Barnyard Find SVX Restoration

WhatIsThisIDont · #1 12-07-2013, 04:09 PM

I bought an SVX a few months back. I had never seen one in real life before, but I saw this one and fell in love.

So $1500 later, I bought the car outside of Erie, where I'm going to school, and drove it 3 hours south to Greensburg, where I'm from. I've stored it there since, and have been working on it anytime I'm home.

The rust has just begun on it, and the paint is trashed, so I have some work to do.

As of right now, the only drivability issue is watching the temp gauge go between 1/4 and half while driving. Coolant level is good, but it is going to get a coolant flush/ thermostat/ temperature sender. If that fails, I've started giving inspirational speeches to my wallet in preparation of a head gasket issue.

Restoration Checklist:
1: Balljoints (DONE)
2: Tires (DONE)
3: Driver side lap belt jammed (DONE. SVX8588, you're a lifesaver)
4: Rear Brakelines (DONE)
5: Rust and Dents
6: Paint
7: Battery (DONE)
8: Oil, Coolant, and ATF Change (DONE..except for ATF)
9: Speaker and Headunit Replacement
10: ATF Cooler Install
11: Temperature Sensor Replace
12: Thermostat (DONE)
13: New Wheels
14. Hood Shocks
15. Trunk lid release (Two person operation to open right now, the cable seems to have stretched, so this can get fun quickly)
16. PCV Valve
17. Exhaust leak and resonator buzz
18. Steering Rack
19. Valve Cover gaskets leak not so slowly
19.5. Not just the Valve covers. If it is has the word gasket or seal in the part name, it probably needs replaced.
20. Left tie rod
21. Lugs and studs
22. Timing Job.
23. Left O2 sensor
24. Seat restoration/replacement

I made this post to let you know that there will be one more SVX on the road, so you guys can tell me if I'm doing something incorrectly, and so I can keep track of my repairs

Oh, and hello!

bwb3 · #2 12-07-2013, 05:57 PM

Good score. It looks better in the photos than what you described. Be sure to register it on the forum. What year? I am sure you will find parts help here.
Gene

WhatIsThisIDont · #3 12-07-2013, 06:40 PM

It's a 92. Those are the best possible pictures I could take, and the only ones I have right now.

The PO hit the back left corner with a snowplow and dented in all the metal to the left of the trunk. How do they fix it? Cover the crumples with duct tape and spray paint the tape.

And that main racing stripe looks to be brushed on.

I have some work ahead...

gwynethh · #4 12-08-2013, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhatIsThisIDont

It's a 92. Those are the best possible pictures I could take, and the only ones I have right now.

The PO hit the back left corner with a snowplow and dented in all the metal to the left of the trunk. How do they fix it? Cover the crumples with duct tape and spray paint the tape.

And that main racing stripe looks to be brushed on.

I have some work ahead...

and just "gotta" admire the skull and crossbones on the front seats! 8-)
Hope you enjoy your purchase. You will find the experts (not me) here friendly and helpful.

svxfiles · #5 12-10-2013, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhatIsThisIDont

I bought an SVX a few months back. I had never seen one in real life before, but I saw this one and fell in love.

So $1500 later, I bought the car outside of Erie, where I'm going to school, and drove it 3 hours south to Greensburg, where I'm from. I've stored it there since, and have been working on it anytime I'm home.

The rust has just begun on it, and the paint is trashed, so I have some work to do.

As of right now, the only drivability issue is watching the temp gauge go between 1/4 and half while driving. Coolant level is good, but it is going to get a coolant flush/ thermostat/ temperature sender. If that fails, I've started giving inspirational speeches to my wallet in preparation of a head gasket issue.

Restoration Checklist:
1: Balljoints (DONE)
2: Tires
3: Driver side lap belt jammed
4: Rear Brakelines (Being done as we speak)
If you are paying someone to do the repair you might want them to replace the three gasoline (pressure/return/vent) lines at the same time as they can rust out as fast as the brake lines, saving money in the long run.

5: Rust and Dents
6: Paint
7: Battery (DONE)
8: Oil, Coolant, and ATF Change
9: Stereo Rewiring (Only 1 speaker works)
10: ATF Cooler Install
11: Temperature Sensor ReplaceUse only a Subaru part for your replacement.

12: Thermostat
Use Subaru and clip the jiggle pin.

13: New Wheels

I made this post to let you know that there will be one more SVX on the road, so you guys can tell me if I'm doing something incorrectly, and so I can keep track of my repairs

Oh, and hello!

Welcome to the group.

WhatIsThisIDont · #6 12-10-2013, 10:56 PM

Thanks for the welcomes!

And here's hoping the sensor is the issue rather than the head gaskets. Because then I'll be sad

WhatIsThisIDont · #7 12-14-2013, 01:49 PM

Status update:

I'm going home for Christmas this week and want the SVX inspected and running as my daily for when I go back to school halfway through January. Time to break out the wrenches!

Got the text saying the brake lines are done. Nearby fuel lines looked pretty good, so we decided not to open that can of worms until necessary (so about 3 years from now when I'm inevitably stuck on the side of the highway with fuel everywhere thinking of this moment).

I'm also adding a few things to the to-do list that I've forgotten. If I come across any problems that I don't see a fix for here, I'll make a fix and let you guys know what works.

I'm watching the snow fall in Erie (and apologizing profusely to the 91 Legacy Battlewagon that I'm putting through hell), and have decided to put some meaty snow tires on the spray painted OEM rims the car came with, so watch out for videos of an SVX climbing trees.

The previous owner had a thing for spray paint, since he rattle canned the grill black when he did the wheels. I'm thinking of replacing it with another clear one, but placing my EZ Pass and possibly a radar detector in it. I'll know more when I get home and take some measurements.

ensteele · #8 12-14-2013, 06:24 PM

Congratulations on your purchase and I hope you have many miles together.

zavikan · #9 12-15-2013, 09:38 AM

You know, that's a milestone when a car reaches the point where people want to pull them out of barns to fix them...

Ok who am I kidding, the svx is still monetarily worthless, but I love her just the same!

Good luck on the resto!

WhatIsThisIDont · #10 12-21-2013, 11:52 PM

Got home from school yesterday and started working on the SVX.

Oil change showed no odd colors or metal shavings, so I'm sleeping a little easier now. We will just ignore the fact that the 6 quart pan only had 3 quarts in it. I have some seals and gaskets to fix.

I took it to a friend's place to work on it after a rainstorm while the back tires are still rather bald. Coming from a boring wagon, this car absolutely terrifies me sometimes, but I love it.

I plan on the thermostat and radiator hoses coming up this week, along with tires.

EDIT: Oil change showed NO colors or shavings. I realized that I forgot a word.

WhatIsThisIDont · #11 12-22-2013, 10:19 PM

I did the oil change and the oil looked alright, but today I had brown coolant boiling out of the overflow after about 2 hours of driving. I'll replace the thermostat and flush the coolant and see where that gets me, but I'm writing a letter to Santa for head gaskets preemptively.

svxfiles · #12 12-23-2013, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zavikan

You know, that's a milestone when a car reaches the point where people want to pull them out of barns to fix them...

Ok who am I kidding, the svx is still monetarily worthless, but I love her just the same!

Good luck on the resto!

ZAVIKAN!
Good to know that you are still here!

And alive!

Conn SVX · #13 12-23-2013, 02:23 PM

Actually looks pretty good. I know most guys when they talk paint they go whole car. Think about it. If you have an accident. They paint sections. Also don't discount dent doctors for door dings. I am going to get about 20 dings one on mine. As you said. Don't go nuts. These cars and only worth what they are worth to you. Right now they are a hard sell for over $4,000. If you put more that truth into it is on you. It will never be returned. PO sunk $20,000 into mine.
You

WhatIsThisIDont · #14 12-27-2013, 01:07 AM

My ever faithful 91 legacy wagon took a good bit of damage on Christmas when the crank pulley came loose and smashed everything to bits, so now I have 2 broken Subies and 3 weeks to get one of them roadworthy for school.

I did the coolant hydrocarbon test on the SVX the other day to look for a bad head gasket,
and I got no signs of a problem. I changed the thermostat today. The old thermostat looked extremely different from the OEM part, so that may explain a bit.

I flushed the radiator while I was in there. The brown muck in the reservoir made me nervous, but everything that came out of the radiator was nice and green.

I started it up and it took around 15 minutes of idling to hit the 1/3 mark on the gauge, though It's 30F right now. Took it for a spin and found that the needle wasn't fluctuating like it was, so I just may have dodged the bullet.

Tomorrow, I'll redo the block test and then take it for a longer test drive.

michael · #15 12-27-2013, 06:20 AM

Somewhere along the line a few years ago they redesigned the thermostat. I found it to be chinsey, and found a comparable aftermarket replacement. As far as goop in the coolant, sediment can build up in the heater core and radiator. I took my radiator to the car wash and blasted it out. There was a ton in there. The rest of the system you can do with a garden hose. GL

ps: make sure you refill slowly and burp any air pockets out.