Project Subie Doo

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Kaptain Krunch

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So, last night my friend rolled his car, it was a 1996 subaru legacy awd. somehow he is perfectly fine, he is one lucky guy... He only had liability on it so he said i could just have it. It rolled twice, and then hit a tree, so the roof is smooshed in but it runs good, and nothing major besides the body is messed up. has a recent clutch, 5spd manual, brand new tires and battery, only 180k. I'm planning on making it into some sort of trail rig/buggy.

not exactly sure how im doing it, or what it will look like yet, but it should be fun. I may just do a ghetto lift, sawzall the **** out of the wheel wells, stick some big tires on it and call it good.

I'll get some pictures tomorrow.

Progress will probably be slow, i cant do anything to it until the insurance company comes and checks it out anyways. and i only have $8 to my name at the moment.

EDIT:
something like this would be sweet http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=952550&postcount=4 doesnt look complicated either, all the glass is broken anyways so this would be perfect.
 

redsox985

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Strip every body panel, build a rail frame around the chassis, and toss on some bigger tires and longer travel suspension. Keep the AWD!

EDIT: And keep the cage narrow so that the wheels are outboard! Just my ideas of something I'd love to build. Why can't I get a rolled WRX!? Oh, and it's good to hear your buddy is fine. Subies are very safe cars. They rally race them for a reason.
 

Kaptain Krunch

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Strip every body panel, build a rail frame around the chassis, and toss on some bigger tires and longer travel suspension. Keep the AWD!

EDIT: And keep the cage narrow so that the wheels are outboard! Just my ideas of something I'd love to build. Why can't I get a rolled WRX!? Oh, and it's good to hear your buddy is fine. Subies are very safe cars. They rally race them for a reason.

Yeah, i like that idea, pretty much what this guy did, except i want 4 seats, and i would probably make it slightly more inclosed. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=952550&postcount=4

Wheels are definitely going to be outboard, because im hoping to run 31s on this thing. not sure if i can gear it down though, no clue what is available for subie diffs. Unfortunately this thing wont fit in my shop, so im stuck working on it outside...in vt. but i'll make do, may have to wait till spring for anything major. not sure yet.

A rolled WRX would be a dream come true. those things are insane. but hey, i dont care too much when its free. this thing still did 118mph at around 6 grand, and then the limiter kicks in. i might have a glass pack for the beast too.
 

modelengineer

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I'd make it mid-engined. There's a $200 part which locks the centre diff and just sends power to the front wheel outputs, then you put the whole lot behind the seats. You join the front outputs to the rear hubs by welding a set of inner front axles to the outer end of the rear axles. That way you can use the rear hubs at the back and the front hubs at the front.

Muuuch better than awd IMO.
 

redsox985

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Do you have any pictures of this thing and the motor? What's the powerplant I'm this thing?
 

modelengineer

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2.2L flat 4, or possibly a 2.5L flat 4 or 3.0L flat 6 depending on the spec of the car.

Absolutely fantastic engine, whichever one it is. I've decided to boost the one going into my car (2.5L SOHC EJ251), to that end I've bought a turbo, and some STi pistons and connecting rods. Should be capable of ~280hp on the current turbo, and up to about 400hp if I had a bigger turbo.

Weeeeeeeeeeee!

Go for it Kaptain!
 

sideways

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I'd make it mid-engined. There's a $200 part which locks the centre diff and just sends power to the front wheel outputs, then you put the whole lot behind the seats. You join the front outputs to the rear hubs by welding a set of inner front axles to the outer end of the rear axles. That way you can use the rear hubs at the back and the front hubs at the front.

Muuuch better than awd IMO.

Exactly what I would do, the front axles come out of the sides of the gearbox, once you block off that centre diff you've got a mid engine set up.

Didn't edge make a Piranha or Hypersprint with a Subaru engine and gearbox? Not the ballistic but a different thing?

Thanks

Hayden
 

sideways

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Here's a pic of a Subaru engined Hypersprint.



Thanks

Hayden
 

Kaptain Krunch

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I believe it has a 2.2l, may be a 2.4, its a 4cyl boxer engine, and she actually has some nut to her. I got a video of it running, and a little driving, however my camera died so i can get it on the computer. I took the muffler off and she sounds pretty mean. My main plans for now is to simply beat the **** out of the wheel wells and make a set of 31s fit, i my have to do a small body lift, but its pretty straight forward. Heres a few pictures of the body, i have more but i need to wait for new camera batteries.
 

Doc Sprocket

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Cool! Umm- how do you do a body lift on a unibody?
Perhaps you mean a suspension lift?
Have you considered just selling it? I only ask because I have a 93 Legacy AWD and when I bought it I was told that the engines were quite sought after, so if I ever mangled or retired the car it could get some pretty good $$$ for the engine.
 

Kaptain Krunch

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Cool! Umm- how do you do a body lift on a unibody?
Perhaps you mean a suspension lift?
Have you considered just selling it? I only ask because I have a 93 Legacy AWD and when I bought it I was told that the engines were quite sought after, so if I ever mangled or retired the car it could get some pretty good $$$ for the engine.

Well, i dont know if you would consider it a suspension or body lift, but basically make lift blocks to lift the unibody off the drivetrain. I have seen it done, but im still not seeing exactly how its going to work in my head. i havent really looked under the car much.

As far as selling it, no, i cant do that. It was my best friends car, and theres no way i could just sell it and take the money, i would end up giving it to him. Besides, i would much rather make a sweet buggy/trail rig for under $500, than make a few hundred off the engine.
 

redsox985

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Strip it to the bare minimum and then you can put on what ever you want for tires. I recently found a cj7 for sale with mudder 38's. Needless to say, it looked great. It was a woods buggy. Topless with a 2" tube roll cage. It looked fun.
 

Bluethunder3320

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i would make a half of car if i were ya'. cut the 2nd doors off then move the back up,move the seats to the back, cut off the roof and build a roll cage. haha!
 

Doc Sprocket

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Okay, cool. Given the unibody construction, the lift block thing won't happen. That is considered a body lift. You might be able to tweak the suspension up an inch or two with spring spacers or similar, but don't push your luck. The CV joints won't tolerate too much more angularity. Sawzall the wee out of the fenders, and maybe buy or fab a set of wheel spacers, then stick on those bigger meats. Maybe crack open the rear diff and do a "Lincoln Locker". And please, take tons of pics!

Bluethunder, also due to the unibody construction, that shortening idea of yours is a very tall order. Remeber folks- no frame!
 

newrider3

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The thing about most unibody small cars, though, is that the entire front suspension cradle-engine, trans, drive, suspension and all-usually will drop out just by removing 4 or so bolts. Couldn't one drop the whole assembly, and add some spacers and bolt it back up? You might have to extend various lines, controls, and wires, but in theory it is doable.
 

Kaptain Krunch

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Okay, cool. Given the unibody construction, the lift block thing won't happen. That is considered a body lift. You might be able to tweak the suspension up an inch or two with spring spacers or similar, but don't push your luck. The CV joints won't tolerate too much more angularity. Sawzall the wee out of the fenders, and maybe buy or fab a set of wheel spacers, then stick on those bigger meats. Maybe crack open the rear diff and do a "Lincoln Locker". And please, take tons of pics!

Bluethunder, also due to the unibody construction, that shortening idea of yours is a very tall order. Remeber folks- no frame!

Right, they do actually make lift blocks u can buy for subarus, and i have seen someone make a custom lift block set for the exact some car i have, however its way to much work when i can just beat the hell out of the fenders, and make 2" spacers for the struts. I was planning on doin a lincoln locker also, i will most likely need to gear it down though so i might just wait a while.

EDIT: look at newriders post.

I got my tires for it today, free. decent (half tread or so), bfg trail makers. There about 31" tall, (put one next to my 31x10.5-15 tire on my truck, about the same but narrower). They should be pretty good, but i need to find some 15" rims for the suby. I have two sets of 14" subie rims, so hopefully i can trade those for some 15".

Yeah, halfcar would be a *****. This things AWD, and unibody, i would basically have to lock the center diff and take out the rear driveshaft, making it front wheel drive...ill have much more fun with it as a trail rig.

I'll get some more pictures tomorrow, might do my ghetto strut lift then too.
 

redsox985

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Ghetto rigged subie. That's not too common. They're usually babied.
 
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