Update on my Brumby

Show off your Subaru to other members. Tell us a bit about it. What mods you have done or have planned for the near future.
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Silverbullet
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Post by Silverbullet » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:15 pm

TOONGA wrote: another little update as well

MX5 front Springs conversion to the rear of my brumby

I know this is a big ol' thread dig from many years ago, but I'd like to know more about this! :)

Are you still running these struts in the back of your Brumby? If so do you still have the torsion bar in there as well? I'm thinking of doing something similar to my wagon (i.e proper struts where the shocks are usually) But don't know which struts/springs to use, or which are small enough in diameter. Also wondering if extra springs on top of the torsion bar will be too much spring :rolleyes: Then again at the moment I have the car sitting on the torsion bar with no shocks in it and it seems very very soft, perhaps my 35 year old torsion bar has lost its spring. Another thing, the pictures of your ute on these rear springs has the back sitting up a fair way, I wouldn't want my wagon sitting up that high but I have 2" lift block in there as well so if I put MX5 struts in it without lift blocks the height may be alright? But probably not enough travel in the shock. Can't see if you've got a lift kit in this one or not.

I plan to have some extra gear in the back compared to stock, and if I'm off camping there will be alot more extra gear hanging over the rear wheels, maybe extra springs in that case are a good thing.
Will it ever end!?
-EA81 TWIN CARB!!!!
-L series 5 speed
-Custom paint job
-2" lift
-Full custom re-wire
-L series front end
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TOONGA
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Post by TOONGA » Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:17 pm

The mx5 shocks are now in the vortex and the original vortex shocks are in the brumby.

The original "shocks" in the MY's are more damper than shock as the torsion bar is the main "spring" device.

this page shows what was done to get a set of aftermarket MX5 springs to fit

showthread.php?t=15851&page=60

I have backed my torsion bar right off so the car effectively sits on the vortex springs.

Having said that if I want to carry more than the legal weight in the back of the brumby I can wind the torsion bar up and load away :)

The bracket I made is for a 2 inch lift. the same style bracket can be inverted so the rear sits lower if the car looks too high.

hope that helps SB

I did a search on coil overs for the MX5 :o I think it would be cheaper to use vortex shocks :)

TOONGA
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Silverbullet
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Post by Silverbullet » Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:08 pm

Thanks TOONGA, does it help? er, yes and no! So its okay to put coil springs in the rear end where only a shock used to be, keep the torsion bar in place as well. Are the Vortex shocks you speak of from 2WD or 4WD? and are they longer like the L series ones seem to be. Have found a few threads with photos of L series rear struts in MY and they're way up there in height...
Will it ever end!?
-EA81 TWIN CARB!!!!
-L series 5 speed
-Custom paint job
-2" lift
-Full custom re-wire
-L series front end
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TOONGA
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Post by TOONGA » Fri Sep 18, 2015 9:45 pm

the vortex shocks I have are from my 4WD vortex, they adjustable with lowered king springs. they sit at their lowest point in the brumby and I have reversed the top mount so they sit lower than the MX5 springs ever did.

look at this thread on USMB to see the difference in the shocks available for the L series

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/top ... n-loyales/

TOONGA
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PJ Gone but not forgotten
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TOONGA
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Post by TOONGA » Sun Nov 15, 2015 10:27 am

So I have had a problem with PJ since I bought her the dreaded iron oxide depreciation factor.

Running her up and down the beach hasn't helped. filling the chassis rails with used engine oil helped for a while but rust is rust.

I have a choice try to fix the rust or find a newer brumby to transplant everything that makes PJ what she is.

Recently I was asked if I still wanted to make the transplant happen I said yes but I have a cash flow problem the flow of cash being non existent.

I was made an offer I couldn't refuse.

A 1992 brumby with a broken gearbox and a sad little EA81

Power steering and aircon, they look to be factory but as I understand it that was never an option :)

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She is a little bumpy on the panel side of things but the underneath is rather exciting :)

Sadly I put her away before I could get more photos.

As for the offer I couldn't refuse, remove the complete power steering system and transplant it into the previous owners new brumby, plus a cash payment from me to the previous owner that will remain a secret.

A problem you say... no power steering for me... nope I say... I have that in PJ and everything else I need in PJ.

All I need is time off and a permission from the boss :)

another chapter begins :)

TOONGA
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henpecked
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Post by henpecked » Sun Nov 15, 2015 1:01 pm

that's a nice little deal.

aircon was a subaru "factory" option - that is here in OZ it was fitted through the local dealer who was selling the car new, but Subaru would supply the parts.

I believe that in OZ - power steering was always a private transplant, as was auto gearbox.

cheers

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Post by TOONGA » Mon Nov 16, 2015 9:05 pm

Yeah it is a great deal and as long as it is looked after, my son will be driving it in 4-5 years time.

I'm not going to drive this one on the beach as much and when I do it will get a damn good wash afterwards.

The power steering conundrum gets me as well. I know a guy who swears that the GL brumby came with aircon and power steering, yet I've seen them with one, both or neither.

Trying to organise the time and money to get this swap done done is my next big hurdle.

TOONGA
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PJ Gone but not forgotten
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Corax
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Post by Corax » Tue Nov 17, 2015 2:30 am

Wow the guy who offered you that deal must be pretty awesome. imho ;)

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Post by TOONGA » Tue Nov 17, 2015 7:43 pm

Corax wrote:Wow the guy who offered you that deal must be pretty awesome. imho ;)
Yeah he is but don't let him know that as it will go to his head. :)

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Post by El_Freddo » Thu Nov 19, 2015 7:29 pm

TOONGA wrote:Yeah he is but don't let him know that as it will go to his head. :)
Anyone I might know? :p

Sounds like you've found a very good solution to a major problem with your brumby. Any sad emotions moving on from PJ the first?

Cheers

Bennie
"The lounge room is not a workshop..."
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TOONGA
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Post by TOONGA » Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:49 pm

Some sadness as a lot of effort has been put into this brumby build wise. But I think it would be better if my son could drive a car that's in on piece when it come time for him to drive :)

TOONGA
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Post by TOONGA » Thu Dec 10, 2015 3:28 pm

Some time ago I crushed my unequal aftermarket headers while off road in the national forest behind Brunswick. I've not bothered to try and work out what exactly they were rubbing on, but they were causing gearbox and engine noise to be transmitted into the ute. Today I put a stock header on the engine.

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uneven on the left and stock on the right. For the record I stole that photo from a forester board as I couldn't be bothered taking photos of mine. The stock headers I got looked just like those ones on the right which are minus the heat shields. My aftermarket ones looked liked the ones on the left in 2010 when they went on, not so much now.

not only is the gearbox and engine noise gone but I do believe I have picked up some engine power. Or I can drive it without being worried about the mechanical racket. Sadly though my boxer rumble is gone but the vortex makes up for that. :)

Anyone in WA want some bent aftermarket headers? :)

TOONGA
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Post by Proton mouse » Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:13 pm

Interesting (and good) that you have picked up power!!!
Do the aftermarket ones have smaller diameter piping or some restrictive bending?
JB

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TOONGA
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Post by TOONGA » Thu Dec 10, 2015 4:52 pm

The pipe diameter on the uneven headers from the head collectors to the "Y" joins is smaller, then there are the uneven length pipes which are the same diameter as all the pipe on the the standard headers. If that makes any sense?

I do think it is more about the noise being gone. Having said that it could have to do with the fact that the factory headers are designed to make the engine run at its best.

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Post by El_Freddo » Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:36 pm

In terms of unequal length extractors, more noise or beat = less power. Hence why Subaru these days run equal length headers...

I'd love more subi rumble though!

Cheers

Bennie
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Post by steptoe » Sun Dec 13, 2015 10:55 am

was thinking was reading an old post, but, it is December now ain't it ? :oops:

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TOONGA
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Post by TOONGA » Sun Dec 13, 2015 12:51 pm

El_Freddo wrote:In terms of unequal length extractors, more noise or beat = less power. Hence why Subaru these days run equal length headers...

I'd love more subi rumble though!

Cheers

Bennie
how about a set of these then Bennie

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I don't remember what board they came from but I did find them when I was looking for stock header pictures.
steptoe wrote:was thinking was reading an old post, but, it is December now ain't it ? :oops:
Yes it is December and occasionally I post stuff in my car threads just to amuse or annoy :)

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Post by Phizinza » Sat Mar 05, 2016 8:10 am

So what's the plan for the next project......?
Owned - 89 Brumby, 83 Wagon, 83 Leone 4WD Sedan, 83 Touring Wagon, 99 Outback
Own - 87 Brumby, 93 Liberty, 09 Forester
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TOONGA
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Post by TOONGA » Sat Mar 05, 2016 9:04 am

Phizinza wrote:So what's the plan for the next project......?
don't know yet... First thing I have to do is get a new job.

But this is the canvas PJ MK2


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Post by TOONGA » Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:26 pm

A side view of PJ MK2

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TOONGA
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