Picked up this Gem yesterday (for free)

MODS - Please move this to New Members Forum.

My buddy had acquired this car for free this past fall. He got it running to find out it had a bad headgasket. He pulled the engine to replace the seals in it, and the headgasket, and in the process he also got his S12 back up and running. Long story short, I picked it up yesterday. I needs the interior re-installed (He took it out to clean it), and get the engine re-assembled and put in. I'm going to go pick the engine up today, and start re-assembling it. I can't wait to get this RT4WD back on the road!

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If anyone has a passenger front fender that is the same color, let me know and I will buy it from you! I'll take more pics as I get her back on the street. Some of my friends want me to lower it, but a couple and I have thought about actually "lifting" it. This is Montana, and we have some awesome dirt trails, and winter - so lowering it would kind of defeat the purpose of the 4wd. A friend who runs a waterjet company has already figure out how to build spacers to go in between the struts and strut towers to lift it a couple inches... We still have to check driveshaft angles and what not to make sure everything will work. I'm going to be putting my LS meshes on it at some point after its running.

Oh, and this is my first post on this site, I've been a long time Honda enthusiast, and am also in the works of building a K24/K20 swapped EK hatch (sorry for a cell phone pic);

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Comments

  • ColeCole Wagonist
    You are one lucky sob. :lol: I have been searching for a while for an RT4wd and offered people up to $3000 dollars for one and you get one for free. :evil: If it was mine, I would lift it, that is what i'm doing with mine if I ever get an RT. Welcome to the forum! :mrgreen:
  • Thanks for the welcoming! This car has actually been owned by 2 friends now. Neither of which ever did a whole lot with it. When one gave it to the other, I was bummed, cuz I wanted it. Fortunately, he was nice enough to give it to me, since he doesn't have the time to finish it. He's trying to sell his Subaru, so he can buy a running one and we can hit the mountains together, because he used to drive an RT4WD at his old work, and loved every second of it.
  • Billings eh?

    If you see a little red RT4WD (WY plates) driving around up there on the first weekend of the month, that's me.
  • If I see you, I'll definitely wave. I'll probably either be in my Yukon, my EK, or my girlfriend's Jeep, or in my Front yard. I live right on 24th St...

    And I just got done putting what I could of the interior back in. I've got a list of a few things she needs for when I head to the wrecking yard tomorrow. Fortunately, my brother has a EF Sedan I can look at and see what parts are the same, and my roommate has an EF Hatch (same color as the wagon) to check.

    Need a center vent surround and vents, door lock nob (factory one), fuel level/temp guage for the cluster, and some other misc little stuff, and hopefully if I remember correctly when I was there a couple weeks ago they had a driver's side seat in ok condition in the same color - brown.

    If you're on Honda-Tech you should check out the Montana thread - thats where all of us locals keep in contact, and we have a cruise up the Beartooth Pass and back down Chief Joseph every year. You should join - its an all makes/models thing, but primarily Honda oriented.
  • Ohh Beartooth Pass..Sunlight Basin....Frikin Awesome country...wish I was there!
  • leWolfleWolf Senior Wagonist
    Yeah, thats pretty cold territory up there. I was in Columbus for a bit and the mosquito's are thick in summer.
  • It can get cold up here, and this year has been the worst in the five years I've lived here. The summers though, if you ask me, can't be beat! 80-90-100 degree weather daily, and Sun! Growing up in the Seattle area I have come to absolutely hate the rain, so when it doesn't rain all the time I am in a good mood! Anyone who would like to Join us on the cruise, I will get more information to when the date is set in stone. We've been doing it for 3 years now, and absolutely love every minute of it. Fortunately, we've weeded out the people who drive like complete idiots so we don't get in any trouble (had a problem or two the first year).

    I'm really looking forward to bringing the Wagovan camping this summer! Between the Big Horns, the Beartooths, The Snowies, and Belt Mountains, we've got awesome camping areas around us! I am also hoping to get it to the dunes at some point, or at least to the coast to drive it on the beach.

    I'll get more pics once the interior is complete. Hopefully this afternoon if the wrecking yard has what I need! I am picking up the engine this afternoon to re-assemble and hopefully she can be running by this weekend, assuming I don't get called to work.
  • leWolfleWolf Senior Wagonist
    Is that another one in the pic behind it?
  • The one behind it is my roommate's Hatch - he also got it for free. Needs a core support center, both fenders and the bumper filler, headlights installed and then its ready to roll down the road. He's in Lewiston, ID for the next 3 weeks or so, and picked it up right before he took off. Thats where we store our project cars, and the vehicles we rarely drive (like my brothers '08 Chevy Silverado he should have never bought)
  • QCnukQCnuk Wagonist
    fabulous!
    yep, agreed, lift it!
  • Free , ahh how I love that word . Nice score . LIft it never seen one up high .
  • leWolfleWolf Senior Wagonist
    Well thats still a deal that cannot be beat.
  • How do I gain access to the Classifieds section?! I wanted to post a WTB ad for that front fender. Plus I am thinking of pulling some parts off those cars at the junkyard if people are looking for specific items, as there are two wagovans out there almost complete, on for sure a RT4WD, the other I'm not positive on.
  • Well, I got some of the interior installed with help from the friend who gave me the car the day before last. I need a few pieces, but nothing major, Still have to get the passenger door handle working properly. The Neoprene Jagermeister bottle cover is going to become the shift boot.
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    Took my $100 (Yes. One Hundred Dollar) Cargo Van to go get the rest of the parts for the car yesterday.
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    Engine, Tranny, Brand new Parts that came with the car for free, and brand new clutch for free (Stole a friends engine stand since mine has my K series on it)
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    What sucks is you can't see the "safety" (stripper) pole we installed in the van in this pic,its hidden by the engine stand.
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    Box O' Random Parts
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  • SprockRallySprockRally Band Wagon
    I'm excited to see this thing going! I'm down to help you get the motor back together and get this thing running since I never did. And I feel obligated since I'm the one who took everything apart into a million pieces! I need to get the Subie Sold so I can have a wagon for my daily that is cheap and better on gas and more gangster! And for anyone that is wondering about a subaru off road ability, I have drivin both and the wagon wins hands down!!!!

    I would have put this wagon together, but this car has been taking my time and money. I'm about to put a new motor in it and sell the subie and use the Nissan for a daily until I find a wagon to buy!
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    Sorry for the thread jack Kory.
  • Be my guest! If it weren't for you giving me the car and parts, I wouldn't have this thread. We both have waaaay too much car stuff going on, lol. I wont complain on bit if you want to help put it back together! I've gotta go unload the Pedo van and get those parts ready to go together...
  • leWolfleWolf Senior Wagonist
    Free wagon, 100 dollar van, Where is my freebies? :lol:
  • Free wagon, 100 dollar van, Where is my freebies? :lol:

    x2...
  • The thing is that he's been trying to get rid of that car for what now John, a few months? All of our friends don't have the room for it, and I didn't either until I sold the 97 Integra I had picked up for $700 :wink: about 2 weeks ago now.

    John came over today as I had started assembling the engine, and we've got it about 90% complete. He had his DSLR, so I imagine he'll post pics or link them to me sometime soon. There's still quite a bit of work to be done on the car, hopefully the engine will be complete tomorrow, and then I've got to rebuild the axles, fix the steering column, and get her jumpin!
  • SprockRallySprockRally Band Wagon
    The thing is that he's been trying to get rid of that car for what now John, a few months? All of our friends don't have the room for it, and I didn't either until I sold the 97 Integra I had picked up for $700 :wink: about 2 weeks ago now.

    John came over today as I had started assembling the engine, and we've got it about 90% complete. He had his DSLR, so I imagine he'll post pics or link them to me sometime soon. There's still quite a bit of work to be done on the car, hopefully the engine will be complete tomorrow, and then I've got to rebuild the axles, fix the steering column, and get her jumpin!

    Here are some pictures from tonight. I only took a few, and some I tried to edit so you could see all the stuff flying out of the coolant sleeves! There was some crap in there for sure!

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    Hopefully you can see the stuff flying out in this one!

    Here the head is looking nice and clean, ready for the head gasket!
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    Head on.
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    One more of the progress before I leave.
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    PS. When you put these motors together don't forget the timing cover Kory! :lol:


    also whoever you got the motor from must have been an idiot! Who would break the whole car down into a million pieces!
  • PS. When you put these motors together don't forget the timing cover Kory! :lol:


    also whoever you got the motor from must have been an idiot! Who would break the whole car down into a million pieces!

    Yeah, at least we realized it before it was in the car... and it was probably a good thing to listen to my dad and tear it apart to put it back on with what I plan on putting this car through. For everyone reading this, when we originally discover we hadn't put it on, I literally tossed it over my shoulder with the top cover and said "Fuck It". I'm glad we took the time to fix it though.

    And in all honesty, tearing the car all down makes me a little more comfortable putting it back together. At least we know whats going to be good on the car (ummm, damn near everthing, lol).

    I really am itching to boost it - nothing crazy, but so I can make some sweet BOV sounds like you Subaru guys :wink:
  • leWolfleWolf Senior Wagonist
    BOOST IT!
  • smellssmells Wagonist
    BOOST IT!


    YES!!!
  • .....And its DUMPING snow outside. Damnit! Well, I might get a little work done on it today if this crap lets up. I may just call it a wrecking yard day and go see what goodies I can find.
  • SprockRallySprockRally Band Wagon
    .....And its DUMPING snow outside. Damnit! Well, I might get a little work done on it today if this crap lets up. I may just call it a wrecking yard day and go see what goodies I can find.

    I guess this just means you have to come help me pull the motor in the nissan tonight in my warm heated garage! :D
  • It is Friday... but to stay out of trouble, that might be a good plan. To be honest I'm feeling like crap toda., I've got a pretty good head cold going. So that being said, we'll see how I'm feeling later. lol.
  • Picked up a Yakima MegaWarrior Basket roof rack for it today!
  • Looks like she's coming along nicely :) .
  • Thanks! The weather is getting kind crummy, and not very warm so the last couple days I haven't dont much to it.

    I did go to the Junkyard and pick up a new cluster for it. One with 111K on it, I also picked up a rear lock knob that it needed, as well as the turn signal/wiper switch assembly. I was going to buy the passenger side mirror, but the guy at the junkyard must have been high, and told me $35 for the mirror when I got the cluster for $20 - forget that, I'll roll block-off style!
  • Perusing John's photobucket account, I cam across this. Its [what I think anyways] a pretty cool picture from when he first got it.

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