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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Just spoke to the cosmetic surgeon. Bodywork is complete on the Dulagarl. It needs to be reassembled now (roof tracks, front and rear bar, roof lining, trim etc). Should have it back early next week.:lildevil:
 
More good news:

1. I have spoken to VicRoads, and I DO NOT have to undergo a VIV (Vehicle Identity Validation) inspection, since the car is recorded as hail damage only.

2. In order to get comprehensive insurance again, I need to send some pictures of the repaired vehicle to my insurer, and then have a discussion about its insurable value.

:discomonkey:
 
Dulagarl said:
1. I have spoken to VicRoads, and I DO NOT have to undergo a VIV (Vehicle Identity Validation) inspection, since the car is recorded as hail damage only.
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Great news, very happy for you :biggrin: but I dont understand why. My sister had to get one on her (now mine) Forester after it was written off in that hail storm couple years ago. :shrug:

Talk about a rip off! Nearly $500 just for the Vicroads guy to walk out, look at the VIN, then walk back inside! :huh::yell::furious:
 
Nachaluva said:
Great news, very happy for you :biggrin: but I dont understand why. My sister had to get one on her (now mine) Forester after it was written off in that hail storm couple years ago. :shrug:

Talk about a rip off! Nearly $500 just for the Vicroads guy to walk out, look at the VIN, then walk back inside! :huh::yell::furious:
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after the March 2010 hailstorm the regulations changed. Cosmetic Hail Damage was exempted from the requirement to undergo a VIV inspection.

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Hom...ehicles/VehiclesDamaged25Dec2011HailStorm.htm
 
Dulagarl said:
Just spoke to the cosmetic surgeon. Bodywork is complete on the Dulagarl. It needs to be reassembled now (roof tracks, front and rear bar, roof lining, trim etc). Should have it back early next week.:lildevil:
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Awesome news Dulagarl! I wonder if your cosmetic surgeon would come out my way and finish Ruby Scoo off. I'm on a motivational low at the moment :(

Still can't wait to have the crew offroad again!

Cheers

Bennie
 
El_Freddo said:
Awesome news Dulagarl! I wonder if your cosmetic surgeon would come out my way and finish Ruby Scoo off. I'm on a motivational low at the moment :(

Still can't wait to have the crew offroad again!

Cheers

Bennie
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I don't think he would, but I'd be happy to come out and help.
 
Dulagarl said:
I don't think he would, but I'd be happy to come out and help.
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That'd be good mate, just I need to know what I'm doing in advance so that I can say for certain that I'm home for that time... This arvo I'll be back in benders for 2 or 3 days, then back at M&D's to work on Ruby S for the rest of the week.

And it's wiring I'm currently playing with. It's doing my head in!!! But I'm slowly slowly slowly getting there! External panels and interior wont' take long to put back on and in ;)

Cheers

Bennie
 
El_Freddo said:
That'd be good mate, just I need to know what I'm doing in advance so that I can say for certain that I'm home for that time... This arvo I'll be back in benders for 2 or 3 days, then back at M&D's to work on Ruby S for the rest of the week.

And it's wiring I'm currently playing with. It's doing my head in!!! But I'm slowly slowly slowly getting there! External panels and interior wont' take long to put back on and in ;)

Cheers

Bennie
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Wiring I am not bad at.
 
Dulagarl said:
Wiring I am not bad at.
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Yes I don't doubt that, but this is my wiring - it's "intricate" - where one system has been added at a later date to another as I could afford things/know what I was doing with them after I'd done my research. Now I've got to make them all neat and connected again - then make sure they all work!

If I'm pulling her apart again it'll be for a diesel conversion - I think, old schooler oiler setup...

Cheers

Bennie
 
Vomit, spew, regurgitate.

How many different ways can I say it?

panel beater told me today that the replacement bonnet I bought from a Qld supplier is not a forester bonnet: it is in fact a Mitsubishi bonnet.

2 questions:

1. how did the supplier get it so wrong?
2. How did the panel beater manage to leave it until over 5 weeks after he took delivery to identify this problem?

Have contacted the supplier and told them to fix it. I will call them again before COB. This means that unless a replacement bonnet arrives tomorrow, I will not have my car back this weekend.

Just how annoyed am I right now?
 
Dulagarl said:
panel beater told me today that the replacement bonnet I bought from a Qld supplier is not a forester bonnet: it is in fact a Mitsubishi bonnet.

2 questions:

1. how did the supplier get it so wrong?
2. How did the panel beater manage to leave it until over 5 weeks after he took delivery to identify this problem?

Have contacted the supplier and told them to fix it.

Just how annoyed am I right now?
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Thats :censored: I feel your pain Dulagarl :madred:

It reminds me of when I bought my Celica years ago. I ordered it brand new & they sent over the wrong car from Japan :evil:
Instead of the manual, the idiots sent an auto by mistake :shake:
On top of that, it had a sunroof aswell, which I told them I didn't want :yell:

And by the time I got it (3 months later) the price had gone up because of the date/build plate year :catfight:

Are they going to compensate you in any way ? They should at least give you a drive car to get around in, for the inconvenience they have caused by not letting you know for 5 weeks.

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
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