I'm glad you're gonna take the time on this, I agree, 100% original is what I was going for (With a few added Genuine accessories) and just minor improvements cause thats just me, I like making stuff a little different than factory.

 

I'm sorry I used that Expanding foam stuff in the rear, if was only temp, but I needed to seal it lol. Its a PITA to use, and does not come off your fingers with anything, only time takes that stuff off your skin Haha!

 

Oh yeah, dunno if I told you. the crash bar on the front bottom of the bumper is from an '80-'82 so its way thicker and stronger than the '83+ version. Of and if you're gonna swap the front bumper back to '83+ let me know, I could use that bumper and rubber ends for the Hardtop!

I'm glad you're gonna take the time on this, I agree, 100% original is what I was going for (With a few added Genuine accessories) and just minor improvements cause thats just me, I like making stuff a little different than factory.

 

I'm sorry I used that Expanding foam stuff in the rear, if was only temp, but I needed to seal it lol. Its a PITA to use, and does not come off your fingers with anything, only time takes that stuff off your skin Haha!

 

Oh yeah, dunno if I told you. the crash bar on the front bottom of the bumper is from an '80-'82 so its way thicker and stronger than the '83+ version. Of and if you're gonna swap the front bumper back to '83+ let me know, I could use that bumper and rubber ends for the Hardtop!

I'm putting the bumper from my BRAT on the Ski Wagon and custom fabricating a steel bumper with winch mount for the BRAT. I forget the details on the turn signals. Did you end up beginning the wiring for the corner markers to act as the signals, or is the wiring still original?

 

So yes, the chrome bumper is going! My parents are driving to Chicago tomorrow and MIGHT be heading to Milwaukee on Monday. If you want to toss me a few bucks for it, the money will just go to buying supplies for the BRAT bumper. I can go pull it from the car tonight and send it with them. If they don't make it to Milwaukee, I can have them leave it at my aunt's house in Chicago and you can pick it up at your leisure. I know chicago isn't exactly in your backyard, but it's closer than Pittsburgh.

 

PM me if you want to try to figure out the logistics on this.

Damn. Now I wanna swap to the weber!  

I'm toying with the idea of selling the Ski Wagon

 

I just put an offer on a house and I'm going the closing process. I have no money to put into the ski wagon for the next year or so, as all the cash will be going to fixing up the house. I have almost nothing tied up in the ski wagon and in it's current state probably isn't worth all that much, except to an enthusiast, which there are none of in Western PA. I'm only thinking about selling it because the idea of letting it sit for another year while I do nothing with it breaks my heart.

 

So guys, I'm hoping that you to talk me into keeping it, but if anyone is interested in it, I'll entertain offers.

My two cents is that you'll almost never find a replacement for these unique items that have found a place in your heart. Even though RubySu broke down on my honeymoon trip and I sold her, she'll always be the ideal Subaru in my mind. I'd say hold onto it or at least keep it close by with a friend. At least if a friend has it they'll allow visitation rights. I've done that with a few Fiats and it makes the hurt at least a little less.

 

Eli

Hold on to it!

My 83 wagon has turned into quite the money pit.  But someday I will have the coolest wagon ever!!   Keep it for sure!

Yeah man, DONT MAKE MY MISTAKE, and sell out of it. I did and I wish I never did. But now since its so far away and I have the hardtop now, I seriously just can't get it again.

 

If you have a place to stick it, inside. let it sit until you're ready for it. Its not gonna rust away if its not sitting in tall grass, plus 3/4 of the metal I put into it was Stainless, so only the welds and surrounding metal will rust (If it hasn't already)

 

Keep it man...

This is what I needed to hear. Thanks guys. I do love this car. And it is so one of a kind. I'd be a moron to sell it.

 

Now the next real consideration is that I might sell my Forester, buy a 90s Outback, Legacy, or Forester with a blown engine for a $1000 or less, put an EJ22 in it, and put the profits into the house. But that is a matter for a different thread...

So whats the scoop on everything bud? Anything new?

So whats the scoop on everything bud? Anything new?

Nothing new really with the cars. I've kept them all. The house has me super busy. My forester has a a slow leak in a brake line and a new strange clunk in the rear suspension, so I've been DDing the BRAT for over a month because I don't have the time to fix it right now. The Ski Wagon gets driven around every few weeks to keep it fresh, but has just been hanging out in the driveway all summer =(

 

I'm still looking for usable rear quarters.

 

This house has required almost a full gutting, but I'm actually really close to done with it now. After that, hopefully I can get my cars in order.

 

In other news, I was made a Subaru Ambassador, which is pretty cool.

Good news, everyone! The Ski Wagon is about to see some progress!

 

I've been storing the car while I free up funds (finish up my house  project). The place I've been storing it just got sold, so the car is coming out to see daylight again. I figure that is motivation enough to make it at least driveable while I put together the rest of the cash to make it pretty.

 

I need to swap in the 4spd D/R tranny, put an exhaust on it, and throw on a front bumper. That should be it for now. What I'm thinking I'll do is put the BRAT's exhaust on it since it is in great shape. Then I'll get a new exhaust made for the BRAT that will tuck up nicely. The current exhaust hangs so low since lifting the BRAT. The BRAT's bumper will also be moved over to the Ski Wagon and I'll finally get around to making the tube bumpers for the BRAT. Then I'll put in the tranny and we'll be good to go!

 

The only questions on my mind right now are these: 1) Before I install it, should I be replacing any seals or anything on the new transmission as preventative maintenance? 2) How about bushings, etc. in the linkages while they're all disconnected? 3) Anything that I'm not thinking of?

Yesterday I put the car on the charger for a few hours, gave it a few hard cranks, and it fired right up   I drove it home with a deafening roar coming form the loosely attached exhaust Y-pipe and I couldn't stop grinning. It is such a cool car.

 

I just ordered exhaust manifold gaskets. One set for the Ski Wagon, one set for the BRAT, and another set for a spare. (Fel-Pro P/N MS91075).

 

I'm planning on swapping the transmission next week, then I'll ge the exhaust sorted out. I have until then to find the new exhaust studs that I bought and then lost somewhere 2 years and one house ago...

 1) Before I install it, should I be replacing any seals or anything on the new transmission as preventative maintenance? 2) How about bushings, etc. in the linkages while they're all disconnected? 3) Anything that I'm not thinking of?

 

Anybody have advice on this? It looks like the transmission swap is happening tomorrow.

Replacing the front and rear main seals is cheap, easy and good insurance against leaks.  Unless I have first hand knowledge that they are fairly new and in good condition I always replace them.  Just my $0.02.

I thought the front trans seal required the case to be split?

I was speaking (although not clearly) in general terms.  For all my tinkering on subarus I have yet to do any work on a transmission or do a complete rebuild of an engine.  It may be more of a headache than I originally though.  Hopefully somebody with a definitive answer specific to this application will chime in soon.  I will need to know soonish too!

At some point you will have to replace the seals as they become brittle / worn with old age, but until then I would only replace the gear selector seal if it's leaking ...

 

When it does come time to replace the rest of them, it would require a full strip down & would also be a good time to replace worn bearings + do a proper inspection & clean-up as well.

I'm no expert but, just sharing what I've learned over the years ...

Ciao, Bantum ...

I got the old transmission pulled last night in about 2 hours. I had to drop the (nearly non-existent) exhaust, and the sway bar. I was pleasantly surprised when I didn't break any crusty rusty bolts (thank you torches and PB Blaster).

 

I'll need to upload some pics later, but I'm glad that I got to spend some time under there. The transmission mounts were destroyed. The only thing holding the transmission up there was habit. The rails of the unibody are looking pretty rough at the front. And the driver's side inner CV boot was totally gone. Oh and I solved my super sloppy shifter issue: If you follow the linkage down starting at the shift knob, the very first bolt that you would encounter was missing it's nut entirely and barely in the hole!

 

By the way, RockAuto has EA81 transmission mounts for $5.87 each right now. Cheapest I could find locally was $32!

Edited September 9, 20169 yr by jmoss5723

Glad to hear its still in your possession. How are the welds holding up? I know it was starting to show some surface rust when I last saw it.

 

-Tom

Welds look pretty good, but the unibody rails are looking a little soft 

Looks could be deceiving, I don't remember them being too bad when I was under it. But years can do funny things. Hopefully all the layers aren't going. Personally, once you fix them, or treat them. I would weld closed the factory holes in them, pull up the carpeting and coat the ever loving hell out of them on the inside and out. They should last a while then.

 

Plan on doing this with the Loyale once I get to that point. If anything, take a gander at what Eastwood.com (Tool company) has to offer for rust products and frame coatings. I bought a can of their "Internal Frame Coating" have yet to use it, but it seems like it'll be the right idea. That, or flex-seal the snickers outta it

http://testdrivejunkie.com/1983-subaru-gl-4x4-wagon-test-drive/

 

This video belongs in this thread

This video is always great, I posted it somewhere in here some time back. They kinda knock the car a little hard for what it is though, like they are expecting too much.

 

Gotta love the orange gauge cluster..... :drool:

This video is always great, I posted it somewhere in here some time back. They kinda knock the car a little hard for what it is though, like they are expecting too much.

 

Gotta love the orange gauge cluster..... :drool:

 

I would like to put those graphics on my '83 Wagon

Edited October 23, 20169 yr by Crazyeights