Safari Legacy Build...

[asotwavb]

This is awesome! I was real skeptical about the bumper delete at first, but that came out really nice!

Good job!

How about a picture of that so called STI

[Legacy Rally Guy]

Sure, here's some lil blue car action...






Here's the snow, it's such a fun car to drive!



And here's my favorite picture, she's such a dirty beast! Hehe, this was about 20 miles of just slightly nasty gravel roads. It really slings and covers well! Dont worry, I have a very thick coat of wax on it, it washed right off, not a scuff!

[Legacy Rally Guy]

Well, I've been away, visiting family and then as soon as I got back, my STi was hammered by hail and then a deer, so yeah, it was kinda one thing after another...


Anywho, just got another chunk knocked out on my Legacy...

The Spare carrier is done! Well, until I decide to add something else to it...

In it's stowed position:





Just pop out one cotter key and viola! It leans back, out of the way..




And the trunk opens like so...



I have several other things to tidy up my car... pics soon!

[beatersubi]

Nice work! Does the tire or its mount get in the way of loading/unloading the trunk? Also a hairpin would be easier and faster.

[Legacy Rally Guy]

Nice work! Does the tire or its mount get in the way of loading/unloading the trunk? Also a hairpin would be easier and faster.

With merely a pair of needlenose, I could remove the whole unit in like 30 seconds.. So anything that's not easily placed into the trunk could be put in very quickly. But almost everything fits, with the rack folded back.


*next things to do*

1. Replace flex plate and exhaust/snorkle - have items
2. Replace broken tail light - have item
3. Install Roof Tent - have item
4. Install accessory racks
5. Remove front bumper and build tube frame bumper for winch
6. install overhead light bar


Other ideas I want to toy around with...

Pop-out propane grill...

Hot water supply via water to water heater system... *basically warm the engine up and viola! Hot water! Also, acts as a secondary cooling system for desert-offroading.

Mini fridge

On board chilled water supply

[Legacy Rally Guy]

Update:

I found out why it stopped driving and why there was a noise coming from the gearbox...

The torque converter's flex plate broke.. It just twisted the center out of it! So when the only thing connecting the engine to trans was the torque converter's alignment pin- in the crank, it TWISTED it off... I already have the flex plate, but no torque converter, so I'm going to have to find that now..

I also have a gasket set on the way...
So I should have no/much fewer oil leaks... and be ready to install the engine as soon as I get the tc in... Then it's back on to cool modifications!

I'm doing a front bumper bar next...

[Legacy Rally Guy]

Wow! Thank you! I am surprised really, I've a few people that have commented, but that's it. So far, so good on it. Things should happen a little faster, I've a job again! It gives me a bit more momentum really, to know people like it!

Do you own that garage? Everything you're doing looks like fun. I wish I had a place like that that I could work and I wish I knew how to weld...that'd help. There's so much stuff like that I would be doing with a spare Legacy or Impreza. I want to sell my 98 RS and make an offroad Legacy Wagon or early model Impreza. Firstly to have it as a spare car and secondly to have it as an awesome project. I cant wait to see how your car turns out, man. You've got a few fans haha

*in reply from other thread... Didn't want to thread-jack *


I dont own the shop, but he's a family friend and I go over and hang out, or work on cars. For about the last 15 or so years, I've been able to work on my cars there... I worked for the owner's dad back in middle school and high school. He's retired, but still works to keep himself busy, for letting me use a bay or the lift, I'll buy him some tools or clean up around the shop, etc.. And the welding, I learned how working for a semi truck trailer building factory for two years.

[SWRT]

Jealous and jealous. I'm gonna convince my woman to let me build one too haha

[Legacy Rally Guy]

Jealous and jealous. I'm gonna convince my woman to let me build one too haha

Lol, mine still isn't And she's never slept in a tent before either, she just allows me my car hobby/addiction! So this will be interesting

[SWRT]

Yeah. Pretty sure mine will get on board with it if I sell the RS. And camping can be fun

[Legacy Rally Guy]

Yeah. Pretty sure mine will get on board with it if I sell the RS. And camping can be fun

Yup, this thing will be a camping machine! So it should be quite fun, but daily drivable too!



Progress:

I've cleaned up my engine, tidied up the HLA bits and then installed a badly needed pair of valve cover seals and rear main seal.

I still need to purchase a torque converter and install the engine and it's ready to drive around.

Then I'll build the front push bar and bumper with offroad lighting... And then I'll be legal!


After that...

-mount roof tent
-mount water heater/cooler
-possibly relocate radiator to improve approach angle
-charge A/C
-install cargo mounts and this...

http://www.smittybilt.com/product/index/53.htm

[Legacy Rally Guy]

The hydraulic lash adjusters...





my personally developed revamping process...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FySbPvJuNRc

[SWRT]

I'm glad the vehicle's coming along nicely And those seat covers are BA.

Not cheap though

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jeep-Fro ... ccessories

[Danny-G]

So the process for the lifters is wet sand the tops to be rounded then polish them smooth? I watched the video and that seems to be what you did.

[beatersubi]

-possibly relocate radiator to improve approach angle

WRC Top mount style?

Hard to see from this pic (its the best I could find), but the rad mounts directly under the i/c.

[Legacy Rally Guy]

I'm glad the vehicle's coming along nicely And those seat covers are BA.

Not cheap though

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jeep-Fro ... ccessories

Yup, not cheap, but one is on the way! If I can alter it to fit well, without too much issue, I'll get a second one!

[Legacy Rally Guy]

So the process for the lifters is wet sand the tops to be rounded then polish them smooth? I watched the video and that seems to be what you did.

Yup, I've a bit of experience doing metal and mild porting work, so I know what to look for... Not causing flat spots during the wet sanding part is crucial, because it needs to not only get rid of the divots from the valve stem, but remain round-ish. You want a gentle curve like it had originally before the wear... This will be the second engine I've done, the sand/polish/clean... Make sure you keep em in order most of all. I leave a mildly brushed finish look, not completely glossy smooth, so there's a place for oil to rest during break-in. Kinda like the hash marks in a cylinder wall too, you dont want em just going one direction.

if you're just cleaning em, remember the direction of wear. Also, use no brake cleaner or harsh de-greasing chemicals... This will break down the seal(s) on the lifter... I believe there's a hydraulic piston on the inside with a rubber seal and a o-ring on the exterior that's red. Just fresh engine oil and press the bearing/valve in with a smoothed off bobby-pin, a point could score the chamber that the bearing seats itself and then your HLA might leak and do you no good and then you'd end up with poor performance and fuel economy. A collapsed HLA on an intake valve would really sap power.

[Legacy Rally Guy]

-possibly relocate radiator to improve approach angle

WRC Top mount style?

Hard to see from this pic (its the best I could find), but the rad mounts directly under the i/c.

Hmmm, that looks good! *scratches chin* yes.. yes, that's quite similar to what I had in mind! I wonder how much room I'd create with hood pins and eliminating the hood latch bracket and altering the radiator support all together!

[evolutionmovement]

Not that it's a concern with this build, but you should also improve the cooling efficiency and reduce drag by doing this kind of md, blocking off the grille, and ducting the air through the bottom, through the radiator, and out a large hood vent, like the rally car uses.

[Legacy Rally Guy]

Not that it's a concern with this build, but you should also improve the cooling efficiency and reduce drag by doing this kind of md, blocking off the grille, and ducting the air through the bottom, through the radiator, and out a large hood vent, like the rally car uses.

Yeah, if I went with a rally style top mount, I'd have to, or it'd be heat soak central

[evolutionmovement]

I was talking about the radiator, since it seems you'r talking about laying it back for clearance, you could see multiple benefits with ducting.

[Legacy Rally Guy]

I was talking about the radiator, since it seems you'r talking about laying it back for clearance, you could see multiple benefits with ducting.

oh hehe, yeah, that's what I meant, I was having a bit of a brainfart then...


My gasket and seal sets came in, here's the car so far:

1. Clean up all burs on back-side of engine, and degreased the rest.

2. Debur the rear main seal area, then remove rear main.

3. Drill through and remove alignment pin from crank.. *this was left by old torque converter when the flex plate shattered*

4. Install new rear main seal.

5. Valve covers are in place as well, with fresh seals.

6. Removed front bumper/beam, degreased engine bay.

7. Cut away not-needed sheet metal up front,

8. Painted front and rear exposed sheet metal black, to help clean up the car's front and rear that are behind the bumpers.


Torque converter will be ordered next week...

Install engine.

Finish trunk floor.

Install Roof Tent.

Snorkel

Make decision on radiator/skid plate

Build front bumper and light bars and install.

A little picture to tease you guys... YES, it's a rust free car

[SWRT]

Nice dude! I'm pretty anxious to see where this will go And mine's pretty much rust free...other than that stupidhead driver side fender

[beatersubi]

Can I hang out at your place on the weekends?
RE: the alignment pin removal. You could weld a stud, or something else, to the remainder of the pin to attach a slide hammer to. If the remainder of the pin isn't too deep in the hole, of course.

[Legacy Rally Guy]

Nice dude! I'm pretty anxious to see where this will go And mine's pretty much rust free...other than that stupidhead driver side fender

Hehe, thanks! Well, it's going for sure, one step at a time..