My intro, and lots of Subarus in my fleet...

[Peerson]

Well I have lurked here for a while, so I guess I should just get it over with. Take my spankings and introduce myself.

 

Currently I live in Benton Ca, otherwise called the middle of no where. But one thing we do have is some awesome views and some great places to head out to when we want to. (I will post pics if you want to see) But this place is not where my love affair with Subarus started. I guess I should go way way way back to the very beginning.

 

Back in 1984, long before I had my drivers license a friend of my moms had a 1977 Wagon 1600 4X. A pretty basic one, in white. Sure it was a older car, but she let me drive it. It was in good shape compared to the first wagon I owned. I got my feet wet when I moved to a ranch in Mendocino county. This was about 1991, well I needed a car to get up and down the side of the mountain, you know it rains there lots so it has to have 4 wheel drive.

 

Needless to say a friend of mine gave me a 1978 Subaru 4x wagon in red. It was pretty well crunched in the front end from hitting a deer. It had sat in the rain under some redwoods so it had plenty of tin worm. The rear hatch would not stay shut, it smoked -bad- when cold and when it warmed up the oil light was on less you revved it up to 1800 RPM's. It also has no power. That little wagon served me good for three years until I moved to the other side of the mountain. The Ukiah side.

 

Well the red wagon went back to my friend and for 50 bucks I got a green 77 just like the one I had driven way back when. It was -rough- but at least the front was not smashed! It had mushrooms growing out of the front floor boards, plenty of tin worm, same rear hatch would not shut and a even worse motor. Yes it has seeping head gaskets, rod knock hot and cold, oil light on hot at 2500 RPM's .. smoked like.. a oil fire. And to top it off, it really had no power. It also had other issues but you get the idea.

 

Well while I had that Subaru, I got another one that was for -on road- use. A really nice 81 wagon in white with the blue interior. Really clean little car, had the EA81 and the DR gearbox. No dents no dings, no tears. It came to me with a set of blown head gaskets for next to nothing. I tossed a set of head gaskets on it and drove it for many years until a friend that needed it offered me .. lots of money for it. So it became his and I ended up moving again. So the 77 went to another friend who needed a mountain crummy.

 

I was subaruless! It pained me, but when I moved here in 96 to Benton, I needed something to get back and forth to Mammoth Lakes to work. Yes, yet another Subaru (You see a trend here) a 83 wagon, baseline. It had that I needed .. 4 wheel drive. Well it was a bit worse than that. It had been slammed down the side by a snow plow. I knew it was not to last and just after I got it.. I got my first BRAT.

 

The BRAT I got had been sitting for some years. But it was a pretty nicely equipped one. 1800, DR box, speed control, T tops and the jump seats were in place. I had a lot of fun in that BRAT, even went over a center median in the bay area with it. (Fremont to be exact) But my mom who always thought the Subarus were sort of funky dove my BRAT and it was over. She was either going to make me get her one, or she was going to take mine.

 

Enter the 83 BRAT, black on gray, 1800 DR box with 98,000 miles on it. Yes I paid the princely sum of 2000 dollars for that car. It has AC T tops, the jump seats are intact and it even came with MINT condition rear carpet and a camper. But there is more to this car that meets the eye. See I had rolled my BRAT two years latter. Not a bad roll over but I had friends in the back when it went over. No one even got a scratch. (I have pictures) The BRAT suffered a broken reverse gear..no idea how. Bent fender, 3 dents in the roof, a dented drivers fender and a cracked tail light. It was done and it sat around.

 

So did the 83 wagon. Well one day I got fed up. The drive line in the 83 was making some noise ... so in went the entire rear end and drive line from the wagon. The front cross member, rack, suspension, struts... EVERYTHING went into my Brat after I went over that center divider. The trans was junk in the wagon, but it has a 130K engine that I sold and installed for 800 bucks. (good deal and I bought all the parts) I made money on that wagon ..

 

But after the 85's roll over I never really wanted to fix it. We just had the 83 BRAT. So I got a job offer I could not refuse. I had to move 2600 miles away to the other coast. My moms 83 by this time began the oil pressure drop when it was going up the hills and was loosing power. But the rest of the car was just MINT! So the choice was made. Strip my BRAT place all the parts in storage and she gets my good motor. It was done 3 days before I moved.. I was in Fayetteville Arkansaw on Sept 11th so perhaps that was a bad omen.

 

I was Subaruless, and it SUCKED there were so many times that I needed one and there were none to be had in GA, TN, or MO.. not even in NM they are rare as hens teeth less you want a Legacy. Not that I am knocking Legacys...

 

Ten years 13 days and hours from the time I left CA.. and I am back. And guess what. There she is the 83 BRAT! Still running and intact and pretty as the day I bought her save for some faded paint. Mom always kept it covered and well serviced. She now has 245,000 miles on it and my motor still runs. She smokes when cold, but no knock no lifter noise, good oil pressure. You may get to see some threads on her in the future. Even the AC still works. (No you WILL see some)

 

But I also came home to my moms 94 Legacy wagon. It is a middle of the range model and I just love it. She does too. And just after I got here I got given a 93 Legacy wagon. I LOVE the fact I can go up a hill in 5th gear and not 3rd And then because I am just bad. I bought a 92 Sedan that is just LOADED for 500 bucks because it has tin worm and 230K on the clock. (The other two wagons are at 180 to 182K) .

 

Of course you know what happens with Subarus.. you invite one over and all there mates come to crash out on your couch. Yes.. there may be a 76 Wagon (the one my mom has always lusted over because of the bespoke body for 74 to 76 only).. I am trying to get it for her, I know it is going to be allot of work. But it does not have tin worm and it is -all- there. Getting it off the guy is gonna take a prybar, but well we can dream...

 

That is my Subaru story and intro, and I guess it may be the start of a story no?

 

~Peerson

[Subruise]

Welcome, PICS!!!!!

[grotto]

That's quite a story Peerson, enjoyed reading it. Yeah I'd say you are definitely a certified Subaru nut.

[Peerson]

Ok Subrusie.. You get PICS.... Here we go

 

This is the Burgundy Legacy or my moms...

 

It is in fair shape.. but it has a real Jewel under the hood..

 

She is just sooo clean! I mean ... yeah.. just such a sweet wagon..

 

This i my sedan.. and well you can see why I bought it...

 

That is the donor car for my.. precious.. yes my baby.. the baby I have loved for years... This baby..

 

And she is still clean under hood.....

 

 

The thing is.. if you break a Subaru around here. You have to drive the P word... (not that it is a bad car... it is just very French and very Peugeot)

 

 

Now since you want to see where I am.. Look at this epic splendor.. It is just WOW... I mean heaven (especially if you noticed my bike in the background!)

 

 

Yeah... I love this place. Enjoy...

 

Oh the Charcoal wagon happened to be in town as of this post.. and I still dun have the 76. Guess they are both a bit shy no. We will get them out the closet!

Edited April 7, 2012 by Peerson
I can..

[Peerson]

This is what we used the blue BRAT for in the summers....

 

 

This is when.. well I went shiny side down.. and after we flipped her over...

 

And here is old blue in a state of rebuild...