boxer3main
<1.8 liter
Inspection time for the old 1987 sube dual range. I like to take it to a garage that has welders employed. they know about non-oem and welding, it is satisfying, for me and reality. the car got a common weakness? no bs at a real garage.
I summed up what I have welded:
- rocker panels doubled, all seams welded. at about 6 feet a seam, there 4 rows in each rocker (interior, exterior). this makes 48 feet of me going back and forth like a typewriter.
- both wheel arches doubled. This is a deceptive piece, it may be as long as the rockers. it is still ugly this year, but has rules of primer/basecoat./ extreme two part urethane to give it a string season. I also wanted to see what happened to the original paint code next to the old paint.
- rearquarters. 2 purchased itmes, rare. welded in nicely, the custom steel work was a fun thing to do. Wagons of the 80s weren't quite right there, just to look at. As northern climates proved, the strength in thier geomtry was aboslutely ridiculous.
- custom exhaust, aft if catalyst convertor, all welded, and about .25 inches bigger than oe. axleback is 2.25, (it kept exploding the little pipes) dynomax muffler
- the back end corners, I had to make them. 17 guage, welded. Very strong. I could jack the car up by the rear quarters.
- approx 77 pounds of steel, on my fifth mig reel (one was a 10 pounder, the rest were 2 pounds)
- custom floor pan corners, and one side a thing guage baffle curvy piece behind seats under car.
- the rear end tube bent, and even had a piece missing. Custom repair, way beyond oe strength. It has about 5 pounds in a foot.
- inside wheel wells, "body frame skin", added up to approx 4 feet by 3 inches wide or so. All wheel wells, 17 guage.
- back end by fuel filler tube, 17guage, and what appeared to be a framework never connected by oem! aligned, welded.
The insanity ensued in 4lo, hot pavement, full diff lock. The car is quite tight to handle this in a full turn, the back tire chirps. I wonder what I have built exactly...whatever it is, it has a chance for more years than subaru built.