Project: Orange Crusher

rayaapp2 · January 15, 2017

ASE_MAT's old car.

I purchased this car in mid 2012 from Mr Banks. Having been around this car since 2002 I had grown attached to it despite its known flaws(mainly rust).

In ASE_MAT's Driveway for the last time after sitting on the side for over a year.

But its me so Im gonna drive this thing home right?.... YEP!

So its, clean and set SU carbs back up, replace fuel lines, check coolant system, check lights, bleed brakes, bleed clutch, and break drums free from sitting!

Well, I got it home safe and sound, and kept going. It got a good cleaning to remove the oxidation.

3 shades of Orange shining through.

And then one cold rainy Dec day came around and I got caught out driving in it.

This guy had hydroplaned across from the far left lane to hit me and spin me 180, I got it stabilized in reverse, using the clutch in 5th with braking to attempt to stop... I was traveling 50mph in the slow lane, visibility dropped significantly, I saw him about 6' before he slid into me through the wheel spray. The rain let up just a few min later for me to take these photos as the ambulance arrived to check the other guy and his 4year old in the back.

I got hit off to the left in the above picture, half way between the edge and the guy in the black rain coat... where the large water basin is.

It was time to recover the car the next day.

I rented a trailer and strapped it down as best as I could.

After Getting it home, I installed a new clip on it.

But After reviewing the costs of now finishing the clip up by painting, then replacing the dog panels, replacing the hatch, replacing the floor pans, and hatch sill, it was time to call it. It was time for a new chassis with my budget, and to pass the torch on to someone else that wanted this one.

I sold the shell welded up with no suspension, no interior, no drive train, and not much else for $400. The guy already had a beat up wrecked 240z, so I was fairly confident that it would be used as a builder. It was a mixed decision for me, but I am determined to transfer all the components to a nice shell and rebuild the Orange Crusher.

Clean this thing up a bit

After some digging I came up with this Shell for $1800

Its a complete 73, with a nice interior, no sun roof, and straight body...

There are some small signs of rust... but I was planning on painting it orange, man I was in for much more than I thought.

Cleaning all the crap off the bottom is always fun

Fitting The Crushers panels

And one Fairlady Grill

I discovered a Datsun 8track and EQ

I also pulled the trigger on some TWM TBS

And an LD28 pan

You can probably see Dereks crank trigger stuff and his block off plate for the distributor. And the TWM TB's installed. Im going to need a nice cold air box with horns I think. My header could use some help, I dont want to change it, but its not replaceable unless I have Troy Ermish copy it and spend several grand... which would make me question if I want to keep it at all or if there was something better... So I dont know where I am going with that. I do have ARP head studs, fresh bearings, and the aluminum bar stock drilled oil bar. There are some old Schneider valve springs in this engine as well. Kameari head gasket. But it is questionable if this will be it. Im seriously tempted to open it back up, put some flat top pistons inside this, get a nice cam, port the head, and max grind the crankshaft. We shall see where it goes.

And then the car waited its turn for a year....

Are you ready? What have I gotten myself into? Out of the frying pan into the fire... sigh

Oh yeah,

Off to the Watsonville Shop where Eric Crafton will work his hand crafted tig metal skilled magic!

Safe and Sound.

I sprung for an '05 Subaru WRX STI R180 CLSD rear end.

John Williams Stub axles

A very nice writeup on it here: CLICKY

Subaru Says the Spring Clips are 28033PA070 and Ive ordered them, but havent confirmed fitment yet.

I have absolutely failed at my suspension documentation. The Maxima rear brakes, Toyota 4 piston calipers, Cleaned and painted control arms, and related bolt on suspension components, the differential, the axles with fresh new U joints, and everything else Ive put under this car. I will be going to watsonville(250miles from where I live) and installing the hopefully correct spring clips for Johns stub axle conversion. Ill make sure and actually take pictures.