Since it has been decided to keep this in our stable, it's time for an introduction.

 

Meet Betty, the 1978 4wd wagon my wife and I just recently rescued. At the beginning of 2014, my wife spotted this car in downtown Portland not far from her job. When she picked me up from work, she described a Subaru she hadn't seen before so we went to take a peek. Ended up posting this picture of the car on Facebook.

 

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon the same car on Craigslist. The only issues about it was it needed an engine and was an hour and a half from where we live. Luckily, it was in my hometown not far from where my mom lives. So we took a drive that weekend to look at it. Unfortunately I didn't have access to the keys so I couldn't open it up. Met up with the owner to purchase the car and that's when he told me about the history of the car. It was originally bought by his grandmother in 1978 and since her name was Betty, explains the vanity plates. She used it primarily to go to the mountains so when her grandson bought it from her in 1996, it only had 35k miles. It lived in central Oregon for about 10 years where it was rarely used. After that, the car came back to Portland where it was only used in the snow until last year. The owner gave the car to his son to drive at college until the engine came apart and was parked until we bought it. It only ha 52k miles on it still.

 

Photobucket keeps crashing but you can view all the photos there.

Edited September 6, 201510 yr by Caboobaroo

Reserved for more pictures

From a couple weeks ago.

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 201510 yr by Caboobaroo

Starts slow clap

 

well done, this is beautiful, I can't wait to see this thing come together. 

Interior pictures!

 

 

Edited September 6, 201510 yr by Caboobaroo

Nice....

Since we have this current week off for vacation, we picked up an engine from Pooparu. Got to my mom's house Monday afternoon and quickly had the old engine ready to come out. Was able to get the new engine dropped in with an extra set of hands but not cherry pickers were harmed in this swap.

 

Working on getting the intake bolted on, I had a bolt break clean off with the head. It's the same hole I had to repair the day before that had another bolt break coming apart..... Now for another precise Helicoil repair and some new stainless steel bolts.

Love it!

Wow that interior looks fantastic!

Yeah, the interior looks GREAT!  Lightyears better than mine!  MOAR PICS!!!

Now for another precise Helicoil repair and some new stainless steel bolts.

Stainless steel isn't nearly as strong as regular steel. The threads tend to gall very easily, and is probably why you've had the repeat break.

 

Use some good yellw coated steel bolts. Grade 8.8 or better.

 

Car looks great! Wish we had some from that era over here! We don't even see them from the 80s anymore around here.

Edited September 15, 201510 yr by Fairtax4me

Decided to use the bolts for the intake from the old engine. Got the new engine in and during torquing of the intake, I snapped another bolt off, in the same hole I just fixed...

 

I have more pics on Photobucket but it doesn't like either my phone or iPad so uploading the pics here is time consuming.

 

Dash has a couple minor cracks, seats are in good shape, carpet is discolored but not torn. I will get more pics up tonight when I get home for you guys.

Love it

Nice score! +1 on the 8.8 bolts, stainless is too soft.

Well I've been busy recently. The tags expired at the end of the month and in order to keep her vanity plates, I had to get the car running, back up to our house an hour and a half away, through DEQ and titled. Had only a few weekends during October to get that all done....

 

But I did it. Fired her up, timed it by ear and drove her home on my birthday! First attempt through DEQ she failed but it gave me the numbers I needed to tune the carb. Only took me 15 minutes in the parking lot next door and took her back through. She passed!

 

 

After driving the car though, you do notice stuff that doesn't work or maybe when it wants to. Comes with owning any used car for that matter. However, working heat is a start, which hers does not. The aftermarket sunroof which has been sealed shut, is leaking, into the lap of the driver. Being cold on your long drive is one thing, but to have a surprising shower to your gentlemen's bits at the same time is a bit frustrating. She has a tire starting to separate on the right front causing a vibration. TONS of road noise, I forgot how not insulated they were!

 

Now time to start fitting in repair between the other cars I currently have.

Edited October 31, 201510 yr by Caboobaroo

Pure sexy! I have always had a soft spot for the 78 wagons, drove one in Montana for many years as my winter car. Always started and a heater that would bake your eyeballs.  

Need more pics!

More pics will come with time. I finally drove her to work today so I can finish tuning the carb up and reset the ignition timing. Lots of little things to do including sealing up the aftermarket sunroof and reinstalling the center portion of the dash and heater controls.

Absolutely a beautiful find. Our first was a 1979 4WD Wagon.

And my Grandmother's Buick's name was Betty

Edited November 18, 201510 yr by Robbie R

With all the rain and wind we've been getting the last couple weeks, I haven't had a chance to play with her. I did get the sunroof resealed so it doesn't leak anymore. If the weather let's up this weekend, I will try and get a few pictures taken.