62 replies to this topic

[Ratty2Austin]

The build thread... it begins here!



So this car I picked up in October for cheap, and then in December it was stolen from me while I was at a party... 3 weeks after that it was found, minimal damage, but the thieves stole all my tools out of the car (which was everything I owned )

Anyway, I have been picking up tools again slowly, and collecting some of the parts needed to do another beastly creation, just like wagons I have owned previous... This being the 4th one to stick with the "waterwagon" name...

This time, I have a few other mods that will be hopefully a little bit of an improvement over previous waterwagons.. like this-



need a closer look?



Yes, that is what you think it is - I won't need an adapter plate.

Anyway, right now I am waiting on work and money stuff, so no mods are in process now- its all planning and collecting of parts. But, hopefully by summertime many of the mods should be ready to install and test!

stay tuned :cool:

[KootenayJK]

Where'd that little beaut come from?

[Ratty2Austin]

The wagon? Or the transmission? The car came from craigslist... the trans, well that's a secret for now (I can say, it is JDM)

[bratman18]

A dual range EJ trans from Japan?

[KootenayJK]

The wagon? Or the transmission? The car came from craigslist... the trans, well that's a secret for now (I can say, it is JDM)

The trans, of course (although, the car is nice, too - looks a lot like mine).
Is it from an Imp?

[TajMan]

oh my
yes Japanese huh, those junk yard markings say it came from a 2.0 EJ car..

[Ratty2Austin]

Yeah, JDM.. not sure exactly what it came out of- but probably a EJ20 impreza... the importer I got it from only deals in JDM... the AUDM or LADM would have it too, but not sure where to get those. (I suppose if I wanted to do an epic road trip, I could drive to central America to get some, but they say its hard to find them in wrecking yards down that way...)

I still have to make some sort of linkage, probably gonna use EA82/EA81 D/R stuff hacked together and bent to fit once it's all installed... the lift kit will make it all weird with the length anyway. Like I said, future installs- for now I am rounding up the bits n pieces!

[86BRATMAN]

I think we need to get Loyale 2.7 Turbo to scout the yards down in his neck of the woods. They got carbed ej22's and D/R AWDs there.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Yes, LADM (Latin American Domestic Market) Specs does have Carburated + Disty EJ Engines from 1989 to 1994, and the Dual Range Transmissions are Still being available here; as you can see ~► Here.

But, this...

... I suppose if I wanted to do an epic road trip, I could drive to central America to get some, but they say its hard to find them in wrecking yards down that way...

...is True, it is Very Hard to find a Local Subaru in a Junk Yard, here cars seems to run forever; also our Local Junk Yards (Called "Yonkers" Here) usually only carry Stuff imported from USA...

It is much easier to come here and Buy the Whole car, then send it to USA; I was about to buy a Dual Range, Carburated + Disty Subaru Legacy, some time ago; Photos ~► Here.

Good Luck with the "WaterWagon IV" Build my Friend; i know it will be Fun and the Result will be Awesome!

Kind Regards.

[bratman18]

Cool. Never knew that japan had the dual ranges EJ cars. But it would make sense.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Cool. Never knew that japan had the dual ranges EJ cars. But it would make sense.

Not only Japan... Almost Everywhere Else except USA.

Edited by Loyale 2.7 Turbo, 25 January 2013 - 05:24 PM.
See the Post Below

[KootenayJK]

Not only Japan... Everywhere Else except USA.

Not entirely true. We didn't get them in Canada, either.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I Corrected my Post... Sorry for Hijack the Thread.

Kind Regards.

[KootenayJK]

So, how many inches you plan on lifting her? Looking forward to more on this!

[Ratty2Austin]

Well, I plan to use the 3" blocks all around, and the outback/forester struts, (which add about 1.5" or so?) and then larger tires, (another 2 inches lift maybe more depending on tire size) which brings the car up that much further.. I will see how tall it gets when I am done.

I want to make this a good travel car more than super-off road. I have been considering a rooftop tent unit, or maybe just a basket and some bins? still undecided on that part..

This of course all depends on my job (which hopefully will be starting soon) and how that all works out.

It's the darn waiting game I tell ya!

[KootenayJK]

Nice! I'm probably going to sell mine in the spring, and find one with lower miles, then dive into it a bit more. I might actually look for a 95-97, just so I'm one gen newer. The availability of JDM cars here is pretty tempting, too.
I'd love to swap a FT-AWD D/R into one, with 1.59 low range!

[wagonryan]

hurry up i wanna see this thing get built! i'm on the fence about my next subie; its either gonna be a lifted leggy wagon just like that or a lifted first gen imp sedan. Where did you get that tranny?!?! if you have a source i'd be all over that!

[KiwiGL]

Yeah, JDM.. not sure exactly what it came out of- but probably a EJ20 impreza... the importer I got it from only deals in JDM... the AUDM or LADM would have it too, but not sure where to get those. (I suppose if I wanted to do an epic road trip, I could drive to central America to get some, but they say its hard to find them in wrecking yards down that way...)

I still have to make some sort of linkage, probably gonna use EA82/EA81 D/R stuff hacked together and bent to fit once it's all installed... the lift kit will make it all weird with the length anyway. Like I said, future installs- for now I am rounding up the bits n pieces!

If it's from a JDM 2.0, then it must be from a Forester. To the best of my knowledge, no JDM Impreza has ever had a dual-range gearbox, only the Forester. I say this as I live in NZ, which is pretty much the home away from home of JDM...

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

No JDM Impreza came with Dual Range?

 

 

If it's from a JDM 2.0, then it must be from a Forester. To the best of my knowledge, no JDM Impreza has ever had a dual-range gearbox, only the Forester. I say this as I live in NZ, which is pretty much the home away from home of JDM...

The LADM (Latin American Domestic Market) Specs Subarus, All could come with Dual Range as Option, except Turbos; that includes the  Imprezas.

 

~► Look Photos from Post Nº 62 at this Thread: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/98480-need-advice-legacy-wagon/page-3

 

Kind Regards.

Edited by Loyale 2.7 Turbo, 26 March 2013 - 10:42 AM.

[Ratty2Austin]

Well, Waterwagon IV is still waiting for parts, which for me means I need some extra moola.. but, in the mean time I have been helping other's build their wagons up- just like mine- This is an example of what mine will look pretty close to when it's lifted- since I will be using the same size blocks, and the same size tires, and it's the same year..

 

here is the pic I took when we got the front lifted- the rear is still on jacks, and there is no engine ,but the front wheels are sitting on the ground!

 

 

[KiwiGL]

[color=#0000cd;]No JDM Impreza came with Dual Range?[/color]

 

 

[color=#0000cd;]The LADM [/color](Latin American Domestic Market) [color=#0000cd;]Specs Subarus, All could come with Dual Range as Option, except Turbos; that includes the  Imprezas.[/color]

 

[color=#ff0000;]~►[/color][color=#0000cd;] Look Photos from Post Nº 62 at this Thread:[/color] http://www.ultimates...cy-wagon/page-3

 

[color=#0000cd;]Kind Regards.[/color]

Sorry, just to clarify I should have said that it was ONLY JDM Imps that didn't come with the dual-range. The JDM Foresters had the low range, and the 2.0L ones had the lower 1.447:1 reduction gears, compared to the 1.19:1 in the 2.5L Foresters, Outbacks and just about everything else. The 1.447, according to the guys on AuSubaru, is almost as good as the 1.59:1 in the L series. So, as ratty's gearbox is from a 2.0, he may have gotten the lower 1.447 gears. No guarantee though. NZDM and UKDM, AUDM etc Imprezas all came with dual-range. Except USDM.

 

The story was the same with the Legacy; JDM was single-range only, whereas just about everywhere else the Legacy was dual range. I say was, as there are no 5th gen dual-range Legacys, and I'm not sure if even the base model Outback 5th gen has a dual-range. However, some JDM Outbacks had dual-range and some didn't (at least first gen ones; not too sure on the newer models). Subaru's gearbox allocation was really all over the place.

 

An example of this randomness is in the 2.0R that I mostly drive. In the owner's manual, in all non-turbo manuals, the dual-range is specified. Yet, it is not fitted to ours... I think is because it is the 2.0R Sport model, which at launch was quoted as having "the same drivetrain (and interior, suspension and body) as the WRX downstream of the clutch" (which I am dubious about due to the different gearboxes Subaru uses. I doubt they would put a strong WRX 5-speed in an NA 2.0L. I should really check the gearbox code, but I'm lazy. Still, I could be wrong.).

 

Here's a pic of an imported, JDM Impreza 4wd hatch. N/A. No dual range.

 

Anyways, sorry for getting off topic and spamming up your thread. Nice build. Lifted DR Leagcys are pretty sick. We need some here.

Edited by KiwiGL, 13 February 2013 - 04:53 AM.

[Ratty2Austin]

Well, slowly but surely, this project will come together! so far I have a few mods done, and a few more on the way soon!

 

first few were electrical upgrades- like a 2x 1A USB charge port built into the dash...

 

 

Another one, is the LED interior lights- the main dome light is a 3W led chip- "cool white" ....

 

 

the cargo area also got LED upgrades, but not as bright- but I have more LED items on the way for the whole car...

 

My friend Troy and I both got SJR lift kits, (he has a green 93 legacy) and we are lifting his car first, since he broke the transmission, so it needed to come apart anyway... but here is a pic of our painted lift kit parts, and my painted forester/outback strut combo...

 

 

Troy's wagon, and Troy, getting things figured out for the snorkel kit too (both wagons are getting snorkels! this was a needed upgrade, considering Troy broke his transmission because he got mud water IN it, and then had to drive hundreds of miles home and forgot to check it.. he also hydrolocked the engine that day...)

 

 

my wagon, is next in line... very soon, it will be lifted!!

[Haight]

Moar pics!

[JacksonRally]

Awesome, coming along nicely. I've been seeing the usb ports being used more and more lately, seems like a darn good idea. So i have to ask where are you getting them from?

[Ratty2Austin]

The USB ports were actually a cord assembly that would normally be used in a PC case- it has a wire coming off the back that would normally plug into a motherboard (used to install front side USB on a pc case) I made a little regulator and adaptor so that it would fit all nicely in the dash and work like a charger would, but not using the lighter socket... here is a pic of the regulator box and wiring, before installed-

 

all home made by me! (well, I drew up a circuit, adjusted it for the perfect voltage, and wired it up to work how I wanted, and then soldered it all together and packed it into a little box!)

 

Today we made more progress on Troy's wagon- which means mine is up soon, and will have the same height!

 

 

 

More pics soon! (and, more importantly, Waterwagon IV's lift install!)