Name That President
November 07, 2012
Thank you to everyone who commented on the “Name That Vehicle” photo on the HVA website and the HVA's Facebook page.
Ronald Reagan was the owner of this 1978 Subaru BRAT (Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter). The story of how this BRAT landed in Reagan’s hands is interesting: it actually started out as a test vehicle for Subaru. Richard V. Allen, Reagan’s friend and future National Security Advisor, used his connections with Subaru to rescue the vehicle from its desert testing grounds before it was driven to destruction. Ownership was transferred to Reagan, with the condition that he would file periodic reports with Subaru every six months so they could continue to monitor the BRAT's performance. Reagan reportedly loved driving the BRAT on his ranch in Santa Barbara, California, which was the perfect environment for this hardy vehicle. In 1998, the BRAT was sold to the Young America’s Foundation and changed hands several times over the next few years, until it finally returned to YAF in 2004 for a complete restoration arranged through Subaru of America. It is rare these days to see a fully restored BRAT, but this perfect specimen has returned home to Reagan’s former residence, Rancho del Cielo, and if you ever take a tour of the ranch you can check it out.
And the winner of the contest is...Art Biringer, from Orlando, Florida!
For guessing correctly, Art will receive a free HVA ballcap. The same cap is available here, in the online store.