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My Vortex Project

Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:58 pm
by Johnny T
Hey every 1, Im new to this site and I have a 1987 Subaru Vortex AWD Turbo.

This is my new pride and joy that I bought off my uncle as a project car.
My plans for this are to bring this car back to life and slowly turn it into a show car.

If you guys have a few ideas on what I should fix or change please let me know.

Here are a few photos, I know it doesn't look too good now but I plan to rebuilt this car within 2-3 years.

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:14 am
by brumbyrunner
Welcome Johnny T.
Boy have you got your work cut out for you. I hope it was cheap.
You going for the "restore it to original" or "upgrade everything to modern gear" route?
Do you know if it's Aust. delivered or an import? Reason is, I've never seen what looks to be a charcoal Vortex. Or has it been painted?

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:51 am
by AlpineRaven
Nice ride mate and awesome find, yes keep us updated and what are your plans for it? Like what BrumbyRunner sasid - How are you gonna restore it?
Cheers
AP

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:29 am
by steptoe
EA82T AWD - jealous already. Charcoal? Maybe dusty black?

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:48 am
by Outback bloke
Hmmm, a black one. Not many of them around in that colour. The only problem I can see you are going to have is finding the garnish that goes around the dash near the steering wheel. They are quite rare.

Keep the pics coming as you do it up.

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:49 am
by TOONGA
welcome to the board nice ride

can I steal your gearbox for my brumby?

and thats a nice find by the way

TOONGA

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 11:15 am
by Johnny T
Hey all, thanks for the reply's, lol yer i know this is gonna be hard to rebuild to original, though it doesn't have much power but I was thinking of maybe of putting a larger turbo on it, as I know very little about these motors or turbos but I do know finding a larger turbo on it is going to be very difficult to find.

As brumbyrunner, I'm not sure if it is an import, if I look at the ID tag would that tell me if that is an import? I hope it is :)

The car is going to need a respray because it does have a few cracks on it, and yes this is the original paint :) I would like to respray this in yellow but as Outback Bloke said "Hmmm, a black one. Not many of them around in that colour" so I might as well keep it black :)

On regards to Alpine Raven how I am going to restore it? well not sure how to but just see if I can find parts and replace / repair the ones that are already broken. But if you have any advice please let me know cos any help would be much appreciated :)

Thanks steptoe, it is a great motor, consider that my uncle never drove the car for 5 years and the motor still runs great lol

To show you how much work the motor is going to need work I have attached a small photo, waring: This is one of the dirtiest motors I have ever seen. :P

Thanks all and I'll keep you posted when I can

[img][IMG]http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii99 ... g~original[/img][/IMG]

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 11:18 am
by Johnny T
Ey Toonga, lol you may not steel my gear box, but i know a person who has a manual gearbox for a brumby, I'll ask them if they want to sell it, just send me a PM and I'll get back to you.

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:15 pm
by TOONGA
Johnny thats ok I have a spare 4wd box but I want a AWD box (ahahahahahaaaahaah)

they are no easy to come by unless $$$$$$$$ are involved

TOONGA

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:58 pm
by someguy
That engine looks to be in pretty good nick.

Just get a can of degreaser and polish it up a bit and it will look like new (maybe even get it steam cleaned)

Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 6:02 pm
by steptoe
one of those aluminium compliance plates riveted to the firewall should indicate f it was Aus delivered new. Should say complies with ADR's blah, blah , blah

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:20 am
by brumbyrunner
My apologies for starting the whole import question. It looked charcoal to me, like the RX Turbo colour of the same year and we didn't get them. But Outback Bloke, another closet Vortex fan, picked it correctly as black. It's just very dirty and faded. Plus the imports would be 6 cylinders.

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 3:49 pm
by Johnny T
No stress brumbyrunner :) lol I wish it was the XT6 but this is still a great car to drive, if I get some time this weekend I'll get some more photos to post up.

I do have one question though, would anyone be able to tell me where I would be able to find a new window wiper mechanism for it because it doesn't work, I've tried a few wrekers and they don't seem to have any.

Thanks again
Johnny T

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 3:55 pm
by Suby Roo
Johnny T wrote:No stress brumbyrunner :) lol I wish it was the XT6 but this is still a great car to drive, if I get some time this weekend I'll get some more photos to post up.

I do have one question though, would anyone be able to tell me where I would be able to find a new window wiper mechanism for it because it doesn't work, I've tried a few wrekers and they don't seem to have any.

Thanks again
Johnny T
May be the same as an l series, But if not, PM subius as i know he has a parts car vortex.

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 3:58 pm
by TOONGA
LOL Suby Roo took the post right out of my keyboard

vbclassified.php?do=ad&id=828

subius is in Tasmania and is wrecking an early vortex

TOONGA

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 4:05 pm
by Johnny T
Thanks for the info guy :) but would you guys know how much shipping would cost from tas to vic?

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 8:01 pm
by brumbyrunner
Probably different to L series. Vortex only has one wiper arm.

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:00 am
by maxxair
the wreckers in Lismore NSW has a vortex. pretty old but pretty complete (well, was) they were reasonable priced when i pinched the rear brakes I think they were called hillside from memory. cheers mate, all the best with it

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 12:02 pm
by Chris_Rogers
Johnny T wrote:No stress brumbyrunner :) lol I wish it was the XT6 but this is still a great car to drive, if I get some time this weekend I'll get some more photos to post up.

I do have one question though, would anyone be able to tell me where I would be able to find a new window wiper mechanism for it because it doesn't work, I've tried a few wrekers and they don't seem to have any.

Thanks again
Johnny T


boss wrecking tingalpa. they have a full car there.

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 12:05 pm
by Chris_Rogers
also on the import thing:

if it is AX7-000000 then its a import. they did surface as a 4 cyl as well.

if he had an XT6 then I dare say most of us would have ripped the rear out of it long ago. (I did!)