Blue Porscheru Conversion, Subaru 2.5 SOHC NA with Suby Tranny Options

[R_u_dd]

Blue Porscheru Conversion

I started this project back in May of 2014 and wanted to share the journey with my friends and family.
There's something appealing to people about taking a left-for-dead vehicle and bringing it back to life.
I hope this build thread is a bit different than the others. It's a Subaru conversion which is not as common.

I am/was a newbie. This is my first car restoration, if you can call it that.
My welds are not pretty, but I've improved and learned throughout this process.
This is a great car for a first restoration. It's light, simple, and very cool- mid engine with a targa top.

This is the plan- We are starting with a 1971 tangerine 914 with light to moderate rust, nothing too serious.
The original engine was a 1.7. Like so many other 914's it ran but has been sitting for a long time.
The engine seems too far gone to try to rebuild it= lots of rust and corrosion.

Powerplant: 2003 Subaru Impreza TS 2.5 SOHC, Natuaral- No Turbo, Why? Plenty of Power for me and no turbo lag. See Engine Choices thread.
Transmission: Subaru 5MT 2003 Impreza TS
ECU from: 2003 Subaru Impreza TS
Electronics: Wiring Harness simplified by Small Car Performance
Axles: 944 axles and CV's with Subaru inside CV- 4 lug for now.
914 suspension.
No fender flares
Voltage Blue Metallic: (Honda color), Painted Sail Panels.

Before Pictures

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1301.photobucket.com-17072-1486250894.1.jpg)

The Future Look- Concepts

The 914 visualizer, a very cool app.

Current Look:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.imgur.com-17072-1607919164.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.imgur.com-17072-1607919164.2.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.imgur.com-17072-1607919165.3.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1301.photobucket.com-17072-1459666779.1.jpg)



Contents

Axles
Blasting Glass Bead Videos
Battery Tray Area
Battery and Tray
Budget Scenarios
Brakes
Bumper - Valence
Clutch
Electronics
Engine Discussion
Engine Mount
Engine Work
Floor Pans and Engman Kit
Fuel Pump
Fuel Tank (Cleaning with Electrolysis)
Paint Prep and Metal Work
Paint Prep Continued
Radiator
Seats and Interior
Seats Re-upholstery Links
Transmission
Transmission Mount
Videos

This thread is for entertainment purposes only. I am not a certified mechanic.
There are many that have pioneered the suby conversion before me, but this
is my story.

Hope you enjoy this thread!

Chris

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1301.photobucket.com-17072-1486249676.1.jpg)

[R_u_dd]

Electrolysis Gas Tank Cleaning.

Like so many other 914's mine had a rusty fuel tank. Cleaning the inside of the gas tank is tricky since you can't reach in and sand it, so after some research I tried lots of different suggestions to try to clean it. One could combine weight training with car antiquing and shake a chain or nails or whatever inside the tank. I tried acid ie apple vinegar. None of these things seemed to work until I came across electrolysis. This is a very interesting technique. Anyone who has tried precipitating silver in chemistry class might be familiar with this technique. You take a piece of steel and suspend it in water in your gas tank with some baking soda as catalyst and it moves the rust from your tank into the water. It's pulling electrons and iron from the metal and combining it with the rust metal to create a liquid suspended iron.

My stepfather, professor emeritus in chemistry at St. Mary's College in CA explains electrolysis thus:

"Some of us used it as an introduction to electrolysis in early classes – and I believe it is still used in museums as a conservation process to “clean” up relics to remove rust without losing the underlying metal."

"You first of all have to understand the rusting process. In overall terms it is simply, iron + water + oxygen -----~ rust. However, the first step is Fe (solid) + 2 water +1 oxygen -----~2 Fe(+2) + 4OH(-). Depending on the environment, additional reactions take place, leading to the observation that most forms of rust are basically 2Fe(+3)3O(-2).xwater; this is a hard material which binds to the unoxidized metal."

"Essentially what has happened overall is the removal of electrons from the iron; that is in chemical terms you have oxidized it. To remove the rust you can reduce it; that is, give the electrons back. These set-ups that you’re working with seem to work, but the exact mechanism isn’t clear. In your case the electrons will move from the anode Fe (i.e. the steel chunk) over to the tank which needs them to convert the Fe(+3) to Fe. The chemical reactions that occur during electrolyis are complicated since both iron oxides and water can be reduced (to hydrogen in the case of water), so specific reactions can’t be written but the appearance of bubbles is usually a sign of hydrogen. The iron from the steel chunks slowly disappears over a period of time as Fe is converted to Fe (+3) and the rust should flake off the cathode as a dusty material which probably has metallic iron mixed in. Make sure your anode (+) has a good connection to your steel chunk."

Links:

Lots of links and videos on this page.

Cleaning the tank. I used a trickle charger for a couple weeks, but it was only 2 amps of power. If I did this again I would get a battery charger and try different settings for a faster process, but I was not in a big hurry. This process works great for removing rust, especially with odd shaped pieces like the pedal cluster and gas tank.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1301.photobucket.com-17072-1438839746.1.jpg)

Here's another shot of the tank:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1301.photobucket.com-17072-1438839746.2.jpg)

I was also able to use electolysis on the pedal cluster. In this case I dumped the cluster into a 5 gallon bucket of water and hooked up the leeds, negative to the pedal and positive to some scrap suspended into the water. Add baking soda and wait, rinse and repeat. Works great.

Maybe I will try some plating which is shown in some of those videos. Anyone have experience with plating or electolysis??