Silverbullet's resto: Bodywork

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Fri Aug 08, 2014 11:32 pm

Sig pic suitably updated

Bennie if I can save up enough to get this done on apprentice wages, anyone can; don't lose hope!

Also the more you do yourself the less it costs. I think by stripping it down completely myself I probably saved about $3k. Total paint job was $4k so less than I budgeted for. Yes it will be handled with kid gloves from now on; got an old quilt to put over it down one side (the side where people walk down the most) I will tape some plastic over the rear windscreen to stop rain blowing in and it will remain under a car cover at all times when I'm not working on it. And I think this car has spent enough of its life as a silver bullet (Do I need to change my username now???) like the Subie boys in Gympie said blue just fits these cars.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 12:18 am

Yeah fair call on the saving bit, unfortunately I've got other priorities for savings, plus no doubt larger overheads.

Not complaining, just saying. I do admire the amount of work you're putting in at your age, something I was never able to complete back then - I either lost motivation or "got busy" or I rather got busy then lost motivation

Cheers

Bennie

Post by **Bantum** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 12:35 am

Looking good there .... :like:

You'll have to get some '555 rally stickers for it now ...

Cheers, Bantum ...

Nubaru · Post by **Nubaru** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 8:50 am

been watching this for some time now, and drooling. The engine with twin carbs is it a true EA81S or std with twin carbs ? Either way, I is curious to its putout, so when i is up and running the new car deserves a dyno run to share the HP and torque with graphic proof !

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:40 am

A few people have already suggested I should put the yellow rally stickers on it and get gold wheels, but I dunno that wasn't really the look I was going for when the car is finished. I think I will keep the paintwork completely un-covered and clean, the vinyl stripes and whatnot that seem to be all the rage today just wouldn't suit it I think.

Nubaru it is a true EA81S with twin carbs and the valves reversed, and larger exhaust outlets. A dyno tune was definitely on the to do list so a power test would be good as well

Could put some numbers to the EA81S legendary status.

That's still a looong way off yet, but it should be quite straightforward from here just re-assembling stuff.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Aug 17, 2014 6:47 pm

It's dawning on me now how much stuff there is to do; I guess when you're tearing it down over 2 years you forget how much stuff you've taken off

Now it all has to go back on in less than 5 months! I guess the good part is now when I find any random part from my collection in the shed, I can just go straight out and bolt it on

So the first weekend it's been back home I've spent aligning some panels and doors that weren't quite 100%. The drivers door striker needed adjusting and the drivers side passenger door sagged downwards a bit. Now they both close beautifully and line up great. The bonnet is proving the hardest by far; it's so far over one side it's clipping one of the fenders and I can't get it to shift sideways without it clipping the front cowling when you open/close. I might be putting some shims in where it bolts up to the hinges at this rate.

Also I've decided to put all the glass I can back in because the windows are big, cumbersome fragile items to store. Today I put in the two windows down the drivers side and adjusted them straight and level. Removed the sliding parts off the windows and cleaned all the solid dried up grease from them. Next I need to find some rubber-restoring product of some sort to clean up the old door rubbers before I put them in.

henpecked · Post by **henpecked** » Sun Aug 17, 2014 8:24 pm

do you have . do you want full electrical wiring , mech etc , for the power windows from a touring wagon ?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Aug 17, 2014 9:42 pm

rubber restoring stuff is found near food colours and stuff at the local supermarket, next to th vanilla essence - glycerine !

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:29 pm

henpecked wrote:do you have . do you want full electrical wiring , mech etc , for the power windows from a touring wagon ?

I have a modern retro-fit power windows kit to go in this car that keeps the manual regulators and has it's own wiring. But I am looking for a centre console with the 4 switches in it to operate them, would you have a spare one laying around?

Jonno yes glycerine based seems to be the go, research tells me to stay away from silicone based stuff. What about grease to put in the window sliding channels? Don't feel like putting axle grease in there, white grease perhaps?

henpecked · Post by **henpecked** » Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:50 pm

Silverbullet wrote:But I am looking for a centre console with the 4 switches in it to operate them, would you have a spare one laying around?

I'll have a look, I may well also have a "L" series set that go onto the drivers door - do youy have a preference ?

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:59 pm

Centre console located switches preferred, never could work out why the driver needs 4 switches on his door

Cheers!

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Mon Aug 18, 2014 1:31 pm

So he can lock the fragrance of a good fart in, all passengers should enjoy.

henpecked · Post by **henpecked** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:02 pm

I don't know offhand if you have a auto or a manual, a beige or a gray interior. I know its not a touring wagon, so if your putting in elec windows I know you are not going a resto route so ---

here is what a manual grey touring wagon looks like - its going into the brumby !

and this is what I have spare ATM for you - its out of an beige Auto , so it originally lacked a panel for the 4WD selector, but I found a spare beige panel and sock for that, and I should be able to source an ashtray if you want this.
It currently owes me $65.

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Aug 23, 2014 12:06 am

My wagon used to be a tan/brown interior, manual trans and not a touring wagon. I'm planning on getting all the plastic trim pieces restored and re-coloured in a black/charcoal 2 tone anyway so colour of donor parts isn't important. So that entire centre console looks the goods, do all the switches still click up and down?

I'll send you a PM

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Aug 30, 2014 1:00 am

Silverbullet wrote:So that entire centre console looks the goods, do all the switches still click up and down?

They will do, but I'd still pull them apart and remove the crap in them so you know it'll work when you need/want them to

Cheers

Bennie

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 1:13 pm

It's been a while since I posted anything in this topic, but some very exciting and rare parts (thankyou TOONGA!!!) came to me via courier this week that don't fit into interior or engine related topics...

Can anyone guess what this is?

That rad support is in the way, I guess for cars with the center light optioned (US and JDM cars) the center rad support was omitted.

It unbolts at the bottom, but the top needs to be cut with a grinder. Amazingly, the 4 holes up top needed to mount this thing already exist in my front panel, and they are already the perfect size for my favorite - M6 rivnuts

Mounted up a treat, looks the bomb. Now I just need to work out the wiring side of things!

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 3:14 pm

It's alive!

Not wired in properly yet, just putting power to some of the wires in the plug. It's going to take me a while to figure out the little control box that is supposed to control this thing. A little black box with 2 change over relays inside, and a little circuit board with a couple of resistors, diodes, capacitors and a transistor. So the control of this light isn't as simple as I thought. And being such a quirky unique option from 30+ years ago I can't find a circuit diagram anywhere. I know it gets its power from piggy back-ing off the lighting switch plug under the dash originally, but what happens between there and the engine bay control box is not clear. Not to fear! I will work it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBhzFnj ... e=youtu.be

Post by **Bantum** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 4:44 pm

Awsome ... Ciclops light ...

Don't forget the other bits that go to make up the Power window Curicuit ...

Looks nearly finished now - How much more to go ?

Cheers, Bantum ...

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 6:45 pm

Oddly enough that wouldn't pass road worthy over here - you need to have an even number of lights which to me is ridiculous!

Looks good though mate, very different.

Will you have it ready for the 50th anniversary of Subaru meet in April??

Cheers

Bennie

Phizinza · Post by **Phizinza** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 8:38 pm

With the advent of led light bars the law has changed (at least in SA). You can now have 1 and 3 combination of driving lights as well as 2and 4 combinations.