rguyver Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Well its bin a long time since i've posted on the message board to any great extent since the older board . But i thought that some of you would be intrested in my last project , and current one first off can you spot the diffrent in the first pic http://groups.msn.com/RguyversSubarus/mesageboardpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=316 if you dont drive a new Subaru or XT6 then you know that the older 80's cars didnt have 5lug rims . http://groups.msn.com/RguyversSubarus/mesageboardpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=315 well i got a compleat XT6 drive trane to do the swap , the rear is easy just like a rear disc swap but not the front there are several complations , axel size , strut type , lower ball joint and tie rod ends , I built custom shorter CV shafts , built strut conversion clamps , reamed the lower control arm larger , shortened the inner tie rods. http://groups.msn.com/RguyversSubarus/mesageboardpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=319 http://groups.msn.com/RguyversSubarus/mesageboardpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=322 http://groups.msn.com/RguyversSubarus/mesageboardpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=323 http://groups.msn.com/RguyversSubarus/mesageboardpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=325 all this gets me a much better rims and tires , and the brake size is larger, so it stops like its a STi since the brat is so light , also i had the rear sway bar shortened so it has the XT6 + the larger 84 turbo wagon front bar . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 yo, i had the idea of using 5 lugs on an ea81 buy mine had the ea82 front end, lower control arm conversion, so an xt swap would would go like that of an ea82 the rear already had ea82 trailing arms, so xt's would swap in, ea81 axles so what doj did you use with your axles, ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Awesome! Lookin good. Hey - how can a man email you these days? I emailed a while ago about the SPFI swap but never got a reply - you using the same account as you have listed here? GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rguyver Posted January 13, 2004 Author Share Posted January 13, 2004 thats the main problem you have to use the XT6 shafts and ends , the EA81 axels have too small splines for the CV outter ends also I'm using the 5speed AWD XT6 tranny so it has the larger splined doj . this settup gives me a positive camber ajustment / \ and still have the stock widht . same E-mail just some times it gets lost in my junk mail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarubrat Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Fantastic! Are you running the ER27 6cyl or something else? What is your cooling solution if you run the ER27? I am runing the horizontal top mount setup myself. If you want any ER27 performance parts let me know I have a few sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. RX Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 I couldn't tell from your response Fox if you knew this, but the axles of the XT6 are totally different at the wheel end then any other Subaru. For my conversion in my RX it was easy because I had a turbo tranny with the 25 splines, so the XT6 axles worked perfectly. But as you probably know, and EA81 series car is narrower that the EA82 series, so you would have make a shorter axle like rguyver did. I'm assuming that he cut two axles, a XT6 and an EA81 in half, took what he needed out of the center, then used thick walled tubing as a sleeve over the two axles and welded both ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonOfScio Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 pimp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twowagons Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 WOW!!!! I usually try not to envy other people's things but damn!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Corky, if we remember the TrashWagon5, we would have observed the ea82 lower control arm, axle, knuckle and strut on the 83 wagon's original crossmember so then now the xt6 lower control arm would thus swap. and with the ea81 strut cap modifcation like it is on the ea82 strut, fit the cap to a 2wd legacy strut. so now that the car already has an ea82 axle, the same length and suspension geometry ans an ea82, the xt6 axles will fit also, when i got the xt6 parts i looked at them, compared them to a 2wd 90 legacy. I notice that the legacy and xt6 have the same style knuckle and strut. but the brake caliper, rotors were different. the legacy has a staked nut like the impreza, but the xt6 had a same sixe nut, but a castle cap and a cotter pin. but the legacy axle and the xt axxle both slide thru the splined rotor, and not pressed in. like it was on the 93 impreza the rear had ea82 style spindles, so they would fit on the ea82 rear trailing ars in the 83 wagon right now the parts will be going on the 87 gl10 wagon, just need some struts I have a 5spd full time from the xt6, as well as my existing 5spd s/r turbo ok, the xt6 axle is way fatter than the legacy axle. so is there any legacy axles that have the same diameter of a 23 splined TURBO axle??(like ina 4wd xt turbo) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 right now i am pondering making a collar to fit an ea82 strut to the xt/legacy knuckle is the bracket in the pictures welded to the strut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rguyver Posted January 13, 2004 Author Share Posted January 13, 2004 this is my first plan on how i built the strut clamp , the final one i built is diffrent but you get the idea , http://groups.msn.com/RguyversSubarus/subarupartsandmods.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=265 yes i welded this one on but only on the bottem I did use the inner ends from the XT6 shafts too http://groups.msn.com/RguyversSubarus/mesageboardpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=325 Im running a built up EA81T with intercooler and 2 1\2" stainless exhost with custom down pipe . http://groups.msn.com/RguyversSubarus/mesageboardpics.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=318 I wish i had room for the ER27 but it is just sitting in my shop flor looking cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 damn thats a tight car.. I want it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarutex Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 That is looking pretty good. I have a couple of suggestions, insights... Let me know if these are off base at all. All pertains to the strut situation. Personally, I wouldn't be happy with the kind of bracket you made, mainly because I wouldn't trust my own fabrication skills. What you did does look really good though. I would have made a frakensteined strut. By taking either a XT6 strut or Impreza strut. Putting whatever springs on it you see fit, and then putting the stock EA81 strut top on. On my 5 lug conversion on my ea82 RX, I used Impreza struts with the stock RX strut tops and stock RX springs. A tiny bit of metal working was needed to get the strut top on (i had to open up a whole that had a flat side on it). But, what you ended up with looks damn good. Good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 well, one of my xt6 axles has a torn boot on the DOJ, so i will see if an ea82 25 spline doj will fit. If so, then i believe a 23 spline TURBO doj will fit i have put a 25 spline doj on a 2wd axle, the doj itself was slightly bigger than the bearings inside, but it still worked. but the xt6 axle is rather fat, i wish i has a 2wd legacy axle to play with. that would be nice for all this to work, so i can use a 5spd dual range with the xt6 axle. so rguyver, what do you have for a trans in the brat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 :slobber: I likes it!!! Looking good from this angle. Got the gears turning in the ol' brain housing group here. Miles: He's got the XT-6's 5 speed in there, 'least that's what I read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XSNRG Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Man, you could very well be the Miles Fox of Canada - and I don't mean that in any negative way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 actually, northguy, i got the mod idea from rguyver, after he had a diagram of the lower control mount relocation. i had pondered the mod before then, was told it could not be done. so far i am the only one with this mod after rguyvers hatch. but i totally endorse the mod for anyone contemplating suspension mods thanx rguyver! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rguyver Posted January 14, 2004 Author Share Posted January 14, 2004 well i had a 87 RX D/R 5speed in it but its out for some 1st gear sincro work Im a welder / fab. buy trade so stuff like this is what i do daily but just in larger production for G.M. military , 200 grand motor home stuff and lots of Freightliner Truck parts. i had thought of building just the adapter for the strut if there was enuff intrest but i would have to test it on a EA82 conversion to the 5 hub settup , the adapter would alow you to use the stock ea82 strut so you wouldn't have to try to find the rare coil sprun XT6 strut . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajavwnsoobnut Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 hey Rguyver can you email me with the SPFI conversion stuff cause I am thinking of doing that to my 76 as soon as I aquire a ea-81 and I have to say DAMN for the brat Rock On Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rguyver Posted January 14, 2004 Author Share Posted January 14, 2004 I'll try to send you what i can remember this weekend when i get time, im not on the computer that much these days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajavwnsoobnut Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 k cool take your time and thanks for the help. I sorta remember some of the stuff but it helps to have the full picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garner Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 rguyver, That is an excellent mod Can anyone tell me ho wmuch of this would apply to a gen 1 brat with EA82 drivetrain? I'd love to widen the stance, get some better handling, brakes, 5 lugs. Has anyone out there do this type of thing to a gen1 car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 SPFI Turbo? Did I miss something here? Great Brat,great project. And let's all give Miles a round of applause too kids..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 the mod can be done for the front of a gen 1, but the rear, you will have to swap in an ea81 suspension, so that the ea82/xt6 rear trailing arms will work. i dont know if the rear 5 lugs will bolyt on to an gen 1. but if someone has done a rear disc swap to a gen 1, then it will work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.