Newbie with a 85 SR5 from NC

[rpholz]

So I've finally got my hands on an 86 chassis which I am pretty excited about.

Found this car behind a salvage yard, it's auto, 4ac, broken windshield but cheap and comes with a title.


Not the best to start off with but it's pretty solid and I feel I need to save it from it's ultimately rusty death.
So a friend and I set out Saturday and dug it out...




I've never been so stoked by a basket case of a car before.

Currently plans are to get it home(no trailer at the time) and begin taking everything out and washing the crap out of it.

Ultimately I'd like to make it a super low budget build to get it running and driving ASAP, so I'm thinking 16v and t50, unfortunetly I'm having a hard time finding things local or for a good price.
I'd like to have it ready for Miatas in Boone in September.

Looking foward for any advice or comments! I'm excited for something different as I work in a subaru oriented shop and am knowledgable on them but a total newb to this. Should be a fun experience.

[dr.occa]

Great find !

First determine your budget. Again, great find and welcome to The Garage.

[SkabRock5]

SR5, awesome find. Youve got a perfect canvas to create a master piece...on a budget. I have an SR5 too. I dropped a bang-for-buck 3tc engine in mine. Congrats on your find and welcome.

[rpholz]

Thanks guys!

As far as budget... Idk, whatever. I don't have any money set aside for it so it would be as I go, if it cost me a grand, awsome! 4k.... Well it's going to take me a while.

I do have a haltech and a dyno to use so getting full harnesses and ecu is not a concern.
Really I'd like to hit 160-ish whp, I don't know to what extent this takes but if be a nice goal.

I am half tempted on the 7ag/20v setup but it's added cost and/or firewall bashing...

First thing is first, 5spd swap, door hinges and a solid look over, the 4a-c that's in it is dead so no worries there on chucking it for something better

[joel26]

Welcome to the forum...........

[86boy]

Trunk rack FTW!!!! now if it had side louvers and rear louvers.... you'd have a one of a kind! hahaha

welcome to the forum!

[rpholz]

Lol, thanks.

I'm not sure how I feel about the rack just yet.
Everyone hated the one on my subaru XT but I loved it.

Also I am dragging the car to a friends house tomorrow as I live in an apt and I'm only allowed one project car at the shop, which is my super long project 88' subaru RX

[dr.occa]

Oh, good eye there @86boy. Trunk racks are a rarity but I'm not a fan of them myself. Still a cool addition in the jungle find

[86boy]

That's what makes them cool. The fact that hardly anyone has a trunk rack. lol! If I had a coupe.. I'd have a trunk rack to hold tires to the drift events lol!

[rpholz]

This is true.

I only saw maybe 3 XTs with a trunk rack.



Hopefully the 86 doesn't leak like that one did. They were dealer installed with sheet metal screws...

[rpholz]

Also Nevermind the parking.... I used to park like that to save a spot for my wife. That apt got crazy at 4:30