Project 'save from the scrap'!

I didnt want it!
It was 700 km away.
It was coming up to Mrs. Deluxs big birthday.
The dishwasher had blown up.
I already had a project on the go.
I had no space.
I had no time.
I had no spare cash.
I already have a Subaru that sits about not being used.

So when offered this, how could I refuse...

https://flic.kr/p/2pGriXy

A friend had looked after it for a few years. The owner died. Her daughter didnt need it but my friend pointed out it was too good to scrap then proceeded to railroad me into accepting the challenge. It genuinely looked terrible but drove great! No knocks or bangs, performance was still there, great. Had a proper look over it at work. It really wasnt too bad! Finished my existing project and work started...

The Forester hadnt enjoyed its stay in my lock up garage and had developed a starting fault. Turns out it was a broken wire at the fuel pump relay...


Which would have been fine if I hadnt already bought a new fuel pump! D'oh!



Next, full service, timing belt, crank and cam oil seals, rocker seals...



and managed to snap off preather pipe into air intake which means I had to...



...take the inlet manifold off to replace it!
A time consuming job, made more difficult as I was crying when I done it! LOL!

 

[delux3]

Now it started and ran it was time to get serious! Time to fill the holes!

Japanese cars dont cope well with the British climate and I have witnessed rear suspension turrets corroding and ripping themselves apart on newer cars. The ones on my Forester were not too bad!



A few small patches and it was done....



As you can see, I am a mechanic with a welder, not a panelbeater or real welder, lol! Patches managed to take the weight of the paint and the wheel still fits under the arch so I am improving!

 

[delux3]

Next on the list is the suspension. I've spent years lowering and making cars go faster so I decided the Forester would be different!

Started at the rear...



Not pretty but it will clean up!



Crossbolts came out without any issues! No swearing/crying/shouting/oxy acetelene!

Dismantled...



Then a fight broke out between an old, overweight but good looking mechanic and some suspension bushes...



Currently at the painting stuff stage...



Hopefully something more offroad and interesting in the next update.

In the meantime if you are bored, have a look at more pics of the Forester (and other stuff) HERE!

 

[Ratbag]

I looked at your Flickr photos.

Maybe I think mine's in a bit better condition ...

You certainly have lots of work to do/have done on the mechanicals!

Keep up the good work.

 

[delux3]

In this weeks episode of 'Scottish Hot-rod...'

Quite a lot of wire brushing, sanding, swearing. Not that exciting! But new parts are starting to appear...



Selection of new nuts and bolts...

Dont know if anyone on here has heard of Pedders suspension before....(Joking!)



50mm spacers. Seem to be decent quality (although extended trailing arm bolts are the wrong thread, just sayin)



Easier to replace the brake pipes with no suspension in the way!



Progress! Yeah!



More next week when the paints dry, LOL!

 

[delux3]

Oh, yeah, full story (and other nonsense) HERE!

 

[delux3]

Not very exciting this week. Didnt have much time so the time I had was taken up with cleaning and painting. As exciting as watching paint....

Anyway, rear subframes back on...



Bushes back in (from Problem solving bushes)



Lift kit correction plates fitted (with correct longer bolts NOT included in kit, just saying!)



Get your arms in the air!

 

[delux3]

Lol! Forgot my galler link again! More pics HERE!

 

[delux3]

Not much to update at present. Work busy, parts taking their time to arrive!
Theres quite a lot of cleaning rust and painting going on but I'm not going to bore everyone with pics of each part!
Bought some shiney bits...



Planned to paint it to match everything else but its nicely finished so I'll be leaving it blue!



bit concerned by the instructions though. Hopefully no-one from Cusco finds out the car is hooning around in Scotland!
Dont want to get too carried away fitting expensive bars and supports but this was relatively cheap and hopefully gives the rear subframe a bit of strength back. Looking at some of the specialists websites, you could easily add half a ton to your car reinforcing this that and the next thing!

More when the post arrives!

All the pics HERE!

 

[ateday]

@delux3
Nice blue.....

 

[onebob]

wow!! - owning a vehicle in the northern hemisphere requires some dedication to keep it on the road. Downunder, in our dry climate they stay nice for years ............

 

[delux3]

Sorry about lack of updates. I am just not disciplined enough to do them regularly! I'm too easily distr.....


(45 minutes later)


...distracted.

I didnt want to waste everyones time showing stuff I had cleaned, replaced and fitted bushes to. If you are not into that thing, it all just merges into one. So heres another painted bit with new bushes...



Once all that was done I thought it was time to revisit my original design concept...



On target so far but seemed to be missing big chunky tyres...



...and then there were tyres! Insa Turbo Dakar 215/65R16 M+S Tyres. Highly recommended on Suzuki Jimny forum. Had to smarten up the wheels.



I've fitted a 50mm lift kit, from what I have read, Forester SFs dont really have CV joint problems unless you go over 60mm but I intend to sell the car when its finished. I dont want some angry guy covered in CV grease and mud shaking a driveshaft at me before I've wasted the money on another project!
So I decided to lower the rear subframe. There are kits available but I couldnt bring myself to stump up $400 for a couple of bits of box section with holes drilled in it! My mate (wee Scotty) trains people how to machine stuff for planes. In exchange for some Kopperberg cider he done me some titanium spacers!




Front ones need to be a bit wider but I was gonna go for chunky alloy ones like the kits from the U.S. but titanium sounded fancier. The payoff was they are smaller as titanuim is expensive and as Scotty is a biker he is limited to how much cider fits in his rucksack! I'll see how the car feels and take it from there. Please dont copy me until I know its all ok!

Serving suggestion!



Even had time to refit the rear sofa!



Its ironic the best sofa in my house is fitted in the back of my 'save from the scrapyard' project car!

More pics HERE!

 

[delux3]

Hi folks!
In this installment, there have been modifications, disappointments and deadlines!
Firstly, after fitting the Cusco reinforcing bar I discovered why its listed for the Impreza only...

...cos the rear diff temp sensor doesnt fit! DOES NOW!

Visit from the brake fairy...

So it was all going back together swimmingly...

...until I got to bolting the trailing arms back on. Its a 50mm lift kit but for some reason it comes with 30mm brackets for the trailing arms. I dunno why either? Anyway, they were not going to fit and If I had managed, the wheels would be toeing in way too much. ADF fabrications to the rescue! 2x 50mm trailing arm brackets and it all lined up perfectly.


Unfortunately, fitting everything back together gave me clearance problems I hadnt predicted...



Had to deflate the tyres a bit to fit it out the workshop!
Half way there...


Allowed me to get it out the workshop. In the UK there is a big Subaru show next week, so the Impreza needs a service 1st...



See all my shaky, poor quality pics HERE!