mtsmiths

Subject to closer scrutiny and measuring: 1. Dump all the VW junk. 2. Full Subary running gear EFI (turbo?) and auto 4WD. Engine/tranny and suspension mounts so the driveline and exhaust can run under the pan (it's gonna have PLENNY ground clearance. 3. Move the roll cage top sidebars to a doubled center, a'la T-top. 4. Rework the rear engine compartment into a frame for a pick-up bed. 5. All the goodies to make it a street legal cage car (including wipers ... a must in Hawaii). 6. I'll do the body skins (I've got some wild ideas on that one). So, would it work and how many bushels of money might I need?

and clamping it to the e-brake at night too ... but that's for ME!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2440800905&category=6737&rd=1

Not installed yet. I'll put it on when I get back to Montana. My car hasn't needed one because we have a heated garage. This winter the poor thing will have to live outside 'cause I'm going to work on my airplane in MY garage slot. Actually, I bought the heater for my last plane, but then sold it down to SoCal before I installed the pad.

http://listings.ebaymotors.com/aw/plistings/newtoday/category6467/index.html?from=R4

Drive 70 on the interstate .... or DIE!

on or out of 4-Hi. It just slides noislessly, at ANY speed, well, at least up to 70, that's the fastest I've gone in 4WD. Done that in a total of well over 100,000 miles counting both of our GL-10s, and never had a problem. Nothin' straightens out an inadvertant slide like snapping into 4-Hi!

There IS a little wind noise at 70mph, about like tire hum, can't hear with windows up. With my heavy duty zip-up roof bag it's gonna be a big help schlepping my stuff back home.

and drive it for another 200,000 miles. We bought a 2000 Legacy with 100,000 miles on it, and the car was only 13 months old! We're at 145,000 with no problems at all. My '87 was bought with 130,000, it now has 205,000 and later this week I'll pile my stuff back in it and drive it from MD to MT, non-stop. Take care of 'em and they'll treat YOU right for years.

If you're looking for a good roof rack fit for an ea82 wagon series. I picked the rack offen a Toyots SR-5 wagon and put it on my '87 (for the trip back to Montana). The size is perfect, it looks good, has both front/back and side rails, and the best part ... intergal roof tracks. Eight screws and it's all done, and no lining all those skid tracks up.

george.smith@gablesigns.com I'll send a check.

Swarfare, follow this good avice, you may well prevail, and at least by trying you won''t feel so damn victimized. But remember, and everyone else DON'T BUY WARRANTIES! It's a scam.

... and I'll put it back together again!

Never mind, I won't go there.

The language that absolves the dealer from responsibility is in the contract. It's a shame that dealers do this, but they make 50% of what you paid (and probably financed), so they do. All service warranties are just insurance policies, and almost all underwriters are fly-by-night scammers. Listen everybody DO NOT BUY WARRANTIES! After the dealer tries to sell you one, ask how much per month it will add to your payment. Then REFUSE, vehemently! Go home and open a dedicated savings account and put that much money in it per month, then if you have a mechanical you will have YOUR money put away for the repair. Oh, and tell the dealer that you were getting the car fixed so you would get your best price on a private sale because you WERE coming back to buy an new Baja, but now NOT, you'll go to another dealer. Sorry this happened to you, join the fight against warranty rip-offs!

Raise 'em for the interstate and long highway driving. The studs are at 32 to give better 'squish' and bigger footprint on ice.

Dat kah, plenny ono ****, mebbe get all hamajang***** an' huli******, den all bus'up******* ... auwe********! (*) Pidgin translation *WOW! **crazy ***better watch out ****neat, delicious, kewl *****crooked, sideways, twisted ******roll, flip (mostly when you 'huli da wa'a' (flip the racing outrigger canoe *******broke, wreck ********woe, Oh NO!

We run at 36psi for normal driving (whitefish, Montana, definately mountain driving). When we take a long trip on the interstate we up to 38. With the studded tires we go down to 32.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2440285847&category=6467

Maybe you could spraypaint the inside of the clear cup domes silver or body color, snap 'em in, and call it good. Sometimes I amaze MYSELF!

We discussed a complete axle swap during the meet at the Pine Barrens. Unfortunately I live (and my lovely heated garage is) in Whitefish, Montana; while I am staying in a motel in Linthicum, Maryland and temporarily working in Pasadena (south of Baltimore). I could just see myself pulling an axle swap in the MicroTel parking lot with my road kit! In the rain. NOT

The noise that started on the way up to Pine Barrens not only WAS a front wheel bearing, it was the LEFT bearing. The mechanic was impressed (I didn't tell him I had replaced the right one 15,000 miles ago) ... The stealership wanted $385.00, and two days. I called a foriegn parts company in the area and asked for the best Subaru repair guy they knew. Georges Foriegn Car Repair did it while I was at work for $187.00. All better now. The rain washed the sand outta the brakes. I'm happy.

Thanks to everyone for welcoming in a stranger ... well, not as strange as SOME! I think the high point was Luke catching the grille. I told him to try as a jest, and damned if he didn't get it on the second or so cast. When I stopped for breakfast Sunday morning on my way to the Air & Space Museum (to see the Wright Bros. exhibit and the Flyer up close) my brakes were still complaining about sand. I did make it back to BWI with the wheel bearing going (still moving but sounds u-u-gly!). When I talked to the Pretty One on the phone and told her how well Powder Patrol did in the sand she agreed we need to build a Subaru based glass-bodied beach car for Hawaii. I think I need to start with a hatch or 3-door for a donor ... Mudrat, put your thinking cap back on.

I pulled the head and dropped the pan in our apartment parking lot. The valves consisted of cleaning with a drill powered wire brush and 'lapping' with Ajax paste. I honed the cylinders the same way, with a borrowed honer in the same hand held drill. For the bearings I took the old bearings into an auto shop and bought the next oversize, bolted it together and tightened the hell out of it. It took a hundred feet of pushing it to break the engine free, and another block to get it running. But, it ran great, burned no oil and the guy who bought it from me drove it from SoCal to Guatamala and back and said it was one of the best running cars in the whole missionary group he was fielding with. Then there's the BonAmi ring jobs!

Wonder what mudrat could do with it?