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


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You might look into a used snowmobile trailer or something similar with the complete tire/axle assembly below the deck. Then it wouldn't be such a big deal if the body hung off the sides a few inches.

 

I think your Impreza could tow the bare body ok, might be a bit much to tow the whole car.

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I don't recall who but Google is a good friend for it but someone make a "body" lift out of a standard cherry picker to pick off the frame (granted not needed on a Subie but will work for trailer loading). Price is decent so that is one option. Another is a DIY dolly out of wood that is X x Y dimensions to fit on any trailer.

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if it is just the bare sheel, i have used a 6ftx4ft box trailer, put some timber across the top to sit the body on then lashed it down, 2 people should lift the body on easily. Once it is a roller that makes thing more difficult, something a tad bigger where you can roll it on and off.

Thierry

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Alright, I might have made some progress on transportation, my uncle volunteered his truck and trailer.

 

I'm still waiting for an appointment with the blaster, so in the mean time I started working on what I need to do to put the suspension back together (since that will probably be the first thing to go back on the car).

 

I picked up that set of Tokico rear shocks (model 2282) for a mid-70's FWD scoob, and they will probably work fine. However, i'm still looking for fronts.

 

The problem with the front shocks is that the length and stroke #'s are quite a bit different, I could forseably use rears if neccessary, but the length might cause suspension geometry problems:

 

FF-1shockspecs.jpg

 

I've found several reference documents online to help figure out which company has which shocks and which shocks compared to which company (IE KYB p#'s vs. Monroe vs. Tokico, etc.) which has helped a little, and might be useful for other folks here when they go to look for shocks. But I havent found much in the way of a way of looking up shocks via stroke/length/etc., I could use some help with that if anyone has any skill in that department...

 

Plus, I also need a couple new suspension bushings (some were damaged/in poor shape, others were ok). I do know a couple bushings may be shared with other 70's Japanese cars, like Datsun 510's, but some are completely unique. I think these might work for my car, but i'm not certain, I might try them out:

 

http://www.sfxperformance.com/parts/ENE73107G.htm

 

I did find an interesting .pdf online from some company in Thailand called "PACLOS" that aparent makes some aftermarket Subaru bushings:

 

http://www.paclosasia.com/rbi_catalog/subaru.pdf

 

If anyone can figure out how to order from them, I think I want to try and get that engine mount plus those boots and bushings for the "1100" model (IE FF-1).

 

I'll take some pics of the other bushings I need to replace, which will probably need to be custom made...

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I have access to a lot of different shocks and bushings at my job so I can see what I can dig up for you. Dimensions of the bushings would be great so I can get some for you. All you'd need to do is pay for shipping and whatever the cost is for the part that I get it for;)

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I have access to a lot of different shocks and bushings at my job so I can see what I can dig up for you. Dimensions of the bushings would be great so I can get some for you. All you'd need to do is pay for shipping and whatever the cost is for the part that I get it for;)

Sounds good. I didnt measure the bushings yet, but I'll do that ASAP and get back to you.

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I did a bit of organizing today, separated out the parts I want to have powder coated, and other parts i'm going to use some Por-15 on.

 

Here are most of the parts for powder coating:

 

partsforpowdercoat.jpg

 

BTW, anyone have any tips on dismantling hinges? I've got the two main door hinges that need to come apart, but the rods holding the pieces together don't want to come out (the other two hinges came apart just fine for reference).

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Good luck with the shocks, i spend many a year sourcing something, closest i got was from a truck cab suspension, you know what i mean stop the bounce in a truck cab. All else fails get some custom made, set of coil over without the spring.

Thierry

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Here are the bushings I'm talking about, along with the specifications...

 

ff1bushings1.jpg

ff1bushings2.jpg

 

Now here are the struts. I already have replacements for the rears that will work, but ya, the fronts are quite a bit shorter... But I have a part number, and measurements.

 

ff1struts.jpg

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Good luck with the shocks, i spend many a year sourcing something, closest i got was from a truck cab suspension, you know what i mean stop the bounce in a truck cab. All else fails get some custom made, set of coil over without the spring.

Thierry

There is a good thread here in the Historic section about rear FWD struts, which are basically the same as these. I found some of the availible struts out there using that thread, but not for the fronts yet.

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Well, I have discovered that the part number for the front strut is still active... The rears are inactive, so its odd that the fronts are still active. Ill try ordering it here at work and see what happens.

 

If anyone has any other FF-1 part numbers, let me know, ill try and order them too (unless they are insanely expensive, like the gears and such...)

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Well, I have discovered that the part number for the front strut is still active... The rears are inactive, so its odd that the fronts are still active. Ill try ordering it here at work and see what happens.

 

If anyone has any other FF-1 part numbers, let me know, ill try and order them too (unless they are insanely expensive, like the gears and such...)

 

Make a list of what p/n's you want and send them to me. I'll do my best as I can.

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Make a list of what p/n's you want and send them to me. I'll do my best as I can.

PMed you.

 

BTW, the strut part numbers are Active, but un-orderable :(

 

Probably most of the parts will be like this, however I did find that the strut bushings are availible and in stock, as are possibly some steering rack boots. Ill order some and see how it works (I ordered some trailing rod boots, since they are apparently the same as later model boots and in stock)

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The trip to the blaster was a success today :) The car was actually easy enough for THREE people to lift, but we used four people and it was damn easy to lift!

 

FYI, I took the car to American Stripping Co., which is the premiere stripping/blasting/etc. facility in my area for full chassis work. Pretty much EVERYONE recommended I take the car there, and most people in the know i've talked to in this area just assumed I was taking it there :P

 

They gave us a full tour of the facility, including the two blasting bays (one for plastic, the other for mineral blasting) and showed us the other cars in the shop and several things being worked on to give us an idea of how the process goes. Was pretty cool actually :)

 

Here are the pics from today, the car will probably be finished within a week or two, then off to the body shop from there:

 

ff1totheblastertrailer2.jpg

ff1totheblastertrailer1.jpg

 

Here is the actual shop, American Stripping Co. in Sacramento:

 

ff1americanstriping3.jpg

ff1americanstriping2.jpg

ff1americanstriping1.jpg

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Picked up some NOS rear shocks on ebay. They are actually a better fit in terms of length/travel than the Tokicos I also got, but they cost more and are slightly more hard to find...

 

konioldschoolstruts.jpg

 

Although I'm still having trouble finding front shocks :mad:

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Found a helpful manager at Kragen today. I used the catalog of Monroe struts I printed out and selected shocks I thought might be adequate to replace the Front shocks and checked to see which ones he had in stock...

 

Turned out he did have one of them in stock, and I compared its mounting points to the one I have, and it probably will work.

 

The Monroe part number was 37047. Also, the Monroe shock with a part number 911171 will work too, and has an even lower compression length (IE better if I lowered the car).

 

I cross referenced those just now with the KYB/Monroe reference sheet I had, and came up with the KYB shock part numbers KG3556 (for the Monroe 37047) and 565045 (For the Monroe 911171).

 

I used those to figure out which vehicles this shock works for... Turns out that ~2000 Xterras and Frontiers use those shocks, along with some other Nissans and even a 1980 Chevy Luv.

 

Now the question is, which shock should I get?

 

Monroe Reflex Truck Shock Absorber (911171)

Monroe Sensa-Trac Truck Shock Absorber (37047)

KYB Monomax (565045)

KYB Gas-A-Just (KG5446)

KYB GR-2 (344043) - Might also work, not sure though

 

There appears to be an expensive option as well: http://www.bilstein.com/mistore/productdisplayf.php?sku=108811&hdwt=31101&loc=101&dealer=&company_id=100484

 

 

Or find another manufacturer that makes that shock?

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