Best way to blow 5 grand to get an L series off road?

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:42 pm

Hey guys,

I'm getting a compo payout soon, and I will be dropping a bit of cash on my L series. At the moment i'm thinking about 5,000, but untill i get the money i'd love some opinions on what i should do! The car: 1992 L series manual completely stock standard DL wagon with 195,000 kms. Only mod so far is 14inch desert rats and mud all over it.

My limitations:
Any work i do myself i'm limited to what can be done in a weekend. I'd drive from Ballarat to my parents in Melbourne to do anything i can, but would have to be able to drive back Sunday night. Anything other work I'll be paying places in Ballarat to do. Obviously the more i save, the more i can mod.

What i want:
The best value for money with the intention of making it as off road capable as possible, and still be able to drive to uni every day.

My ideas so far:
Straight from the mods section of the forums..
MSD ignition coil, leads etc. (can do myself)
Weber conversion. A complete kit is on ebay for $550. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/SUBARU-BRUMBY-SP ... dZViewItem
Exhaust (good shop in ballarat)
3" lift kit (Order a kit, install by ARB in Ballarat maybe)
27" 8.5 14 Kumho K71's (Hah can do myself)
KYB shocks and King springs all around (Can do myself)
Bullbar (Can fit myself)
Bash plate (Maybe some custom from ARB while kit goes in)

I think all of that could possibly cost me about 3-4 grand, and unforseen stuff ups maybe the full 5. I'm hoping the engine mods and exhaust will compensate for the loss of power with bigger tyres. My only concern with this set up is braking. Crossbred kit probably won't come into this budget though.

Otherwise i could bin all those ideas and a Liberty might be a better option if i'm having to pay for work to be done. Liberty would mean better brakes and engine without having to do anything. I could sell the L and probably have about 7,000 to buy and mod a Liberty.

So what do people think?

Post by **Alex** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:44 pm

shove an EJ22 or sumthing in her. Get a 3inch lift. All new suspension and get some nice tyres.

DONT spend money on your carby ea82. Its a waste. Ive been there and done that and regret it.

cheers

alex

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:45 pm

Or a third option... anybody selling a modded L series?:-D

Wilbur · Post by **Wilbur** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:56 pm

Heard of the term overcapitalisation ? I wouldn't spend 5k on an L series. Sell it and buy a gen one liberty. Outback suspension, 27's....done. Much newer and nicer car.

Post by **Alex** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:00 pm

Lightning_Silver_RX wrote:Heard of the term overcapitalisation ? I wouldn't spend 5k on an L series. Sell it and buy a gen one liberty. Outback suspension, 27's....done. Much newer and nicer car.

yeah but liberty's dont have the character that l-series' have.

l-series is the god of all subaru's.

alex

fredsub · Post by **fredsub** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:07 pm

i concur, impossible to see the value of spending $550 on weber conversion in this day/age, if ~$100 yeah give it a go, but 550 is a good amount to go for a engine conversion, ej20 or ej22,
the bash plate is pretty good on the old L series. maybe with you budget look for rear disk brakes $500-600,well worth it.

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:12 pm

I don't think i'd find a place to do an engine conversion within my budget, and if i did i doubt it'd leave much money for the off road mods.

Post by **Alex** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:56 pm

ej22 conversion will 2k MAX!

Alex

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Fri May 23, 2008 5:04 pm

Alex wrote:shove an EJ22 or sumthing in her. Get a 3inch lift. All new suspension and get some nice tyres.

DONT spend money on your carby ea82. Its a waste. Ive been there and done that and regret it.

Go the EJ, you won't look back. $550 + $200 or so and you could have a much better, later model engine in your L.

If you do this you won't regret it.

Cheers

Bennie

PS L's are great if you don't need all the creature comforts... its pretty much as alex says except the god bit, i dunno about that.

ChPLAT · Post by **ChPLAT** » Fri May 23, 2008 5:25 pm

Yeah then after the engine if you want the 'creature comforts' get them from other models and stick em in. Heck get it reupholstered and the inside could end up lookin preddy shmick

Phizinza · Post by **Phizinza** » Fri May 23, 2008 6:04 pm

Depending what sort of offroading you want to be able to do, I would probably sell and buy a cheap Liberty, then lift it and tyres and be done.

Where do you live? i.e what state?

Clearwater99 · Post by **Clearwater99** » Fri May 23, 2008 6:36 pm

just go to ebay .. type in 5 k worth of car .. see what u come up with ..

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Fri May 23, 2008 6:39 pm

Point taken on the EA mods. Will bin that idea and chase up either an EJ22 conversion, or a liberty. Lifted turbo liberty wagon sounds the goods. Or the EJ25 conversion package that someone had for sale the other month...

Post by **Alex** » Fri May 23, 2008 6:55 pm

if your l-series isnt comfortable enough, get some nice plush liberty seats or wrx seats and maybe an aftermarket steering wheel and of course a nice stereo system.

alex

Post by **Captain Obvious** » Fri May 23, 2008 6:59 pm

venom have a look at this one
showthread.php?t=9856

Hamish71 · Post by **Hamish71** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:28 pm

Venom.....

L series Turbo..... http://www.carsales.com.au/used-cars/pr ... 0&trecs=11

Better, Cheaper L Series Turbo.... http://www.carsales.com.au/used-cars/pr ... 0&trecs=11

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:32 pm

its probably easier and cheaper to buy one thats already half modded. unless your is very smick as is. either L series or Liberty if you can find one.

Phizinza · Post by **Phizinza** » Fri May 23, 2008 7:37 pm

Personal opinion here but I'll share it.
Don't even bother with EA82's little own EA82t's. If you want more power in your L get an EJ20/22/25,

If you get/have an L series you'll want an EJ conversion, then you'll want 5stud brakes and wheels, then you'll want nicer seats, then you'll want AWD, then you'll want a car which doesn't look like a white goods appliance.

Have a Liberty and all you'll want is the L series low range gearset.

I dunno, sounds easy to get a Liberty. And because you don't sounds keen on modding everything (trust me if you get all what I said done to your L it will cost you a LOT) yourself I would say get a Liberty.

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:51 pm

Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions guys i really appreciate it. I'm probably getting a little carried away, spending money i don't have quite yet on a car that's serving me brilliantly as it is. My two main concerns are off road traction and clearance, which i'll cure with a lift kit and tyres. Will see how i go from there!

stinky · Post by **stinky** » Sat May 24, 2008 8:02 am

For $5k I'll sell you my ea81t brumby, 5spd dual range, 15" wheels, 120hp atw when dyno'd.