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More ragged, rusty, rabid 'repairs' uncovered...


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New page and pics at:

 

http://www.nagara.co.uk/leftarch1.htm
I've fallen behind with my Subaru restoration updates so I'll post a
few more pages over the next few days. Meanwhile, I've been hugely
enjoying the Honda CRX. I hope to have the Subaru back on the road before the end of the month and the Honda will then go into the workshop for some minor work before going on sale.

 

WheelArch-LeftRear011_zpsb87a94e5.jpg

 

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Yes, you are absolutely right. It's amazing how some bodgers are oblivious to the dangers they are presenting to unsuspecting later owners - it's criminal in my view. I used to drive that car at 70-80 mph regularly back and forth from Devon to London (200 miles each way)... shudder to think of the accidents I could have had...

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I"ve had my share of rusty cars :) luckly I was fortunate enough to get them as they were without the RED-GREEN rust repair {It"s a TV show out of Canada-FUNNY} I had a 81 4x wgn. that got so bad the doors would"nt close if it wasn"t on level ground-I killed the body 10 yrs.ago but the mtr.is still going strong {380,000mi} :lol:  and I"m lookin for another body again since the current 1 is also rustin away :( FUN FUN!!!

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Doors wouldn't close on level ground! :-) I had a Triumph Convertible like that! I think it would have been more economical for me to have scrapped Subaru but, as there are very, very few of them left in the UK  - 11 last time I looked http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/subaru_1.8_4wd_dl  - there's no chance of getting one in good condition now. So I've repaired mine in the hope it will now last another 20 years; indeed, it could easily last longer than me! (if there's any affordable petrol left!)

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  • 2 weeks later...

http://www.nagara.co.uk/leftarch2.htm Welding, welding, welding, Hi Ho!

 

more pics via above link...

It goes, HI HO HI HO It"s off to welding we go!! :) Man your lucky the damn struts didn"t come thru...You would"ve had a Lowrider Bro.. :D ! I wonder how much it would"ve costed to ship you cleaner both 1/2s of the back end from here...would"ve been alot less work and easier welding!! I feel for you B)

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wow.  well done, that's some serious skill you've got going on there.  it's 10 times harder than it looks in my experience anyway...getting the plate all lined up how you want it, dimensions spot on, it's so easy for something to be off, not "square", lined up, flush, etc.  i am notably deficient in this area anyway, but still tough stuff.

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Thanks guys! To be honest, I didn't even bother to see if complete replacement panels were available; I was keen to practice using the MIG as I'd only ever used oxy-acetylene before. I needed to see if my skills would come back after many years. I've a new project I'm currently designing and wanted to make sure I was able to do it.

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88warcaroo, Yes, but not on this car. I've decided to keep this car pretty standard and to build an off-road (but street legal) lifted car based on another L-series I have in storage. But that won't be for another couple of years as I've more pressing business projects in the queue! But, certainly, a lift kit would not be difficult to make.   

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Always good to see the back of a job - well at lwast light at the end of the tunnel...

 

Some filler over the joins... loads of sandingf and some primer, a bit more filler..

I could have spent ages with little profile templates to get ris of the ripples and undulations but getting it done is now more important than getting it perfect... 

 

lhrwingpaint001_zps2fd85743.jpg

 

Then some more sanding and a coat of high-build primer...

 

lhrwingpaint003_zps03d1b096.jpg

 

After some more sanding.. some colour...

 

lhrwingpaint004_zps8cd577cc.jpg

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I sincerely hope I won't be doing many more repairs to old red'n and that my posts will soon be of driving adventures in wild places!

frontwings001_zpsa6ef3a25.jpg

(Above) Remember what it was like?

frontwings_zpsa52c2e9a.jpg

(Above) That's better!

More pics and text at....

http://www.nagara.co.uk/frontwing.htm

Best wishes all - anyone want a nice low mileage Honda CRX?

Edited by NickNakorn
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Thanks Tom, but the funny thing about repair work is that the better it's done the less people will notice. I'm just pleased to be able to get it back on the road - well, if it fails thed test it won't be for anything major - so hopefully I;ll be taking it for a spin at the weekend.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The MOT test. In the UK we have to have cars tested every year for safety if they are more than 3 years old. My L-series is now back on the road and has a brand new MOT. But it was not without yet more work being done - several small areas of rust that I had not noticed under the under-seal and a leaky rear exhaust silencer.

 

Below is a pic of one of the repair pieces I made,,,

 

MOToddsandends007_zps915455a1.jpg

 

As usual there are loads of pics on my pages at:

 

http://www.nagara.co.uk/MOT%20Odds.htm

 

Or you can follow the whole thing at my usual address : http://www.nagara.co.uk/carhome.htm

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All the cosmetic stuff will have to wait and for the next couple of years the car will be a ratty, tatty daily driver and company work-horse. Feels good to have this on the road again.

 

MOToddsandends028_zps4b796dde.jpg

 

MOToddsandends030_zpsa8b6b25d.jpg

 

My Honda CRX is now in the workshop and will be ready in a few weeks so if any UK readers are interested let me know; it's low mileage so will not be cheap.

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