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New to the Subaru Vanagon Forum - New Project


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Hi All,

 

Just wanted to say hey ~ I joined the forum as a result of all the flap over the Yahoo! Group... I think there is plenty of room for ALL! Shawn and Warren BOTH sound like great guys!

 

Anyway - I have a 1986 Westy (manual) with a waterleaker (99k). Van is unbelievable solid - even runs great but drips just a few drops of anti-freeze every drive... it's time. I bought a 1993 Legacy 2WD (166k miles) - the motor runs PERFECT!

 

So here is where I am at with the project:

1) Dash and most of wiring out from the INSIDE of Suby

2) Have the KEP Kit

3) Have engine stand ready for Suby. Plan to do the due-diligence maintenance to the suby before removing the Waterleaker

 

NEED: to find an engine hoist to rent for a day when I’m ready to pull the Suby.

 

I’ll be lurking and posting when I have questions – thanks!

 

Al

Colorado Springs, CO

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Hi All,

 

Update on the project ~

So, the entire wire harness is out of the donor and on the way to be modified by a friend.

A neighbor is loaning me an engine hoist so the Suby engine should be out soon - actually can't do that until 2/18 or 2/19.

 

Decisions:

 

1. Ordered an Audiovox CCS 100 Cruise Control Unit ($90 delivered) to act as the cruise (duh) AND the speed sensor - double duty for just a few more clams then the speed sensor alone! Cool! Check it out: Brandsplace.com. Cool link on the unit: http://www.miata.net/garage/MiataCCS100.htm

2. Made a list of all the Suby motor parts (seals etc.) to replace while the the motor is on the stand - I'll itemize them later...

3. ALSO, order the Mastercaft Motors Coolant Pipe - I went with the bleeder valve version - $108 delivered http://www.vanperformance.com/catalog.htm

 

Next Steps:

  1. Pull Suby motor, clean and replace parts
  2. Cut / Weld for reverse water manifold
  3. Strip anything I might need off the Suby and have it hauled away
  4. Stop spending $$$ and start spinning wrenches :-)

Pending Decisions:

  1. Need to figure out if I need the thermostat Housing that Tom makes??? http://www.subaruvanagon.com/tom/Thermostat%20housingk.htm
  2. Wondering if I need a new radiator just because the original (’86) is still in place
  3. Need to figure out if I need to do anything with the radiator cooling fans actuators… I don’t think I do…?
  4. I’m sure I have a lot to learn about the cooling hoses etc… Tom’s website has great information to start…

I’ve got an .xls that I am tracking all my steps, time and costs. Hope to share that, some day, with people considering this effort.

 

Can you tell I'm a Project Manager?

 

Al

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I'm surprised that nobody has welcomed you yet and remarked on your great progress with the conversion. Anyhow it seems that you have a well thought out project before you and a very good doner engine.

 

you might want to hold off on scrapping the legacy just yet though. you might be able to pull some stuff off of it and make a few bucks (recoop some for the investment and maybe help others out with cheap parts).

 

As for your .xls..... trash it now because when you see what this is starting to cost you (as with any project) sometime ignorance is bliss :eek:

 

Anyhow welcome and take lots of pics along the way.

 

Matt

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Hey Matt,

 

Thanks for the welcome.

 

About that .xls - I already figured out that it could be my nemesis... oh well, I'm not married so I don't have to answer to anyone for my financial accounting. :)

 

Seriously, I think it is a good idea as I read so many posts with questions like " what steps do you..." and "how much....". So, here will be one case study.

 

Al

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I think its awesome that you are doing the excel file and I know it will be helpful for others as well. I wish I would have done that but I transplanted and then re-transplanted so it would be a little weird on the #'s but still very doable. I may still go back and do it.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Shawn,

 

Can I keep my 'working' excel file on this site someplace. If people are interested in my steps / costs they can refer to it as I go...

 

Al

 

Hey, this is a great idea and thanks alot for your willingness to share the information. If it's a simple spreadsheet, perhaps you could export the text, paste it into a thread message, and then edit it as you go along. I know anyone considering a subavan would love to see this (and who hasn't thought about it, other than VW "OE" purists).

 

BTW, as a newbie, thanks to the moderator for starting this board section. We need as much information about our Vanagon's as possible. Hope more people find this forum.:)

 

--Rich

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Hey, this is a great idea and thanks alot for your willingness to share the information. If it's a simple spreadsheet, perhaps you could export the text, paste it into a thread message, and then edit it as you go along. I know anyone considering a subavan would love to see this (and who hasn't thought about it, other than VW "OE" purists).

 

BTW, as a newbie, thanks to the moderator for starting this board section. We need as much information about our Vanagon's as possible. Hope more people find this forum.:)

 

--Rich

 

Thanks Rich!

 

Also, so you know WarrenC from the SubaruVanagon.com and its yahoo forum are working on a migration to a better forum. It is going to be wonderful when done too. Between this site and that one these projects are really going to be easier to understand and discuss.

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Hi all,

I posted some photos and a .xls (actually a picture of it) to the Vanagon photos section.

I continue to track steps, cost and time. I'm putting the project on hold for about a month. I think I have about everything I need just need to focus time elsewhere for a bit (recover financially too!).

Keep turning wrenches - this is fun stuff!

Al

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