystyles. This little two-door hatchback is a GL model.
Subaru’s use of flat-four engines dates back even further than its 4WD system, all the way back to 1966. It’s mounted ahead of the front axle, just ahead of a four-speed transaxle that powers the front wheels all the time, and the rear wheels when you pull a little lever in the center console. This one has a bunch of new parts, and the seller says it runs and drives well.
It looks decent inside, except for some weirdness on the left side of the dash, and there’s no telling what’s under those seat covers. It has some modern add-on touchscreen stereo or something in it, which I’m not fond of, but I guess some people like them. Looking at this interior makes me remember two things about these old Subarus: the “ding-dong” key chime, and the clutch pedal with about an inch of travel that engages right off the floor.
It looks like it used to be white outside, but it has been repainted in this dull gray. It kind of suits it, but I feel like it needs some stripes or something. I’m less thrilled about the blue wheels; they’re supposed to be white as well. I don’t see any rust on it, though, which is good. It comes with some aftermarket roof racks, if you’re into that sort of thing.
The seller of the Subaru claims that it would make a good daily driver, but really, these are both toys. Pretty cool toys, though. One of them has been built into what it is, and the other was already a legend from the factory. And they both look like they belong in a plastic bubble package, hung on a peg at K-Mart for $2.99. Which one looks like a more fun toy to you?
You can clean the contacts with baking soda and water, or with vinegar.
If the old battery’s in there, maybe a very tiny chainsaw?
My father had the Subaru GL, 2WD manual version, I think 1983, in beige. I hear that ding dong just by looking at a picture of one of these cars. It ran forever, he had to prop up the driver’s seat with the pole from my sister’s scooter when it failed to stay upright – probably not too safe. He ended up selling it to someone who needed it for one of the doors!
I had a ton of Stompers. My favorites were my A-team van and Face’s ‘Vette. Some of them had cool conical hubs so they could ride leaning over on two wheels.
I would be legitimately surprised if Dirthead Dave Chappelle did not snatch up that Plymouth. seems right up his alley. I would also choose that over the Subie, but I did have a quick vision of making that one all black in homage tot he 81 DL Jackie Chan Drove in Cannonball run, but quickly got past that thought.
Then you’d be legally obligated to install the computerized interior and rocket motor. And learn Kung Fu.
Hard choice. They’re both cool and fun, I’d enjoy having either one. Nice finds!
Stompers!!
Funny you should mention Stompers, because I have a case of nine of them sitting in my office right now, that I dug out of storage recently when I saw how much they are going for on eBay these days. About half of them run, I haven’t fiddled with the others too much yet to see what’s going on with the others.
I have:
yellow Chevy LUV
red Ford Bronco
grey Subaru Brat
black Dodge Warlock
grey Chevy K10
tan Chevy Blazer
blue Jeep Cherokee Chief
black Jeep Renegade
blue Toyota SR5
There were other body styles I think, in different colors. These things were great! I have a track that we would race them on. There was even a range of amphibious ones with big floatation tires that would actually float and paddle successfully. I had a red one of those too.
This one confused the hell out of me. I drove a ’77 Plymouth Arrow for a year or so, and when I saw that you put that name on a pickup I started questioning my own memory.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1277478423126730/
My Arrow was not a bad hatchback, right up until I got t-boned in an intersection. Reliable, efficient, and rusty.
they also used the name Lumina on vans and cars, it was confusing for some.
Me too, I was very confused. I even remember many of the hatchback Arrows being in the same yellow.
My wife had one of those Arrow hatchbacks back in the day, I believe the same color scheme as the one in the FB ad, though alas it was not a GT model, just a 4M. Her WWII vet dad used to make jokes about it being made of melted down Zeros. Sold it (running) for ~ $20 to a friend of a friend in the mid 80s. Voting for the truck today.
I had a Stomper for a couple of days until I turned it on and threw it at my sister and it got tangled in her hair. Good times 😉
You should be able to fix that stomper, I’m sure there are parts available. And I agree this vote was unnecessarily hard today, someones project or a subie that will almost assuredly rust away before I’m done typing! I picked the truck, the yellow and the stripes overcame the project aspect.
Those stripes! I want the trucklet! And I agree, white wagon wheels and a light bar with some smiley faced covered KC Daylighters on it.
With white lettering on the tires
Absolutely!
I had (have? Possibly in storage) a stomper. That was so much fun in the sandbox. My family also had a 82 Subaru GL in baby blue they bought new the year I was born. I recall my dad sold it in 1995 ish for $500. I also remember I could see the road passing through the passenger footwell. Good memories with that car, my dad let me shift for him when I sat up front and the dashboard was beautiful at night. The muffler rusted off and he “impressed” his high school students in the parking lot revving it up. I still have the logo from the key fob on my collectables shelf too.
I would like to love to try driving one but can’t imagine how well it’s held up structurally after all these years. .
Yah, ricers wet dream when the muffler rusted off my brat.
My dad was a ricer before it was a thing, kind of interesting that we sold that car because we were relocating to Asia.
What was wrong with your dad? Safety first that is why we would put a second set of floor mats if the first set didn’t cover the holes.
My dad was cheap when it came to car maintenance… I learned from his mistakes, and take good care of my cars. Anyway, that was our going to ice hockey practice/ games car so he was toughing me up, and not many rocks were hitting my ankles so it was safe enough.
Definitely a both day! Given that my family has owned at least 8 Subarus over the years, that’s what gets my vote today.
I REALLY want that truck!! Yellow and a stick! What more could you want?
I had a Stomper when I was a kid. It was a brown C3 Corvette. My Mom bought it for ne, and while I was happy to get it to play with, all I could think was “A brown Corvette, Mom? Really?”
Subie for me. I’ll be removing those roof racks right away along with those awful wheels.
4×140 is rare, subaru and Peugeot are the only car makers I know of. 15″ pugs are nice though.
That truck is GLORIOUS. I would add it to my stable today if I had the funds.
We used to have stomper mud bog races. We all modified them with bigger motors and used higher voltage batteries. One kids dad was a engineer and they mod’d their’s with MUCH bigger tires too. He won all the races he was part of lol
BTW, I voted for the rebadged pickup. I had a D50 back in the day. It was a great work truck.
As the owner of a nearly identical Subaru, I encourage someone to grab that Subaru and enjoy it before it rusts away. It will be especially user friendly thanks to that Weber conversion.
Also, I was the proud owner of a Stomper when I was in Kindergarten and I can confirm the one off-road environment they can’t handle is my hair. I went to school with an impromptu haircut that day.
The Arrow’s battery is secured with a bungee cord. If that’s an indication of their “good enough” engineering modification ethos for the rest of the truck, I want nothing to do with it.
The Subaru’s gray paint job is clearly courtesy of several rattle cans of Krylon enamel (just like the wheels), likely hiding rust that is eating its way through as I write this. Someone to whom appearance is this important likely has not replaced the worn out parts in the drivetrain, suspension, engine, transmission, etc.
both are shredder fodder.
Meh, my Spitfire’s battery was retained by gravity for a decade or more until I found the right hold-down bits. With old cars, you do what one must.
Reminds me of a guy I knew back in the 70s. He had 8 or 9 vehicles (including farm equipment) all of which were total dirtbag condition and ONE good battery. So quick changes were paramount for him.
Chrysler paid a US company to convert 2WD Mitsubishi trucks to 4WD for a few years before Mitsu started shipping 4WD trucks. I don’t recall the details now.
That Subaru is screaming for some blue R/T stripes (rattle can, of course) to match the wheels!
I really like both but had to give the nod to the GL for its ski car potential. I had a 93 Loyale for a couple years and that thing was the best snow vehicle I’ve ever driven.
Both are, indeed, cool. I voted Subaru, but was on the fence.
Today was unusually difficult.
Picked the Arrow, but would be happy with both.
If Dirt Everyday taught me anything, is adding a compatible transfer case and converting it to a solid axle with parallel leaf springs is about as common as an SBC swap.
I mean for the money I’d rather find the newest (OBS?) Ford Ranger I could find, but that is a neat little time capsule.
The Subaru just screams rust for me…
I usually say never buy someone’s project blah, blah, blah, but damn I want that truck!
Never buy the project but I thought once they were finished and checked out ok they were no longer a project. Anyone else? Agree disagree
I voted Subaru rather quickly over the pickup as I don’t want to deal with someone else’s modifications; there’s also something about that pickup that doesn’t look right – as though the rear bumper-receiver has something wrong with it (overloaded, crash/replace, or something) but I can’t put my finger on it.