fshnidiot Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hummmm maybe I will try this...whats the worst that can happen..screw up and the car gets junked?? Its heading that way if something isnt done soon anyway. (insert bad accent>) You can do it!!!!! With all the support and coaching from all the GREAT people on here you should have all the backing you need to tackle this job. Plus, it'll be a great learning experience and you can take pics and document everything for your fans to follow along! And be thankful you're not a Flyers fan! Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoodsboy Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Connie, Kinda makes me wish I took pictures when I fixed my BRAT, that incidentally... had the same type of bottom-subframe rust that yours has. I used mild steel to fix mine btw. Ill second what GD said.... a metal brake is your best friend. Get some mild steel and bend up some U channels. Weld em through for 6 inches or so on either side of the rusty spot(s) I also know JUST what youre talking about with the "keep it or send it" thinking. I hold onto my cars WAY longer than is reasonable..... it all depends on IF IT IS WORTH IT TO YOU. If youre fed-up.... send him on his way. Nomatter what, our time with most vehicles is limited.... but you'll never lose the things they teach you along the way. You can do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 It all depends i guess. Nothing is impossible to fix but i guess whats it worth to you. The car isnt your daily driver so at least thats not a problem. Just remember also that with new cars you may get new problems. I dont know how much time persay you have in rocky, but i know you have lots of parts. Some would cut and run take the parts and try another car. Some would keep rocky and just work on it from time to time. What do you want to do. If your like me you want everything to be just right but you may or may not have the time, money, or ability to achieve what you would like. I guess if it were me i would keep it i mean its not loosing anything sitting there and youve got something fun to tinker with. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAugur33 Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Hi Connie, My first Subaru was an 84 GL Wagon that I bought in 1990 and drove to CA in 92. Probably the best car I have ever owned. For being an eight y.o. PA car it did not have a drop of surface rust; ran like a top. But, the frames were eaten. I had to let it go! My feeling is, and many will disagree, that once the rails are shot then so is the car. Anything else can be replaced, welded, etc...but the rails are the backbone of your car. If I were you, I would part it out and let Bucky's donor parts live on in other XT's. Besides, you have that fresh, minty coupe coming your way that will be your pride and joy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I don't think that it's worth the time to fix. If you got another XT body, you could swap the fenders, doors, trunk/hood and have essentially the same paintjob. And you said you don't even trust it as a driver. Also, you have everything needed to make that coupe one hell of a car: XT6 seats, 4WD conversion with a decent 5-speed, and a 5-lug setup. You've even got a clutch suitable for an EJ22 conversion down the road. This way, if you gut the bottom of the coupe for stripping and rustproofing like I suggested above, you've got better parts to put back on it! You could even POR15 the XT6 4WD and 5speed components before putting them under the coupe. Those 20mm XT6 sway bars would make that coupe handle like it was on RAILS. My inclination is more toward bringing a car forward in time by updating and improving it - not taking it back in time with laborious repairs. I know that whatever you do, you'll do 110% - and I think that the coupe has the better payoff. It's much more of a classic than an XT6 and no matter what you do to it, it will always be simpler and less expensive to maintain than an XT6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 At least TRY to fix the frame rails so you can at least learn from him. What do you have to lose? Just find somebody with a winch on their truck, throw the cable over a branch of a large tree, attach to front of Rocky, and get ta winchin! That's how you get him up off the ground. Then you can practice fixin frame-rails on him so you don't have to worry about finding a mint EA82 wagon because you could make it mint yourself! Well, at least in that respect. If he can't give you reliable transportation, he could at least give his life for the sake of other cancerous soobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeakingOil Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I see this as a perfect "burn & learn" course. If I was in this predicament I would be practicing my arse off every chance I got. (Not to jinx) You never know when you'll need the lessons to fix the coupe. Rust is impossible to escape over here on the East, unless you keep it in a vaccuum chamber..heck, you know that so use Rocky as a tool to keep your other Subarus alive (and you will have more...honey, it's a disease and you've got it bad:grin: ) If in the end Rocky is FUBARd then you can sell his bits and know that all the way to the end you tried your best and you learned a great deal from him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I don't think that it's worth the time to fix. If you got another XT body, you could swap the fenders, doors, trunk/hood and have essentially the same paintjob. And you said you don't even trust it as a driver. Also, you have everything needed to make that coupe one hell of a car: XT6 seats, 4WD conversion with a decent 5-speed, and a 5-lug setup. You've even got a clutch suitable for an EJ22 conversion down the road. This way, if you gut the bottom of the coupe for stripping and rustproofing like I suggested above, you've got better parts to put back on it! You could even POR15 the XT6 4WD and 5speed components before putting them under the coupe. Those 20mm XT6 sway bars would make that coupe handle like it was on RAILS. My inclination is more toward bringing a car forward in time by updating and improving it - not taking it back in time with laborious repairs. I know that whatever you do, you'll do 110% - and I think that the coupe has the better payoff. It's much more of a classic than an XT6 and no matter what you do to it, it will always be simpler and less expensive to maintain than an XT6. I really like this point of view. Imagina takeing your xt6-coupe to the dragon. Now that would be something interestintg. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 :slobber::slobber: My little blue coupe:slobber::slobber: I cant wait!!!!43 more days ..till I see it.That car WILL be garage kept in the winter ..and a car cover on it in the summer.It is going to be my little vintage gem..I really dont want to do any mods to it except we are discussing putting a Weber on it. Its one of my dream Subarus ( we all know the other is a lifted EA82 wagon:grin:)My XT6 was just supposed to be a winter beater..Its just hard to let it go cause of the work I have into it..But this is taking priority for me cause it is and will just be worth more in the long run: and lookie how cute it is: and its got louvers!!:slobber: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 sounds like it's time to move on from the XT6. you've had a horrible experience with that car anyway. even with the 30k crate motor you like to mention it still runs and performs sub par compared to other XT6's. with all it's issues, a new impreza and near perfect coupe on the way, this XT6 is not worth your time at all. sounds like the car you like the least is the one that needs the most work, which doesn't seem like a good fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 Gary..I never said I hated the car..I did mention on the XT board that I will never own another one.. Yup I have a 30K crate motor..long block..just everything else attached is the 178K mile old stuff. I learned alot from the car..I just have yet to see the "awesomeness" of them that I hear so much about..Yup its awesome that it came home twice by way of tow truck..let me sit in for a few days with a blown intake minifold gasket. It is in now way a good DD and that is why I bought the brand new Imp..I put 100 miles a day on a car and the XT just cant handle it...Not saying it couldnt be a good project.Like others have stated..I can use it to learn on ( welding) and if it helps it..then great if it ruins it..not a huge loss. I mean you keep saying that they show up all the time on the cheap yet I have yet to see one locally here that is in any better shape then this one. I have more sweat hours into this car then probably anyone else has in thiers..especially in the short time I had it and the limited funds I had to start out with...so is there a sentimental value to the car...yup.Do I see what the other members with "nice" ones are doing or have done to theirs and get envious..you betcha.I definately dont want to see it crushed. It just seems like you got alittle offended by my comment on the XT board.Sorry.Just cause its the only one I will ever own doesnt mean that I hate it either..If I hated it ..it would have been long gone a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 So GD..this is the welder set up I have: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100031840&N=10000003+90401+527842 do you think it will be enough?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 It just seems like you got alittle offended by my comment not offended, logical. i only mentioned tires - that they make more of a difference in traction than 4WD. you've got one of the best snow drivers around and don't know it, that's too bad. and it's not the "XT6", it just those EA/ER transmissions, they are cool. it could be helpful to figure out what is wrong with your tires or 4WD rather than just assume "the XT6 is bad in the snow". that way you know more about them and realize like everyone else that has owned both, that the locking center diff was an awesome feature that Subaru should have kept. in the end any 178k 20 year old car isn't going to make a good daily driver without significant attention to maintenance. this coupe will be great for you - no rust and less of a chance of poor previous maintenance - like needing an engine replaced and then not being installed properly (leaking intake gaskets). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 .I really dont want to do any mods to it except we are discussing putting a Weber on it. WEBER!!! You know u want to. I love mine now that i finally got all the bugs sorted out. Redline didnt exactly set it up right for me from the get go. Wrong top gasket, Air corrector jets reversed, floats not set correctly...stuff like that. Now that its all sorted out it runs great. SOOO much better than a hitachi or carter-weber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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