Ratty2Austin

Oops! another victim of the weak point on the EJ front arms... Just a pointer, I think (not 100% sure though) that gen 1 and 2 legacy arms are interchangeable, this will make the junkyard trip easier... (double check though, I am only going by memory here) SJR and I thinking of reinforcing the lower control arms when I do my lift kit, on my Legacy- to avoid the bend you have here- I will let you know if the strengthening idea works! Your imp is looking good so far!

Oh, yes! I did check that out for you yesterday, The Forester Rear Strut cap uses the SAME bolt pattern, and large circle diameter, as the OBW rear strut cap! so you won't have to change it between OB and Forester struts! I tool the OB strut cap, and the Forester strut cap, and placed them back to back (bolts to bolts) and they all lined up perfectly.... so that answers that Q~ Sorry to burst your bubble, but the Diff has the non-stubs (the kind that get inserted into the axle) which is why I am also converting to the older style diff+ gen1 legacy rear axles.... but if you are interested still (because the diff can be converted to stubby style!) I can seperate it from the tranny sale... oh, and I am pretty sure its an open diff (being a '98 Brighton and all)

While I had the car in the shop, I grabbed some photos of the current underside condition- the rusty suspension bits! this bolt broke when I was changing a CV the other week.... not a fun time. And just another note- I will be selling the AWD trans and 4.11 rear diff+driveshaft when I have the DR installed... it works just fine I also need to find an EA82 clutch and flywheel, and maybe a one piece driveshaft (or just the end pieces from any old subaru driveshaft) for my project... so if anyone has that, or is interested in some trading/selling... lemmy know!

Today I got a few of the little things "upgraded" in the wagon, and I also gathered some more parts, including tires for the beast! Here are some of the things from today and the past few days... (multiple trips to PAP, and a big SCORE at PAP!) Dashboard stuff.. I have a Brighton, which means, boring. No tach, all black plastic, ect.. but some of this I do like, such as the crank windows and non power anything but the no tachometer was a bit bothersome sometimes.. So while at PAP, I found a 98 OBW that had struts, and a good cluster! So an easy swap, and viloa! For those of you who are curious about swapping clusters for whatever reason, they are interchangeable- the Brighton/L/OB since the plugs on the back are the same.... I also got a slick wood grain vent trim piece too! As far as other big pieces of the puzzle, here are the other big parts finds.... Not an LSD, but it does go with the item in the photo below.. 5spd D/R, and 98 OBW struts! Oh, and of course, I did say I found tires... (thanks Noah!) Yep. 27x9x14 TSL SuperSwampers! (slightly used) Oh, and here is my "Score" at PAP.... 98 OBW, and a 86? GL 4wd wagon, right next to eachother! and someone had already pulled the engine out of the GL, and left me a 5spd DR! Sweetness! more coming up soon!

It's ok, I can take it.. besides, you already told me it was doomed... so please post the pics here! Guess people should know what happened to the legend that was, Waterwagon 1

Let's not forget Waterwagon 1 and 2!!! And a video clip... And of course, as soon as it's complete, I will have full documentation on how the Waterwagon 3 snorkel is made!

After the official christening of Waterwagon 3, I have decided to take the 3rd in a line of successfully modded wagons to the next level! Here is the beginning, of Waterwagon 3! The plans for my wagon will be similar to the previous WWs but, since this car is a lot nicer to start with than the previous wagons, (and a lot newer) it should be a better finished product. That, and with the help of SJR (Scott) and his excellent fabrication abilities, the build up should be pretty awesome! In doing this project, I am also helping (motivating) Scott to add the EJ lift kits to his line of products- fitting legacy models from 90 to 99 (OB and L series!) The first few steps will not be actually modding my wagon, first we must finish the design and strength testing of the lift blocks used for the EJ series, since the suspension bolt locations are different than the EA bodies- and there has been a strength issue where the front control arms mount to the body. The front floorpan from a gen1 legacy has been cut and stripped, and then flipped over, and this is what we are using as a "pattern" or a jig to test fit the new lift blocks to be used... (a whole lot easier than working under the car) some of the lift blocks are already complete, and ready... Like the crossmember spacers Scott, hard at work welding up some lift blocks.... Here is the "trouble spot" on the EJ lift kit.. Ideas ideas... meanwhile... some EA lift kits have been ordered, so Scott prepares them for shipping... And of course, more motivation for me to upgrade my tires to something a bit beefier, the other day on my way home from the post office I heard a "pop" sound, so I pull over to check the tires, and on the inside sidewall of the rear tires this is what I found!! Time to get some SSRs or BFGs under this beast! Oh, and much like previous waterwagons, this one will include a snorkel! (I have some ideas for a re-design to make the appearance a little more unique!) I am also planning on a 5spd D/R with a single piece driveshaft, some interesting lighting, (interior and exterior) and maybe even a low-pro non-pvc roofrack And hopefully front AND rear custom bumper/A bar type things... (im thinking with a built in bicycle/dirtbike rack!) This thread is where the updates, progress, problems, suggestions and other EJ- lift related/Waterwagon3 related discussion will be! so feel free to discuss/ask/suggest!

Hehe.. not quite, although that is interesting! and if I had more time/money, I would be tempted to use the butt of that legacy to make a trailer/or limo wagon... but alas, that is not the project we needed this front-chunk of car for. So you know what kind of car this is off of, do you know what is going on here? I am going to begin the new Waterwagon 3 Build-up/SJR+EJ Lift thread, link here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?p=905144

I don't think it's that bad, Let's see where this goes! I think it looks pretty cool

Hey dude! wassup! welcome back You and me both are gonna get back into lifted subies eh? (check out the waterwagon 3 thread) See ya round!

I have a few photos... not much yet of the actual research of the wagon, but some from the initial trip up and parts scrounging for the build up! the trip up.... (note my new mirror... the first mod!) my first task was to source some parts... (not parts for my car, but for a pattern of sorts, "research tools") Scott and I made short work of this wagon... Tomorrow I will be heading to the Pull-a-part(s) to gather remaining parts that I am hoping to find (5spd D/R, EA82 flywheel+clutch in good shape) and OBW struts..... Then hopefully (if Scott is available, back to B-ham to get some more stuff done.... )

We should get rollin' on installing the lift kit... I have more details for you, I will talk to you at work this week.. Ready for a 3" lift?

Really? weird.. go figure eh? well... maybe the ones I saw with the adjustable struts had been swapped already then! good to know, thanks

True- that was the EA81 rear torsion bar, But... If you go to your local wrecking yard, or check the for sale section on this board, find yourself some 85-89 *GL 4WD wagon* rear struts, which are preload-adjustable- this can give you the rear height adjustment you are looking for- and they are not too hard to install either

So today some research has been done... Parts have been sourced... no mods were made *yet* But soon, Waterwagon 3 will be no longer "vanilla" Pics will be uploaded soon.... so stay tuned! (oh, once new pics are up, I will start a new "project" thread)

Actually, I was running 2" or 3" pipe, (cant remember, but it was not the small stuff!) and I ran the lights off of a metal bar that I had used U-bolts to clamp the bar onto the PVC... I did not have any holes drilled into the pipe at all, it was all attached via hose clamps, zip ties and U bolts. The pipe did flex a little bit from time to time, but like I said earlier, it held up to wheelin' and the weight of things stacked up there! just follow the directions on the primer/glue bottles and you are set!

No problem I figured i would just throw in my 2 cents... oh, and if anyone is wondering, that basket thingy in the rear section of my PVC rack, is actually the OEM rack basket from a nissan x-terra SUV... it was in the used car department at work, they were removing it and gonna toss it, so I grabbed it and it was funny because it fit perfectly like it was meant to be there! so I just secured the edges with zip ties/hose clamps and it worked out great as a carrier for smaller items (or gas cans and spare tires too)

some better pics of my former waterwagon 2... the rack- The PVC/ABS pipe holds up well if you glue it together correctly, and it has many uses- you can drill and screw into it, or use hose clamps to clamp it to/clamp stuff to it, you could even put a fluid/air fitting on there and use it as a storage tank! (non corrosive/fuel, that is!) I did not have any trouble with my rack up there, even with the lights and the goofy overhang- Qman once he saw it, said "your gonna loose that on the first wheelin trip out" and, either I got lucky, or it was tougher than it looked, because it was there just how I made it, 'till I sold the car!

I did see a Forester parked facing the water, down near the south end of the beach... could that have been you? hmm.... lol As for salt water and rust, this wagon was an east-coast, AND midwest car, before it ended up here.. don't worry.. I am not adding much to what is already there.... besides, most of the "damage" is going to get cleaned up when the lift kit, or new parts go into it.. (either that, or I will just destroy it before the rust can...)

Here is a video clip from the day at the beach....

Thanks! Hopefully, yes... it would seem that each time I build a 'wheeler, I get better at it, at least in the department of functional/quality... since I learn from the previous projects, I know what little things I could do better on the next ones... besides general maintenance, (which this one needs a bunch very soon) I am hoping to give this one the OB strut lift, probably the same tires my previous WW's have had (27" BFG A/T) but this one, I hope to get an actual lift kit of some sort, and converting it to a D/R part-time 4wd tranny... (yeah, EA-EJ back-wards swap time!) oh, and of course, a better looking, water-tight, snorkel! My biggest problem at the moment right now though, is money.. of course, I would love to do some wheelin' and dealin' (car parts sell/swap, or fixing cars for moola, of course!) to get the parts I need to make this happen.. hopefully I can figure my job shortage out so I can afford to get the parts to make this happen!

6 years ago on V-day, a few of us went to Long Beach, WA.. and had some fun on the beach.. it was a rainy day, and I had just a plain old 1980 GL-1600, with an ea81 and a 4spd D/R..... this wagon had taken a little stroll on the beach, and I drove it into the water- quite the splash-fest too! It had later been modified with an Ej22, 5spd d/r, lift kit and a snorkel... Waterwagon 1- back in the day.... Waterwagon 2.... (not the same story) but it did end up getting a Ej22 hack-job, and a OB strut lift and some awesome bumpers, and of course, the snorkel! This V-day, 6 years later, my current wagon made the same journey to Long Beach, and I also took it for a little swim in the Pacific Ocean! (to kick off it's life as Waterwagon 3!) More adventures to follow soon!

Of course, I have a few.. I probably should go back in the archives and upload some of the good ones from the past! Water Wagon 2 - oh yeah, and it's bad to offroad at night... you could almost fall off an edge! hopefully, I will have some shots of the (soon-to-be) Waterwagon3 doing some fun offroad stuff! (once all the lift bits are in place)

I dont recall seeing this in this thread, but to answer the clicking-CV problem after installing the OB struts- when you install the struts, to eliminate the clicking of CVs, you need to also unstall the lift-spacers from the outback- they are little mini-lift kit blocks that go in all the usual lift kit places, (like between crossmembers, etc) this makes it so the angle of the CVs don't change as much when you put the taller struts in

hmmmmmm..... I wonder what I am doing on sunday....