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Dulagarl: the Lifted H6 Forester

Well, I bought it, and I have to say that what SKT has done is truly inspired.

It’s a freaking rocket on the bitumen, and it has an enormous amount of grunt offroad.

Engine transplant thread is here:

https://www.ausubaru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16564

Here’s a little log of bring it home, and it’s first offroad trip once home.

Jan 29th I flew to Coolangatta. Scott picked me up at the airport and we went for a drive. It didn’t take long for me to be convinced that I should buy this. Sure, it had a couple of issues, for example some worn out bushes in the front end, and a cooling issue, but I could tell that this was a VERY serious vehicle.

Brought it home via Lismore and Casino and then to Tamworth for the night. Next day was Tamworth to Narrandera. Narrandera to Melbourne on the Minday was relatively easy after all of that.

Saw some amazing country in the process. Didn’t have time for many snaps, but here are a few…

Some of the country just into NSW after casino…

imgp1367a.jpg


Took a detour via the outer solar system…

001solarsystem.jpg


Actually, that virtual solar system drive from siding spring observatory is a good idea. That pic was taken in Gilgandra.

While on the space bent, couldn’t resist a couple of pics with the Parkes Radio Telescope…

002dish1.jpg


003dish2.jpg


It was 38 degrees Celsius when those shots were taken, and it didn’t get cooler for hours. Unsurprisingly, the vehicle got a bit hot just south of Forbes.

004southofforbes.jpg



A bit further south past West Wyalong, and there was still water around from December. Ridiculously flat country with paddocks turned to lakes…

005southofforbes.jpg


So, when I got home, I went straight to the mechanic and got an aircon service. I also consulted about improving airflow to the radiator. I looked at pics of offroad bars on Outbacks on the Subaxtreme site, and also the bar on the latest Forester. Armed with that info I decided to cut some holes in the bulbar, and this is the result…

001grille.jpg


002front.jpg


Gotta love the grille mesh from supacheap auto!

So, I then set up the GPS on the dash with some adhesive Velcro…

003gps.jpg


and connected the ECU to the laptop to monitor engine performance and temperatures.

004ecudata.jpg


(BTW: I think I might have resolved the “cooling issues”!)

... part two to follow
 
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I know what you're saying about keeping it as a sleeper. But as others have mentioned, there are that many vehicles with bonnet scoops these days, you won't really be standing out in the crowd, if you know what I mean :)

Greg, seriously... It will not be a bonnet scoop that will make your car stand out in the crowd...

Maybe the front and rear bars, or the lift kit that you can almost walk underneath the car, or the noise it makes going down the street, or the amount of dust it throws up in the air on a dirt road.... But a simple bonnet scoop??? No way!!

Just go and get it!!
 
haha very good point Pedro lol :biggrin:

I still think an "always on" fan switch would have benefits cos you can turn it on when you hit the sand BEFORE it reaches 97 deg. Its still gonna rise but this way you're being proactive. Plus you can keep the fans off for water crossings.
 
as of today, Dulagarl is no longer comprehensively insured.

Shannon's called me while I was out to arrange funds transfer for the settlement amount.

Me: So as of when does my comprehensive insurance cease?
Them: Now.
Me: Can I arrange some third party insurance now?
Them: I can't do that, you'll have to call sales
Me; Can't you transfer me?
Them: No, the sales team are busy taking calls.
Me: So i'm supposed to either ring them, and be on hold for half an hour from my mobile phone, or drive home without any insurance cover.
Them: I'm sorry about that sir, I understand but I can't help.
Me: I'm annoyed about this. Perhaps you could tell your supervisor, or whoever is listening to the tape of this call, to improve your service so that people like me aren't left high and dry.

So from here, they are happy that they have washed their hands of me. I'll shop around for some bomb insurance.

Car is booked in for work on the 20th of Feb. In the meantime I am sourcing panels.

Who knows: I might be able to make the march long weekend trip! :lildevil:
 
Time to do a re-shell job??

I've almost done one... or two before!

Cheers

Bennie
 
as of today, Dulagarl is no longer comprehensively insured.

Shannon's called me while I was out to arrange funds transfer for the settlement amount.

Me: So as of when does my comprehensive insurance cease?
Them: Now.
Me: Can I arrange some third party insurance now?
Them: I can't do that, you'll have to call sales
Me; Can't you transfer me?
Them: No, the sales team are busy taking calls.
Me: So i'm supposed to either ring them, and be on hold for half an hour from my mobile phone, or drive home without any insurance cover.
Them: I'm sorry about that sir, I understand but I can't help.
Me: I'm annoyed about this. Perhaps you could tell your supervisor, or whoever is listening to the tape of this call, to improve your service so that people like me aren't left high and dry.

So from here, they are happy that they have washed their hands of me. I'll shop around for some bomb insurance.

Car is booked in for work on the 20th of Feb. In the meantime I am sourcing panels.

Who knows: I might be able to make the march long weekend trip! :lildevil:
Would be good to have you along.
 
Ha...****ing Shannons...I wouldn't even insure a piece of paper with those tossers.

I remember trying to get my 1973 Land Rover insured with them...they claimed (word for word) that 'they didn't feel that I was a genuine motoring enthusiast and that meant I did not meet the requirements to be insured'. That is exactly what they said to me...despite the fact I race cars, have built two race cars (including a vintage Fiat) and was in the middle of restoring another car.

Wasn't a motoring enthusiast...yet, according to their ads they insure some bogan with a Commodore who admits to not being a club guy or working on his own car himself. hahaha. My bad...
 
Thats a pretty poor effort by them :huh::shake:

So you're getting TPF&T? What about when its repaired, you should be able to get comprehensive insur again no probs the...just not with Shannons! :furious:

Time to do a re-shell job??

Remember its heavily modded & engineered...also we're a lot tougher on that in Vic, I think cos it was engineered/registered in Qld it was a simple rego transfer to Vic.

I'd be interested in what you think of this Dulagarl...

Wasn't a motoring enthusiast...yet, according to their ads they insure some bogan with a Commodore who admits to not being a club guy or working on his own car himself. hahaha. My bad...

Yeah typical marketing...nothing to do with reality!
 
To replace a few panels is a days job, then just get the rest of the hail damage paintless dent removed. Paint the panels and bang your good to go.

With all the mods, engineering and certifying to reshell it all to another car would be a big and costly job over getting new boot, bonet, doors and fenders then dent removal.
 
Remember its heavily modded & engineered...also we're a lot tougher on that in Vic, I think cos it was engineered/registered in Qld it was a simple rego transfer to Vic.

Yes I know. The idea of a reshell is so that you can go with comprehensive insurance on a fresh body that doesn't have bureaucratic tag that insurance companies won't insure comprehensively.

Down side is the engineering cost, yes, but if you're really after something you'll jump through the hoops to get it.

With all the mods, engineering and certifying to reshell it all to another car would be a big and costly job over getting new boot, bonet, doors and fenders then dent removal.

True. But you will be able to insure this new shell with all mods engineered under comprehensive insurance. After a cosmetic write off insurance companies will not insure that vehicle under comprehensive level insurance. And you have to take the vehicle to have a VIV (vehicle identification verification) check done - it's more money and time to have some guy have a look at the vehicle's numbers as they do for a rego inspection - difference is that you get it done somewhere far away from where you are, you have to pay for the experience and it can't be done when you've booked in for your initial rego...

It's all fun and games in the red tape... It's Greg's decision, I was just throwing it out there. Modified or not, a re-shell won't be hard to do, it's the engineering that'll kill the wallet if you can't slip it by the same engineer as a reshell of the same mods from the last certificate, if they do those sort of checks.

Cheers

Bennie
 
Bennie there's an excemption for the cars damaged in the Dec 25th hail storm they do not need to have VIV inspections in the case of a cosmetic write off. IMO that tips the balance way towards having a car fixed. But you are correct a re-shell is certainly a possibility, but probably not as realistic for a forester with their rediculous resale values compared to something like my Liberty. Plus not everyone has the time and space to basically strip and swap the guts of two cars, then the hassle of disposing of one of them at the end.
 
Bennie there's an excemption for the cars damaged in the Dec 25th hail storm they do not need to have VIV inspections in the case of a cosmetic write off. IMO that tips the balance way towards having a car fixed.

That's awesome news! Makes the repair much more easily done and the decision to reshell a dud one.

But you are correct a re-shell is certainly a possibility, but probably not as realistic for a forester with their rediculous resale values compared to something like my Liberty. Plus not everyone has the time and space to basically strip and swap the guts of two cars, then the hassle of disposing of one of them at the end.

Yeah that's true, but if you're really keen to do a swap you'll find a way to do it. And if you find a good example all you're really after is the drive train swap with the engine wiring and all the little goodies that's been added along the way...

Where there's a will there's a way.

Probably a good thing that you took yours to a country mob Venom - it could have also been the difference between price and/or the write off of other vehicles...

Glad it's looking positive Greg!

Cheers

Bennie
 
Yeah, I'm disinclined to re-shell, for the reasons Venom mentioned.

Am sourcing parts and have the Panel Beater booked for the 20th of Feb.

Thanks for all the well wishes folks.

Currently in Perth for work. I had the window seat on the plane this afternoon, and had a great view of Esperance on the way over. Wish I was there. Must get back to finishing that trip report when I get back to Melbourne.
 
The repair process goes on. Have received payment from the insurer, and just bought a brand new bonnet on ebay for $187 plus $50 freight from Queensland.

Bonnet is genuine Subaru, and is primed ready to paint, brand new in box.

Still have to get a couple of doors at a good price if possible, as this will be cheaper than repairing mine.
 
Awesome news. Shame Foresters arent too common at wreckers or you could get all your panels there like Venom did :(

Good luck with it all, hope the rest goes smoothly... :iconwink:
 
Thanks lads. Am on the track to get some doors.

have been thinking about the bonnet vents, and while I kinda like them I've never really been happy with the fact that they required cutting the reinforcement to put them in. Have always thought it would be better if I could put some in like the old school E Type jaguar vents.

Anyway, stumbled across a custom rodder place that say they can do these:

louvres.jpg


Obviously, I wouldn't have that many, but a modest bank on each side towards the rear of the bonnet would be nice. Will follow it up tomorrow for the new bonnet...
 
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