worknwood

This tool would work well for the fender cuts: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92115 I also come in an air tool version.

Can't blame you for not wanting to work in cold conditions, especially with the cold weather you are having right now. Things can wait for a better day. My interest was mainly to get your thread back on the front page.

It's been a while Steve; how about an update:-\

Try searching E-Bay, I found one for my '99 Forester that was reasonable and slipped right into the dash where my FM cassette was.

If you add all the white votes together the result would be overwhelmingly for a white car. The soul of this ff1 is white. # 2 is my vote. And I think you should have POS on the license plates . Just kidding about the POS. (inside joke) Darrell

The wife and I will be cruising from LA California to New Zealand and ports of call on the way. Will disembark at Wellington October 22nd, or Auckland on the 24th, subject to cruise lines OK for early disembarkation. Will be taveling by rented campervan for 10 to 12 days with a flight home leaving Nov. 3rd. May not be able to visit the south Island. What can we expect for the weather that time of the year, and what do you suggest as "must see/experience" of New Zealand features? We want to see as much of your beautiful country as we can, but we also want to visit with the folks that make your county what it is. Thanks for any input! Darrell

I don't have a lot of time this summer to spend on others projects, but could work in a couple of week ends if you think we could get the welding done in that time. You would have to bring the car up here though, so I could work on it as I have time. I have a oxy/acetylene set and a stick and wire welder, no mig and some body tools (harbor freight). If you want to do the work, thats fine, I can show you what I can, I'm no pro. We could feed you and put you up for a nite or two. I salvaged a 1980 toyota pickup that my grandson totaled, (lady pull in front of him), and I found the thin high carbon steel in Japanese cars to be hard to work. I think you are going to have to get it back into shape as close as you can and use fillers, thats what I had to do. As you know modern shops can't spend the time that the old timers did in shaping and leading in metal, fillers are much faster. Here are some pictures of my repair: http://picasaweb.google.com/dpdarnell/80ToyotaRepair Darrell

Sorry I didn't respond earlier, this site covers installing windshields well: http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/dent9.html Look at and page 2 and 3.

Anyone have any idea what this stuff will do to the Cat. converter? I put a can in the tank with a fill up in Elko NV on the way to Idaho Falls, trying to solve an engine light problem, and the engine seemed to run smoother and the light went out after a few more starts. Had the codes pulled at the dealer in Idaho Falls and they found a fissfire code and said I had a loose plug wire. ($45 and a bargain I thought) Light came back on the way home, changed plugs and it's out again. '99 Forester L 2.5 and it runs pretty good now, 142K with never ending piston slap.

Souns like a "salt" issue! When it goes back together use lots of anitsieze, and then before the end of fall season move to Arizona!!!!:lol:

Why do you want to remove the gas cap from the plastic strap? It's there to keep you from loosing it. It is a part of your emissions system and if your cap is loose, or not on; your engine light will come on. It gets in the way sometimes but I would not remove mine unless it was to repair or replace.

scroll down past the airplane; there are more pics.

oops! My bad, You wrote "Northeast to California" and I read Northeast California. Where your are headed may make the Wagon a better choice. A typical Californian will put 20k/yr.+ on a car. It's a big state and if you are going to travel the highways the wagon might be more practical. You can prolly carry more materials using the top rack and back or the wagon than you can in the Brat. The state has congested metro areas to vast wilderness, burning "Death Valley" deserts to Alpine Mts. Etc. And weather from one extreme to the other. Where you end up here could be more important than the towing issues.

Brat...Brat...Brat. I live in Plumas Co. northeastern CA. which is full of fun areas to see in a 4WD Brat. Plus there is no towing issue. Just get a good reliable tow bar. I have RV'ed a lot, and though I haven't pulled a toad, I have heard some real horror stories with tow bars the issue. BTW click the site below and you can check out some of the winter condition in the area: www.dot.ca.gov/dist2/travelmap.htm Welcome to beautiful Northeastern CA.

Try "Terrell's" (not sure of spelling) in Chico, they are near the tracks and south of the train Depot a few blocks. I'm away from my records and don't have the address. I had a head for my 88 RX rebuilt there and was very pleased with their work. The head had spit a valve seat that chewed thing up pritty good, plus there was the typical crack between the ports. They specialize in head rebuilding and may have answers to your other questions.

NICE!!!!! Steve. Remember you promised a trip up to Lake Almanor to show me the finished project. BTW have you come up with a replacement for the driver side door glass yet, I realy feel bad about that little misshap. I'm down in Arizona for the winter now and won't be back to No. Cal. until spring, will be staying tuned to this thread and your progress. Darrell.

Go here for the facts: http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/420.asp

Looks like your having a good time with the car Steve, I was a little concerned when I left it with you. I will be keeping up on your progress, and feel the pain with each little problem that you encounter. This Thread it getting huge, I had no idea there would be such interest. Darrell

If you want to pay the freight from northern CA. there is a painted roll bar on a pretty well toasted 79 brat in a Susanville junk yard, the place is pretty reasonable. I have no Idea what frieght whoud be nor when I would be able to get it for you ( probably 3 to 4 weeks). worknwood.

When I first opened the hood on the car in the junk yard, it had a rag stuffed into oil filler tube, it just didn't look right so I pulled it out. I don't think much of anything got into the engine from there. worknwood.

I had a lot of fun getting this little car out of the junk yard and to you Kostamojen, my wife even got excited about it after a while. I am sure it's landed in the right hands, and will give you a lot of headaches and a lot of pleasure. I too am eager to see the car as you progress and complete the restoration. The woodworker with a subaru habit.

It,s been a few days sense we have posted the progress of the FF1 delivery, so I thought I would recap from my end of things. I had trailer problems after leaving the junk yard and had to spend a couple of days on the trailer. Was ready to go for thursday and we had a rain forcast for the area, first of the season. At issue, I-5 from north of Woodland, south to Bakersfield is covered with a layer of tomato juice from the summer harvest, add a little rain and you have the worlds longest slip-and-slide:lol: . Other Highways are not as bad, but not a good time to travel. Saturday morning I have roadside clean-up duty with Elks Lodge 2626:clap: , and then We will be on our way to Roseville to take the FF1 to Kostamojen. I should have it in his hands by 5:00 P.M. The woodworker with a Subaru habit.

It's on a trailer in front of my house in Lake Almanor. I took some picts. of getting the car out of the yard, go here: http://picasaweb.google.com/dpdarnell/FF1Extraction It took a little longer than I expected, the car blocking it had stearing locked and was also locked in park. It, as well and the ff1 had flat tires that had to be addressed. I now have problems with the trailer and will not be able to deliver it to Steve when planned, maybe Friday or Saturday.