Well i started today working on my custom front bumper. Getting the cover off was a PITA. Lots of broken bolts. I finally got it off and made some cut reference lines on the "body" to clean up the front. I also made some measurements and PB basted the crap out of the stock bumper mounting bolts. I think i am going to remount the new bumper in the same manner by bolting the whole thing to the unibody. It's not a lot right now but a start. Next is to get the stock bumper off and then gather the steel and start cutting and welding.

 

PICS! YAY!

 

Before:

 

 

Today:

 

 

 

 

You can kinda see my trimming mark in the last pic. Its the metal behind the bumper

I had a pretty good day yesterday. Got some more done on the bumper. I am pretty happy with the progress so far. The main mounting points are done and the top bar is on. It took a while with a lot of fitting and changes. I have a lot more to do but the idea is there now.

 

In these pics i had the trimming of the stock sheet metal done.

 

So now i had to figure out for sure what i wanted which changed a lot but we started drawing.

 

Here we test fitted the main mounitng supports 2x4 1/8th wall. We also set the top bar in place to see where it was gonna be and how high we needed to put it.

 

We quickly realized we would be able to reuse some of the stock mountings. We just had to drill the holes all the way through the unibody. I wanted to be able to take the bumper off so instead of welding it would be bolted.

So we started working on final fiitting and mounting of the main supports.

 

 

Then we figured the spacing for the top bar. I also wanted to incorporate reciver stock on both sides to slide the winch mounting plate into. These points will accomidate multiple accessories that will be made as well a stablizing the removable winch/plate. I keep saying we. My friend Drew is a lot better welder and fabricator than me as well as a fellow subie nut. This is him in the pic with the reciever stock fitted on the main mounting points for the top bar spacing.

 

 

After many hours we finally started to final cut stuff. I did not get a lot of pics of the top bar in progress because we were pretty focused and i just forgot:) .

 

So here is the final pics of what was done yesterday. Like i said we have a lot left to do but the idea is there.

very nice work man.

 

-Dalton

It needs some sorta skidplate to protect the radiator.

It needs some sorta skidplate to protect the radiator.

 

 

Thanks D!

 

The main bar design will contiue down with spacing for 3 maybe 4 bars getting shorter side to side as i go down. The final "bar" will be 1x4 turned at an angle. There will be a skid plate attached to that as well to help protect the exhaust and oil pan. I may loose an 1" of down clearence but i should be able to smack rocks and stuff with the bottom "bar"/skidplate and not worry about a thing.

 

I am going to custom make new swaybar mounts to incorporate the back skid plate mounting. I may remove the FSB completely but not sure yet.

 

Thanks for the comments.

Awesome job!!! I'm going to put a custom bumper on my soon to be lifted Outback, and I like the way yours is looking.

I may remove the FSB completely but not sure yet.

 

disconnect it and drive the car around, on the street, for a couple days. I think you'll find that those mounts are better used for a skidplate

 

 

 

good work!

Nice work!

that's like.. exactly how we built mine, except there was some bending and messing up involved with mine

Hey T,

 

Nice work!! I like how tight the lines are to the grill, lights and fenders!

Is this the DR leg you tod me about? Do you have plans/sketches for the skid plate?

 

While this is an old post, you might be done with everything by now in which case post some newer pix!

 

Here's an idea from my experience: keep the fenderlines and incorporate them with your new steel, and consider some kind of fender lining to extend onto the fabbed bumper, to keep mud and crud out from behind the bumper...

here's a link of my modified Mudrat Baja bumper...

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5819&d=1215705474

Very cool project.....keep us updated on it!

 

I needed this, and a good skidplate, but I have already mangled my front cross member enough to make it a debateable project. Maybe on my next Subaru!