88 WRX Touring Wagon Project

[wagonist]

Ok, the project is now become defunct.
Too many other things on & a better car now resides in the garage.

The running gear (except the engine) is spoken for already.
Anyone after a good rust free shell?
Also selling the one-off factory coupe bodykit I imported from the US.
I have a complete RX turbo interior for sale also.

In exchange, I'm searching for a latish model running carby engine (88 or newer) & a touring wagon interior in preferably blue (where I'll just need seats & door trims), or a complete interior otherwise.

[El_Freddo]

Bummer mate! I was all excited with an update only to find it's been abandoned...

Bennie

[wagonist]

I'm a bit disappointed it has never come to finish, too, but I had lost interest for a time. Grand plans just a little too grand, unfortunately.
To get so far,...

Plus I have 5 cars & a trailer at my place, & I'm looking at moving out & share renting again, so a bit of rationalisation is necessary. I want to be down to 2 & the trailer by February.

[L-Raiser]

Awwww so sorry to hear this too Wagonist!...your car was going to be a long distance 'sister' to _MY_ yellow wagon...hehe I too was looking forward to seeing her completed....mine is almost done....but has cost me 12mths, an arm and a leg....and a head.....and a torso.....and.....and........

Big projects like ours are very hard to stick to, to complete....so I know exactly where you are coming from mate...

All the best anyhow...

Regards,

L-Raiser

[wagonist]

I may still end up finishing the painting, if I can get a cheap enough price.
I may also finish putting the RX turbo interior in as well.
Both of these involve money that I may not recoup (but that's pretty standard with modded cars)

Thought about fitting the bodykit too, but I'd rather sell that to someone who'd appreciate it.

[wagonist]

Ok, I'm after some serious offers to offload some gear that's no longer going to be used for this project.

Also happy to take some part exchange, as I'm chasing some bits to get back to standard.

• Complete RX turbo sedan interior. Driver's seat needs some attention.
• Complete US spec 3 door ground effects kit (ie skirt kit). Will fit straight onto a sedan, but rear pieces need work to fit to a wagon. Guaranteed to be the only one in Oz.
• Import spec turbo cluster (volts & oil pressure). For extra, I can finish modifying it with the 240km/h version I got out of a Vortex.
• the WRX engine & stripped wiring loom
• I have some spare doors & tailgate from DL model

I can post up pics

I need:

• blue interior out of a late model Touring Wagon (door trims & seats are minimum)
• Carbied engine (post 88 model & not too many k's, sub 200 000)
• pair of post 86 front doors in white

[BlackMale]

Ok, the project is now become defunct.
Too many other things on & a better car now resides in the garage.

Dam man this is the first time i have seen this update on your thread a(the joys of being busy again i suppose) sorry to hear about the defunctness - Care to tell us what's in the garage now?

I'm searching for a touring wagon interior in preferably blue (where I'll just need seats & door trims), or a complete interior otherwise.

I should be able to help you with the complete interior (just name it i have it ALL) in good condition and in blue.

Actually (just edited) I have just been out to the garage and also have both of these items

Carbied engine (post 88 model & not too many k's, sub 200 000) and
[*]pair of post 86 front doors in white

You due back in Perth again anytime soon?!
(I am not expected in Sydeny for a while)

I know the trouble you when to with this and could be interested in it.

Complete US spec 3 door ground effects kit (ie skirt kit). Will fit straight onto a sedan, but rear pieces need work to fit to a wagon. Guaranteed to be the only one in Oz.

If you want to PM /e-mail me some picture and a price and i'll see what my budget can handle.

[wagonist]

Rear skirts Grill front & side skirts


US wagon with kit fitted

[Xtreme_RX]

What sort of $ are you looking for the body kit?

[wagonist]

The kit owes me $900 (shipping it from the US was a major killer because the side skirts made it oversize:rolleyes::mad:).
It does also include the special undertray & rad support that the front air dam bolts upto.
I do have another front dam that has been damaged, but nothing that a little plastic welding wouldn't fix.

[wagonist]

Time for an update, because things have actually happened on the car:eek:

After buying the Toyota, which is faster (though heavier), newer, better equipped, safer, I decided not to continue with the WRX conversion because I really couldn't get it the way I wanted.

Now I've sourced a complete EFI loom & mated that to a Vortex EA82 EFI NA motor, with a manual box & running gear, etc from an 89 DL.

As the motor was from a Vortex, this meant changing a few things on the motor, ie power steer pump & bracket (meaning the inlet manifold needed to come off:rolleyes::???:), and the pulleys on the front of the motor.
I also found out the Vortex water pump pulley in a different offset & I wrecked the L pulley trying to relocate this on the shaft (it still hasn't budged, any ideas)

The RX turbo sedan interior is off at the trimmers getting redone to suit the wagon & give it a freshen up (vinyl spilt everywhere), & I'm trying to get it running so that it can go off to the painters to get the body finished.

Attached is a pic of where the car stands now.

What its future will be, I don't know. I'm killing my Toyota by doing 40 000km/year in it (lucky it's an import with low k's to start with), but mechanically it may need less looking after.

If someone comes along with the right money, I may sell this project as it's basically a new car with nothing on it having done over 160 000km, plus a lot of TLC, which is pretty good for a 21 year car.

I am trying to get hold of my old full time 4wd dual range, centre diff lock equipped box, but I'm not holding my breath (plus I think I'll need to change the rear diff ratio to suit).

[wagonist]

More updates:
got the re-trimmed RX turbo interior back

Front seats re-done
rear seat retrimmed to suit the wagon cushion
new cargo area carpet
hoodlining retrimmed

And just to make you really jealous
Factory Subaru Touring Wagon rear spoiler

Engine has received a new water pump (to suit the double V belts instead of the multi V pulleys)
New timing belts on this weekend & then the front end can be completely reassembled.

I picked up an aluminium roo bar, but I'm having trouble with the brackets that go onto the bar. Any advice?

[sven '2']

More updates:

And just to make you really jealous
Factory Subaru Touring Wagon rear spoiler

ohhhh baby!

When I owned wagons I would have given just about anytrhing for one of these...

Good to see the project is back on track

Goodluck

Sven

[wagonist]

Not quite on the full conversion now, but I may still do a 5 stud conversion.

This car's become more about the looks.

I'm looking at re-doing the instrument cluster & switches in a matching colour to the exterior (ie yellow) with some stickers, but I need to figure out how the light will get through.

[Fang]

Was it only the Touring Wagons that the spoiler came out on - do you know? Would love to see some interior shots of the cluster, etc. Looking good!

[wagonist]

Unsure about the spoiler. It's the only one I've ever seen.

Apart from hooking up the fuel pump, adding coolant, changing the oil & changing over the early dizzy over to the later one, this baby is ready to start.

I haven't reinstalled the interior yet because I'd like to get the door opening all painted before that gets reinstalled, but it does look good.

Just need to get some carpet, and figure out how to colour blend the rear wagon trim to the black front sedan trim.

I'll post up a pic of the sample cluster later (it's on the home computer), but the aim is to have black gauges with a yellow face. At night, the yellow will be backlit instead of the symbols.
Bit of work to get to this point though, as the cluster needed to be fully disassembled, including removing the gauges, & then sanding back the printing on the face until back to the plastic.

I've done up something similar with the buttons on either side of the wheel, as I have a full complement of switches (cruise, front fog, rear fog(for spotlights), headlight washers, rear cigarette lighter outlet), but you can't buy them anymore

[phillatdarwin]

i like the wheels u have on it as are the same as my rx

[guyph_01]

WOW love the spoiler, Where did you get that it from????(very jealous)
It looks great, i want one:)
Would love some more pics to, When i get back in perth i want to try and get my cluster lights become elec blue an do the same with the dash etc.

[wagonist]

That spoiler's been sitting at a wrecker in Adelaide for like the last 5 years.
I just didn't think it was worth the purchase price at the time (the price of the full skirt kit from the US cost less, but shipping was a different matter...)

Not sure if the wheels are going to suit after the full kit is on & the car is lowered. I'm still considering a 5 stud conversion.

[wagonist]

That spoiler's been sitting at a wrecker in Adelaide for like the last 5 years.
I just didn't think it was worth the purchase price at the time (the price of the full skirt kit from the US cost less, but shipping was a different matter...)

Not sure if the wheels are going to suit after the full kit is on & the car is lowered. I'm still considering a 5 stud conversion.