'82 Wagon Project - The Scoobaru

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Wed Aug 18, 2010 4:07 pm

Hi all. Just thought I'd slap up some pics and a short description of what I'm doing to my '82 Subaru Wagon.

It came to me with a few problems, but nothing too major. It was running a little rough, had a scraping noise from the rear-left wheel when brakes were applied, mis-matched, flat-spotted and bald tyres, a little bit of rust, and transmission mounts that were shot-to-shit. Apart from the afore-mentioned RWC fail-items, she is in great condition. It has done about 220,000 km.

It is all stock for now. The EA81 in it is now running strong and smooth after a quick look-and-fiddle with the ignition coil, and new ignition leads. So far I've bled the rear brakes and master cylinder, and the fluid that came out might as well have been new. No crap came out of any of the bleeders at all! The float-sensor attached to the cap of the reservoir needed it's wires re-soldered. I've pulled apart the drum brakes, which are in great condition and the shoes look almost new. I've found the source of the scraping noise, a stone had gotten in there and began gouging the drum a bit. Sorted!

The bearings and other associated bits have been greased up a bit. I have yet to attack the front-end, but it looks like there won't be too much to do. New pads, have a look at the disc rotors, maybe do the bearings. All the CV's look to have been recently either replaced or reconditioned.

An oil change has been done, but wasn't necessary, by the quality of what was being drained. And she has a new filter. Obviously before I got it they must have done a backyard job on it, or got an apprentice to do it. There's a photo coming of the old oil filter and what I had to do to get the bastard out. It seems to me that the seal wasn't oiled before screwing it on, as there was some oil leaking from it when I got the car, and then was over-tightened, aswell as vice-grip marks on the sump plug. Anyway, it's now all sorted.

The transmission mounts I got were brand-newies and went in without hassle. Now she's much more solid.

This has to be the straightest car I've seen. The worst thing to ever happen to it (apart from being sold to ME

) was it ran over a mail-box, and the front-left fender had a small ding panel-beated out.

All that's left to do to it now is another pair of Bridgestone AR10's for the front wheels, and a new windscreen. I'll be bogging the rusted bit, sanding, and probably repeating a few times, using gradually finer sandpaper, then getting a panel-beater who is a mate of Dad's to do a colour match and re-spray of the affected area. I think......

Now that the crap's over, time for pics!

New grill going in the front, and yes, the fog-light covers do say BONGO

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Beginning to de-grease the engine

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The rust spot I was going on about. It's been hit with rust-converter

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One of the afore-mentioned transmission mounts

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Old oil-filter, yes, those holes are from a screwdriver because my oil-filter gripper-unscrewer thingy couldn't make it budge

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olddog642 · Post by **olddog642** » Wed Aug 18, 2010 4:37 pm

G'day,
are you going to keep it pretty much in standard trim or do you have a few modifications in mind.
What ever you do it is good to see the old girls getting done up and back on the road
Keep at it
Hylton:twisted:

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Wed Aug 18, 2010 5:59 pm

I've got the centre-console out so that I can cut the hole for the new head-unit to slide into, and I'm also cleaning up the dog-hair and grime that was behind it.

Console out!

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The reason for the dashboard-carnage

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My current favourite reading-material, the Book of Supreme Knowledge

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Thanks all for taking a look. Apologies for the shitty phone pictures.

And, a question for any people with EA81 knowledge. Would it be worthwhile to source and install a Weber dual throat carby? Or would it substantially reduce engine-life...

Cheers!

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Wed Aug 18, 2010 6:09 pm

Cheers Hylton. I'll be keeping it as stock as I can for now, but we'll see what happens down the track...

So far, the only nasty thing I'm doing to it will be cutting the hole for the head-unit, and making room in the doors for the speakers. I'm considering getting some fiberglass insulation to put behind the speakers to stop any echoing or distortion. That's what the old man did to his Hilux's front speakers, and it really made them sound better and less, i s'pose, 'plasticky'? Anyway...

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 4:00 pm

I just got sold an '84 touring wagon for the right price. (cheap)

It's done about 420,000 km's so she's a bit tired. I'll keep it as a paddock-basher and for my little sis to learn how to drive in. I'm going to take the ignition barrel out of it. My current one drops keys when you go up-hill or over bumps, and the centre console in this one also has a DIN mount in it, whereas mine has no place for a stereo unless I cut a hole and make a mount up for it. It has an EA81 aswell, so that'll be very handy. Other numerous parts will be ratted from it and fitted to the Scoob.

As I said it's a bit tired and not really worth roadworthy and rego to me. At least we'll have a quality paddock-basher and little sis will learn to drive in a REAL car.

Hmm... Maybe I'll take the power windows from it too! If anyone needs any bits that I haven't already pilfered from it send me a PM sometime around late next week.

Cheers.

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:25 pm

Just got the parts car home today. It is mis-firing a bit, and the electronic instrument panel it has isn't working. I was disappointed with the wiring in it, after the seller told me he's a sparky... Anyway.

It has had cruise control fitted, and a mysterious purple box, with alot of wires hanging out. It has apparently been sitting where it was for almost 3 years, so it of course had the obligatory rat's nest in the engine bay, which was quickly removed. The tyres were all inflated right up, but one wasn't holding any air, so was quickly replaced with a spare that I bought. I whacked my car battery in, and she roared into life. It was ready to run!

Apart from some reaaaly filthy engine oil, everything is in great order. The power steering is real nice. (See other thread in a couple days).

It was put into 4-wd high once it was fueled and tyred up properly, and so began the 3km of muddy, steep and with-a-great-view forestry tracks that consist of the seller's driveway. Let me say, it did just as well ad the old mans Hilux with M/T tyres, except for the dead-cylinder-induced gutless-ness in low-revs. It did keep going, though.

I'll be posting up some photos tomorrow to describe what sort of horror lays under the dash, in the hope for a little bit of help with things. I think I'd like to take out the cruise control and the shorted-out and dead stereo, but need some expertise. Also, I think that fixing the digital dash would be good. Any ideas on where I could start looking to find some specs, schematics and general info on these electronic instrument panels?

At the moment it's destined to become a paddock-basher/portable stereo/mystery machine for home. Rust that'll turn your hair red, ultra-crazy electrics, 455,000 km on the odo, destroyed shocks, etc...

For information's sake, it is a 1984 model Touring Wagon, high roof, electric windows, power steering. It has the honeycomb radiator grill, dual headlights. It is running an EA81, the same as my current Subaru, swith a 4sp dual-range manual transmission. Who knows, there may be some rare bits on it that someone is after (naked profiteering).

I also scored a Brumby bonnet (unknown origin) that was going to be made into landfill.

olddog642 · Post by **olddog642** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:00 pm

G'day Mick,
good to hear and see that the old girl is getting the attention she deserves, also great that you have another one as a donar for bits and pieces.
I'm on the lookout (thats when I build my bank account up) for an early 80's model wagon with the ea81 to keep my brumby company.
Speaking of Scamp (brumby) I had her inspected the other day for rego she passed but I did have to get the front brake hoses replaced they had signs of perish. So now must save to pay the DMT for rego grrrhh.
Keep up the good work
Hylton:twisted:

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:39 pm

olddog642 wrote:G'day Mick,
I'm on the lookout (thats when I build my bank account up) for an early 80's model wagon with the ea81 to keep my brumby company.
Hylton:twisted:

I'd love to help you out mate, but it has prior commitments for now, and besides, I want it!

Cheers.

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:26 pm

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Just some pics I took today. It's pissing down rain here at the moment, might go for a spin.

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:32 pm

I'm hoping someone may know a little about these digital instrument panels. 9/10 times when I turn the key to on or when the engine is running a constant beep comes from behind it. Most annoying, and the f*cking thing still won't work! Any ideas thoughts or suggestions? Another thing, I need some thoughts on what to do about the delay between pressing the accelerator and the engine actually revving. It smells like it is running waaay too rich, and it is a little rough. Not to mention the generally 'loose' feeling of everything about this car, when I'm used to the tight handling and instant response of my wagon and the old folks' Outback... TIA, Mick.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:22 pm

Yeah I'd like to know about adjusting the richness too, my wagons exhaust smells a but too much like petrol for my liking

I'm watching this thread with interest, I like to know what might be waiting behind the dash of my car lol

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:49 pm

I have manuals for EA81 engines, '82 thru to '86, and as we speak, I'm looking at fuel adjustment. Also, comparing the carby on the touring wagon's engine, and comparing to mine, I think I'll be getting some carby cleaner.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:57 pm

I think you'll find that the only way to adjust the fuel is to drop the level of the float in the carbie's fuel bowl. This can be very fiddly but well worth the effort!

Good luck with it all, got a pic of your subi that the parts bitch is bitch to?

Cheers

Bennie

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:31 pm

There it is El-Freddo.

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Pic taken in Autumn, still on L's.

The white one is Scoob, the one I'm getting on the road (my baby). And the beige one on the previous page, (Boggy, as it's been fondly dubbed, for obvious reasons) is the donor car and paddock basher. Replaced a dead spark plug today, now it has some power, sort of. It'll be mainly used as a donut and drift car (read, pasture-flattener) for home.

Generally, Boggy is much doughier and looser than Scoob. Scoob fvckin hammers.

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 1:19 pm

Long time no see.

Little work has been done on the Scoob, but I have been fairly flat-out most days. Up until recently, all I'd managed to do was spend money on parts, but recently, said parts have been installed. Namely, $150 worth of ignition lock, $70 worth of new lenses for the indicators/parkers, new water pump for the rear windscreen washer, new wheels, new seals, etc., etc. 15 hours have been spent on replacing what electricals needed replacing, and many an insmoniatic night has been spent pulling apart EVERYTHING, cleaning it, making sure there are no SPIDERS to be seen, then re-assembling. I am quite happy with the result.

The rusty section in the bottom right hand corner of the rear window has been cut away completely, a new piece has been welded in, and then shaped and bogged, then re-shaped, then re-bogged several times, and is now ( I hope! ) fix'd! All that's left now is new windscreen, windscreen seal and to remove and replace my first attempt at fixing rust, in the bottom passenger side of the windscreen.

Sweeping out the dirt under the floor mats that probably came from the factory when she was built, sure looks to have been well worth the effort. I have this morning completed vacuuming approximately 2 metric tonnes of hair from various dogs and/or previous owners. And yes, all previous owners ( and the (!) current owner (!) ) are dog lovers.

And that bit of cardboard taped to the side of the vehicle is where I am about to re-spray the centre of the 4 in '4WD' RED again.

So clean...

I digress.

That's enough jibber-jabber from me for now. We'll let the (very few) pictures do the talking.

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d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 2:09 pm

Looking good mate, where is the fancy stereo????

Mick2642 · Post by **Mick2642** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 6:41 pm

Aah, yes. I was expecting someone to ask me about the 'fancy stereo' sooner or later. For the moment, I am leaving the vehicle as un-modified as I can, and the door trims as intact as possible. She's getting a new windscreen and seal installed in the new year, and a subsequent roadworthy on the same day. From the looks of that spot of rust in the corner of the windscreen, we might be taking out the windscreen here to fix it properly, and pay up bulk bikkies to get the windscreen brought out here...

Any thoughts?

Cheers.