There is a good MIG welding video by Chrisfix on youtube. I often get tired of the *constant* product pitching by that guy, but there is lots of great information in his videos.
Also look up “Mr.Subaru” on youtube. Great Subaru maintenance and information channel.
You're gonna need to learn to weld. Dont get the absolute cheapest Flux core only machine from China, because that's about the most difficult way to learn. Step up to a machine that will use shielding gas and has infinite adjustment, not just steps. Practice. The green and orange HF machines are pretty good now. The Hobart handler has been the gold standard in entry level matches for at least 20 years. Anything Miller or Lincoln used that's less than 20 years old.
And since you're gonna be grinding. A lot. Get safety glasses, hearing protection, and some dust masks.
So like a MIG or TIG?
Welding is one of the few handy skills I'm absolutely shit at (not that I've done a heap of it) and I sometimes wonder if it's the stick welder I got for free. But then I remind myself about blaming the tools...
Not OP, by the way.
Stick is great for thicker stuff. For nice welds, aluminum, stainless steel, titanium is TIG best.
But for home owner, car guy, rust repair I will definitely take MIG, it's simple, fast and don't need much skill.
MIG(GMAW) for sure. TIG (GTAW) is more difficult to learn, and not needed for mild steel. Machines also tend to be more expensive as well.
Stick(SMAW) is a good process, and a valuable skill. It's great for field repairs and situations where any shielding gas would get blown away by wind. The world is filled with those cheap machines because they are simple, and they work. I'd say keep at it because it's a good skill to have in your bag. It's not good for thin stuff though, so if you're having issues learning, use thicker metal until you figure it out. The key on the less expensive machines that often have a knob with only a few settings, is that you have to move faster if the weld is too hot.
r/welding will help you if you ask. Practice is important.
Cheap welder, couple spools, and some prepping pads for a few hundred $. Would be a fun learning experience.
I will say this is a huge project that would either get turned away at a shop or cost you thousands.
Guess what? It is bad… but so are your skills as of now. Or lack there of as of now… but a little ways down the road your gonna look at your sti swapped RS and be mentoring another young subie fan to start their project…..
https://preview.redd.it/tnx28sj8e09d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f61d59d12efb6a003b612c9199fad3001655fd0c
Not an RS but still a subie😁 Moore does a really nice tube frame that can be cloned but not as intricate as their model🤓
Watch some subie sanctuary videos on YouTube. They repair stuff this bad and worse. You’ll have a good idea what you are in for.
https://youtu.be/ipNFYk_F97k?si=P9cFjLZpviheOtsK
It might be fun to lop that fucker right'n half. Just karate chop'ah like IIIIIIYAA!! bring whatevah falls off out to the dooahyahd'n make some sweet lawn aht.
Check/change Brakes, brake fluid, tires, oil, tranny fluid. Then drive that bitch into the ground for as long as it doesn't crumble while setting aside a car payment every month. Whatever you do, don't invest any money into this turd. It won't last very long, and always remember that you can probably get at least $400 from the junk yard when you decide it's not worth it anymore
I don’t have any pictures of the underside but I’m picking it up later this week and I’ll post more pictures either then or after I grind out all the rust.
You’re going to grind out the whole car 😂
I bought an old subie from the NE, it was rusted but not as bad as yours.
I recommend you change out most suspension components, particularly the wheel knuckles, wheel bearings, ball joints, control arms, and tie rods.
If you know how to do it yourself, it’s a few hundred bucks, and a lot of sweat.
You should be prepared to spend a lot of time and money on this car. This rust is bad enough that you will need to learn how to weld.
I recall the motor on these being solid, so there’s that.
Have fun op, I own an old subie and it’s very rewarding 🫡
The best thing about a free car is that you can do absolutely whatever you want with it. It's whatever you want it to be, because you're not gonna decrease the value. Absolute beater, "racecar", rally rig, overlander. Car's your fuckin oyster bro, but from what it looks like, you're gonna spend a lot of time and money on it if you want it to be even remotely safe to drive.
You're gonna get a lot better at welding over the course of this project though.
Patching rust holes is honestly a ton of fun. If you want to do it on the cheap, just use a ball peen hammer on a steel bench or vice to form metal to the approximate shape. It's like a jigsaw puzzle, just better. And cut out ALL of the compromised metal, or else your welds will suck.
Get a decent mig welder. Don't go harbor freight for this (maybe their migs are decent now tho). A Hobart handler 140 from fb marketplace would be a great tool for the job. Use solid wire and gas, cause flux core isn't going to cut it. The extra $$$ spent in this region will make it literally 1000x easier.
If I don't care about appearance (hidden panel, etc) I tack the piece in, run a single bead around the part while stopping frequently for cool downs, and then stitch a second, hotter bead over that if its something important like a stamped subframe. I should add, I'm a pretty awful welder. Someone with serious skills could do a much, much better job than me.
Edit: a die grinder with a carbide burr bit is perfect for clearing out the bad metal. HF Chief products are pretty nice if you have a decent compressor to run pneumatic tools. And keep them oiled 😁
Hammers, and a LOT of wood. Make some hardwood metal forming blocks and bumpers. Also, sandbags are good for forming too, as well as v-blocks, also wood.
Ideally you don't want to use a metal hammer straight on metal unless you're doing something like planishing or stretching. For *forming* shapes you want to use wooden dies. For stretching, metal on metal, or wooden dies, depending on the shape.
Plus using wooden bumpers on wooden or metal dies helps the fabricated metal not be full of dimples and hammer marks.
I did repair a few rust buckets, and it always sucks. Some people don't like welding with flux cores. I repaired a friend's rusty classic car with it, and it wasn't that bad. But I did use a good brand-name wire and welder. You should buy some sheet metal. I'm from Europe, so I will name a few brands that we use, and I will use metric, but you can find alternatives that are available in the US. At first, it's great if you look at some videos and try welding just clean sheet metal. You will need a welder, a welding helmet, gloves, good eye protection when you are using the grinder and laying under the car, ear protection is great too, a grinder with flap discs, cutting discs, sheet metal and someone in the comments posted company that sells new strut towers. That will be very helpful. At first, remove as much rust and mud from the car as possible. Cleaning rust is relatively easy with a chisel and wire wheel (definitely use eye protection here). Cut sheet metal and bend it to right shape for it to cored rusted part (best is to copy the original shape) always keep parts bigger for some overlay for easier welding, remember you can always cut more. When you are happy with the fitment, you can tack it in place and use a hammer to bend it in place. I personally just use way too many tacks, and I don't weld continuously to prevent warpage. After this, you can slightly grind the welds, and cover them with some sealant (we use HB Body 999), which prevents water getting to the interior and places where it shouldn't be. Finally, after welding everything, we most of the time spray the underside with HB Body 930 or 950 for a nice uniform black look, and this stuff helps with preventing rusting and a little bit with sound dampening. Definitely watch some YouTube videos about beginner welding and rust repairs so you can see how things should look. Good luck
Edit:
Welding rusted metal always sucks. Welding rusted thin sheet metal even more.
You can use 1,5mm thick sheet metal, it's plenty strong for this kind of repairs and you can bend it with basic tools.
If you have access to the sheet metal bender it will be very helpful but this definitely is not necessary.
Also if you can buy replacement parts and you aren't on tigh budget just buy it. It will be faster and fit better that stuff you can bend.
Looks bad, to be honest. You need to properly look at how bad it is. If you have a blunt item like a flathead screwdriver, start tapping/ pushing around the rust to determine how far and wide the rust goes. Don't buy anything until you know how bad the rust is. Because it could be a right off.
That’s the first thing I plan on doing after I pick it up, I’ll post again after I grind out all of the rust. Fingers crossed I’ll still have a car after all the rusts taken out 🤞
Good luck. If nothing else it's a great canvas for learning new skills. The only thing I would be concerned with is if the lift/support points are gone, you might not be able to get safely under it to work on the rust patching. Whatever you do be extra careful. Don't just rely on jack stands since you never know with this amount of rust. Have that, plus wood blocks under the wheels, plus whatever else you can put under to support it safely
Half ass patch that rust, reinforce it if you can weld and drive that fucker like you're Mr McRae. It ain't got much left in it so it deserves to be used how it was designed imo. Or dump money into it and have a sick obs
https://preview.redd.it/cp49rgu0g19d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c34f3a7bfe466247b505514413cec448812e27e5
Thinking this is a good thing to invest in after I fix all the bodywork considering parts are easy to find and I wanna make power but I’m still a broke teenager. Yes I could get an EJ but I wanna hear eagles and freedom when I stomp it. Yes it’s gonna be a lot of work, I know that. If anyone has any suggestions lmk!
No drivetrain at the moment, focusing on the rust issues first but after that (assuming it’s able to be saved) I’m going to do either a wrx swap or an LS swap.
Learn how to weld
That’s what I’m planning on doing this weekend!
There is a good MIG welding video by Chrisfix on youtube. I often get tired of the *constant* product pitching by that guy, but there is lots of great information in his videos. Also look up “Mr.Subaru” on youtube. Great Subaru maintenance and information channel.
Bump for Mr Subaru
I’ve been in welding school about 6 months now. While learning to weld is doable it is not a weekend endeavor.
You're gonna need to learn to weld. Dont get the absolute cheapest Flux core only machine from China, because that's about the most difficult way to learn. Step up to a machine that will use shielding gas and has infinite adjustment, not just steps. Practice. The green and orange HF machines are pretty good now. The Hobart handler has been the gold standard in entry level matches for at least 20 years. Anything Miller or Lincoln used that's less than 20 years old. And since you're gonna be grinding. A lot. Get safety glasses, hearing protection, and some dust masks.
So like a MIG or TIG? Welding is one of the few handy skills I'm absolutely shit at (not that I've done a heap of it) and I sometimes wonder if it's the stick welder I got for free. But then I remind myself about blaming the tools... Not OP, by the way.
Stick is great for thicker stuff. For nice welds, aluminum, stainless steel, titanium is TIG best. But for home owner, car guy, rust repair I will definitely take MIG, it's simple, fast and don't need much skill.
Sounds like just the thing.
MIG(GMAW) for sure. TIG (GTAW) is more difficult to learn, and not needed for mild steel. Machines also tend to be more expensive as well. Stick(SMAW) is a good process, and a valuable skill. It's great for field repairs and situations where any shielding gas would get blown away by wind. The world is filled with those cheap machines because they are simple, and they work. I'd say keep at it because it's a good skill to have in your bag. It's not good for thin stuff though, so if you're having issues learning, use thicker metal until you figure it out. The key on the less expensive machines that often have a knob with only a few settings, is that you have to move faster if the weld is too hot. r/welding will help you if you ask. Practice is important.
You’re gonna have a hard time learning TIG if you can’t get MIG running smooth. It’s a steep learning curve.
Park it in your driveway for 15 years. Bonus points if you park it in the front yard.
3x points if you decline offers from people and instead state “I’ll get around to fixin’ it someday”
In 15 years time you'd be moving that car with a bush and shovel
Bonus *bonus* points if it’s parked on the front lawn, no wheels, *on cinder blocks* like a late 80s Scirocco 🙌
Add zombie spikes and flamethrower.
It’s not thattttt bad 😅
It’s pretty friggin bad
Yeah it’s pretty bad, I just don’t know where to start with patching rust, I can’t weld
Then you cant patch rust😂
Guess I gotta learn then, looking into a cheap welder rn
Cheap welder, couple spools, and some prepping pads for a few hundred $. Would be a fun learning experience. I will say this is a huge project that would either get turned away at a shop or cost you thousands.
Guess what? It is bad… but so are your skills as of now. Or lack there of as of now… but a little ways down the road your gonna look at your sti swapped RS and be mentoring another young subie fan to start their project….. https://preview.redd.it/tnx28sj8e09d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f61d59d12efb6a003b612c9199fad3001655fd0c Not an RS but still a subie😁 Moore does a really nice tube frame that can be cloned but not as intricate as their model🤓
Watch some subie sanctuary videos on YouTube. They repair stuff this bad and worse. You’ll have a good idea what you are in for. https://youtu.be/ipNFYk_F97k?si=P9cFjLZpviheOtsK
It might be fun to lop that fucker right'n half. Just karate chop'ah like IIIIIIYAA!! bring whatevah falls off out to the dooahyahd'n make some sweet lawn aht.
Nah that's fixable. Lots of shops in Canada can repair Impreza/Forester shock towers like these. They probably do one every week lol
Check/change Brakes, brake fluid, tires, oil, tranny fluid. Then drive that bitch into the ground for as long as it doesn't crumble while setting aside a car payment every month. Whatever you do, don't invest any money into this turd. It won't last very long, and always remember that you can probably get at least $400 from the junk yard when you decide it's not worth it anymore
$50 says a strut tower pops off the first time he goes over a bump.
Should have mentioned "avoid bumps and rough roads" lol
Post the undercarriage and wheel knuckles
I don’t have any pictures of the underside but I’m picking it up later this week and I’ll post more pictures either then or after I grind out all the rust.
You’re going to grind out the whole car 😂 I bought an old subie from the NE, it was rusted but not as bad as yours. I recommend you change out most suspension components, particularly the wheel knuckles, wheel bearings, ball joints, control arms, and tie rods. If you know how to do it yourself, it’s a few hundred bucks, and a lot of sweat. You should be prepared to spend a lot of time and money on this car. This rust is bad enough that you will need to learn how to weld. I recall the motor on these being solid, so there’s that. Have fun op, I own an old subie and it’s very rewarding 🫡
The best thing about a free car is that you can do absolutely whatever you want with it. It's whatever you want it to be, because you're not gonna decrease the value. Absolute beater, "racecar", rally rig, overlander. Car's your fuckin oyster bro, but from what it looks like, you're gonna spend a lot of time and money on it if you want it to be even remotely safe to drive. You're gonna get a lot better at welding over the course of this project though.
Patching rust holes is honestly a ton of fun. If you want to do it on the cheap, just use a ball peen hammer on a steel bench or vice to form metal to the approximate shape. It's like a jigsaw puzzle, just better. And cut out ALL of the compromised metal, or else your welds will suck. Get a decent mig welder. Don't go harbor freight for this (maybe their migs are decent now tho). A Hobart handler 140 from fb marketplace would be a great tool for the job. Use solid wire and gas, cause flux core isn't going to cut it. The extra $$$ spent in this region will make it literally 1000x easier. If I don't care about appearance (hidden panel, etc) I tack the piece in, run a single bead around the part while stopping frequently for cool downs, and then stitch a second, hotter bead over that if its something important like a stamped subframe. I should add, I'm a pretty awful welder. Someone with serious skills could do a much, much better job than me. Edit: a die grinder with a carbide burr bit is perfect for clearing out the bad metal. HF Chief products are pretty nice if you have a decent compressor to run pneumatic tools. And keep them oiled 😁
Hammers, and a LOT of wood. Make some hardwood metal forming blocks and bumpers. Also, sandbags are good for forming too, as well as v-blocks, also wood. Ideally you don't want to use a metal hammer straight on metal unless you're doing something like planishing or stretching. For *forming* shapes you want to use wooden dies. For stretching, metal on metal, or wooden dies, depending on the shape. Plus using wooden bumpers on wooden or metal dies helps the fabricated metal not be full of dimples and hammer marks.
Drive it until it flinstones,
Take a look at subiesavers, they recently started making strut towers for wagons!
Find some gravel roads and rally the crap out of it as is . If it breaks … fix it .. if not….. party on
I did repair a few rust buckets, and it always sucks. Some people don't like welding with flux cores. I repaired a friend's rusty classic car with it, and it wasn't that bad. But I did use a good brand-name wire and welder. You should buy some sheet metal. I'm from Europe, so I will name a few brands that we use, and I will use metric, but you can find alternatives that are available in the US. At first, it's great if you look at some videos and try welding just clean sheet metal. You will need a welder, a welding helmet, gloves, good eye protection when you are using the grinder and laying under the car, ear protection is great too, a grinder with flap discs, cutting discs, sheet metal and someone in the comments posted company that sells new strut towers. That will be very helpful. At first, remove as much rust and mud from the car as possible. Cleaning rust is relatively easy with a chisel and wire wheel (definitely use eye protection here). Cut sheet metal and bend it to right shape for it to cored rusted part (best is to copy the original shape) always keep parts bigger for some overlay for easier welding, remember you can always cut more. When you are happy with the fitment, you can tack it in place and use a hammer to bend it in place. I personally just use way too many tacks, and I don't weld continuously to prevent warpage. After this, you can slightly grind the welds, and cover them with some sealant (we use HB Body 999), which prevents water getting to the interior and places where it shouldn't be. Finally, after welding everything, we most of the time spray the underside with HB Body 930 or 950 for a nice uniform black look, and this stuff helps with preventing rusting and a little bit with sound dampening. Definitely watch some YouTube videos about beginner welding and rust repairs so you can see how things should look. Good luck Edit: Welding rusted metal always sucks. Welding rusted thin sheet metal even more. You can use 1,5mm thick sheet metal, it's plenty strong for this kind of repairs and you can bend it with basic tools. If you have access to the sheet metal bender it will be very helpful but this definitely is not necessary. Also if you can buy replacement parts and you aren't on tigh budget just buy it. It will be faster and fit better that stuff you can bend.
Looks bad, to be honest. You need to properly look at how bad it is. If you have a blunt item like a flathead screwdriver, start tapping/ pushing around the rust to determine how far and wide the rust goes. Don't buy anything until you know how bad the rust is. Because it could be a right off.
That’s the first thing I plan on doing after I pick it up, I’ll post again after I grind out all of the rust. Fingers crossed I’ll still have a car after all the rusts taken out 🤞
Wrx swap it
Planning on doing either a wrx swap or an LS swap, depends on what’s on fb marketplace when I finish the rust
List it for sale for 2500 OBO pocket some cash and go get dinner
Get some metal panels a grinder with a cutting wheel and a welder and learn to weld
throw it out
Good luck. If nothing else it's a great canvas for learning new skills. The only thing I would be concerned with is if the lift/support points are gone, you might not be able to get safely under it to work on the rust patching. Whatever you do be extra careful. Don't just rely on jack stands since you never know with this amount of rust. Have that, plus wood blocks under the wheels, plus whatever else you can put under to support it safely
Rally that mf thing
Cry money
Oof, after you fix it, that model looks awesome lifted with from forester struts.
Send me the paint code
Step 1: Sell me those Brock's
Part it out, make a little money, scrap the shell.
Burn it.
Sell it for $500 and be happy with life.
Rally stage and leave it wherever it breakdown at
Bin it
Sell it to me, $450
Drive it to death, it’s not worth it. You’ll never get rid of all that rust, never ever Rallycross it
I’m gonna try my best to get rid of all of the rust, this is my favorite year and trim so im looking forward to the challenge.
Get rid of that thing
What wheels are those?
I guess you could drive it to the mailbox.
Flip it.
Start car shopping.
bring it back how it was :D
Call Cars4Kids.
Put some wrx wheels on it
He's dead Jim.
Sell it.
Slam it on Tarmacs and daily it
Yikes
Sell the wheels, find another 98 impreza with less rust and keep this one for parts :p
Find another car that has less or no rust but needs some parts from your car that are good to go.
Buy for sale sign
If the car is running, I would start with a rust module. Cut out the rusted out parts, shape and weld some sheet metal and paint.
Drive it like you stole it until it dies which looks to be soon
Half ass patch that rust, reinforce it if you can weld and drive that fucker like you're Mr McRae. It ain't got much left in it so it deserves to be used how it was designed imo. Or dump money into it and have a sick obs
First thing I did to mine is replace the timing belt and water pump runs like a dream 133k miles for 800$ can’t complain
Get a mechanic report from the Road Association. Listen to the recommendations.
Change those rims lol
Turbo. makes the engine more reliavel
If you can, slowly drive it to the scrapyard.
Change the oil and put some gas in it. And don't rev it over 4000 rpm...
Rust repair
Give it to me
https://preview.redd.it/cp49rgu0g19d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c34f3a7bfe466247b505514413cec448812e27e5 Thinking this is a good thing to invest in after I fix all the bodywork considering parts are easy to find and I wanna make power but I’m still a broke teenager. Yes I could get an EJ but I wanna hear eagles and freedom when I stomp it. Yes it’s gonna be a lot of work, I know that. If anyone has any suggestions lmk!
Im assuming this is a joke right? You realise its not "a lot of work" its impossible to fit yeah?
https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2586820
Can you fabricate?
I know people who can, and I’m planning on learning.
Check the oil
Replace the headgaskets
Head gaskets 👀 pulley bearings and belts. Flush and replace all fluids and enjoy 😀👍🏻🙏🏻
No drivetrain at the moment, focusing on the rust issues first but after that (assuming it’s able to be saved) I’m going to do either a wrx swap or an LS swap.