Post 34500!
Weekend 6, day 1 (Feb. 5th)
As hinted above, now that the engine and trans are more or less where they are going to be, I could focus on the rear subframe. First order of business: Assemble the new (good used) rear subframe and links, then fight the two FU bolts in the old rear suspension. The ones that connect the lateral links to the uprights:
Now, I know you aren't going to believe this, because I sure as heck don't, the left side more or less came right apart. And the left side, for whatever reason, is usually the side on any vehicle around here that has the worst corrosion. (Figure that out)
The right side came apart as usual. Cut the links, slice the eyes open, get the rubber off, air hammer the sleeve off of the bolt.
What was left of the old subframe may now be safely placed in the scrap pile.
Clean up the diff studs, which are 12x1.75 where they thread into the diff and 12x1.25 for the nuts (must be a Datsun to Subaru hybrid thing, these diffs were used in 510s, and they are STILL in use!), bolt it up to the NEW subframe, then realize I need to pop the driveshaft in so I can see if I can just set the diff back enough to use the unmodified driveshaft. To do this, I first had to remove the handbrake cables and the fuel tank, which was a minor adventure. Modifying the fuel filler to go to a cabin area fuel cell is a no go because the filler neck is plastic. Hmm. After some eyeballing, I realized that the dent in the tunnel where the handbrake cables came through was in the way of the driveshaft, so it had to go. First I bolted the exhaust bracket/chassis brace back in, then leveled up on using a Sawzall to cut a square hole without a starter hole.
Now, I had kind of a feeling that the WRX driveshaft wouldn't work, since the Mini's wheelbase is 97.change and the WRX's wheelbase is 99.change, and I'd set the trans back an inch and a half, so going back 3.5" is kind of asking a lot. But heck, let's try. Popped the shaft in, spaced it up against the exhaust brace, then offered the rear subframe up.
And had to take a pic of this, because you never, ever, EVER see Subaru GC/GD parts this clean, even when they were new around here. I felt guilty over this brash decadence.
Aaaand.... we got problems. It's sitting waaaay too far back. And it is far too low, because of some undertrunk stiffening ribs.
I tagged Mr. Sawzall into the party and went to town on the trunk floor. It all had to go anyway, right?
Heck, that's just about right, right there. "If it looks right, it probably is right."
Truth be told, I wasn't exactly prepared for things to go this smoothly back here. After some important sit and stare at it time, I think I know how I am going to mount it in here.
Also, the tunnel is definitely going to have to be cut higher. That's okay, we were expecting that. But it also looks like I might have enough room to use the Subaru T-brace... which means I'd have to buy one that wasn't massively rust perforated.
