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Winter Beater Overhaul


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A massive amount of work has been put into this rusty shell of Subaru but this summer so far has prove its worth.

 

The car will never be done to completion because the body is just too rusty but in these past few months, the car has spent more time on the road putting on mileage than being blown to pieces over several driveways, backyards, and garages.

 

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Photo by: Martin Brummell

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  • 2 months later...

Winter is around the corner and with fond memories from 2 years ago when this car was stuck in a cold garage in a hundred pieces, I've been rushing to tidy up some of the things I've been wanting to do once the car was functional!

 

N/A Subarus don't have the elusive wub-wub-wub exhaust note known on the turbo models so I tackled the rotten factory exhaust.

 

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What these forums have said is right, the Borla knock-off UEL headers don't really fit at all without some brute strength. For the rest of the exhaust, I ran into these issues which may push me into trying my hand at booger welding.

 

Next few things were to get ready for winter. My main complaint with the car aside from all of the rust, was the amount of light the one piece headlights generated. Without going all out and do a retrofit or importing JDM projectors, I tried the 98-99 two piece headlights.

 

After following Thomistopheles' guide, my salvage headlights came out beautifully!

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthrea...de-201687.html

 

This is a must do for 95-97 Legacy owners! The light pattern is much more consistent and precise.

 

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Lastly, I finally finished refreshing my winter wheels and tires I had found when I first bough the car. I just loathed knowing how much sanding I needed to do so it only took me two years. I eventually painted them in a colour ready to fit the cliché.

 

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All I have left before it gets frosty is to wire in the heated mirrors found on the winter package spec'd Outbacks.

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  • 11 months later...

This car has come a long way since I bought it 3 years ago. This summer came to pass and I tackled the biggest ticket items I've ever dealt with.

 

The timing belt and components, clutch, shifter knuckle, rear main seal and oil separator etc. Along with weeks and weeks of learning how to weld on this thing. That GD Impreza exhaust I tried to fit a year ago (http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/gd-02-07-impreza-catback-comparison-245999.html) resulted in the purchase of a $1200 welder and supplies to modify a $150 exhaust...

 

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I'm unsure of the future of this car but it's at a point where it has never been in better condition while in my ownership.

 

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Photo by: Erick Nhan

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  • 1 year later...

I always knew this type of post would come up at some point, but when it actually happens, it's always too early.

 

Since the last post almost 2 years ago, the car went on giving all that it had. All the work that went into it paid off.

 

It moved my family to a handful of cities.

 

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Took us on many more road trips.

 

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It even had a few bumps here and there.

 

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But it all took it in stride.

 

Until the radiator went taking out the head gasket and one of the pistons.

 

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The exhaust is blowing out of the radiator and piston #3 is making more noise than it should. Although I'm currently looking for an engine replacement, supply is very low locally and the amount of time I have is even lower. I had a goal let nature take its course after 400,000kms but with it sitting at 356,000kms, I feel as I let it down.

 

This car was the one vehicle that brought my knowledge and skill set in automotive mechanics to the next level. With it needing so much work at the start and having aspects that I had no experience in, AWD, boxer motor, and Japanese engineering, I would have never gotten so comfortable around any type of vehicle if I stuck wrenching on 90's FWD GM metal. It was the right colour, transmission type, and body style. Perfect for everything I needed it for.

 

I owe the community my upmost respect for the kindness and information I got from its members and hopefully will end up sticking around because of the Legacy's replacement, or if it gets a new heart.

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