the possible death of the sedan

[Bucky92]

Sorry to see that Steve. And I dont want to be a vulture... but if you want to sell parts.. I might want your rear bumper since every other lead I have has been nothing but a dead end.

[Psyko]

Crap, dude, that's ugly. Wish I could help.

[hatchsub]

Sorry to see that Steve. And I dont want to be a vulture... but if you want to sell parts.. I might want your rear bumper since every other lead I have has been nothing but a dead end.

 

Haha i was thinking of you Connie and you have first dibs on the rear bumper. Your going to need new rubber end pieces for it cause one of them is shot and the other one is going but the bumper is not rusted at all inside. You might also be getting something else u need for you coupe out of this bad situation of mine . Basically im going to be selling/giving away as much of it as i can. Id rather see it live on in 10 subarus then get crushed.

[Durania]

Ouch man. My condolences.

[TomRhere]

Definetly was a hard hit. But I think it's fixable.

 

Granted, I'm not there to see it in person, but it does look fixable to me. And I don't think you'd need to put it on a frame machine either. You'd be surprized at what one can do with some chain, come-along, block & tackle, and a porta-power.

[Twitch de la Brat]

Definetly was a hard hit. But I think it's fixable.

 

Granted, I'm not there to see it in person, but it does look fixable to me. And I don't think you'd need to put it on a frame machine either. You'd be surprized at what one can do with some chain, come-along, block & tackle, and a porta-power.

 

Don't forget the rubber mallet

I feel your pain, I smacked my BRAT on a dirt/rock mount and tweaked the

whole front end and bent my skid plate about 6 months after buying it.

 

I say fix it.

The PO of my Legacy massacred the front end (I helped too, but later on),

and it only took some yanking and bashing by hand to get it straight again.

 

Not to mention a tree, some chain and a good reverse gear will do

miracles.

It'll be worth it to fix it, unless you have something better and cheaper

to replace it with.

 

Twitch

[WoodsWagon]

Not to mention a tree, some chain and a good reverse gear will do

miracles.

Twitch

 

YES!

 

The car is still running, registered, and insured, so use the chain and immovable object tirck and get it back close so the hood can open and shut and the radiator is back out of the fan. You didn't damage anything with the suspension or allignment, and I've seen lots of subies where the framerail kinks right before the strut tower and they've been yanked back out and OK.

 

My biggest justification for doing some redneck bodywork is that it's still winter. Winter is the hardest season on subaru sheetmetal, between the salt and the rocks and trees that jump out of nowhere, it's best to not drive a car you care about in the winter. Use the sedan untill april or may, then switch over the parts onto the new good body.

[hatchsub]

Im not really sure what im doing as of now. you guys do make good points but the main problem is that i dont have room for more than one car so its not like i can get the other one and just put it away until spring (already have another car that is not operational that needs to go). I would have to spend extra money to fix mine until spring and then buy the other one. I dont think that will work with my current situation. I realize winter sucks for the metal on these cars and i cringe at the thought of driving another in the winter but i dont have much choice i dont think.

 

As for the whether or not i can get this car cheaper than fixing mine...yes i can. Thats why its on the top of my list.

[bheinen74]

If you have a come along, time, a new radiator (was probably due for replacement anyway) and a replacement front bumper, this can be repaired fairly cheaply in my view.

The hood still looks straight.

Remove the grille, and side light trims. Pull off the bumper, get a come along in there and start pulling little at a time.

Comealong it back until the hood closes nicely using the edge of the fender as a guide for how much to pull.

 

then you can bolt back on the new side corner light, new bumper, and put a new radiator in there.

I would not use a frame machine on this, that would be a waste of good money.

Edited January 2, 2010 by bheinen74

[hatchsub]

Idk as of now. I probably should have mentioned there is evidence that stuff got messed up as far back as the front of the front door. Front fender is not lining up. Ill let everyone know as this week progresses.

[bheinen74]

It was hard to tell if the fender got pushed back into the door.

Best of luck, only you can decide if its worth the fix.

I come from a family who rarely bought perfect undamaged cars. We like to buy em wrecked and fix and that was why i thought it can be saved

Edited January 3, 2010 by bheinen74

[moosens]

Forget about fixing it. Yes,you can make it live longer but I don't think you want people looking at you for the wrong reason. That car will never look beautiful again so don't bother thinking about it twice,or thirteen times with all these wonderful folks here.

 

Get the parts off it you need for yourself or to pass along and be thankful you ever even had it and that it lasted as long as it did. You sported it around and got positive reactions all around so enjoy that you had that and find the next one.

 

Onward! Cheers!

[GeneralDisorder]

The great thing about the way Subaru setup the frame rails - you can just cut behind the kink and weld on a front clip. I'm in the process of doing exactly that with an EA82 three-door that's been sitting around here. Unfortunately I have been on a lot of other projects so it's sitting with the front clip clamped on with vice grips and c-clamps.

 

Here's a shot from when I was getting it lined up to show what I mean:

 

 

That front clip cost me $35 from the wrecking yard - took about an hour to cut it out with my cordless sawzall. I just cut well back from where I knew I needed straight material and trimmed it to fit once I had it home. On the side where the rail wasn't kinked I just drilled out the spot welds with a spot weld drill ($5 at harbor frieght). Now it's just a matter of final fitting, tack welding, a bit of paint, and hang the panels back on.

 

With all the rust repair you have done, I don't think you should give up on it yet - hell - isn't this sort of thing WHY you learned to weld and bought a nice welding rig in the first place?

 

Couple fenders and a front clip and you will be in business. I could understand if you want to let it go for a 4WD though. Can't say I would blame you if that's a big part of the picture.

 

GD

[Bucky92]

Problem would be finding the replacement panels around here..Last EA81 I have seen in the JY was about a year and a half ago maybe.

I know where STeve is coming from right now too... Its the only car he has to drive since 1. The camaro sux in bad weather.2. Too much invested in the Maro to let the elements get to it.3. Lack of space.

 

I think I would strip it too..the best you could do is just make it usable and never as nice again. I think I have an idea on what you have your sights on and I would go for it too.

[WoodsWagon]

I'm not sure I understand the view that a car is either perfect and beautiful or it's damaged and should be thrown away.

 

A car is #1 a form of transportation. This car still fulfills that need, sure it's not as nice as it used to be, sure you used a chain and a sledgehammer to straighten it out, sure it's got wrinkles and the panels don't line up, but it gets you from point a to point b.

 

Picture this: you get the new to you car, swap over the good parts from the sedan, vow to drive much more carefully in the winter, and get hammered a week later by some minivan with bald summer tires hauling around in the snow with the driver talking on the cell phone.

 

Now if you were driving the sedan, you'd say, ah well, it was kinda beat up anyway.

 

Bucky92, I believe I remember you wanting to junk the coupe that Turbone drove out from the west coast due to wiring issues, so I can understand some body damage causing you to advise dumping the sedan, but Moosens, unless you're selling him his next car, what's the big rush on "it's never going to be as good as it was, so dump it quick!" ?

 

Both you and Hatchsub have seen my lifted wagon, so you know I'm no stranger to body damage and missmatched panels, but that car was still pretty functional, no? I've had to retire it due to all the suspension mounting points being rusted out and collapsing, but if I'd been worried about body damage it would have been off the road in 2003 instead of 2008. I learned lots about mig welding and recreating structural parts of the body on that car too.

 

It just seems a shame to kill off a rare and old car (for this area) just because seeing it damaged makes you feel bad because you remember how good it looked before the wreck. Mabe it's a guilt complex thing due to being the driver during the wreck? You want it out of your sight because it reminds you that you once screwed up while driving? Kinda seems like a lame reason to ditch a car, but I think it's an all too common one.

 

You'd be suprised about the availablity of EA81 parts. A guy near me has 7 parts brats hidden in the woods behind his house, and you know there's more like him all over the eastern seaboard.

 

Sorry if I seem like a jerk, it's sunday afternoon and I'm cranky. And junking cars due to repairable body damage is a sore spot with me.

[Turbone]

I'm not sure I understand the view that a car is either perfect and beautiful or it's damaged and should be thrown away.

 

A car is #1 a form of transportation. This car still fulfills that need, sure it's not as nice as it used to be, sure you used a chain and a sledgehammer to straighten it out, sure it's got wrinkles and the panels don't line up, but it gets you from point a to point b.

 

Picture this: you get the new to you car, swap over the good parts from the sedan, vow to drive much more carefully in the winter, and get hammered a week later by some minivan with bald summer tires hauling around in the snow with the driver talking on the cell phone.

 

Now if you were driving the sedan, you'd say, ah well, it was kinda beat up anyway.

 

Bucky92, I believe I remember you wanting to junk the coupe that Turbone drove out from the west coast due to wiring issues, so I can understand some body damage causing you to advise dumping the sedan, but Moosens, unless you're selling him his next car, what's the big rush on "it's never going to be as good as it was, so dump it quick!" ?

 

Both you and Hatchsub have seen my lifted wagon, so you know I'm no stranger to body damage and missmatched panels, but that car was still pretty functional, no? I've had to retire it due to all the suspension mounting points being rusted out and collapsing, but if I'd been worried about body damage it would have been off the road in 2003 instead of 2008. I learned lots about mig welding and recreating structural parts of the body on that car too.

 

It just seems a shame to kill off a rare and old car (for this area) just because seeing it damaged makes you feel bad because you remember how good it looked before the wreck. Mabe it's a guilt complex thing due to being the driver during the wreck? You want it out of your sight because it reminds you that you once screwed up while driving? Kinda seems like a lame reason to ditch a car, but I think it's an all too common one.

 

You'd be suprised about the availablity of EA81 parts. A guy near me has 7 parts brats hidden in the woods behind his house, and you know there's more like him all over the eastern seaboard.

 

Sorry if I seem like a jerk, it's sunday afternoon and I'm cranky. And junking cars due to repairable body damage is a sore spot with me.

 

Not quite correct.

I located the car here and held it for her until she came out and had it shipped back the the east coast.

 

Regardless of what everyone says or thinks, this is Steves car to do what he pleases with. Certainly it sucks that it got crunched, but if he has something to replace it with, thats his choice.

[Bucky92]

91Loyale.. When I was "thinking" of junking my coupe..it had more then electrical issues..the motor was shot and so was the tranny. ( tranny is still shot)

 

Not everyone looks at a car as being just a mode of transportation either. Call it what you will..everyone is entitle to thier opinion.

 

I have my junker car ( my Amigo) yet I still take pride in it and dont want it to look any worse then it already does. I personally dont care to be seen driving around in a wreck..call me vain or whatever.

 

Steves pics are still hard to see the full extent of the damage. I am sure its actually worse then it appears. I know Steve, I would have to think, very well ..he doesnt sugar coat things.

Even if he did/does want to fix it..its his only mode of transportation and I would think time is of the essence.

[GeneralDisorder]

If it indeed goes all the way back to the front of the doors - there's no saving it without a professional frame rack to pull it into submission.

 

Barring that it's no big deal really to weld on another front clip. All that stuff is hidden behind exterior panels that bolt on. So once you paint those and re-hang them the exterior of the car looks no different than it did before the accident. Finding the parts may take a bit of work but such is the fate of anyone on the easy coast that wishes to own older cars. It's not a Subaru specific problem and parts can be had.

 

Personally the satisfaction I would get from repairing it would be worth it. Knowing that I broke it would suck but fixing it would help. It's therapy in a way I suppose - you can throw it away but that won't make you feel any better about wrecking it.

 

It's low mileage, it's rare for where you are located - I say you will be very sorry you ever let it go if you part it out now. You will be kicking yourself for the rest of your days.

 

GD

[hatchsub]

Oh im kicking myself now just cause i wrecked it. The bottom of the front fender is kinked a bit leading me to believe it has more damage than meets the eye. My buddy is a autobody tech. He came out and surveyed the damage. He would be the first to say that it could be straightened with a tree and such but he didnt. He looked and believes its bent in such a way that it needs time on a frame machine. Tomorrow ill ripe some stuff off of it and see just how bad it really is. If its what i think it is then im going to get the coupe.

 

Ive been going back and forth and back and forth. There are plenty of good arguments for and against getting the "new" car. The biggest argument for the new car is that i would fix mine and might even make it look good again but for 400 or more dollars (parts and such). Where as im picking up a rust free EA81 coupe for 400 right out the door. Im already ahead of the game getting the coupe rather than ending up back with a rusty car. My car has never been rust free just to let everyone know. I got it 5 years ago and had the rust "professionally" taken care of but there is no way to get rid of it entirely. Once its there its hard to kill.

 

As i said ill tear into it tomorrow and see what im up against but in the end im going to do what needs doing and if that means getting another subaru then thats what ill do.

[hatchsub]

2002 posts!

[hatchsub]

I've got a pretty mint 84 T-wagon that probably wouldn't mind being shipped to much. Stock white with a REALLY nice blue interior. It has a rebuilt EA81T sitting in the back of it awaiting install for someone with time. Needs a title hunted up, but, it's clear. Let me know if you're interested. I'll probably be including it in a FOR SALE thread here fairly shortly.

 

I didnt mean to skip over this. Thank you for the offer very much but i think im all set.

[moosens]

but Moosens, unless you're selling him his next car, what's the big rush on "it's never going to be as good as it was, so dump it quick!" ?

 

 

Well,as you can see my friend, YOU don't know Steve like we do.

 

Sometimes you CAN go on a messageboard and appear to be just another opinion. But when you've spent even the small amountof time I have gotten to spend with Steve you get to understand what they've come to expect from their elder Subaru.

 

Some of you folks are willing to spend much more time and sometimes money than an average East Coast Subaru owner. Some of you are ABOVE average. But that's your gig if you want to whip out torches and heavy machinery to fool around. But to most folks down here that's all you're doing is fooling around. Unibody -smashola - move on. The Bic lighters of automobiles. Use it and throw it away. There's plenty more coming.

 

That's right,Rob. It IS HIS car to do what he needs to.

 

But ...

Opinions from folks thousands of miles away can be a bit unrealistic. This is Connecticut,not backwoods bumschmuk USA. Rates are outrageous here. Paying for the effort and parts and shipping and so much more like paint and the time its all going to take....

 

If you've been around Steve you get a real good feel for his approach to this dilema. Right move,Steve! Go for it. Just inspect all those nooks and crannies.

 

All in good nature here kids. Don't get all flamed out because although I do tend to present my case with a twist o' 'tude , all are pretty cool folks in this dogpile so nobody get fuzzed up over my comments,right?

[Psyko]

Move to Washington and I'll give you a car. Maybe even the 6...

[hatchsub]

can u get me a good job too...then i will lol. New england sucks for old cars that i like.

[Yo'J]

Get the new coupe anyway:banana: Nothing like something to drive while the rig is down.

Then you can drive your old coupe lifted and re-strengthened to not fall to some silly big rock! It could be a roo like the submarine from "Ten Thousand Leagues Under the Sea"! You have a welder! .......... I'm thousands of miles away!

 

 

Sometimes I listen to advice from wherever.....

If you got a deal on a coupe, I would take it. You don't see to many anymore and once the damage is done to the frame it can only get worse later. ^^Or re-frame it.

 

By the way, I'll bet that has sucked like hell, for ya. I was loving your work. You had done a great job.