Dodge Aries K's 1996 Outback Wagon Project

[Dodge Aries K]

Hi folks... my name is Karl... and this is my 1996 Outback which is a pretty hard model to find due to the fact that it's a 2.2L, 5 speed, and has a leather interior. I've been looking to buy this car equipped this way in this color since I started learning about Subaru's and that was almost two years ago. I picked this up from some hole in the wall dealer in St. Paul, MN a few weeks ago and went through hell to get it including having to do two trips to Minnesota equaling over 24 hours of driving...

First project I did when I got the car home is take off the stock alloy rims and put these on. They're from a 1992 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo GTC convertible and are very nice wheels.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e92/teamaenoy/Subaru%20Outback/DSCF2781.jpg

Project from a week ago... cheap ghetto firm pitch stop mount...
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2796.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2797.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2798.jpg
After that fun burning sensation, fill the void with a bunch of fender washers that you get to hammer in with a sledge and a big socket, install, and enjoy! $5 versus $80... with darn near the same result... it's just not shiny or "cool" but who cares... it's slow and it fixes the awful engine rocking.

http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2799.jpg
There she sits... waiting for the next awful project that will be forced upon it's poor self...

Yesterday's project... remove rear bumper and start cutting out rusty garbage.
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2800.jpg
Bumper off... Easy!

http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2801.jpg
Looks wierd without it...

http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2802.jpg
Passenger side... previously bondo'ed and ghetto'ed for my pleasure... besides the front lip that's rusty it is still in an okay state and will only get minor grinding and painting this year.

After a few hours of cutting all the rotten garbage off the car this is what I was left with...
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2803.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2804.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2805.jpg

Removing it wasn't too hard with the small cutting wheel... but making it together again is not going to be a fun or pleasant experience. Threw some primer on the bare edges to keep it from rusting. Now I have to figure out how in the heck to make it look decent again.

I also have a hood from a 97 Outback with the cool scoop (but it's blue) in the garage that will eventually be cleaned up, painted, and installed.

So far besides the body work I have a list of things to do:
Replace cam/crank seals, timing belt, and water pump
Replace bad front wheel bearing
Replace driver side mirror and door stanchion since it's ghetto'ed on there
Replace worn leather seats seats with nicer leather seats
Replace worn shifter bushings and install short throw shifter
Fix hill holder cable
Who knows what else..?

Comments or advice are appreciated. I'd like to make it a fun, economical, and luxurious every day driver but if it's possible I'd like it to be faster than a 19.1 in the 1/4 mile (which I just ran for fun before putting it in the garage to work on it) and if I could stiffen up the suspension just a bit. Money is a very big object because I have none but with time I figure it would be a really nice car.

[chuckthefuk]

That is some serious amount of rust removal. I'm amazed how it rusted on the underbody skin and not in the standard (quarter panel to bumper) outer skin section. I had the same "sort of" rust in that area but not as bad as yours. A few bits of sheet metal, a mig welder and some undercoating/duraguard and your in business. Just keep in mind that you have to protect the inside of the skin not just the outside. So interior must be removed and duraguard sprayed on the inside.

Oh and if you want to go fast 14+ seconds, remove as much weight as possible and remove rotational mass (a/c, smaller wheels, light weight pulleys, etc)

And wow to the make shift pitch stop.... never seen that before :wink:
-Chuck

[Dodge Aries K]

Unfortunately, and I'm ashamed to admit this, but I can't afford the crazy amounts the body shop wants me to pay to fix this right now... and because I don't own, nor how to use a welder it's getting done the sadly but tried and true ghetto way for now... I figure it's going to cost the same to fix it regardless so I'd like to use the car again. I'll get some more pictures when I'm done so that way everyone can enjoy the horror. :smt009

[chuckthefuk]

Most body shops will weld that section for under $100. You can finish the work yourself for under $30 without paint.

Just sayin'
-Chuck

[Dodge Aries K]

Hmm... I asked a few places around here about it... showed them the pics I took... cheapest I heard was like $800 to fix it...

I guess everyone around here just plain out sucks.

[chuckthefuk]

What exactly did you ask them?

Did you say "Can you please weld the quarter panel for me. Repair the inner skin and the outer skin. You don't have to fiberglass, undercoat, duragaurd, primer I will do it myself" ?? Labor should be 1-2 hours.

When your specific the price usually drops.

-Chuck

[Dodge Aries K]

Uhh... I said "This needs to be fixed. I cut the rusted stuff out and now I need it put back together. I'll put the bumper back on myself." THey looked at the pics and said... "uhh... $800 is what we'd estimate."

Now that I started putting it back together I'll have to take the pictures somewhere else and try again... and then drill out all the rivits and see if someone can fix it... at least get a better estimate. If nobody wants to give me a fair price, then the ghetto crap can continue for now. Thanks for the advice though.

[Dodge Aries K]

Good mexican body shop is going to fix it all up except for the paint (they said they would primer the area though) for $75! God damn! It'll be going in sometime at the end of the week. I'll post photos when it's all done! :smt005

[Dodge Aries K]

I totally forgot about updating this... the body shop did a great job fixing it. I just rattlecanned the white back on and this spring it will get the pin striping stuff painted back on. Here's a bunch of pictures I took tonight. I had the wheel bearing replaced a while back as well... haven't done the other stuff listed yet but it's been running pretty good without much issue... the axle seals on the transaxle started seeping though and the smell of gear oil on exhaust is far from pleasant. Once spring hits I can drive around my Neon and I'll tear into this thing and get it all the new parts it needs.

http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2875.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2876.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2878.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2879.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2880.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2881.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2884.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2885.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2886.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2887.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2895.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/DSCF2896.jpg

By the way... almost a foot of snow here... Outback don't care! I love this car and will never go through another winter without some sort of Subaru AWD on standby here.

[impreza_GC8]

Did you say thats a 2.2L?? I thought all Outbacks were 2.5L. Must be '96 only.

[Dodge Aries K]

Correct. 96 only... hence why I went far to get it.

[Dodge Aries K]

Few updates on the car!

http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/301_0007.jpg
New headlights installed! Need to do the fog lights still as well as get a picture of the new hood I got for it.

http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/301_0020.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/301_0018.jpg
http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt235/aenoymotors/1996%20Subaru%20Legacy%20Outback/301_0019.jpg
New seats too! Outback Limited quality! Now my driver's seat has a working seat heater and they are so comfortable. Headrests for the back too which make rear passengers much more comfortable.