You could always slot a ls1 in there and make it just a rwd wagon lol, I've only seen it done twice on wrx's but both times where bad ass
You could always slot a ls1 in there and make it just a rwd wagon lol, I've only seen it done twice on wrx's but both times where bad ass
fornetti14 wrote: This thing is going to be sold before it's even unloaded from the trailer...
Perhaps there may be some prophecy in your words...
So, here's the deal:
When I explained my plan to transform this once glorious machine into a luxurious rallycrosser / ice racer to other people who live in my home, my words were met with something other than enthusiasm. It was suggested that perhaps two Porsches and a motorcycle should be enough mechanical toys to satisfy a normal husband. While this notion struck me as pure bullE36 M3, her reasoning was quite persuasive.
And loud.
I will therefore pass this along to some other guy who is either single or has a more adventurous spouse. In the interest of those who frequent the forum, I will be posting it in the $2012 classifieds for the firm price of $2012, which represents a handsome profit of approximately $12 for my efforts of transporting this car across two states on my day off. Be warned, though, that I also plan to list it on eBay in the next day or so with no reserve and, once that happens, I will see the auction through to its conclusion.
Besides, I think I'd really rather find another Jeep project (trades considered)...
Why not plop a motor in it and sell it as a stocker and make mega $$$ so you can buy another thing to flip? SWMBO should be able to understand that train...
Javelin wrote: Why not plop a motor in it and sell it as a stocker and make mega $$$ so you can buy another thing to flip? SWMBO should be able to understand that train...
We're already pushing the limits of the available space. There are four cars and a truck, plus the Subaru and trailer. On top of that, my dad is headed north with his RV and his Honda Fit in tow. He generally camps out in the space currently occupied by the LGT.
All things that I probably should have considered before buying another project...
This car has been sold. At some point, I'll explain why.
Damn, that was quick!
The man is smart. An unhappy wife does not a good project make.
Harvey wrote: The man is smart. An unhappy wife does not a good project make.
Maybe his wife caught him at the pool checking out the pregnant women 
dj06482 wrote:Harvey wrote: The man is smart. An unhappy wife does not a good project make.Maybe his wife caught him at the pool checking out the pregnant women
http://instantrimshot.com/
Always liked those, still want one.
Harvey wrote: The man is smart. An unhappy wife does not a good project make.
Not exactly (in either case, actually...)
Here's the deal: I didn't do my homework on this car. I saw the ad shortly after it was posted. The car was two hours away and it was the night before I was leaving for vacation. So after a long phone conversation, I sent the guy a $500 deposit by Paypal and he agreed to hold the car for a week. Later that night, I was already considering calling the deal off and surrendering my deposit, but I knew that, at worst, I could still break even.
While I've had nothing but great luck with Subaru turbos, I learned that they had some problems with the 2.5s for a couple of years. The oil lines would get gummed up and they would spit out the turbos. That happened three times on this car Also, I found that replacement engines were both much harder to find and about five times as expensive as I had expected.
On the phone, he told me that the interior was "rough", it needed a front fender and the rear bumper cover was pushed in. After I got it home, I found that both leather rear seat backs were trashed, it did need a fender, the rear bumper cover was not salvageable and it had a cracked sunroof. All four rotors would need to be resurfaced. And, I needed an engine. I was in over my head and I knew it. I decided to cut my losses.
I placed an ad on Craigslist and a few hours later, I got a call from a local shop/junkyard that specializes in Subarus. They looked over everything and made me a lowball offer that was exactly what I paid for it. I accepted, and the car was gone, eight days after I brought it home. I am relieved.
The wife thing was never really an issue. In fact, the following day, I found a Jeep for sale on the side of the road for $4k and she encouraged me to buy it. Unfortunately, it sold before the owner got back to me.
The RV parking situation would have been a problem, though, and I'm glad that I don't have to work around that.
I'm sure I can find another project before too long. The other day while riding my motorcycle, I found another 911 Targa sitting outside under a dirty tarp....
I'm glad you sold it. I wanted it and figured out that the best way to fix it was to basically build a new motor. It still would have gotten me into a zero mile motor and 300whp for less than I could buy a 100k mile used example of the same car, but I really don't have the time. Congrats on the sale, you are a wiser man than me! 
Woody wrote: I'm sure I can find another project before too long. The other day while riding my motorcycle, I found another 911 Targa sitting outside under a dirty tarp....
No no no, I already have a Targa!
MrJoshua wrote: I'm glad you sold it. I wanted it and figured out that the best way to fix it was to basically build a new motor. It still would have gotten me into a zero mile motor and 300whp for less than I could buy a 100k mile used example of the same car, but I really don't have the time. Congrats on the sale, you are a wiser man than me!
Yeah, I would have tried to talk you out of this one. It took me a few days to sort through it and find out how rough it was. You'll note that I never listed it in the $2012 Classifieds.
MrJoshua wrote:Woody wrote: I'm sure I can find another project before too long. The other day while riding my motorcycle, I found another 911 Targa sitting outside under a dirty tarp....No no no, I already have a Targa!
This one looks like it may be a Carrera!
Oh, one more thing: The experience was not a total disaster. I learned a bit about Subarus and may have saved myself from a future disaster. I still have a busted turbo that I can take apart and an intercooler that I may be be able to get a couple of bucks for.
And, the guy that I bought the car from has a Porsche 356 Karmann Notchback in a storage container in his yard. It doesn't have an engine either, but I can take care of that. He's not ready to sell, but I have a standing offer and he knows that I have a trailer.
This could be the basis for a good article for the magazine - red flags that should make you avoid a project car purchase, or when to cut bait. An important part (which Woody did) is to calculate what you're into the car for and what you could dump it for if you had to.
I had an interesting conversation with the guy who towed the car away. They own a Subaru junkyard, a repair shop and a used car lot. He said that they would part it out. He also mentioned that he bought another '06 GT that had an absolutely perfect body and interior but a bad engine for $2800 and he parted that too. He said that by the time he rebuilds an engine and gets it installed, he'll have another six grand in it. For a car that he might be able to sell for ten grand, there was not enough upside. He said he parted it for $4500.
He also mentioned that Subaru doesn't seem to learn from their mistakes. He said when they were having the head gasket issue with the NA 2.5, they kept building them with the same gaskets but when they did a warranty repair, they'd use the turbo head gaskets and never have a problem again. He also said that the engine failures with the 2.5 turbo was the result of oil sludge clogging the screen and starving the turbo, but they kept building them that way for a couple of years. He said that when they rebuild them at the shop, they remove the screen. He recommends synthetic oil changes every 3000 miles.
dj06482 wrote: This could be the basis for a good article for the magazine - red flags that should make you avoid a project car purchase, or when to cut bait. An important part (which Woody did) is to calculate what you're into the car for and what you could dump it for if you had to.
Yes, knowing when to fish and when to cut bait seems to be the secret.
Woody, thanks for the experience and thanks for taking us along on the journey with you. I am glad it worked out well even if well means breaking even and spending some time.
Woody wrote: He also mentioned that Subaru doesn't seem to learn from their mistakes. He said when they were having the head gasket issue with the NA 2.5, they kept building them with the same gaskets but when they did a warranty repair, they'd use the turbo head gaskets and never have a problem again. He also said that the engine failures with the 2.5 turbo was the result of oil sludge clogging the screen and starving the turbo, but they kept building them that way for a couple of years. He said that when they rebuild them at the shop, they remove the screen. He recommends synthetic oil changes every 3000 miles.
You hit it right on the nose! While I still like Subarus (well, the pre 2008 ones), they never seem to learn. Some other common issues that took Subaru FOREVER to acknowledge:
-Cold weather fuel line leaks: I had this happen on my 2002. Let me tell you, there's nothing like having large amounts of gas puking all over your hot engine in the dead of winter. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands of documented cases of this happening, with numerous complaints to the NTHSA and SOA, and it took them damn near 10 years to acknowledge that this is a serious safety issue. Even then, they only performed a recall on cars located in states that Subaru deemed to be "cold weather states". MA was not on that list. 
The dealer wanted $650 to perform the service, so I did it for the cost of $11 worth of clamps and high pressure fuel hose, and about 6 hours of swearing, crying, and bloody knuckles. Pretty much all the 2.0 Liter WRX's, as well as some of the N/A cars, have this issue. They released an updated fuel rail line for the 2004-up cars, but even those do the same thing.
-Over-Sensitive ABS: It took them about 4-5 years to figure this one out. A slight crack in the pavement would cause the brake pedal to go into a ABS seizure. Getting the reflash from the dealer helps a little, but upgrading the brakes helps with this even more.
And that's just a few. There's more issues out there, such as unfinished crankshaft issues, cracking ring lands, whining diffs, and chattering clutches.
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