gassy.t Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 (edited) Hi there y’all! I’m Tessa from Santa Cruz, CA; happy to be here. I will (hopefully) be acquiring a 1979 4 wheel drive DL wagon, not exactly running and will probably need a lot of work, but I’m super excited to get behind the wheel and learn a lot! I’m very new to the world of car mechanics (I am a bicycle mechanic) but I’ve got some friends to help me out with this project; If anyone has any experience with these cars please please let me know!! Any quirks, things to look out for, fun facts, all would be greatly appreciated! Thanks and good to meet you all! Edit: I haven’t gotten it yet but I most likely will in a week or so, and will post pictures then:) Tessa Edited June 19, 2020 by gassy.t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 look for rust where the front doors hinge from! don't want structural damage now. it's normal for some rust to be under the spare tire area, same goes for battery location, and rear mudflap location. is the windshield cracked? because you're not finding another one! and if you do, they go for $300+ just for the glass, plus shipping, plus installation. these engines are very bullet proof, just make sure the crank turns over to make sure it's not seized up and you should be fine. post pictures! i would love to see another survivor. the plastic in the cargo area is usually gone or falling apart, same goes for the dash, there's probably less than 10 that don't have cracks across the country lol. if it's a manual, look at the pedal box for any cracks or separation. not sure what else to really say without pictures, alot of these first gens leak water in, either through pin holes in the cowl that let water fall through into the passenger side floor, or in the top corners of the windshield seam. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 Here’s some more info. Start up at the cowl in front of the windshield. Remove that and look down and see the pine needles , leaves , dirt , all in a nice 40 year old salad. That’s where the pinholes start the rust - water into the front interior floor sometimes - and always rot down below at the lower portion of the firewall and also the wheel apron. You’ll likely also see the front wheels have kicked enough to cause holes in the apron but being where you are maybe none of this applies. Do inspect. “ is the windshield cracked? because you're not finding another one! and if you do, they go for $300+ just for the glrump roast, plus shipping, plus installation. “ I have windshields and probably a couple others at least also have them. Currently I’m asking around $200 mostly because of the labor and materials involved in shipping. The gasket is indeed available and you can actually install it yourself. Easy ! Just have to be sure all the metal around the window is rust free and ready to accept a fresh gasket. (Currently I have a Coupe windshield on eBay for $300 but that is super special and way more rare) Ok so yes they are super reliable just don’t forget to shift gears on the highway. That’s how I managed to kill a perfectly good same engine. I was in third and having a blast then €@%~¥!!!!! Someone calculated I was probably doing 7-8k revs ! Be smart , have your coffee before doing what I did. Change oil as you should , can adjust valves yourself , you’ll need valve rocker cover gaskets , and start looking for oil pumps or reseal kits. Subarasaurus there are no automatic 4WD wagons or anything 4WD back then. It’s a manual and your shifter will likely rattle. Look for the bushings. I am stepping aside from ownership for a while as I turn to my motorcycles before I get too old. But you’ll see my stuff on eBay and the face book groups etc. “cashingmystuffin” that’s me on eBay. Best of luck. You’ll be fine and you’re really going to love it. Enjoy ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 Also , nobody ever seems to give a rats tail these days but you may choose to add a post in the “Wish List” thread once you’ve gone over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 4 hours ago, moosens said: Also , nobody ever seems to give a rats tail these days but you may choose to add a post in the “Wish List” thread once you’ve gone over it. That is due to Facebook and its Subaru Groups... I miss the good ol' Partnership and Friendship we used to have here. Sorry for Hijack the thread... Kind Regards. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Right on ! Yes , the trend is to go over to FB but it’s really not for me. I do go there to try to help and sell parts. You post a question and get snarky replies and off topic nonsense or branch off into people making sales , etc... Enjoy ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subasaurus Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 On 6/19/2020 at 5:47 PM, moosens said: Subarasaurus there are no automatic 4WD wagons or anything 4WD back then. It’s a manual and your shifter will likely rattle. Look for the bushings. ah, thanks for that info! haven't seen enough examples to know this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosens Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 Automatic 4WD starts in the second generation. Then everyone who could drive slowly wanted 4WD. And the world became a more boring place. Let’s hear about this 79 from Santa Cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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