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I sold my 67 Deville last month. My wife made me do it. "It's too dam big, we need more room in the garage, and you need a new project." Ouch. I know she didn't like the Zebra fur door skins, but that still hurts. I sold it anyway. So now I had a pile of money and no project. It was time to find something new to work on. My wife and son both work at the local Subaru dealer, so if I went with a Subie, then I would have tons of support and wholesale prices for parts. So, time to find a cheap Subaru. I've always had a thing for coupes (not a fan of 4 doors) so it was time to search Craigslist.   Hmm. I'm in New Hampshire and it's just one state over. I'll borrow a Truck and Trailer, drive over and check it out. If it all looks good, I'll buy it and do some more welding on it maybe I have plenty of time, a perfectly fine daily driver, a Mig welder that I don't use enough, and all the other tools that I bought to do the Caddy. So I call the number, and it's some teenager who loves to babble and loves this car. That should have been a warning signal. One I missed. He's going on and on about how he wired in a racing Dashboard and did some bodywork and all it needs is paint. I tell him, that there is no way I'm paying more than 2,000 he says 2,400 and I say that's reasonable as long as the car checks out ok. We set a date for Sunday. First snag hits. The guy I was going to borrow a trailer from can't get his 1932 Bulldozer off it. (He has a thing for tractors). So I ended up shelling up $59 bucks for a Uhaul. Subaru was nice enough to lend me.  And off I go. Total Expenses: 60 bucks in Gas for the Truck and 59.00 for the trailer. I drive up Interstate 89, and I reach Vermont after an Hour. New Hampshire is pretty this time of year  I get about 20 miles in and I hit a snag heading to route 125 “ROAD CLOSED” I had totally forgotten about Irene. After 2 more detours, I end up driving south to Rutland to get around the damage. It takes me 5 .5 hours to get to his house, and another 60 bucks in Gas. Finally I arrive. I'm out in the middle of no where in Vermont in Farm country on a dirt road. The kid looks like he's 19 years old and clueless. We start talking. He's clueless. It becomes clear that his friends know Subaru and he's just a the tag along. We go to look at the car and I'm greeted by this  and this  and this  I get underneath it and start poking with a screwdriver. The Subframe ok, the rockers are shot, the truck floor has a hole in the spare tile wheel well and the hood is crumpled. The Engine is surprisingly good, (the timing belt was just done). I'm tired. And I'm pissed. I just drove for 5 hours to find a rustbucket? gently caress this. I start chewing him out.“I drove all this way for this? This is little more than a parts car." He confesses that the car is in worse shape than advertised and that he's just trying to get what he paid for it $3000. He has the Racing dashboard wired and the timing belt done, and a bunch of other things. "You got ripped off kid there is no way I'm paying $2400 for this." My mind is screaming “Just walk away!” “Kid I'll give you $1000 for it” We talk and haggle for a while. “Let me call my friend and see what he thinks” is what I get back. He calls his friend. We agree to $1200. I know I'm going to regret this for a long time. I get back to my house at 11:30 PM after driving through more hurricane ravaged roads towing a rust bucket. What a day. 
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Sep 27, 2011 03:08
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I see 14" has bifurcated his soul in two, and taken some of Sock's with it.
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Sep 27, 2011 03:17
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daslog posted:
Oh dear god. Well, worst case scenario, I know for a fact you can get over $1200 in parts off that car. If you fix it up however, you'll have what is no doubt going to be a collectable car. I've owned 2 of those, and I loved them to death. I think just in parts alone, you got a good deal. I'm sure you're absolutely full of buyers remorse, but I really don't think it's that bad. If you're not up to speed on your fabrication skills, boy oh boy you will be when this project is over. EDIT: Just read the ad. I don't know how you restrained yourself from punching that kid in the face. What a little loving liar. ursa_minor fucked around with this message at 03:21 on Sep 27, 2011 |
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Sep 27, 2011 03:18
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I remember seeing that on CL. You poor soul, but when it's done you are going to love it
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Sep 27, 2011 04:31
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It's too bad it's not an authentic Version 6 STI bumper - otherwise you'd be able to quickly recoup the price of the car. I'm not entirely sure what he means about a "racing dashboard" - it looks like the stock 2.5RS dashboard with blue LEDs installed in lieu of the stock 74 bulbs. That intake pipe is worse than useless - you'll want to find a stock intake piece asap. The wheels are interesting - are they an OEM piece? Trunk rust says to me broken tail light seal, which usually (but not always) means poorly repaired rear end damage. You'll want to double check the trunk seals and then pop off the rear bumper cover to have a gander. I'd say you probably got an ok deal, but you've certainly got your work cut out for you. I'd start by figuring out what aftermarket parts are on the car and try to figure out a way to ditch them and get stock parts in return. Seat Safety Switch fucked around with this message at 05:35 on Sep 27, 2011 |
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Sep 27, 2011 05:28
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just get one of these http://www.aerosim-research.com/shop/article_002/Fiberglass-Subaru-Wide-Body-Kit.html?shop_param=cid%3D1%26aid%3D002%26
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Sep 27, 2011 05:34
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Ita a 2 door WRX.... Go find a crashed 02 on WRX ( preferably the later ones with the 2.5) switch the bits and get welding!
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Sep 27, 2011 05:34
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Seat Safety Switch posted:The wheels are interesting - are they an OEM piece? Those are stock wheels off the '98 2.5RS. If they are, and are in good shape, I think they are worth a pretty penny. They were only available that year. Back when I was still driving Imprezas, I remember them being really sought-after.
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Sep 27, 2011 07:48
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daslog posted:I am in awe of this. I don't know how even a stupid kid can stand back, look at that, and think "Yep, now there's a job well done." If he actually did do any welding, I hope you share it with us when you find it. 
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Sep 27, 2011 08:02
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Oh Dear Lord, you are hosed. That's a full Sockington of rust there
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Sep 27, 2011 11:05
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Congrats on the RS. Condolences on the rust. I'll be looking forward to reading this thread.
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Sep 27, 2011 11:35
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My intentions for this project are to document everything I do this time. There will be pictures and videos. I'm 80% sure I'll be doing the widebody kit, since I have to replace a bunch of the stuff anyway. My rough plan is this: 1) Gut the interior first. It smells. Clean it up and get it ready for welding. 2) Take all the exterior pieces off. 3) Assess damage 4) Start welding. I will be switching the motor/tranny with a WRX. Is there a certain year that works better than others? I will start looking for Front Clips. More pictures tonight.
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Sep 27, 2011 12:13
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Good luck, man! I know all about buying a heap and not knowing it until you start poking at it.
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Sep 27, 2011 14:52
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daslog - if you need any stock '99 interior parts or even a full working moonroof let me know. I'm trying to remember what I still have. I visit Southern VT during the winter. Let me know if you're looking for anything specific. And yes, if those are OEM '98/'99 wheels they can be worth a fair bit (~$300ish) if in good condition. They're nice because they clear 4/2 pot brakes while still being 16" and are relatively light. I have 2.5 sets in the garage. :x Are the foglights glass or plastic? And do they say subaru on them? The OEM foglights are worth a bit. Could always sell them and buy cheaper Hella FF500s. They're hard to find undamaged as I'm sure you can believe. If you swap the motor, gimme your old motor :p.
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Sep 27, 2011 16:02
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kimbo305 posted:I see 14" has bifurcated his soul in two, and taken some of Sock's with it. Its a horcrux!
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Sep 27, 2011 17:28
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I'd strip it for parts (seeing as you're going to have to do that anyway for what you're planning), and sell things until you've got a free car. That should get rid of the nasty taste in your mouth. I've had a fair few instances like this, but luckily not over anything rare or special enough that I couldn't tell the seller exactly what I thought of them and walk away. If you can weld, and actively wanted a project car, then yeah, I can see the point, which is what's stopping me from saying "You paid someone money for that? Intentionally?" Definitely interested in watching this thread. You've pretty much given a straight-up account of why, whenever I'm tempted by a sub-£2k boosted Impreza, I think about what kind of people own cheap turbo Imprezas, and pull myself back from the brink.
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Sep 27, 2011 22:50
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InitialDave posted:Definitely interested in watching this thread. You've pretty much given a straight-up account of why, whenever I'm tempted by a sub-£2k boosted Impreza, I think about what kind of people own cheap turbo Imprezas, and pull myself back from the brink. The point still stands (although now I'm one of those people who own a sub-$2000 Impreza).
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Sep 27, 2011 23:09
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Seat Safety Switch posted:This isn't a turbo; we didn't get them until '02 because of the cost of Federal emissions compliance.
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Sep 27, 2011 23:12
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That $2k widebody kit is cool and all, but if it were me, I'd patch the car the best I can and DIY some cheap flairs. Then again, I am cheap and drive my car in the woods and in fields. Once you get the shell sorted... If you do a drivetrain swap, I am bribe-able to help with beer. I'm in Maine so you're not unreasonably far at all. I've done transmission in out three times already on my RS, and the motor is cake. Biggest challenge to go wrx is the electrical, which you can sack up and do (plenty of documentation on RS25.com), or you can outsource.
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Sep 27, 2011 23:59
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c355n4 posted:daslog - if you need any stock '99 interior parts or even a full working moonroof let me know. I'm trying to remember what I still have. I visit Southern VT during the winter. Let me know if you're looking for anything specific. Thanks. I'm going to need most (if not all) of the interior redone. I'll check on the other stuff.
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Sep 28, 2011 00:00
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the simplest, easiest, and cheapest swap would be an 02-05 2.0l and keep the rest of the drivetrain stock. There's no immobilizer and the wiring is a bit less involved. You need to swap the front subframe/engine cradle for the turbo exhaust routing. ECS I think has a pretty fair deal on pre-made wiring harnesses. the coolest swap is to take a crashed 05-07 sti and swap in EVERYTHING- drivetrain, suspension/hubs/brakes, dash, etc. But the cost for that will easily pass 10k, and that's doing it yourself. someday... jamal fucked around with this message at 01:35 on Sep 28, 2011 |
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Sep 28, 2011 01:32
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jamal posted:the simplest, easiest, and cheapest swap would be an 02-05 2.0l and keep the rest of the drivetrain stock. There's no immobilizer and the wiring is a bit less involved. You need to swap the front subframe/engine cradle for the turbo exhaust routing. ECS I think has a pretty fair deal on pre-made wiring harnesses. The 02-05 WRX swap sounds reasonable. I'll have to find a project thread/blog of someone doing the swap. Day 2 pictures. First day working on the car. The current goal, Document and cleanup, because this car is filthy and it smells. No backpressure makes it faster?  That's a voltmeter. Must have had kicking Bass  Going to need a new hood  Spray painted Red. Sweet.  So much dirt. I've never had to wash the inside of a car before I tore it down before. It's that nasty  A chrome overlay on the Dash. Multicolored.  This is after I pressure washed it.  My favorite part of buying a car: The goodies the owner leaves behind. First the paint from ad.  Freebies!  haha nice gift.  Note to self: Remove all items with my SSN on them before selling my next car.  I have more pics if you guys want them. daslog fucked around with this message at 02:31 on Sep 28, 2011 |
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Sep 28, 2011 02:18
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That kid makes more an hour than I do? Christ, I need a new job. Good luck on the build, daslog, I have a friend who would covet that exact car, warts and all, and I think once you undo all the idiocy it'll be a lot of fun.
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Sep 28, 2011 02:59
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More pics please. I love Craigslist cars and what the owners leave in them.
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Sep 28, 2011 03:16
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30 hours of work for less than $300? gently caress that.
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Sep 28, 2011 03:44
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daslog posted:A chrome overlay on the Dash. Multicolored.  So this was his idea of a "racing dash"? A $30 e-bay gauge overlay and a $10 chrome stick-on surround???
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Sep 28, 2011 03:55
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Buying that car was definitely worth the years worth of Egg Mcmuffins coming your way
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Sep 28, 2011 03:55
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Jesus Christ that car is dirty. That shot of the center console makes me cringe. I think there is a horrifying amount of rust hidden in every corner of that thing, too. Every picture has bits of rust poking out somewhere.
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Sep 28, 2011 04:01
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daslog posted:
$8.75 an hour?! Christ, I make $14.00 an hour at my lovely customer service rep job.
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Sep 28, 2011 04:09
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That red and blue combo on the hood looks like rear end
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Sep 28, 2011 04:20
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Hyundai paint?
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Sep 28, 2011 04:24
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I didn't even know there was a McDonalds in Middlebury! Thread does not disappoint.
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Sep 28, 2011 04:31
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I no longer feel bad about my $900 9000T that I scrapped after about 2,000 miles. I had more car to work with.
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Sep 28, 2011 04:32
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I like how you blacked out his name on the pay stub but left the savings bond from grandma in there.  I don't know how you didn't kick the little liar in the nads and then punch him in the face.
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Sep 28, 2011 04:38
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That ad reminds me when I was going car hunting to replace my S-10 and found an old Rampage that the seller said was "in great condition!". All the pics were on the right side. The left side wasn't photographed for a reason, it was smashed in from front to back. I was sad about that, it would have been a great little thing. I have no experience with automobiles aside from doing basic maintenance and some repairs. All I can say is holy poo poo, that bondo job.
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Sep 28, 2011 05:02
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Is that loving weed? hehehe
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Sep 28, 2011 05:13
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I thought my RS was in rough shape.  You have JDM clear corners, by the way. Unfortunately you don't have the JDM taillights, which a worth a good bit of cash. Also I don't think my car has that rear strut brace, but I have a four door.
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Sep 28, 2011 06:05
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You went to look at a 10 year old import in the state of Vermont and were shocked to find that it had appalling rust issues?
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Sep 28, 2011 06:32
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ZippySLC posted:30 hours of work for less than $300? gently caress that. Considerably less than $300 - and that's gross. He netted out closer to $200.  Joining everyone else here, I don't feel so bad about my less-than-pristine set of lawn ornament SVXs anymore. Really gotta make time to work on those at some point. The goal is to end up with one presentable one and one running beater, but I'm not sure how it's all going to shake out. Looks like you've got your work cut out for you with this one though .
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Sep 28, 2011 06:46
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Definitely post more pics of both the car and "trophies", please. Let's have a comedy before tragedy (fixing his gently caress-ups) strikes. Good luck restoring it.
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Sep 28, 2011 10:13
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