Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Auto to D/R Swap completed! And a visit from Miles Fox and the guys


Recommended Posts

Got my work DONE!!! Miles Fox, Myoss Feece, and Zanny Dook came out from Indiana and we did the job in 2 days. Replaced my busted old engine AND converted from a 3 speed auto to a D/R all at once. Besides getting the job done we also had a great time hanging out. Friday night around 10 the guys got into town... so we hung out for a while and drank a few beers. Then we went out into town to pick up a pizza, and the guys were shocked at the number of Subarus out here. So... we rolled up to the Subaru dealer and I showed them the 300+ Soobs in stock! Went back to James' place ( a block from my house) and hung out some more, and then James fell asleep sitting up as he usually does. Soon after that Miles fell asleep on That 70's Couch. Me and Myoss Feece and Zanny Dook went back to my place and went to bed, by then it was about 3AM.

 

Saturday morning we got up and got some food, drove around town a little bit, and then got to work on the car at about noon. By 12:40 the engine was out, and by 2 the trans, shifter, steering column, and pedal box were out. Then we got to work on installing the D/R trans. Had it up in there by 3 or so, and then we went in Myoss Feece's RX with a stripped exhaust stud out to Citgo to get some drinks and then to Advance to get gaskets for the engine. On the way there we were eyed by a bored local cop, who snuck around to the alley across from the Citgo and watched us get drinks. Then when everyone was getting back in the car, he pulled into the Citgo and waited for us to leave, then followed us down the road. I was driving and thought he was following me, so I turned onto a side street and sure enough he followed. I pulled off into a parking space and he lit up. Turns out he had been following us around because of the exhaust noise. Since the car was from out of state he couldn't do a thing about it (how can you issue a fix-it ticket for someone who will be 400 miles away in a day) he just gave us a warning and let us go. I guess with both me and Fox in the car, the cops are attracted to us like a magnet. When we finally got back to the house we got to work on the engine- swapped the intake manifolds (donor engine was an SPFI block with a carb intake, turned it back into a true SPFI), replaced the rear main seal and valve cover gaskets. Finished putting all the accessories and things on it, and then hoisted the engine up over the car. By this time it was about 7:00 and dark out. I ran up to K-Mart and got an outdoor extension cord so we could run the drop light outside. After trying to get the engine in for half an hour or so, the guys figured out that they couldn't move it around enough using the tow rope we picked it up with, and that we had to get a chain and hooks. So, we called it a night, put the tools away, cleaned up, and went up to the grocery store and grabbed some food. We had a cookout when we got back to my place, had hot Italian sausage, burgers, hot dogs, and of course plenty of beer. After the cookout we busted out the old school video games- Genesis, Nintendo, and Atari, and played for a few hours. By 12 we were all totally beat- Fox had already passed out on my mini-couch (how the hell does a 6'4"+ guy sleep on a 4 1/2' couch??) by then. So... Myoss Feece went over to James' place to sleep on the couch, and Zanny Dook took the guest bed and I went off to my room to sleep.

 

Sunday morning we got up and went to Lowe's to get the chain. With that picked up, we went back to my place and got to work putting the engine in. We had some trouble with the motor mounts, but finally had the engine bolted in by 1:30 or so. Right about then Jared showed up in the XT6. The engine had a stripped out exhaust stud hole, so we went down to Napa to get a helicoil kit- of course they didn't have one. Went back to Lowe's (and checked out some really good looking girls), then to Sears, and nobody had anything we could use. So, we decided to just put it together with what we had and hope it worked. Got back home and worked on the stuff some more, and finally had everything ready to go by 5:30. I took the car for a test run and it ran GREAT!!! Engine is wonderful, and the D/R works great. We went ahead and put my Pugs on and then took some pics. After that the Indiana guys hit the road, hopefully they ended up having a good trip. These guys really are miracle workers- I thought I'd seen it all until I saw them working. They truly are gods when it comes to wrenching on Subarus.

 

After all this work there are only minor things to be done. I need to get more console pieces (see below) and a speedometer cable (see below), and I also need to permanently wire the neutral safety switch, just have a jumper in there now.

 

As we found out... here's the stuff you need to do a 4WD 3 speed auto to D/R swap:

-Trans (duh)

-Shifters

-Driveshaft

-Trans crossmember

-Pedal set

-Clutch pressure plate

-Clutch disc

-Throwout bearing

-Pilot bearing

-Flywheel

-Clutch cable

-Speedometer cable (turns out the manual's is longer)

-ALL console pieces, both upper AND lower (oops)

 

Pics of everything can be seen here: http://usmb.net/gallery/Auto-to-D-R-Swap?page=1

 

And as they say in Germany... das ist alles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The guys made a pit stop in C-Bus on the way back home, and it sounded like you guys had a blast over the weekend.

 

Give them the resources they need to get the job done, and you can bet your rump roast, the job WILL get done. And it will get done right.

 

I definitely hope to have them back over to give me a hand on my next project.

 

john

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it was all fun, got to see WV and morgan town, i dont know what i saw more of, subarus or hot chicks! got to ride in an xt6 for the first time, see how they run.

 

we did a bang-out job on the car, but if was pissoble it could have been done in one day.

 

we will definately make the trip again..just to hang out:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

70 miles on it and running like a top...

 

I can't even describe how it feels to be driving a manual where it once was an automatic. That auto gave me so much trouble (well not the new one, but the first one I had)... I fart in its general direction.

 

Can't wait to see that video... I actually haven't peeped it yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

zanny dook got arrested on the waty home last night. no worry, 50 bucks later and we were on our way as if nothing happened.

 

boy those cops didnt know what think, or what to do for that matter. turns out my bench warrant in that town has disappeared, because the last time thay me and zanny dook rolled thrui that town together, I got arrested.

 

so future trips, we will have to bring bond money, just in case, as these things seem inevetable (at least we didnt leave him behind, but only 75 miles from home)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by oddcomp

good job

but 1 thing

hey miles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

nice hat

 

 

lol j/k :D:D

 

Don't be dissin' the FOX HELMET

 

 

Just thought I'd post my favorite pic from the weekend:

Picture_030.jpg

Left to right:

Jared (not sure if he reg'ed here yet, if he did his name is jcl16t), James (raverjames21), Zanny Dook, Erik (Miles FOX), Danny (Myoss Feece), and me. And of course... 4 bottles of Bell's Amber Ale.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the DUTWEILLER HELMET is pimp! keeps my hair fropm getting FYOSTEY while under the soob

 

looking at the pics of the jackstand collapse, looks like i would have survived anyway if i wouldnt have been too quick to jump out from underneath. the cinder block saved the tranny.

 

not the first time a car has fallen off, but this would be my narrowest escape, althought it didnt fall down far enought to crush me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You guys ever think about being on Junkyard Wars?

 

 

Alaska would be a mighty trek. I think it's like 2,000 miles from OR/WA area. I don't think you would ever leave if you came up here though! Hey, Fox already has the hat for it:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you all can come over to my place anytime if ya wanna tear into my wagon.. needa do a 3at 4wd to 5-speed 4wd both pushbutton of course.. i'm only a couple hours farther south east than Steve... :D if ya wanna come this summer we can figure out a tent for ya'll to crash in.. have enough room for that no prob..

 

maybe i can unload a soob onto you guys too, lol...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Meeky Moose

you all can come over to my place anytime if ya wanna tear into my wagon.. needa do a 3at 4wd to 5-speed 4wd both pushbutton of course.. i'm only a couple hours farther south east than Steve... :D if ya wanna come this summer we can figure out a tent for ya'll to crash in.. have enough room for that no prob..

 

maybe i can unload a soob onto you guys too, lol...

 

And pick me up on the way down, I wanna go. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah it wasn't bad at all, we actually had alot of fun. We had the car complete I would say in a matter of 10 hrs, but it took two days because of running around for parts and food and what-not.

 

As far as the invitations go for the crew (me, miles,) mostly and occasionally a third person I will drive to where ever and work a weekend on some soob simply for gas money, I am not trying to charge any body but I will be quick to claim on unused parts.

 

on the way home we had a motor, intake, tranny, rear diff, a set of front fenders, three bags of clothes, three people, set of heads, starter, and radiator in the back of the rx and I was actually a comfortable ride for all in the car.

Oh yeah we also had a spare set of timing belts because we are running open belt covers.

 

any ways, good luck to all with future projects, and be creative with your cars because I believe your car is a reflection of your personality. l8ter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...