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!

aww, no more pvc roof rack? Go for ABS

awesome!! can't wait to see your progress.

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!

Edited February 26, 201016 yr by Ratty2Austin

Nice finds!!!

I'm glad to see you're putting a DR in...it always strikes me funny when those 20+ yr old parts are put in a newer car.

Get a clue Subaru!

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!

If you are willing to separate the diff, I might be interested in it. Is the diff open or LSD? Oh and I guess the year of the car would be good as well. I need an early 90's diff because I am going to be putting an EJ 4EAT in my loyale and I need a diff that has the stubs. So ya dibs on the diff

Aust

 

I need a forester top rear strut cap to get some specs off of for the pattern SJR

Oh, I should add that this is fantastic! I LOVE the look of a lifted legacy, and if a lift kit becomes available that you can just buy and not have to fab up yourself, I would LOVE to get a legacy

 

Looks like this is going to be a good build, I look forward to seeing the final product! Keep up the good work!

Aust

 

I need a forester top rear strut cap to get some specs off of for the pattern SJR

 

 

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~

 

 

 

If you are willing to separate the diff, I might be interested in it. Is the diff open or LSD? Oh and I guess the year of the car would be good as well. I need an early 90's diff because I am going to be putting an EJ 4EAT in my loyale and I need a diff that has the stubs. So ya dibs on the diff

 

 

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)

Edited February 26, 201016 yr by Ratty2Austin

I'll make a you a good deal on my welded diff...

Oh, I should add that this is fantastic! I LOVE the look of a lifted legacy, and if a lift kit becomes available that you can just buy and not have to fab up yourself, I would LOVE to get a legacy

 

Not trying to hijack.....

 

But EJ lift kits ARE available right now.

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)

 

Sorry I didn't respond to this early, I didn't notice it! So it's all good I am getting a 4.11 diff that is that is the non-stub style with the trans, and that was my next option converting it, but I would honestly rather just pick one up with the stubs and be done with it. Scott offered me one off of a 91 legacy so it worked out , but thanks for getting back to me!

 

Not trying to hijack.....

 

But EJ lift kits ARE available right now.

 

I do believe I read something about a highguys lift? I am correct on this? That and swapping springs and other tidbits can get you more lift, I do believe as well.

 

Either way, it will be good to have more than one person/business producing the lifts. That just means that if I do get a legacy at some point, it will be even easier, and hopefully cheaper due to competition, to lift it! Keep up the good work guys!

 

I do believe I read something about a highguys lift? I am correct on this? That and swapping springs and other tidbits can get you more lift, I do believe as well.

 

Either way, it will be good to have more than one person/business producing the lifts. That just means that if I do get a legacy at some point, it will be even easier, and hopefully cheaper due to competition, to lift it! Keep up the good work guys!

 

As long as it results in more and more lifted subarus to come out and play..........

 

It's all good

Hey I have a Brighton as well. Its a 95. Are they all wired up for a tachometer and all that is needed is to install the cluster? It looks great.

Hey I have a Brighton as well. Its a 95. Are they all wired up for a tachometer and all that is needed is to install the cluster? It looks great.

 

Yep! that appears to be the case, I just unplugged my tach-less cluster, and installed the full-feature one from the OBW/L series, and it all worked fine!

Awesome!!! I just bought and installed a cluster from a 96 leg. Thanks for the tip. It looks goooood! I am going to be following what you are up to closely. What you are doing is pretty similar with what I plan to do in the near future.

Photo update...

 

last week I cut a few lift blocks out, and cleaned them up on the sander, in prep for making the front A-arm and trans mount lift block assembly....

 

keepin my face safe...

 

cutting blocks with the awesome bandsaw

 

cut out blocks, being drilled...

 

 

and of course, other projects that were going on at the shop too- an EJ22+EA82 swap.... wiring resolution.

 

Ah yes...pulling the intake man to run a new engine harness. Once I get my little project done, we'll have to work together on that EJ on-board air system.

It was good meeting you, Austin...your and Scott's new lift design looks top-notch!!!

Made another trip up to B-ham yesterday, although since I had slept in, and Scott had some plans for the evening, we only accomplished a few things...

 

But when I had arrived, Scott was under his new JustyMonster project, removing the non-essential pieces for his project...

 

 

The lift blocks are almost done, I helped cut a few more metal bits... these are the x-member lift blocks, with the other lift pieces in the background...

 

 

 

I brought home the entire front and rear suspension/x-member assemblies, outback struts and stuff last night, so that during the week this coming week- I can prep Waterwagon 3 (remove existing rusty suspension and drum brakes) and get it up on blocks so that the lift and new suspension can be installed...

Today I spent time tearing Waterwagon apart, to prepare for the lift kit, and the new undercarriage pieces... so I removed just about everything- all except for the tranny and engine crossmember... (because I don't have enough jackstands/jacks/blocks to support the trans and engine at the moment- or at least I didn't feel like it yet... )

 

 

I removed the damaged steering rack from the front x-member, and of course all the rest of the suspension....

 

Dropped the rear x-member too, man that diff is rusty! (seems to work just fine on the inside, though..)

 

Rear body bolt-holes were in good shape, pretty amazing considering that one of the bolts that came out was so stuck that I had to get out the big breaker bar, since the 1/2 drive impact gun could not break it loose!

 

 

Here is the "new" gen1 legacy rear end that will take the rusty piece that I just removed from the wagon... (and upgrade to rear disc brakes!)

 

 

Here is the old steering rack- (part of it) that will also be replaced....

 

 

Here is the new (gen1) front x-member and steering rack and non-broken hubs!

 

oh, and here is the tool box!

 

Next step, I need to head back to B-ham this week a few times, and get some more work done with Scott, and hopefully have a kit to install, along with the rest of the parts back into waterwagon 3.....

 

woot!

looks like its ready to be hauled to the scrap yard:grin:

 

 

go man go !!!!!!

Here is the "new" gen1 legacy rear end that will take the rusty piece that I just removed from the wagon... (and upgrade to rear disc brakes!)

 

 

That had rear drum brakes....really? I thought Subaru was more advanced than that in 95'.

Here is the "new" gen1 legacy rear end that will take the rusty piece that I just removed from the wagon... (and upgrade to rear disc brakes!)

 

 

That had rear drum brakes....really? I thought Subaru was more advanced than that in 95'.

 

 

They were.... unless you bought the Brighton- über base model... (the base model foresters and imprezas had drums too, I think even the current ones!)

 

 

 

One lift kit complete! Today will be the install test- to make sure it fits, and that all the holes and bolts line up

 

Lift blocks galore!

 

 

Scott welding the re-inforced lift blocks together (the "missing link" for the EJ kits)

 

 

and welding the strut-tower blocks together...

 

 

 

More photos, and updates coming very soon! (Lift kit being installed today!)