'83 coupe build

[hatchsub]

Ill start by filling everyone in on what happened. New years morning i was coming home and hit a good patch of ice and snow and lost it straight into a rock in my 83 subaru sedan. This is the results of that
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/IMG_1466.jpg
It could have been fixed but i did the math and didnt like the numbers. i had a line on a 83 coupe (same color but two doors and a sunroof) with 52k miles..less rust and only 400 bucks. So i did it (dont worry the sedan will be saved as well by a friend of mine that wants it). I ended up taking all the stuff out of mine and putting it into the coupe cause the coupe had some running issues (carb was junk and the one from the sedan was a weber that i tuned). So instead of dealing with any issues on the coupe i decided to just yank everything out of the sedan since i knew its history and i had just rebuilt the suspension and brakes. So here are the ensuing pictures.


http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/IMG_1477.jpg
Motor and tranny out of the coupe
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/IMG_1478.jpg
Motor and tranny out of the sedan with my buddy showing subaru love lol
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1489.jpg
Entire rear suspension out of the sedan...disk brake upgrade and KYB gr2s
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1490.jpg
Sedan with no rear suspension
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1491.jpg
coupe with no rear suspension.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1492.jpg
Coupe with upgraded rear suspension from the Sedan
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1483.jpg
Rear of the trans resealed
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1484.jpg
Resealed motor and trans from the sedan going into the coupe
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1486.jpg
Motors in.

Since these photos ive bled the brakes and put in the Adjustable prop valves necessary to run rear disks in these cars. I may need to either do more bleeding or swap master cylinders. The brake pedal is still mushy. Ive also been doing some rust work. The exhaust is all in and so is the suspension so its not much more left to get it out on the road.

[subaru_crazy]

you should do a ej20 swap to it that would be b/a:D

[Seraphinwolf]

you should do a ej20 swap to it that would be b/a:D
B/A Would be an NA 3.3 build dropped into the (What 1800lb) chassis! Not likely to fit very well at all but would still be sweet to see like 250NA AWTQ under no weight ripping around. I would think though that a simple 2.2L Would be an amazing upgrade but the EA is okay if you like carbs I guess...

[squeethebee]

EJ20 would be such a better choice in keeping with the low weight theme of the car, with the option to push crazy numbers later on without hysterically expensive mods.

Either way....

Dude, that coupe looks sick! Does the Weber add a nice sound to it?

I gotta ask too, what do you do with the thing, just daily drive it? Would love to see some pics of it all together out side. And please, please tell me you still rock the spare under the hood!!

Also, best of luck to your buddy in getting that sedan back on the road.

ed

[Bu11dogg2]

I def want to see this in person :)

My family had a few of these growing up!

Does it have the "Rusty Jones" sticker?

[bratman18]

Good to see this on here!!! There aren't enough old ones left!! Steve, keep us updated when you can on the progress. Looks great!

[inski]

x10
we had a 83 wagon. Love to hear/see more about your coupe.

[hatchsub]

EJ20 would be such a better choice in keeping with the low weight theme of the car, with the option to push crazy numbers later on without hysterically expensive mods.

Either way....

Dude, that coupe looks sick! Does the Weber add a nice sound to it?

I gotta ask too, what do you do with the thing, just daily drive it? Would love to see some pics of it all together out side. And please, please tell me you still rock the spare under the hood!!

Also, best of luck to your buddy in getting that sedan back on the road.

ed

For now the EA81 is staying. My plan later on down the line is build a a "hipo" EA81. The japanese got a dual carb version of this motor with better flowing heads a and a better exhaust that was good for 105hp. Doesnt sound like alot with the newer motors but in this car it would move well. Also no timing belts to worry about.

The weber is there mainly to make it more DD friendly. Its a better carb than the factory ever provided and lets the car start right up even on cold days. It really does not have any carb isssues that people are used to hearing about. Carbs can run just as good as fuel injection if tuned right. Im getting close to 30mpg with this combo. Oh and the 2 inch Stainless exhaust doesnt hurt.

It is my daily driver when im done with it. It will be my 3rd EA81 car. There is no rusty jones or any undercoating on either of them. And yep still rocking the spare tire under the hood.

[bratman18]

Steve, Inski is the one that had that tan 83 GL wagon that bheinen had on USMB.

[itsmy04wrx]

Can't wait to follow this :spin:

[squeethebee]

105hp in a light car would make a fun little dd, I was just saying if it came down to either a turbo 4 or a 6 cylinder swap, the 4 would be a better choice.

What do you mean no timing belts? Is it run by a chain?

ed

[hatchsub]

What do you mean no timing belts? Is it run by a chain?

ed

Not even that lol. EA81s (and earlier) had the cam run off the crank by gears. Nothing to go wrong really.

[boxer3maine]

you should do a ej20 swap to it that would be b/a:D

leave that crazy engine in cars that steer thier own back ends.

Love to see this, I run an 87. Looks good for year, the back end parts.

[squeethebee]

Not even that lol. EA81s (and earlier) had the cam run off the crank by gears. Nothing to go wrong really.

:eek: That's crazy! I never knew.

ed

[hatchsub]

New pictures!! Took it for its first drive down the street and back. No issues that i can tell. Shes all licensed and registered so its just a matter of me throwing a carpet in it once i know for sure the sunroof does not leak and the stereo back in and i should be good to go.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1511.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1510.jpg

Oh and just so people know...these are not my normal wheels that i will be running in the spring/summer/fall. Those are something else. They are......

These wheels. Bonus points if u know what they are.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/IMG_0930.jpg

[[JT]]

nice build so far man:)

[bratman18]

I know what they are. but I won't spoil it!! Looks great man!! Very clean and rust free car! So where dd you pick that thing up anyway?

[hatchsub]

I know what they are. but I won't spoil it!! Looks great man!! Very clean and rust free car! So where dd you pick that thing up anyway?

haha i was going to say "dont ruin it jason lol" since i kno u frequent USMB. I picked up the coupe in Ashford from another board member on USMB.

[02bugeyeoutback]

Those kind of look like old school mini cooper wheels:D

[Bu11dogg2]

soooo clean for the year, like it never saw a winter!

[hatchsub]

soooo clean for the year, like it never saw a winter!

Oh im sure it did...just nothing a welder and paint couldnt fix :D

[bratman18]

Yeah it's in very good shape for an old New England Subaru!! I wish my Brat was in that good of shape!!

Just outta curiosity, did you think at all about making it 4wd when you swapped the rear crossmember?

[hatchsub]

Yeah it's in very good shape for an old New England Subaru!! I wish my Brat was in that good of shape!!

Just outta curiosity, did you think at all about making it 4wd when you swapped the rear crossmember?


Haha not really. I love the idea of 4wd but i like having the car as light as possible. Not to mention i have no money for a 4wd tranny and rear end pieces right now nor access to them. They dont exactly grow on trees in NE lol.

[bratman18]

Good point!! I would love to find a clean car like that to swap the stuff from my Brat into!!!

[hatchsub]

Figured it was high time i updated this thread. Its only been about 6 or 7 months since i started it. The coupe has been sorta finished for awhile now but added a few things along the way. Here are some pictures of it as it sits now.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1521.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1522.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1523.jpg
This is all of course after my buddy buffed out the original paint. Didnt come out too bad. I also installed these
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1535.jpg
Flofit seats from about 10 years ago. They were 900 dollar aftermarket seats that i payed NO WHERE NEAR that for lol. Adjustable headrests front and rear and up and down, lumbar and leg supports. And did i mention they bolted right in :D

Then after all this...it happened. Something went in the motor...to the point i was running on two cylinders and blowing a big cloud of white smoke (think uncle buck style). I figured head gaskets or intake gaskets but upon dis assembly i could not find either to be the culprit. All i did find was a very gunky engine which suprised the hell out of me since i changed the oil every 3k. So...i decided it was high time to do a semi-performance build of the original 52k mile motor that i had sitting in the basement. I sent the heads over to my machine shop and had them:

shaved .030
ported and polished
5 angle valve job

Then they got bolted and torqued down onto this
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1602.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1601.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46/hatchsub/Spring%20Carlisle%202008/Subaru/IMG_1603.jpg


I then retuned the weber using a wideband O2. Maybe overkill but i found out that it was running lean on the top end so i tuned it up for part throttle and wide open and damn....the thing really moves for what it is now. And this is the mild build too that i just threw together to get the car back on the road fast. I got real sick of driving my gas pig iroc every day.

[squeethebee]

Still love it man. Looks real good with the wheels off the sedan. Does your buddy have that up and running yet?

ed

[boxer3maine]

beautiful. :)

the flat tops are still out there for 99 bucks for four of them, with rings as a bonus.. they made that many of them.. it fits like 27 years of subarus. :lol:

would love to hear the compression sound of tight timing and flatties. The first legendary suby sounds no less.

Do they make straight gears for the cam on those? I ponder it solving the only problem I know of with the ea single cammed...and the beetles did something miraculous when someone finally paid attention and made them a real set...instant racer.

I can believe a weber lean on that one.. it is a hot rod motor, classic style. Love it.. car looks great.

I hope egr is not hooked up.. I think CT can get away without it for antique engines.

[bratman18]

Looks great!!!! Thanks for the update

[hatchsub]

Still love it man. Looks real good with the wheels off the sedan. Does your buddy have that up and running yet?

ed

Unfortunately it is still sitting in my driveway the moment. He has had zero time to get it and i have had zero luck finding someone with a truck and trailer to get it out of here. Im this close to saying screw it and sending it off to a scrap yard. I really dont want to but its been 8 months now sitting in my driveway trying to work out a way of getting it to him.

[squeethebee]

Crappy.

ed

[98Wagoon]

sucks about the sedan not moving.. but damn do you have a clean car! its nearly unheard of to see such a clean GL let alone a GL coupe!

[hatchsub]

sucks about the sedan not moving.. but damn do you have a clean car! its nearly unheard of to see such a clean GL let alone a GL coupe!

Yea it gets tons of looks cause of that. Its not perfect by any means but nice enough to get noticed. I gotta hit a couple spots of rust before winter hits. The endless battle.