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Documented: The 1970 FF-1 Project car...


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Making some small progress on the long list of tasks ahead of me. 

 

After a bit of scrubbing - the OEM steering wheel (refreshed/restored) is back in the car

 

subaru-ff-1-subiegal-restore-steering-wheel.jpg

 

I dug all of the OE door card skins out of the bags they were stored in.

I sent them off to be repaired/restored as best they can

First one is back from minor surgery - it is the best of the bunch.

The others will not look quite this good. Most of them have tears needing to be patched and glued but I think I will stay the course and refresh them.

The OE skins have a very clean look to them.

 

subaru-ff1-door-panel-interior-coupe.jpg 

 

 

And finally - I purchased some mesh vintage stonegards - I refinished them in black - and am test fitting them - they're not permanent just yet! I think I like the look! thoughts?

I like them. Will look great as an accent to a pair of rally spots later on :)

 

subaru-ff1-vintage-headlight-stonegard-mesh.jpg

 

still hunting for an engine resolution but feels good to make small bits of progress along the way

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  • 2 weeks later...

Had I been paying attention to this thread I woulda understood a little better your mention of the FF1 during the judging process at WCSS.  I didn't know the FF1 you mentioned was THIS one!

 

I think I know someone who has a car with an EA63.  Not sure if he would part with the engine, but if offered an EA81 or something in trade who knows??

Edited by Flowmastered87GL
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Had I been paying attention to this thread I woulda understood a little better your mention of the FF1 during the judging process at WCSS.  I didn't know the FF1 you mentioned was THIS one!

 

I think I know someone who has a car with an EA63.  Not sure if he would part with the engine, but if offered an EA81 or something in trade who knows??

 

Yeah THIS is my new project.  :P

 

I need to tear the current engine down to the bare crankcase and see if we can't repair it first.

 

In order to do that.... I just need one weekend where I'm not busy as f00k!!   :blink:   soon. very soon.   ;)

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Yes dry sleeve EA63 engines/blocks are not really plentiful, even in the US. They were only sold for a short time before being replaced by the EA71.

 

The ff-1 needs the dual port heads of the wet sleeve EA63 due to the suspension design. Putting these heads on a dry sleeve EA63 is the simplest option.

 

Perhaps modifying your heads to suit a EA71 (and using the 1400cc camshaft) is a solution Jamie?

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Yes dry sleeve EA63 engines/blocks are not really plentiful, even in the US. They were only sold for a short time before being replaced by the EA71.

 

The ff-1 needs the dual port heads of the wet sleeve EA63 due to the suspension design. Putting these heads on a dry sleeve EA63 is the simplest option.

 

Perhaps modifying your heads to suit a EA71 (and using the 1400cc camshaft) is a solution Jamie?

 

 

Would not even know where to start on doing that. I am very much a newbie to these older engines.

 

EJ expert. EA - not so much.

 

I would like to try to repair the damaged block as it is NEW. 

 

If it can't be repaired, then I'll really start cranking on finding a used EA63.

 

If that doesn't work then.... well.... I don't know :) but I WILL figure it out.

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Welding the sleeve will bring unwanted heat into a very small area of the block which will probably cause all sorts of issues with warpage en possibly the sleeve detaching from the aluminum cast around it. If succesful you would still have to hone, and probably bore, the sleeve so you would need an oversize piston (ie. four as you need to do all). That means a total teardown anyway and you'll end up with a questionable block. I would definately recommend to get a good used block without any unwanted holes and rebuild that one. Much better anyway than a new block as years of usage have relieved the block of all internal stress so after boring and honing the cylinders are as round as you can get - better than a new, unused block anyway.

 

You could still use the salvageable parts from this NOS block like crank, bearings, rods, lifters.

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Yes dry sleeve EA63 engines/blocks are not really plentiful, even in the US. They were only sold for a short time before being replaced by the EA71.

 

The ff-1 needs the dual port heads of the wet sleeve EA63 due to the suspension design. Putting these heads on a dry sleeve EA63 is the simplest option.

 

Perhaps modifying your heads to suit a EA71 (and using the 1400cc camshaft) is a solution Jamie?

Not only that, but the camshaft of a donor engine would likely have to be swapped with an older camshaft as well (outboard exhaust valves).  Most of the dry-sleeved complete engines to be found will be of the later type with SEEC-T heads (inboard exhaust port) and camshaft to match.

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Not only that, but the camshaft of a donor engine would likely have to be swapped with an older camshaft as well (outboard exhaust valves).  Most of the dry-sleeved complete engines to be found will be of the later type with SEEC-T heads (inboard exhaust port) and camshaft to match.

Yes, Jamie already has the correct camshaft in her current holed/damaged, dry sleeved engine.

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Welding the sleeve will bring unwanted heat into a very small area of the block which will probably cause all sorts of issues with warpage en possibly the sleeve detaching from the aluminum cast around it. If succesful you would still have to hone, and probably bore, the sleeve so you would need an oversize piston (ie. four as you need to do all). That means a total teardown anyway and you'll end up with a questionable block. I would definately recommend to get a good used block without any unwanted holes and rebuild that one. Much better anyway than a new block as years of usage have relieved the block of all internal stress so after boring and honing the cylinders are as round as you can get - better than a new, unused block anyway.

 

You could still use the salvageable parts from this NOS block like crank, bearings, rods, lifters.

 

You don't weld the sleeve in. The original cylinder is bored way out and a new steel sleeve is pressed in, then bored and honed to whatever size you need, be it std or oversize. Heck, it may even be possible to use a wet sleeve cylinder as a sleeve? While I can't speak to the dynamics of the Subaru case, sleeving has been done almost as long as cars have been around. Ideally, a different block would be the best solution, but as stated, dry sleeve 1400's are not falling off trees. I would have no issue with a properly installed sleeve in any engine.

 

Mark

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These cases are not suitable for sleeving. Even the stiffer EJ casings don't hold aftermarket sleeves very well, slowly pushing into the soft aluminum. Altough an EA63 will work with much lower peak cylinder pressures I would still not feel comfortable, especially due to the three bearing main crank design causing more vibrations and torsion in the block. And again, it still means a total tear down of  this engine, no advantages compared to using a used block without holes for a rebuild.

 

But that's not my decision to make :)

Edited by LeoneTurbo
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You have to wonder why the hole was drilled in the first place...

 

I've been Following this thread since its very beginnings...

 

In the U.S.A, some car Dealers mark the oldest parts that did not sell,

 

As "Unsold" parts, and before disposal (for smelting, in example) they disable the part;

 

So, the Subaru Dealer drilled Holes to that Block, unfortunately...

 
But somehow never went to Scrap.
 
 
 
Then: 
 

I just figured out the problem, its far far worse than I could have imagined...

 

cylinderhole.jpg

 

:mad:

 

Right now I'm just totally furious. I should have noticed this before, but I think this motor was scraped at some point and the dealer drilled holes in it to scrap it.

 

The good news is that I DIDN'T INSTALL ANYTHING WRONG!

 

But now, I don't have the money to fix this, if it even can be fixed...

 

 

I Asked why the Block was Drilled, and this was the answer:

 

 

 

If he is right about the block being scrapped... then they drilled the holes because the engine block was not supposed to used again. It's only supposed to used for metal or as a door opener or paperweight, etc. The reason for scrapping could be for legal reasons...

 

 

Yes, holes drilled to insure the block was not serviceable because of tax write off (IRS). Unfortunately witnessed such destructive activities while working at a Subaru distributor back in '76. The warehouse guys were known to "dumpster dive" hoping to save parts. A lot of old 360 parts were lost when tax write-offs were taken on unsold parts inventory.

 

 

Kind regards.
Edited by Loyale 2.7 Turbo
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Yes, I saw tons of parts being scrapped when I worked at a dealer.  Its common practice. 

 

We tried to NOT do this kind of thing just in case something like this would pop up... But legally its supposed to be done.

 

I've been Following this thread since its very beginnings...

 

In the U.S.A, some car Dealers mark the oldest parts that did not sell,

 

As "Unsold" parts, and before disposal (for smelting, in example) they disable the part;

 

So, the Subaru Dealer drilled Holes to that Block, unfortunately...

 
But somehow never went to Scrap.
 
 
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Yes, I saw tons of parts being scrapped when I worked at a dealer.  Its common practice. 

 

We tried to NOT do this kind of thing just in case something like this would pop up... But legally its supposed to be done.

 

That is Sad somehow ... The Local Subaru Dealer kept spare parts since the 1960's decade, but it was a one-man owned company and since he died, his only Daughter sold everything to scrap in order to free the Huge Buildings it has all across the country and rent them... (That is even Worse) ...So it became hard to obtain spare subaru parts locally.

 

Kind Regards.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

well?

 

Shipping this guy off out of state today to someone who's decades of experience and should be able to do what it takes to make this crankcase like new.

 

Little nervous but... could not find anyone in state who had the knowledge/expertise to get it done.

 

wish me luck. i will need it.

 

1459776_10151890034709934_944056347_n.jpg

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