Funny, I just ordered a number of Subaru parts too. If they all come in, I plan on doing the timing belt this weekend...

 

That's a fun job..... It's a LOT easier if you pull the radiator........

 

Did some photochopping. Eventually the colors will change when the wrap is done, but due to time restraint, and the fact that my design still is not 100% complete, I'm going to wait until sometime late spring or maybe next fall to pursue the wrap further.

This is going to include the engine swap which is not pictured.

But here's kinda the outcome visually of what it should look like after this winter time when it makes it's debut at the Easter Jeep Safari. All Pro Pack Rack, custom built rear bumper, Smittybilt Rooftop Tent, Fox Air Coilovers bumped to 7" of lift, 37" Trepadors and 17" Dirty Life Beadlocks (not pictured, just increased size of KO2's and painted rings on 102's), JK Rubicon sliders and more.



All items will be clamped down. More than likely this is how it will be for around town driving.



The rack I'm going to make removable as well, although I doubt I'll ever really take it off.



This is the final design for the overland aspect after my decision of getting an FJ80 was made. Rooftop tent and my one awning. Driver's side I'm going to make a ladder that connects to the horizontal tube on the rear bumper, then connects to the top of the bed rack, all bolt on so it's removable as well. Passenger side of the lower section of the bumper shows my exhaust exit, driver side will have a recessed step built into the side for a first step on the ladder in the same spot.

Ignore the flipped image. I'm lazy.





As for the overland aspect, I'm thinking I'll make the truck more of a gear hauler, and leave the actual sleeping and main camp site with the FJ. Something similar to one of these.





But that's another project for a different forum, but it at least explains the turn the Dodge is taking. The Dodge will have enough sleep space and storage for my family, the FJ I could bring along friends and people who don't have the means or the rig capable of coming along. Combine the two and I'd have a pretty decent overlanding setup, especially when I build my trailer for the Dodge. Might even build a second trailer similar to it using a Tundra bed for the FJ. We'll see.

Edit: To show the difference, here's the photo I started off with.

 

Holy crap, that tent is HUGE. Home away from home.

 

That's kinda the plan. Don't much care for hotels, I'd rather get out on trails and camp wherever I want.

 

I used to do a lot of that, until the interior department here closed most of the trails, and made camping just about anywhere illegal......

 

Yep, it was a fun job. Didn't pull the radiator, but still had adequate room. The real headache though, was the valve cover gaskets (mine were leaking). That sucked since it's a boxer engine, sitting so close to the crossmember... If I were to do it again, I'd be tempted to pull the motor for the job.

 

Pulling the motor is no minor exercise........ Took my brother and I about four weekends to do a motor swap...... Of course, we put in a JDM motor, so, LOTS of parts to swap over..... and doing the timing belt three times, because of various pulleys we didn't know needed to be changed as well... sure didn't help.

Runs really great now though.

 

Well, I went ahead and dropped the Dodge off at the performance shop to get the new motor dropped in.

I was going to wait, as I needed something I could drive and we were having a hang up with the title situation on the Bronco. Well, title finally came to me last week. So, I went ahead and got some tires and wheels on it, as well as a 4" RCX ordered to get the radius arm mounts and shocks replaced at the same time.

Having the Bronco able to be legally driven now, I'll probably wind up holding off for a while on an 80. Thinking I'll get the stuff done to the Dodge I want, and throw a little bit towards the Bronco as well.

Wheels and tires definitely helped out. Lift will hopefully be installed either this weekend or next.

Here's how it was when we first got it.






Here it is as of Sunday.

 

Got a call last night from Throttle Works. He held the phone up to the back of the truck, heard it idling via phone. Sounded good.

Went over this morning around 11:00 and I guess they ran into some major oil leaks from the valve covers. They replaced the gaskets twice but couldn't get it to stop. So, for the time being stock valve covers went back on as well.

But, it runs. Sounds good, seemed to do okay with the cam although it was cutting out when revved up. So today it's on the dyno getting tuned, just talked to him about 20 minutes ago and he's just about done. Said the numbers aren't surprisingly bad, but he'll save it for a surprise for me tomorrow when I pick the truck up.

They're still doing some final tuning on it right now. Can't wait to get the truck back!