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I've been wanting to do something with my N/A automatic Legacy... Sure it sounds boring, but until I get pics up... think of this...


1991 AWD Auto
- 120,000 miles
- NO RUST
- Two small dings
- Interior is nearly perfect, but out of a newer Legacy
- Trans in great shape, has a blown head gasket, The gal that owned it before me got it from a family member that was a subaru mechanic, she put about 50,000 miles on it and then had the timing belt/waterpump and etc done... immediately after that, it overheated once and popped a head gasket I think.
- Other than maint and different fron t seats, the car is untouched...
- AWD works like a champ
- Rides nicely *it drove before pulling it into the shop, but OMG, it looked steam powered*


What I've done so far:
- 15" SS wheels (Black, They were leftovers from my SS, one was damaged and repaired)
- Installed 15" BridgeStone Blizzaks
- No Rear Bumper (Sold it to Timo) hehe USDM in Holland!
- Removed Rear bumper beam
- In process of repairing engine.


Where I'm going with this... Is a fun, affordable, off the beaten path capable car. Thank god, I can do carbon fiber/welding etc.. otherwise this much fabrication would cost me an arm and a leg... Aweee, yeah, it literally cost me a Leg..acy... I sold my 91' SS so I could have one less project...

#1 SIMPLE: Non-Turbo/Spares are all over
#2 RELIABLE: It's a 91' Legacy
#3 OFFROAD: Capable with the AWD/Lift Kit/Blizzaks/improved approach and descent angles.
#4 UTILITY: Zombie Resistant yet functional, yes... I will maintain my sense of humor :3


1. I'll go through the brakes/axles/bearings/suspension.

2. Install Forester struts

3. 1" Lift Kit

4. Remove back seat, rear foot wells for fresh water tanks, below flat panel

5. Either removing at a 30 degree angle from the rear of the trunk floor- inward or the tire well, all together, flattening out the trunk and eliminating the drops behind the wheel wells. The exhaust will exit behind the wheels, mufflers mounted prior to trunk storage. I've no need for the doughnut well, so it'll become a square storage space or be elimiated for clearance.

6. Aluminum spare tire carrier, similar to BAJA vehicles

7. Skid plates for what HAS to remain close to ground

8. Remove steel panels behind rear seat back and in package tray, replaced by space saving steel tubular strengthening. Will also build a small structural strengthening, but non-invasive cage.

9. Remove rear door cards, no need for arm rests, etd. just need a door lock toggle and handle.

10. 4 point harness (have one laying around)

11. And for when there are no zombies... I'm adding comfort: http://www.gordigear.com/roof_tents
/ext_roof_tent.php?l=en

12. Deep water fjord kit.
- LOW 3-6psi air lines running to trans and rear diff (very easy and effective)
- Compressor/dash gauge
- Snorkel for engine
- New upper/lower door seals
- Seal up all floor pan/firewall holes that aren't used or grommetted well.

13. Bonus electrical items, power inverter, extra pair of deep cycle spiral cell batteries, solar trickle charge array.

14. Winch

15. on-board RV leveling jacks.

16. Other misc things, like anti-scrub screens for *cough* tree branch protection for windows, a mounting bracket for my AR-15 and some ammo.

17. Propane fold out stove fender, similar to your guys' fuel filler cap

18. Aux lighting, front and rear.

19. 12VDC and 120V AC all weather power ports near stove.


I really want to build a great camping and overland vehicle...

Weight as is, before removal of bumper and steel wheels: 3075lbs I'm trying to keep it below 4,000 and would love to have it below 3750 and the tent puts me up 120lbs right off the bat!


Anywho, enjoy or flame... preferring you enjoy my build. I'll put up pics soon. Perhaps I'll massage some sheet metal and lighten it this weekend.

Sounds like a fun project!

Here's how it started life...






Here's my first stage... Running/1991 Sport Sedan Wheels/ Bridgestone Blizzaks/Bumper Delete








It's first run.. This was a massive uphill drift, took a bit of shoveling at the end, but I was able to hit the hill two more times without a single issue after I high-centered it the first time in about 28" of snow.

How about some rear mounted pumps that broadcast waste oil out the back of the vehicle spy hunter style?

No flame from me. Not a build I'd do (there aren't many places to take such a thing around here anyway), but it definitely sounds cool. I love ugly things that take a beating. I love Duchess because of the shrugged off abuse with minimal maintenance and my former love for Subaru was started with my '84 GL wagon that took an even greater beating from jumps to spinning an idiot's car around in an intersection without damage to running for hours overloaded with junk for school at redline to ramming trash barrels at speed in Detroit alleyways. My favorite aircraft is the P-47. Most people love the Mustang from that era, but the T-Bolt regularly came back with cylinders shot out from cannon fire, shredded tails, chunked-out wings, and dozens of machine gun holes where the Mustang was often out of commission from a single hole to the radiator. The Spitfire pilots laughed upon first site of her enormity and the Australian that first saw one asked the pilot where the rest of the crew was. She wasn't lithe or pretty to look at, but strength is its own beauty.

An auxiliary windshield washer and tank could be loaded with WD40 or similar and sprayed on pursuing cars' windshields. An old trick for smoke screen was to drip oil into the hot exhaust. I read about a vintage Bentley being driven from Asia to Europe and he actually evaded and outran modern highwaymen in Afghanistan (or Iran, possibly) using this technique. You could also dispense caltrops if you're not concerned about collateral damage. Get them on the entrance to a bend, particularly one with a drop or trees on the outside if you really want to screw them.

Sounds as a cool and fun project!

Legacy Rally Guy wrote: No Rear Bumper (Sold it to Timo) hehe USDM in Holland!

Next summer I will paint and mount the bumpers!

evolutionmovement wrote:You could also dispense caltrops if you're not concerned about collateral damage. Get them on the entrance to a bend, particularly one with a drop or trees on the outside if you really want to screw them.

Jesus Christ lol

gijonas wrote:

evolutionmovement wrote:You could also dispense caltrops if you're not concerned about collateral damage. Get them on the entrance to a bend, particularly one with a drop or trees on the outside if you really want to screw them.

Jesus Christ lol

HAHA, I know... I was waiting to be called a crazy nutter, but it seems we all have a little bit of "...what if the sh** hits the fan in all of us...."

If it comes to that level of hysteria in the U.S. I've better than caltrops, think about a bumper beam lined with airbags... except instead, glued to the airbag... kevlar patches... and ball bearings temporarily adhered to each one, so the bearings dont tear through the bag.. Yup, think of.. 12V New-age M18 Claymore.... HEHE but dont worry, that's only a SHTF solution.. This is merely offroading with mild preparedness.

I like that claymore-like idea, though some kind of shotgun shells might be easier to set up. Not as destructive, though.

I designed these high efficiency, high performance cars based on WWII fighter plane designs (yeah, it's an obsession—I'm pretty sure I got shot down over Europe in a past life). They kind of look like fighters with the wings cut off, the tail chopped after the canopy, and covered wheels on outriggers. Anyway, since the main character in my books is a more messed up version of me, he does some of the same things. I use armored vehicles a lot as shoot outs with the thin sheet metal of unarmored cars don't go as easily as the movies and that got me thinking of how the P-47 had plenty of armor plating. What if I redesigned one of these vehicles from the ground up as an apocalypse machine. Hey, an M60 fits right over the engine and I can route the ammo belts over here, and so forth. Then it became a more serious exercise. Gone was my somewhat innovative longbow chassis design and in was armored composite monocoque with reinforced subframes front and rear for taking a impacts and protecting the outrigger wheels or pushing aside roadblocks. The radiator is protected by an overlapping spiral of armor plates that normally look like stylized vanes when open. They restrict the airflow when closed, but it's not a long period of time you should have to worry about head-on gunshots. The motor and screw mechanism that controls it are hidden behind what looks like a propeller spinner. As this particular vehicle is modelled after the T-Bolt, the lower part of the horseshoe grille is kept open, being an Achille's Heel, but unlikely to receive fire. The glass is all flat panel, so that can be armored to B6 spec.

If I was rich, I'd build this shit even if it's just for the hell of it. The machine gun might have to go, though—the temptation in traffic would be too great and that's more trouble than the car could get me out of.

evolutionmovement wrote:I like that claymore-like idea, though some kind of shotgun shells might be easier to set up. Not as destructive, though.

I designed these high efficiency, high performance cars based on WWII fighter plane designs (yeah, it's an obsession—I'm pretty sure I got shot down over Europe in a past life). They kind of look like fighters with the wings cut off, the tail chopped after the canopy, and covered wheels on outriggers. Anyway, since the main character in my books is a more messed up version of me, he does some of the same things. I use armored vehicles a lot as shoot outs with the thin sheet metal of unarmored cars don't go as easily as the movies and that got me thinking of how the P-47 had plenty of armor plating. What if I redesigned one of these vehicles from the ground up as an apocalypse machine. Hey, an M60 fits right over the engine and I can route the ammo belts over here, and so forth. Then it became a more serious exercise. Gone was my somewhat innovative longbow chassis design and in was armored composite monocoque with reinforced subframes front and rear for taking a impacts and protecting the outrigger wheels or pushing aside roadblocks. The radiator is protected by an overlapping spiral of armor plates that normally look like stylized vanes when open. They restrict the airflow when closed, but it's not a long period of time you should have to worry about head-on gunshots. The motor and screw mechanism that controls it are hidden behind what looks like a propeller spinner. As this particular vehicle is modelled after the T-Bolt, the lower part of the horseshoe grille is kept open, being an Achille's Heel, but unlikely to receive fire. The glass is all flat panel, so that can be armored to B6 spec.

If I was rich, I'd build this shit even if it's just for the hell of it. The machine gun might have to go, though—the temptation in traffic would be too great and that's more trouble than the car could get me out of.

Hehe, sounds like a fun read and yeah, I know of a guy that built his OWN PLANE out of carbon fiber, it's a pretty sweet turbo prop plane, but LIGHT as a feather. It was wild to see a plane built from scratch.

Pics added to my 2nd post (third on Thread) enjoy!

Update:

I tossed it on the rack, to inspect, check things out, engine needs some help, but those parts are coming... So it's body time...




Bumper Mounting... BEFORE




Bumper Mounting... AFTER











Helping the rear decent angle:









I'm going to mount a very small panel to basically protect the bottom of the tool box and then possibly some welding or fiberglassing in the lower rear quaterpanels... Most likely welding... Then throw on some sweet mudflaps to keep the rock throwing down while in traffic.

I dig the bumperless look actually.I kind of have some ideas going now.

Yeah, they look cool without the bumpers. I've been contemplating building a flush panel to take the place of the cover on mine.

gijonas wrote:I dig the bumperless look actually.I kind of have some ideas going now.

evolutionmovement wrote:Yeah, they look cool without the bumpers. I've been contemplating building a flush panel to take the place of the cover on mine.

Here ya go, more bumperless-ness:

Stuff I did today... hehe I helped the clearance out a bit.. and threw on a little diamond plate aluminum, it's rivoted in now, but will get seam sealer and the lower subframe will get some undercoating... I think I've thrown out quite a bit of weight too!

BEFORE:


AFTER:

Looks like you eliminated the exhaust for the flow through ventilation. You may have issues with interior ventilation, but I don't know how much difference it will actually make.

evolutionmovement wrote:Looks like you eliminated the exhaust for the flow through ventilation. You may have issues with interior ventilation, but I don't know how much difference it will actually make.

Yeah, I did remove them, I can relocate them if it causes problems. I'm going to use some windshield sealer or seam sealer to keep water out of the trunk area.

Here's what I got done today..

Camping Stuff:
- Purchased a bitchin' folding shovel
- Found these weird camping towels that are compressed nomex, so you just add a couple drops of water and they inflate from a tablet to a mini wash towel...
- Researched roof-tents some more...

Car stuff:

1. I finished up the drivers side diamond plate to match the passenger side.. Actually looks exactly like the Passenger side, so I took no pictures of this...

2. Not in pictures, but I've started making the baja style trunk rack for a spare tire, it should be pretty cool. it hinges outward, so it's quick to get to the trunk when needed, without having to remove the spare or having it weigh down the deck lid.

3. I nearly finished the bumper...


Welded on the mounting brackets after a test fit...



More testing...



Again, I'm checking fitment



I like it, time for my rear tire gate brackets and paint!



After removing rust and welding on brackets...



And another shot...


I eliminated the bulky tow hook, I'll put in a better one, after I box in the sub frame.. *painted frame rail black to see how it looks all tidied up*

You should ditch that muffler and tuck a pipe up in there out of the way. Also that tow hook looks like it should be moved to the new bumper. From the pictures those two objects seem to make it almost pointless to remove the bumper because they still stick down just as far.

He's already cut the tow hook off, but that's a good point with the muffler. I don't know what your plans are for it, but on the wagon, there's some room to play with around the muffler. Could the exhaust be brought up to come through the bumper beam?

Oh sorry I didn't notice it was gone in the last few shots.

evolutionmovement wrote:He's already cut the tow hook off, but that's a good point with the muffler. I don't know what your plans are for it, but on the wagon, there's some room to play with around the muffler. Could the exhaust be brought up to come through the bumper beam?

Yeah, tow hooks will be D rings on the rear bumper right in front of the frame, Once I box in the frame, the weakest point will be the spot welds from the subframe to the floor.. hehe, if I tear those off, I've done something drastic.

Oh and yeah, the muffler will go as well, it's very much a snag or low point in the chassis now. What I'll do is insert a skinny but long and fairly quiet but free flowing 18 or 24" glass-pack muffler next to the driveshaft. That way, even though it's low-ish, it's not a snagging point and then I can run just straight pipe out the back, which will allow mucho clearance!

Next, I'll be making the spare tire rack that places it above, but not ON or interfering with the deck lid or my roof tent.

Well, I got the spare rack nearly finished and the rear end all tidied up... All I need now is a glasspack muffler hidden down by the driveshaft and straight pipe from the axle back... tucked up nice and tidy.. Oh and build the package tray, but it's too cold right now for fiberglassing.. so meh..



snowy 45 degree hill by carwash:



Only scraping on front, so that's next!

Oh and yeah, that scratchy sound is a busted flex plate... it broke shortly after this video was taken, when I was screwing around on some gravel.. I hit an icy patch and then more gravel and SHREDDED it..

Subscribed.

beatersubi wrote:Subscribed.

Hehe, thank you, I hope this turns into a fun car, it seems to be going well, I'll try to get a new flex plate installed and the engine ready to go before the Salem 100AW Rally! But we'll see.


So far:

The engine had plenty of power, I really like the descent angle I've created with the rear, so the front is next...


I think with a few more modifications and sway bar quick releases, I should have quite the offroad capable buggy, yet is comfy on-road too! What is really funny, this car outperforms my STi in the snow. Probably the blizzaks!