1982gl4

Well if you are going to swap a good engine choice would be an eg22 out of later model Subaru! You can build what is called a frankenmotor as well, using an eg25 block with eg22 heads, you get high compression and more power! (I'm doing this in my brat right now) With whatever direction you go in with you have a good car to start with! -SB

Today I re-finished my wheels, did a five lug swap (on the rear thus far) thanks to Psyko! I'm curently trying to figure out what I'm going to use for struts up front looks like 92 legacy struts will work pretty well! I know you guys hate pics! And the (other besides the engine) new heart of the beast!

Yep it's a 2wd it has chrome bumpers! Still a nice ride! And with 35k a ton of miles left! A gas tank would also be needed for a 4x4 swap, but i 100% agree that the ea81 is a great engine, it may be slow but you can not kill that thing! Also, welcome aboard! -SB

Welcome aboard! Sounds like we have about the same history except I bought my first Subaru when I was 12 Nice 82! I love my 82 wagon I think it's probably my favorite car I have ever owned! -SB

Wow! This is a sweet project! Good progress so far keep us posted! Subscribed! -SB

I'd run the ea81 that was what I had in my first car (82 wagon and still have it!) Although I can't say much because I'm swaping my Brat right now Looks like one heck of a project you have a good start! Keep us posted!

A burnout video would be very nice!

Pretty much every station up here in Vermont has it :-\ In all the grades. My ea81 hates it (pre detonation) and so does my wrx. I've only been getting like 24mpg with my wagon this year and a few years ago I was getting 27mpg easy. I hate it, so does my weber it's been acting up with the ethanol. -SB

Wow is that clean You got yourself a fine automobile there! Also, welcome aboard! -SB

Nice truck, I can't wait to see what you do to this one! Looks like it's really solid!

I just paid $350 for one with a bad engine, rust, and it had been in a front end collision, so 1000 doesn't sound that bad! -SB

Whoo another VT member welcome aboard!!!!!!!!! As suggested I would check the belt tension, also just check it over make sure it doesn't need replacing. be careful when tightening it, up here the corrosion tends to freeze up the tensioners pretty well, and usually the break or you end up rounding the bolt off. I usually spray something on the threads to make life a little easier. -SB

TheLoyale, and Goyale on here seem to know more about it, I would maybe ask one of them. I did used the front control arms, and I just had to weld like a 2" section on each side of the sway bar bushings. I would assume that you would be correct in the fact you have to compress the springs in order to put the taller struts in. I just had a whole complete parts car I paid pretty much nothing for, so I opted just to swap it all over. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=111093&page=38 This is TheLoyale's thread on his wagon build up, It has some good info on the outback struts (he just put them in a new legacy so the rear mounts were already correct. -SB

I have a set of 1.8 heads going on my 2.5. I have to say the heads do not look like they flow as well as the 2.2's as stated above, but it's all I have right now and they were free! The heads you have should fit pretty much any obd1 2.2 block, and some later ones as well. But for that amount of work I would probably just swap in a whole 2.2. Also nice car! I miss my 1.8 brighton coupe a lot! -SB

Thanks! I think I will opt for that method as well, drilling holes in head gaskets doesn't sound like a good time, plus I have changed enough of these to know that taking away integrity is probably a bad idea, I'm planing on running some decent fans ( I have some front mount ones in a volvo) and possibly a radiator out of a Legacy or Impreza.

I'm sure there is special paint, but did I use it nope! I'm sure it will all flake off pretty quickly, but it will look nice long enough for some pics . I sanded and cleaned everything really well, and then primed the heck out of it so I hope it will stick for a while, but I will most likely be redoing them all in a years time.

Two people, told me on my thread that I didn't need the subframe spacers, I don't know how, but they put the outback struts in, I would ask someone that know's a little more about it than just me, or wait for someone else to reply. I believe struts out of a later legacy will fit, they have slightly different rear mounts, you can drill a hole in the rear, or change out the mounts with ones from a early legacy, and the fronts should bolt right in no problem. It will just site about the same high it normally does ( When the air bags aren't flat )

This weeks progress, new valve seals, and some paint! I also started on the harness :-\ this is going to take some time. The engine has all new bearings and rings, and is ready for heads! I was wondering what other people had done to cut the head gaskets? Do most people just drill holes where needed? Here are some pics!

Mine does have ABS, the brackets just bolt on one of the strut bolts that hold it onto the front spindle. I didn't have to lengthen the wires or even touch them for the strut conversion. I also used all of the spacers for the outback's subframe, the longer bolts, and hardware, and the front control arms are different too, or at least the rear mount. I have heard that you can do the conversion without the use of these, but after doing it I have no Idea how you would get the struts in without the spacers, the rear was hard enough as it was! Also I had to lengthen the rear sway bar end links.

I'm in Worcester Vermont, A town of around 800 people that no one has ever heard of, I have three gen 2 subarus and I think they are probably three out of around 10 or so left in this state still on the road! I used rustrepair.com the rocker panels are $40.70 a side which I didn't think was too bad after spending the time making my own for my Brat. I remember the dates and such being a little funny on the site. I have new rocker panels from them still n the box in anybody wants me to take pics I would be more than happy to! -SB

I have not had a single issue with mine so far they don't rub anywhere, and it stops, steers, and goes as is should. The speedo is a little off but, besides that it's as it should be.

They are 205/55/16's on forester S wheels from the early 2000's. They are bigger than stock but I think the little 14's would have looked really funny after the OB struts and springs. Plus I had these for my wrx lying around because I decided I wasn't going to drive that in the salt! -SB

Here are some pics!

I used the factory strut mounts off from a non air suspension model. I used nothing from the factory air suspension. ( i have two 1992s one for parts) Sorry about that, should have been a little more clear. I can post some pics later so you can see how high she sits now it's around 2" i think.

My 82 gl wagon was in much worse shape than that! the rear quarters and rockers consisted of expanding foam and fiberglass when i bought it for $100, I found a site that sold rocker panels from a loyale that were reproduction, and they made new rear quarters for my car. A month of bodywork later here she is Yours is very fixable! The site still makes rockers as well, I just bought some for my 84 wagon. They are like an inch short if I remember correctly, but they are affordable, and the closest thing you're going to get without making your own or cutting some off from another car.