Critical mass of brokenness

[WoodsWagon]

It's overhaul time for my loyale.

• The exhaust is falling off, and it comes apart faster than I can weld it toghether,
  
• the engine is running on 3cyl's (burned valve),
  
• The shifter's pivot plate sheared off between the 5spd lever and the d/r 4wd lever, so the 4wd is guesswork and I have to hold the shifter up all the time so it doesn't bounce off of the driveshaft.
  
• The front right axel is clicking badly
  
• The steering column is bent at the bottom, and now the coupler u-joints are starting to seize, causing the steering wheel force to be notchy and unpredictable.
  
• The winch needs it's motor magnets glued back in for it to work.
  
• The rust holes are expanding rapidly
  
• The rear subframe has torn the body and shifted back 1/2" on the left side
  
• The radio's keep alive power wire got sheared off, so you have no presets or clock anymore.

It's come to the amount of annoyances that it's hard work to keep the car on the road. The steering is probably the most important, then the rear subframe. Then the engine and exhaust.

 

Luckily I finished this semester of school last tuesday, so I have some time to tear it down. I want 2 more years out of this car, then I can get something from the west with NO RUST and move into it.

[nipper]

I dont see two years left in this car. The spreading rust and torn subframe really bother me from a saftey point of view.

 

nipper

[subaruguru]

yeah its a safty hazzard mostly the steering iv had the lock pin stop me mid intersection and it almost ended a guys life.

[75subie]

yeah, even if you find another decent body in the northeast, it may be easier to just transfer over everything.

 

there is a decent touring wagon down the road here for sale, and a few misc loyales in the area. not tooo rusty.

[WoodsWagon]

The rust is controll able. It's got a hole through the drivers side rear side of the rocker, which lead to a hole under the rocker up by the divers door. And some flaking at the rear floorpan seams. I've already redone the rear quarters a few years ago, and they are still holding.

 

I woudn't call it a safety hazard yet, the steering is bound up, but it won't come dissconected, just takes more effort at different points in a turn.

 

I don't think the subframe will shift further if I keep it on the street. The reason it's moved a half inch back is because I must have caught it on a rock. There's still 4 bolts holding it in on the left side. And it's not the subframe that's torn (I would be worried then, I've seen the pics of them folded in the middle), it's the floorpan where the subframe attaches in the front.

 

I've been using it for a 50 mile daily round trip commute for a few months now like this.

 

The brakes are in top notch shape, so that makes up for a bit.

 

It'll be nice again when I'm finished overhaulling it. Might even take it back out to wyoming.

[SakoTGrimes]

Hang in there dude, one day you can brag about how you took the high road and kept your Ru alive