And center dash gauge panel.

 

Nice - what's going on with that speedo there? Is that using an electronic sending unit or did you hook it into the stock cable?

 

I would really like to see some decent pics of your top-mount setup and how you shortened the front end.

 

I'm seriously thinking about going with a totally custom radiator setup. I would very much like to do stainless braided hoses and hydraulic fittings, etc.

 

GD

Looks like an early 80s F-series speedo-

Is there a build thread on this?

Looks like an early 80s F-series speedo-

Is there a build thread on this?

 

There isn't really much build info on it. Although there should be .

 

Without a doubt one of the top 5 EA series builds out there. Maybe someday he'll write more of it down and take more pics. He's (I think) still planning to be at the show and I'll try to get as many pics as I can when it's up here.

 

We used to run some of the trails in my area when it lived here but there's been much done to it since I last saw it. I'll let Ian fill us in on a complete list of the mods.....

 

Care to elaborate for the crowd man?

 

GD

Ok so,

the speedo (80s F-150) actually plugs right into the cable from the ea81 trans. It's not exactly accurate, but I have long since lost the original soob speedo. After I get this thing on the road in the next few days I'll figure out how off it really is.

Rick, the gained entry angle is totally worth the hassle of moving the radiator up on top. You should be able to use a stock radiator, but I had to use a MR2 radiator due to clearence issues from the rollcage. Another nice thing about the top mount radiator is it dosen't get mud lodged in it when hitting the deep stuff.

Edited July 29, 200916 yr by Bugaru

Here are some of the mods I can remember-

 

Unhatched

4" Lift, adjustable in front by 3"

27" Super Swampers

Top mount radiator with dual Flex-a- Lite fans

Mad Max hood scoop

"Around the side" exhaust for more ground clearance

Dual Fuel, LPG/Gas

Bucket seats/5 point harnesses

21 point 1.5" DOM roll cage

Tube bumpers tied to cage

Tube skid plate frame tied to cage

Bed mounted fuel tank system, LPG or Gas

Custom tube dash/Steering Column

Power Steering

4 wheel disc brakes

Welded rear diff

Weber 32/36

Mostly new "waterproof" wiring and fuse boxes

All aftermarket gauges

"Waterproof" Alpine CD player with in dash 6x9's

On board air compressor

Built in trickle charger

Optima battery behind passenger seat

"Special" anti theft system and auto thief maiming device

Ham/CB radios

 

That's all I can think of for now. I'll get some good pics this weekend.

 

Ian

FYI I got her up to freeway speeds today and the scoop helped the engine keep cooler than ever. It used to get too hot at higher speeds because the air would go right on by the holes in the hood and the fans couldn't "grab" enough. Now it really rams it in there. I guessed on the size and shape and it seems to really work well, if anyone is interested in construction details, I could write it up with a printable template. No welding required. Cost less than $25.

I'm interested in construction details.

 

 

Is that a paper shredder or a monster ashtray, in the center?

Edited July 18, 200916 yr by Greenley

Heh heh, it does look like a paper shredder. But it's actually a waterproof marine enclosure for my cd player.

 

Ok I'll write up the scoop with pics and a template. Sweet hatch BTW.

 

Ian

So you going to make it up for the show you think?

 

GD

Yeah, I'm doing my best to make it up there. So far it looks good, just have to work out some bugs. Check your PMs.

 

Ian

So I broke a necessary exhaust component, and I'm stranded for the day so I thought I'd get a few photos of the radiator and scoop setup.

So why did you make the front struts adjustable? If you don't mind me asking...

The camber was so far out from the lift, I was burning up tires like nobody's business. I keep it dropped for the street and lift it when I'm putting in my rear axle for off road. Soon enough I wont need this setup anymore, I've got some mods in the works.

could this setup with the top mount radiator work with a 97 impreza. since it already has a hood scoop and would the mr2 radiator be enough or would i have to use the stock one.

could this setup with the top mount radiator work with a 97 impreza.

 

Anything is possible - the stock hood scoop on your Imp. is not even half as big as it would need to be to divert enough air for the radiator.

 

With enough fabrication just about anything is possible. You could mount it on the roof if you wanted.

 

GD

"around the side" exhaust?

 

got pics?

I didn't know what else to call it, but it's kinda up and around. I used 4" aluminum "C" channel for the front lift blocks so I could feed the exhaust tubing through it resulting in a gain of a few inches of ground clearance from where the exhaust used to run underneath.

 

Pretty awsome idea. Anything to keep the "C" from folding over though?

Thanks.

The aluminum would break before bending, it's very rigid. Those are secondary supports to the cross member though, I have the skidplate tubing supporting most of it where it ties into the rollcage.

A few things I should mention about this radiator setup. The MR2 radiator does not have a radiator cap fitting, since it is a rear engine car the cap is within the engine compartment. It is inexpensive to have one welded on though, it only cost me $10. Also, I chose this radiator, like I said earlier, because it's the only one I could find that would fit above the strut brace on the cage. One could probably fit the stock radiator or possibly a larger one without a strut brace. The MR2 is a 1.6 and the rad has a little less fluid volume, but so far I haven't had any issues. Hoses line up well, brackets are easy to fab and they're plentiful. I may end up running a secondary Bluebird Bus heater core in the grill for that 110 deg weather you guys are having up there.