Tips on finding a donar Subaru.

[Axispowers]

After months of thinking "yeah I'd like one of them" to last week, with my head gasket going, saying "that's it I'll do it!"
Spent all weekend searching for rear damaged subaru....Nothing!
Will make some calls when everyones back at work but I (stupidly) thought I'd have a pick of them. Apart from ringing round SW breakers, can someone give me some other pointers? Where do insurance companies get shot of them? What am I missing?
Also what sort of price should I be paying? EJ25 sohc <90,000miles Service history, Side/rear (or light front)body damaged, newer the better. Can't find any to judge prices against.
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VW T3 camper awaiting Sumo power!!

[Kai]

Welcome to forum, Good to see The number of us is still growing.


The answer to the question you seek is eBay.

Try searching for Subaru + damaged or Salvage.

I paid 1k for my 1995 wrx impreza, kept the bits I needed and sold the rest making the majority of my 1k back.

Easy......
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Think......

Don't sleep and drive!!!

[Bigbadbugga]

There is a Legacy 2.2 gx for sale on Volkszone classifieds. only 70 odd thousand on the clock IIRC.

mot and tax too
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Located near Liverpool.

Building a full custom 1972 Beetle with an EJ25 (n/a sohc),Porsche 944 IRS conversion and Rjes bellhousing.

[richbaker78]

its an auto but its cheap!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1996-SUBARU-LEGACY-GLS-4WD-AUTO-MAROON_W0QQitemZ200453126654QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item2eabeff9fe

[Axispowers]

Cheers for welcome & replies chaps!
2 Ltr's too small...For all the work & money I want a WaaaHaaaaaa for my efforts!
I've been told the NA EJ25 will be a much better drive with a 2ton bus also that the older DOHC have problems & the SOHC is a much better engine.
Opinions?
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VW T3 camper awaiting Sumo power!!

[Kai]

Horses for courses as they say

The bigger the displacement the higher torque the engine will produce resulting in better low down grunt/acceleration.

I think you'll find the SOHC are easier to fit, so people have more experience fitting them as opposed to a turbo charged DOHC. But I'm no expert.
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Think......

Don't sleep and drive!!!

[Bigbadbugga]

[B4Tfink]

As above^^^

it all depends on what your looking for out of your van and your budget!.
not forgetting your timescale.

Personally for an everday use T3 dont think you could go wrong with a ej25 even a quad cam once the HG replaced.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Subaru-Legacy-Quad-Cam-2-5-AWD-Spares-Repairs_W0QQitemZ250594937591QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item3a589f4af7

For somthing special like what Kai and others are creating then it becomes a bit more invovled trying to harness that power without breaking stuff, a longer haul but for more reward.

Ive got no regrets with a T3 EJ25 but my needs are a daily reliable with the available option to hoof it. fits perfect imho
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1988 T25 EJ25 n/a.. it just makes more sense that way..

[Axispowers]

Totally confused now lads.
I was told it was the DOHC that were the problem. I have also tried asking on UK Legacy but, think they must be put off by my 'destroying a subaru' plans, not much feed-back.
Your right it will be a daily drive & I don't want to shred my syncro gearbox (over heating may be the issue)Been told its good for 150bhp if driven nicely.
Need to know for sure if its the SOHC or DOHC that has dodgy gaskets? When were these new replacement gaskets introduced? Once done are the faults fixed or just postponed? Don't they produce their power/torque differently?
Come on all you oracles!!
B4tfink...any pics of conversion/storyboard?
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VW T3 camper awaiting Sumo power!!

[B4Tfink]

As far as i understand the quad cam suffered HG probs which was solved when replaced with an upgraded one i belive its thicker and has steel incorpoarted as opossed to thin layers of an unkwown ectoplasm (yup i know bit vague).
However i have seen i think mr Bigbadbugga`s photos of a melted cam cover iirc but am not sure if this as common as the HG issue.

When i considered my conversion i looked to see what others had done .. after a chat with Rich Jones over the usual 2.2 vs the 2.5 vs turbo questions i chose trodden ground . also like you after spending time and effort didnt want to be wishing id gone bigger. (at the time 2.2s seemed to be the common option)

I am in no way an expert or even that mechanically minded, but without the knowledge here and a bit of lurking i wouldnt have even considered. thanks again guys

With the head gasket issue in mind i set out to find like you a newer 2.5 sohc, however i found a quad cam with HG issue @ 100k that had been rebuilt, a years mot and tax to drive around and test it.
As i had to guess the missing digits in the advertised phone no, and the seller had no other enquiries due to this, i pocketed a bargain.

i think the other thing you may like to consider is sump height. mines lowered 70mm and probally could clear an obstacle of fag packet standing on end proportions (not superkings tho theyd kill ya for sure )

hopefully the RJES one will be available sometime. or the cut and weld it option..

a bit of a cliche but all the info`s out there somewhere with 90% here or RJES website . search function is your best buddy here.

Best of luck, any questions will help all i can, where abouts are you btw ?

Few pics of mine:

donor car-




patient in need of tlc-



photoshop`d-






engine in car-






engine and loom out car-






engine out of bus-






photoshop`d again-





bung it in the oven-and were cooking on gas







throw away the rubbish and jobs a goodun

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1988 T25 EJ25 n/a.. it just makes more sense that way..