Ratty2Austin

its available on 80-82 GL 4wd subarus only, including the 82 brat (and i am not sure about the gen1?) and on the 80 and 81 modles, it should have been so it only comes on with the headlights (low or high) and when the switch is on.... it is stock on the waterwagon Noah

I cut them off as well, and threw them away! but now I need to work on shielding the lower portion of the radiator, and the snorkel stuff.... and yes, repositioning the A bar..... but at least I got a skid plate now!! (need to see if it fits, and bolt it on, when I get some time) on another note, does anyone know if 27x8.5 BFG A/Ts will fit the forester struts? (anyone try them yet, or know if that size is too big to clear? I know it will be very close... but I am about to invest in new tires soon (and sell the ones on the car for cheap $$)

dude thats cool! we should get together sometime! (do you go to the meets at university firestone on fridays?)

heh, I used the "large" dremel- a cutoff wheel! it cut thru it like it was cheese I would like to reposition the A bar, but I will need to cut and re-weld the mounts I made for it.. so untill i can borrow someones welder, I cant do that yet.... I have been considering trimming the rear too, but the muffler and hitch are already lower than it, so it would be pretty pointless except for maybe cutting the lip off the very edges to prevent mud scooping...

heres some of the current mods done to the impreza so far.... still waiting on a skid plate, and a snorkel! I removed the intake (pre-air cleaner box) tubes, and trimmed the lower portion of the bumper off

yesterday in the minneapolis area, it poured the rain out like crazy! thunderstorms and flash flood warnings on the news... so i went puddle splashing! tonight on the way to the grocerey store, I came across a flodded road, and decided to take the impreza across it as fast as I could (accelerating from the point at wich i discovered it, so it was only about 35mph) and then I went back and did it again... the second time thru though, it must have sucked up some water because it slowed way down and the CEL came on it was blinking on and off a bunch, and the motor did not want to run when i was holding down the gas. it would idle just fine though, so it wasnt flooded completely- when i got to the apartment, i took the air filter out and it was completely soaked! so I think its time for the snorkel treatment, and a splash guard/skid plate to cover the bottom of the engine bay.... any of you MN guys want to help me out, with at least an idea of where I can get some of the needed things ( skid plate material? ) or where to get a good deal on parts for a snorkel (ABS/PVC pipe or drainage hose?) pics of the impreza's recent offroad mods to come soon too and.. I am still looking for a PS rack!!

woah! waterwagon in action!!! too bad you got stuck hope it has been working out for you otherwise... say.. you havent changed your plates yet? did you ever get it registered to you? or are you just driving it in MI but registering it in WA? shoot me a email or something cant wait to go wheeling with ya again!

will the EJ lift fit my 94 impreza in a 4" kit? I am using forester struts with impreza strut tops (the rears only, they have smaller top bolt spacing than the 98 forester strut tops, if that applies to the kit design?) I may need to hold off on this till i get my money saved up- but i am very interested in the lift!!

does anyone know if the stock impreza tow points in the front qualify for the specs at this event? my car has NO RUST at all down there, so I could imagine that its probably stronger than a lot of the cars there anyways and what will the camping arrangements be like? if a bunch of us subaru nuts are there, could/will we be grouped together? (for the fun of it of course) and.... and... i dont remember what my other question was... so who is actually planning on going this year? I have to wait and see what funding will be like when comes the time but I will certainly try!

DUDE!!! cool!!!! I think I reallllllly need to lift (with a kit) my impreza before I decide on my tire purchase!

you gave it an oil change right???? try some synthetic in it.. made both my brat and my impreza run way better when I did!

well, my impreza is just close to 179k... not that old yet the 83 wagon I had a while back (its in SLC UT somewhere now?) had 325k on it when I drove it to its new owner- ran great! there is that one 99 outback in europe owned by some old guy who just drives and drives (its on the high milage subaru club website) and he has around 800,000 Km on it!!!! (they have a photo of the cars odo too)

I had this thought, and I suppose many of you have as well... the trouble with the EJ offroad ideas come down to not having a dual range, (or the center diff) I can change my wheeling habits to adapt to having 3 open diffs (or less if I LSD/weld/ DCCD) Q---> is there a way to install, either from another vehicle, or made from a machine shop, a new first gear pair? afterall, if I change the 2 gears to match, then I wouldnt have to change anything else in the tranny would I? I rememer the ~85 toyota tercel 4wd "toasterwagons" had a 1st gear that was lower than 1st high making a low range in one gear only... thus it was a 4spd with a reallly low 1st gear (making it a 5spd) or something like that anyone torn into this idea before?

I will see if I can go! I will need a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit (wal mart for those?) and some spare parts for the imp... I also realllllllly neeeeeed a skid plate for the engine bay- anyone have some metal and a welder? I can attach it to the existing A bar (it goes all the way back to the x member, so I can attach either a full metal plate to the bar, or maybe weld some captive nuts to the bar to make the plate removable?) I also need to figure out my idle control circuit issue...I think maybe a new AIC valve, and adding a better ground wire to the engine in a few spots will help the issue... I hope..... otherwise I would like to replace or modify my engine... turbo? I would like to make a rear bumper protector, or just replace both bumpers with tube/ C-channel metal bumpers! and I realllly need a roofrack to carry a spare tire, that I also dont have! so how much was the entry to this event? is it a one price, or per day we stay? (did I just not see the memo?) what I would really like to have done before I go, but not likley... dual range tranny!!! (or anyone know where I can get a new gear set made for my 5mt..... I think that just replacing the 1st gear pair with a lower ratio will help a lot, and wont cause too much trouble with street driving!) let the mods to the imp continue!

arrrrg! go figure... sorry guys, I cant make it, and only due to my relatives from the east coast coming to visit @ the lake cabin in WI this same weekend... and I cant miss them, I dont get to see them very often at all.... I will make it to the next outing though if there is no plans premade for me! if this job I am going after works out, I should have a pretty neat shift (a 3day/12hr+ every other sunday?) so lots of time to play! (and sleep ) have fun, and take good pictures to share with those who missed out on a good time!

yep!! i made it home just fine, rolled in at exactly midnight last night... unloaded the bike and disconnected the trailer and got some rest... I have drivin many many miles... unknown amounts... both of my previous jobs have been delivery jobs, usually racking up about 150 miles+ each 8 hour work day.... for about 3 years or so too.... I drove with my grandma from pheonix to seattle and then back again a few summers ago- so theres 3200~ miles round trip.... I have put about 6k on my new motorcycle, and about 3k on my previous one (honda shadow) this trip to MN from seattle was my 6th driving trip on the same route... so theres about 10,200 miles just in my MN commute alone.. and 3 of those trips was with a heavy trailer behind the impreza!! so yeah.. I think I qualify as being quite the high milage driver! now my impreza needs a bath! and a power steering rack... :-\

well, it has been a HOT trip.. I am in a campground in Keystone, SD... I went to devils tower, near sundown.. so the pics are more shilouet ish (bad spelling, i know ) and then continued on to Mt Rushmore... made it there just after dark.. and I was dead tired.. there is a campground right in keystone.... for 20 a night, and it has free WiFi!!!!! woooooo!! so I am doing good, I will be taking I-90 the rest of the way to 35, then to MSP.... pictures should be sweeeet! (I will upload them for all to see soon!) and even better yet, there are showers here too!!!! yeah! tomorrow will be another intense day for me and the non AC impreza in the 90+ deg heat

yeah, the crab meal from Northguy and Snoman was the BEST!!!! thanks a lot!!! (maybe next year I will bring some Wisconsin cheese? ) as for distance.... its about 1700 miles each way for me... I am heading out in a few minutes, heading back to MN... see ya later!

the impreza is loaded up once again for the trip to minneapolis from seattle! probably going to take the same ol' route again... I-90 to I-94 thru ND.. but possibly considering a different route? would like to take I-84 to I-80 and then go N on I-35.... would definately be a lot longer trip, but more site seeing? (new areas for me and the impreza though!) would it be better or worse for the trailer and the impreza? (hills and rough road is bad for my itty bitty tires on the trailer, and weight+EJ18 is hard on uphill) I will check up on this post in the morning before I head out if anyone has any suggestions, or if you want to meet up again somewhere along the paths of where I could go? and most of you know my #, so give me a call here I go again!

I will add more to this when time allows, but her are a few sample shots from my cam...(I have lots more, still need to d/l from the camera) http://usmb.net/gallery/album112 I will have more on the DV camcorder, that I will be able to edit and possibly have a DVD video of the show (may take a little while, so please be paitient!) enjoy!

well, I am still not sure on a departure time, it will either be tonight or tomorrow early morning- depends on if I get ahold of Jrach (who is somewhere in MI?) if not.. then tomorrow morning definately leaving- I should reach bozeman sometime thursday early morning or wednesday late night.... late night if I could stay there somewhere? !! --> free range and Adog - I should be able to call you when I get close by, caravan is available for pickup at that time.. seems like my passenger room is still good to go- cargo can go in the trailer if you need to pack big- you know my number too if you need to set up a pickup time/location or whatever!

well, I have tried to call him 3 times now, left messages too.. still no reply- Ed, if he calls you, let me know where he is and if he wants to meet up with me tomorrow or whenever he decides to start heading back, so that I can begin my westward drive-

nope, I am driving it! the lifted impreza will be at the show!! I am going to pull the bike in the trailer when i return home to MN.... as for a friday caravan.. I am in with the rest of the seattle area crew if you guys want to time it right with me? whens the planned time of day friday to head down? or location to meet at? give me a call, cause I am going to be offline till I get there- leaving tomorrow or wednesday in the car- see ya there!!!

I am heading out tomorrow or wednesday, the MN to WA trip once again! I should be there friday evening

when I installed the forester struts on the imp, i had to switch the strut caps over to impreza caps, but only the caps, the springs can stay... just try swapping the rear caps over and they should fit fine