3eyedwagon

FOR SALE: 1982 Subaru GL58 Station Wagon -5 inch lift, All components hand built in my shop -27.5 inch BF Goodrich tires on redrilled Mazda wheels -Custom Tube bumpers front and rear -Weber Carb -Spare set of stock roll up window front doors I really hate to see this wagon go, as I have put MANY hours into its construction. Unfortunately, it now has a set of "half doors" installed, and winter is just around the corner. It looks as though I will have to start over next spring. Lovingly cared for.... never wheeled. $7800 firm If I don't get this price within two weeks, the car will be KA'd... Serious inquiries only.

There are many makers of this similar style of stuff. I have used it on alot of my classic cars that I don't have shop space for, and I have been pretty happy with the results. They are cheap, and can be found pretty much anywhere. If the car is going to be parked outside, especially during winter moths; avoid using any kind of car cover. I have found these to do nothing but damage a car in our climate. The cover/tarp acts as a globe, and traps condensation inside. The car is FAR better off parked in an opening with exposure to what little sun we get during the winter. You may want to prepare the cars paint job with a good wax job. By this, I don't mean the easiest, quickest crap they sell at Schucks. I mean an actual quality, elbow grease wax job. This will cause our constant rain to bead and roll off more quickly. It will also protect the paint from anything that may grow on it while you are gone, and will make it far easier for you to clean the exterior upon your return.

My wagon is currently sitting under a cedar tree with small chunks of plastic draped over the windows. It's been there for over a week, even through yesterdays SEVERE wind, and rain. No water has gotten in there. Those doors change out in like 15 minutes. It'd be even quicker if you drilled holes in the rear of the front fenders. It's no big deal to do. Or.... I guess you could just sell it once winter comes.

Unnecessarily complicated. The dual lever setup would work more reliably, with no chance of leaking vaccuum lines. There's a reason that only the Europeans are still using vaccuum for everything. Even Lincoln gave up on it years ago!

I think you should just EJ it. Just lop a great big hole in the hood, and EJ the hell out of it. Then, we could design some sort of funnel system leading to the air cleaner, and do sweet, sweet water crossings. We start tomorrow at sun-up. You get the sheet metal, I'll bring the moonshine.

Looks good. I thought about going all the way back on mine, but I decided I just have to have an arm rest, and I like the look of the kickup. You gonna flip the door handles 90 degrees and recess them on top? I thought about doing that on the next set.

What's the mileage on the engine? By that I mean since its' last overhaul. Audio File is right when saying you really have to worry about the seals. As with all Wankel engines, the Apex Seals in that motor are it's weakest link. The problem is that bad seals can ruin the rotor housing. The 12a is a great motor, and I've seen some pretty amazing things done with them. But, they can last anywhere from 20 thousand miles, to 150 thousand miles. More importantly than other engine designs; it really depends on the life they've lived. With proper maintenance, these motors are highly reliable. The problem is that very few rotarys have ever received proper maintenance. I hate to bring bad news, but if you are looking at this car for pure reliabilty; I would probably look elsewhere. I want to make it clear that I am not in any way speaking poorly of this motor, or its' drivetrain. I am in fact a big fan of Wankel engines. My point is that STATISTICALLY, probably through no fault of its' own, this car will leave you walking. Unless you are willing to learn everything you need to know, and invest in the specialized tooling necessary to work on this car (not really that bad to do); this car could get costly for you to own/operate. That is the main reason you just don't see many of them on the road anymore. Also, once the rotor housing is eaten up - they get expensive/scarce to replace. If you are looking for a hobby car, that isn't your only means of transportation; I would probably go for it. They are an entertaining motor to work on, and a big plus is; everyone will think you are an eccentric nut job for owning and driving one! Especially if you "invest" in a driving hat, and gloves!

It's just as it reads. I just saw a different version of the new Subaru Forrester commercial, the one about the drive to "Subaru Heaven". This one is a little longer, and edited differently. Luckily, you can see a few different residents of "Subaru Heaven". I spotted a different gen 1 Brat, a 3rd Gen High Top (Touring) Wagon, and a silver Legacy Sedan with a beat up driver's fender, and a missing rear driver's side door. I think it is probably yours Jeff! It's basically the same commercial, just edited differently, and for some reason, the cars are moved around a bit. I'd look for a clip from YouTube, but I have a wicked slow connection. If someone could post it here, that'd be great! I forgot to add, this was on tonight's Discovery Atlas. On the Discovery Channel, for you scoring at home.

Good idea. The flexible additives in the tool dip make it alot more durable. Where are you going in the sandbox?

Really? Not quite like this stuff does. True2Blue, If you don't load stuff much, you should be fine. The biggest problem I found is when the plastic panels flex, or get moved around much. Like where you did in the rear there, above the wheel wells, try not to have any loaded items against them. Any kind of deflection in the plastic panels usually ended poorly in any of the cases I've seen. I would personally try to limit the ammount used on large panels in the doors, and hatch too. I found the paint on the drivers door was usually the first to go, because it is getting opened and closed most often. The larger the panel surface, the more the deflection it allows, and like I said; I saw alot of cracks on areas like this. Also, you will probably have to repaint any areas that get rubbed against often. Like your center console, or armrest pieces. The abrasion from normal use seemed to wear through this paint a little quicker than most. It sounds like you've got plans for the car though, so you should be a OK. Good luck man, and like I said; Keep doing good quality work! If you really get into this kind of work, look into automotive base clear paints with flexible additives. With the proper prep work, these systems work great for this kind of stuff. I've done everything from automotive interiors to 4wheeler plastics. The quality is top notch, your color palet is virtually infinite, and the better brands of paint are really durable. PS: "ABUSE" is a relative statement.

Not to rain on this guys parade, but this stuff doesn't hold up real well over time. I've done it for a few friends, and did some black on a couple of my rigs over some stock tan. I HATE brown interiors. Anyways, with the normal use of my vehicles (things being loaded, unloaded, people getting in and out, panels getting bumped, and sometimes scraped) the paint quickly wore through, and/or chipped off of the plastic panels. I'm also pretty good about keeping things clean, and generally being careful with stuff, so it wasn't like I was abusive to this stuff. I think it would be ok in a rig that rarely gets things loaded into it, and it should work fine for pieces that don't get rubbed against, touched, move, that kind of stuff. But, I would definitley NOT reccomend it for vehicles that are used heavily, and not kept clean. I.E. Subarus! Sorry to bomb your thread with that man. Just wanted to answer the guys question. It looks really nice though. It looks like you took your time, and did a good job, a rare thing to see these days! Keep up the good stuff, and keep taking pride in your work man.

1) Get a hub off of a Subaru. ( you want to use an old one, like a used up drum off the rear. That way you don't run the risk of ruining the knurl mating surface for the lug studs on a good one ) 2) Knock out two opposing lug studs. Diagonal from each other. 3) Use the remaining studs, and two lug nuts to secure the hub to the wheel being drilled. Be sure it is tight, as this acts as your guide for drilling the wheel. 4) Attacking the situation from behind, use the holes in the hub as a guide to begin drilling your new holes. This means you will be drilling through the holes that you just removed the studs from, from the inside of the hub, towards the outside, and into the back of the wheel. I used a 1/2 inch drill bit. You could go a little larger if you like, but I don't see a point. The 1/2 inch holes worked perfect. And a Very good drill. And a can of Cutting Oil This will allow you to use the drill bit more than this one time. I used a good corded drill, as even my really nice cordless one would only drill a couple of wheels before the battery went dead. It was much slower as well. For the tapered mating surface for the lug nut, you could use a larger drill bit. From the front of the wheel, use the larger bit to make a small taper in the holes you just drilled, making a nice small seat for the lug nut, similar to the ones on the rest of the wheels original holes. Anything a little over an inch would work good to lightly make a tapered lug surface. I however didn't have a drill bit of that size, and didn't do this. I have yet to have any problems. For anyone scoring at home; I could really care less if you personally think this is a big no-no. A tight lug nut, is a tight lug nut. I'm not sure of the size of the drill press you have access to, but it may be more of a problem than just doing them with a hand held drill. The size of the wheel (especially if it has a tire on it) may make it very difficult to get into the drill press. I would honestly just use a really good corded drill. If you pay attention, this is a pretty hard thing to screw up. Good luck. Enjoy your new tire options!

Structural integrity? To do it right, the reinforcements would pretty much negate your weight savings. You'd mostly be gaining approach angle if you moved the radiator, but even that is limited to a few inches by the front of the motor.

Anyone that has ever had the pleasure of owning a 1973 to 1978 Chevrolet Nova with optional wheels has had the same delightful experience you describe. This was a painted steel wheel with six small "stainless" (some sort of GM Miracle metal) trim insets, and a chrome beauty ring. After years of use, the stainless insets would become loose in the wheel and slowly tumble back and forth as the wheel spun. I've never owned a Nova of that era, but I have seen countless sets of these wheels, and they all do it. With up to six of these little stainless pieces all in some degree of tumble as the wheel spins, they tend to make one hell of a racket, and have affectionately been named the Chevrolet "Rattle Rally" wheel. Kinda funny how stuff begins to fatigue over that many revolutions!

That was definitely a direct hit.... I'd like to see the PT Loser... just out of morbid curiosity. I hope it got that *&^%*#$@ good. Anyways.... sweet..... new project underway!

I have a set of the Mazda B2200 wheels on my lifted wagon. They are about the perfect offset for 2nd gen Subs, so they should work great for 3rd gens. The B2000/B2200 14s are a good wheels for redrilling. They are light, but durable enough for most applications, and I think they look great. The 14 would be my personal choice for what it sounds like you want to do with them.... also, the tire selection is going to be alot greater for a medium profile 14, versus a real low profile 16, as that is what it would take to clear a stock 3rd gen with 16s. The Mazda flat spokes look really good with a nice coat of gloss black on them too.....

I just wanted to see some pics, because I think this is one of the least wheeled EA81s, despite some of its' obvious advantages! So; let's see some lifted EA81 wagons! In addition, I would also like to hear what some of you wagon fans have found to be your biggest obstacle in the completion of your wagon, and also; what is your favorite advantage of the wagon? I'll get started. My biggest problem has been getting a good setup on the rear axles. I have finally narrowed it down, and haven't broke an axle in the last 3 or 4 hard wheeling trips, and trust me; I've been trying! My favorite thing about the car: It's a wagon, and wagons rule! I can haul pretty much anything I need, and the cargo stays dry, I can haul 4 people in a pinch, and if worse comes to worse..... I have a place to sleep! Versatility rules!

Or that someone with at least a little bit of talent has filled the thing with bondo.... While I agree that it's generally a good idea to make sure that road traveling vehicles are "road worthy", I think the general consensus around here is that we don't need the government to decide for us if our vehicles are safe. Heck, they already decide enough things for us. There are obvious things we have to have, like registration, and liability insurance at minimum. Other than that, it is decided by any passing Police officers if the vehicle is considered unsafe, or not "road worthy". That wagon/pickup is a stretch, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear soon that it is no longer allowed on the road. The missing front fender would be reason for a ticket if there is any moisture on the road (at least here in Washington), and just the general condition of the body would probably result in constant traffic stops. One Eye has a great story about a Brat in a similar condition, and a Washington State Patrolman.

BINGO! Then we could run around flaunting our "fabrication skills", and proclaiming we started this whole thing!!!! It would truely be the best of both worlds: We could still soak in all the "glory" of being a true "rebel" Subaru enthusiast, while enjoying the ultimate off-road capabilities of a machine that has finally been proven reliable through decades of after market support, and research! Now all we need is some unfortunate losers checkbook! :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

Yeah, this is quickly becoming a Hemi Mopar kind of deal...... Just FYI, that's not an OEM style battery, and the washer fluid would have been green from the factory that year.... NOT blue! I say you just hack a hole in the hood, slap an EJ in it, and JB weld a carb to the top!

Some of the posts I have been reading in this made me realize there are ALOT of people that need a big update on this, as they seem slightly "out of the loop". The cars that were bought from the earlier posts on this site were allegedly used for these commercials. Although I haven't heard any of them chime up about seeing "their" car. I know that Jeff's Legacy sedan (that he sold them) wasn't present, but I'm not sure who else sold them a car, and if they spotted "their" car in the ad. From what I understand, they do not need any more cars. Just figuring on this, as the ad has already aired. So, they probably won't be checking back on this thread for people who posted ads for their Subarus. Hope this helps!

I hear I'm spoiled that the one on my wagon works flawlessly... I guess I shouldn't take it for granted!

Congratulations Jonas! I'm glad to see that it stayed "in the family"!

I understand that in other parts of the country, older cars are rare. I have already made the mistake of buying a van, and a Blazer from your part of the country. So, I am fully aware of the problems you guys face. I honestly can't believe that the midwestern states haven't invested in finding something better than salt as a means of controlling winter ice problems. BUT, I don't live there. SO, I'm gonna keep enjoying our plethera of EA82s, and beat them like they owe me money!

Sorry I didn't see your car in there Jeff... They have had quite a few new ones on tonight though, so maybe it will be in another one. The one with the two Foresters is pretty good too. I like how they pull the old Forester out of the garage with the boat attached to the rear, to make room for a new Forester. There's a For Sale sign on the dash of the old Forester, and the guy is kinda looking around inside the car like "well S**t". The next scene is both Foresters safe in the garage with the boat for sale at the curb... A mans gotta have his priorities!