It's been a really really long time between updates. Been lurking around here and a few of the other forums the last couple of weeks, like an old L series I too feel quite rusty.
Briefly:
- Drove Monsterwagon ages just in RWD, never did get the transfer case working in it. I just never got enough time and it seemed like it was going to require a huge amount of mods to the actual body (cutting massive holes in tranny tunnel etc). Was using it for work for quite a while, fun to get around in.
- Got married, built a new house, moved 3 times finally ending up in the new house, had a first child... so the wagon didn't really get much use for a long time.
- Let the licence lapse and really didn't want to source basically all the standard L series driveline, suspension etc and convert it back to standardish to pass the pits. The body was pretty gone anyway, fair bit of rust coming through and some worrying stress fractures and panels not lining up from a couple of pretty bad "accidents" offroad.
- Stripped it down to a bare shell and got rid of the body.
But did I want to quit old Subarus? heh...
- Found an identical car...white, MPFI, registered touring wagon and picked it up. Already came with 3" lift, chunky tyres, and an EJ22 adaptor plated setup. Most of the mechanicals are pretty ratty but hey, it's rego'ed and it drives. I can technically go offroading any time I want.
So basically still have Monsterwagon, it's just technically a different car now (hah), and most of the ridiculous parts are sitting around my workshop.
The 6" / transfer case idea had merit I think - the car was surprisingly balanced to drive in the 6" configuration, worked really well. I just never actually got the transfer case in.
So now that I have a fairly clean slate, and all my tools organised in a proper workshop for once, I'm going to do a bit more work on it now. I still have basically NO time, but I think the next phase should only really need a bit of tinkering after work here and there.
Planning to configure it not as extreme this time, but still fairly special and unique.
- Will stick with 3" body lift
- Still will be running an EJ engine crossmember and wishbone control arms. Likely going to get the block / adaptors off RSR Paul for this (I don't have the time to mess around with this again and my 6" ones certainly aren't suitable!)
- Re-use my existing Outback struts/springs (which are still pretty much new condition Kings / KYBs I bought new)
- Return to running a traditional AWD gearbox setup (no more crazy transfer case). I just need to source a nice Forester gearbox for this.
- Rear end will just be an RX clutch LSD diff
The unique part will be the engine - going to do something nobody (to my knowledge) has done before in an L series. A few hurdles to get over but it's looking like it should work out quite well.
Also been picking up a few nifty exterior accessories, and will spend a little more time getting things looking nicer, including interior, actually get aircon going etc, things like that.
Hopefully going to make some pretty fast progress from here. Probably going to rip the EJ22 out this weekend and clean the engine bay up a bit then test fit the new motor. Might even run it on the adaptor plate at first because it's a bit hard to find a new gearbox at the moment.
For a change this time around, I think I'll just post pics and more specifics only after I've actually done them