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a very slow build/swap thread.


mr sarcastic
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i've been looking around for the perfect representation of my high school sweetheart, a loyale wagon. my first car was a 91, push button 4 wheel drive. knowing what i know about cars now, that car shouldnt have lasted more then months with the stuff i did to it. when i moved on, it had 250k and my stepfather gave it to the kid down the street that drove it for a couple years after that. since then i've gotten deep into vw/audi, but i've always broken my neck checking out loyale's on the side of the road. so i bought one.

 

i picked up an 86 with high/low 4wd. finding any of these in the northeast is super tough, mother nature and the DOT winter salt take a toll on the body's and everything rots. i had my heart set on the dual 4wd setup, so i searched for a while. i found this one up in maine, 200k and a relatively body. i'll have some welding to do on the rockers, but thats about it. its got a bunch of clear coat peel, but thats not a worry to me. on a previous vw i had i bedlined the entire car, and thats my plan with this one. i used the generic black bedliner on that project, this one i plan on using the color matched stuff you can get online.

 

as for engine stuff, a swap is definitely in order. i've done bit of research, and i've decided on doing the ej22 swap. i've read i'll need an adapter for the tranny, which i'll probably need help to find. my plans also are to keep it carbed. so i'll be looking for an early ej22 with the slotted cams, a ford escort distributor, anything else? distant plans are gonna be for a supercharger. i have an eaton m90 in the garage that i'd love to mount on the intake with the a jetted weber carb on the other side. other plans are gonna be for the 6 lug conversion, lift, brush gaurd, ect. its gonna be fun.

 

so to start it off i've got a pic from where i discovered it. the dude is paid, i'll be up to grab it with a trailer in the next week or two. till then i'll just stare at this pic and dream about driving through potato fields and atv trails like i did with my first loyale.

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Welcome aboard! And nice subie, glad to see someone else up here with an old gen! There's a place that makes new rocker panels for these if you are interested. Takes a while to make them up and ship them out, but I've found them easier to work with then making my own! http://www.rustrepair.com/app2/onlinecat.htm?p=sm-subaru

 

Keep us posted!

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  • 1 month later...

small update with some pics. i've been driving it on and off, getting terrible gas mileage. 17-18mpg off the first couple tanks. the father in law and i tinkered with the carb, lots of stuff unplugged and capped off from the PO. it doesnt seem like the secondary was opening, it now is. a bit more power, now lets see if it helps the mpg's.

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DSC_0006 by phillipcdube, on Flickr

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DSC_0008 by phillipcdube, on Flickr

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DSC_0007 by phillipcdube, on Flickr

 

started poking at the rust and rot. nothing major on the rockers, just a couple quarter size holes that can be easily patched. the PO must have jacked it off the pinch weld and flattened it. no rust starting though. the rear quarters were a different story. super crusty and rotted with a piece of sheet metal riveted over to pass inspection.

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boxed it in.

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had to do this to both sides, did it fast, wasnt looking for perfection. this is gonna eventually be a trail beater painted completely with rubberized bedliner. they ended up like this...

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DSC_0009 by phillipcdube, on Flickr

still need to spray bomb this one.

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DSC_0010 by phillipcdube, on Flickr

the floors are solid, everything else is pretty good. another hole in the rear wheel well i patched up easily. i'm surprised considering the age, up here in NH most cars that arnt galvanized dont last more then 10-15 years without rotting out. this isnt bad for an 86.

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i had to apply for the plate, and have a explanation. i told them that my french grandmother used to call my old subaru, "Les Baru". they bought it, but, it will only take a few complaints for them to recall it.

 

as for plans, its definitely gonna be completely bedlined by the time summer comes back around. i dont use the roll on or rattle can, i have the gun to shoot it through my compressor. i did it to a vw i had a few years back and it came out awesome. you can get color matched rhynoliner for less then $200, so it'll be cheap and durable.

 

after that i'm gonna do the engine. still going back and forth about getting a early ej22 so i can put a webber on it, or just go straight to FI. i usually by complete donor cars when i do swaps, part out/scrap the rest to make my money back, so going to straight to FI is starting to sound more like the right thing to do cause i'll have everything i need.

 

then i'll do the suspension and wheels. get some 6 lug 15's with a pretty beefy tire. i still need to do my research on lifting it though. i'd like atleast 4", 5" would be perfect. i've read a bit about spacing the subframe and all that, still got to figure out what i'm gonna do for struts and springs. on the cheap obviously.

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there used to be a member on this forum that went by the username 'lesbaru'. Subarus did sponsor some LGBT in the 90's so to some people the subaru is associated with being a lesbian's car in the same manner that the minivan was the 'soccer mom's' car, or dudes with large trucks had small pants

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6 months ago when i started looking for a subaru, my wife started calling them "lesbaru's". we're vw/audi people, she felt she needed to bust my balls about it.

i was driving it yesterday and some lady was tailgating me, i looked into the rear view mirror, she was taking a pic with her phone. she gave me the thumbup.......

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6 months ago when i started looking for a subaru, my wife started calling them "lesbaru's". we're vw/audi people, she felt she needed to bust my balls about it.

i was driving it yesterday and some lady was tailgating me, i looked into the rear view mirror, she was taking a pic with her phone. she gave me the thumbup.......

 

 

Awesome! No complaints from that lady.

I think I will try and get my vanity plate when my tags are due in a couple months... I think I figured out how to get them to give me the plate I want.

we'll see if they go for it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

so i'm pretty much done welding up holes. gonna por15 the rest that's starting to show rust poking through. nothing major. i found a few more holse in the drivers side rear wheel well.

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welded them up.

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i proceeded to weld a bit more on the rocker. the mounting point for the rear "suspension beam" or whatever its called. managed to catch the carpet on the back seat foot well on fire, which melted the wiring harness running to the tank and rear lights. ************en awesome. spent a couple hours fixing that and its all better now.....

 

now i need to make some decisions about my engine swap. i've been searching craigslist for donor cars and i've found everything from legacy 2.2's, outback 2.5's, and foresters for cheap. i'm definately gonna go with a donor car.... any advice on whats gonna be my best bet? i'd like to eventually supercharge whatever i swap in, i have alot of experience with boosting vw's but never subarus.

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thanks dude. i've been getting better with my sheet metal welding, its taken me a bit to get a good feel for it. its definitely an art that takes mastering. this car has given me a bunch of practice....

 

i've come across a bunch of old legacy's for real cheap. missed one down the road a couple miles by a few hours. i'm getting picky/lazy, many are 50-70 miles away. i'd rather not have to get the trailer to haul it or 20 day plates. something close i'll take my chances and limp it home after dark. i'll have one within a month or 2.

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