I've got a few different off-road repair/survival manuals, but this is the only one I've seen that gives honorable mention to Subaru. I checked Amazon.com and it is out of print but available. It has lots of valuable information, a lot of it being "why didn't I think of that" kind of stuff, simple and practical, while also having detailed technical information. Anyone who has been broken down, stuck or stranded far from help, can appreciate this book.

 

 

 

Good score. i love finding good books at thrift stores, especially when theyre a whole 15 cents...

Definate good score.

 

Didn't John Muir write the How to Keep Your Subaru Alive book?

 

That would be why they mention Soob's alot.

I haven't seen the Subaru version of "How to Keep Your _______ Alive" yet, but I do have the VW version, written by John Muir. It has some nice unconventional views on auto repair. I'll have to keep my eyes open for the Subaru one.

Yeah, Muir did publish the HTKYSA book. Sais so in that highlighted passage

 

-Brian

Yes, John Muir published HTKYSA, but it had different writers, a couple of guys by the name of Larry Owens and Joe Leahy, according to Amazon.

Amazon has it listed for sale, but I think I'll wait and find it used somewhere else (cheaper.)

There is a book in print on how to build VW based dune buggies, and it has a very nice section in there on how to milk your broken piece of crap out of the wilderness and back to civilization.

I have that book also, great info on building a killer off-road vehicle. Most of what I have learned about VWs is from that book, and I have used some techniques from that section you speak of more than once.

I thought the bottom picture was how to start your carburated Subaru when it stalls on a steep side hill.

 

Glenn,

82 Hatch, don't start sideways....

01 Forester, bent but not broken!

Muir is The Author of those books, the other guys were Artists doing the art you see of all the subaru and VW parts and Pieces...

 

I have both the older How To keep Subaru's alive with the Gen 2 Wagon on the Cover, and A nwer version with the Ea-82 Wagon on the Cover.......

 

Bagaru , Ned to call me and Hook up with us when We go Wheeling......I'm in Eugene....

 

Later, John

Larry Owens is the author of "How to Keep Your Subaru alive," not John Muir. These books are somewhat rare, but can occasionally be found on eBay. I bought my copy for $14 (it was a former library book).

I think Larry Owens is John Muir, it's some kind of tax evasion thing.

Mudrat, I'll be calling you soon. I need to do some work on The Hatch before I do any serious off-roading though.

RIGHT ON!!! I gotta see this sometime when we meet up sometime

The Introduction page of HTKYSA explains the history pretty well. Basically, in the 60's and 70's Larry Owens and two other guys operated an independant VW garage called the Grease Pit in Santa Fe. In 1969 John Muir started hanging around the garage saying he was writting a VW repair manual (How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive.) Eventually the book was published and was very successful and a subculture apparently developed where folks would hang out at the Grease Pit garage with Owens, Muir and the rest of them, fixing their VW's in the parking lot, socializing, etc. Years went by and thousands of hippys and non-hippys used the book to keep their VW's going down the road. Eventually Owens wrote the Subaru version of the book and it's still a good read today. I think he also wrote a Toyota truck book and possibly others too.

Anyone know what is currently going on with Muir Publishing? Is Eve Muir still around and what about Larry Owens, is he still on the planet? Sure would be cool to get him to come to WCSS6 or at least fill us in on the history of his book (especially if I got it all wrong.)

It would be cool to see him at WCSS 6 and oh yeah Bugaru whenever you find time to come on over I have the book that you have not seen yet

bajavwnsoobnut, I would like to check out this elusive book that you have, sounds like a good one. I see you can't make it to the meet and greet in Milwaukee, thats a bummer. I'm not sure I'm going to make it either, I wont know till that weekend.

yeah I know it sucks but it's work and I will prolly be a lil busy during the day for the next few months cause of my work is upping the production (shall we say $$$$$$ overtime ) but one of these nights you guys should come on over or else if I can talk the wife into goin over to St. Johns with me meet up over near you. Give me a call sometime soon.

oh hey check this out http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/usmb/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11118