Way back when I was 21 (10+ years now) I did a bit of offroading in a 96 Pathfinder, V6.
petrol prices started to bite hard so the Pathfinder made way for a 97 NA Forester was deemed good enough for the odd bush track, and lugging around my camping gear.
I stumbled accros an article in Hot4's magazine (I think) on the GTRydaz National Meet,
this was the beginning of the end for ever owning an unmodified car again..
So the NA made way for a stock as a rock 98 GT
(the day I sold the NA)
The GT firstly went up about 20mm on some HD Pedders springs, got some more power from a TD04, Exhaust, tune and all the other parts we could throw at it, Then it went down to a sensible road height.
(just before I sold it)
Along the way I got tied up with the RS Liberty Club and fell in love with a mean Black TT Legacy, when it eventually came up for sale, I had to have it.
2 years of pain and anguish in modifiying and maintaining the tempremental TT system, but in the end I got it there with a full ECU loom rewire to accept the later model ECU to run the later model EJ20R that had been replaced by the last owner.
I figured once it was running fine, I'd sell it and move away from Turbo's (yes a Twin-Turbo does that to a man) and search out a H6
While it was for sale, I did a track-day with the RSCLC National Meet in Tassie
With that out of the driveway, the 06 3.0R-B was getting some love,
swapped the rims for GTB 18's, ECU tune, quad-tip STi mufflers, 7" tablet install for navigation, music, etc, TunedBy STi struts and springs, etc,
Along came a great idea to get out of the old tent and fit an Oztrail Camper6 Top to my 6x4 trailer.
[EDIT - RB: My camper trailer thread is here:
https://offroadsubarus.com/showthread.php?t=5993
[end edit]
After a few trips it became apparent that 150mm ground clearamce was an issue
So I fitted some 1' Lift Blocks to maintain the great handling and load carrying of the STi billies and pink springs, and some Outback 17's with higher profile tyres to smooth out the ride and add further lift.
all in all I gained almost 50mm extra clearance which has done the job so far, but still makes some more serious back-roads a challenge, combined with the long wheelbase and long overhangs of the Gen4, any snad-work is tough going.
So here she sits today
Somewhere I toyed with the idea of going skywards again, so the hunt for an 08-10 Pathfinder began, nothing turned up within my price-range that was any good or under 1 million km's, so the idea of a lightly Lifted SH Diesel Forester dawned on me.
Within two weeks I'd found a candidate in a dealership on the Gold Coast, had it inspected, done all my checks for service history, warranty, recalls, etc, beat the price down about $5K from original listing and transferred the cash.
So she's on a truck with a 2400km journey ahead before it lands at my door.
The Liberty will get 1 last camping trip before the new bus arrives, then it's out with the lift kit, back on with the 18's and needs to be sold.
It's been a fun journey so far and there should be plenty more to come.
New mods planned for the camper with the fitment of gas rings, Jerry holders, sliding rails for the heavy gear and Tropical Roof to the tent to keep the heat off.
plus plenty to do to the fozz,
1" Subtle Body Lift (I'm not adding a spring lift to stock struts, this is to maintain sufficient droop)
Pedders HD Standard height springs, KYB ExcelG shocks
Some sort of 16" OEM rim and AT Tyres
I'd like a nudge bar similar to the one fitted to my Green NA ^^^ that integrates the lower skid-plate..
and some Rock-sliders to protect the door sills.
Xrox in WA make some awesome gear, amate has a fully kitted out PX Ranger, just nothing for the Forester yet.
Fun times ahead
petrol prices started to bite hard so the Pathfinder made way for a 97 NA Forester was deemed good enough for the odd bush track, and lugging around my camping gear.
I stumbled accros an article in Hot4's magazine (I think) on the GTRydaz National Meet,
this was the beginning of the end for ever owning an unmodified car again..
So the NA made way for a stock as a rock 98 GT
(the day I sold the NA)
The GT firstly went up about 20mm on some HD Pedders springs, got some more power from a TD04, Exhaust, tune and all the other parts we could throw at it, Then it went down to a sensible road height.
(just before I sold it)
Along the way I got tied up with the RS Liberty Club and fell in love with a mean Black TT Legacy, when it eventually came up for sale, I had to have it.
2 years of pain and anguish in modifiying and maintaining the tempremental TT system, but in the end I got it there with a full ECU loom rewire to accept the later model ECU to run the later model EJ20R that had been replaced by the last owner.
I figured once it was running fine, I'd sell it and move away from Turbo's (yes a Twin-Turbo does that to a man) and search out a H6
While it was for sale, I did a track-day with the RSCLC National Meet in Tassie
With that out of the driveway, the 06 3.0R-B was getting some love,
swapped the rims for GTB 18's, ECU tune, quad-tip STi mufflers, 7" tablet install for navigation, music, etc, TunedBy STi struts and springs, etc,
Along came a great idea to get out of the old tent and fit an Oztrail Camper6 Top to my 6x4 trailer.
[EDIT - RB: My camper trailer thread is here:
https://offroadsubarus.com/showthread.php?t=5993
[end edit]
After a few trips it became apparent that 150mm ground clearamce was an issue
So I fitted some 1' Lift Blocks to maintain the great handling and load carrying of the STi billies and pink springs, and some Outback 17's with higher profile tyres to smooth out the ride and add further lift.
all in all I gained almost 50mm extra clearance which has done the job so far, but still makes some more serious back-roads a challenge, combined with the long wheelbase and long overhangs of the Gen4, any snad-work is tough going.
So here she sits today
Somewhere I toyed with the idea of going skywards again, so the hunt for an 08-10 Pathfinder began, nothing turned up within my price-range that was any good or under 1 million km's, so the idea of a lightly Lifted SH Diesel Forester dawned on me.
Within two weeks I'd found a candidate in a dealership on the Gold Coast, had it inspected, done all my checks for service history, warranty, recalls, etc, beat the price down about $5K from original listing and transferred the cash.
So she's on a truck with a 2400km journey ahead before it lands at my door.
The Liberty will get 1 last camping trip before the new bus arrives, then it's out with the lift kit, back on with the 18's and needs to be sold.
It's been a fun journey so far and there should be plenty more to come.
New mods planned for the camper with the fitment of gas rings, Jerry holders, sliding rails for the heavy gear and Tropical Roof to the tent to keep the heat off.
plus plenty to do to the fozz,
1" Subtle Body Lift (I'm not adding a spring lift to stock struts, this is to maintain sufficient droop)
Pedders HD Standard height springs, KYB ExcelG shocks
Some sort of 16" OEM rim and AT Tyres
I'd like a nudge bar similar to the one fitted to my Green NA ^^^ that integrates the lower skid-plate..
and some Rock-sliders to protect the door sills.
Xrox in WA make some awesome gear, amate has a fully kitted out PX Ranger, just nothing for the Forester yet.
Fun times ahead
Last edited by a moderator:
Can't wait to see her with the BFGs on!!!
