DieselMontes BarnFind Subaru Justy

[DieselMonte]

This is my new to me 1992 Subaru Justy.

It's a 1l Carbureted version and while most were 4wd, this one is front wheel drive.

It is a one owner car with 37000 miles, bought new from my work in 1992. 

Has been sat in a barn since 2010, started up and drove back to my work. Very stale fuel in it but it runs and drives well considering.

Interiors like new inside

Engine bays dirty but original.

Original Spare tyre even

Did sit outside for about a week before I could get it home, happily seems pretty watertight.

Up on the lift before I got it home, solid underneath and the mid section of the exhaust is brand new. 

The weather turned ****e so it went into the garage later.

Not long after I took this pic, I took a quick trip to roscommon to pick up a powerflow (stainless) backbox for this, the backbox is actually solid but the tailpipe looks a bit crumbly.

All I have done to it so far is put a new battery in it. 

Have Ordered/Got:

-Fuel Filter

-Oil and Filter

-Air Filter

-Backbox

Definitely needs tyres as these are ancient Michelins, 145R12, no profile on them. Original fit michelins can still be got but they're 90 euro each plus fitting.

Probably get something a bit less than that.

So far as I can tell, everything works as it should. Even the original radio works.

This won't take much to get it good for the road, If I'm less than a grand into it at the end, I'll be happy.

[KenONeill]

22 minutes ago, DieselMonte said:

these are ancient Michelins, 145R12, no profile on them

Which means 145(/80)R12.

[DieselMonte]

3 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

Which means 145(/80)R12.

Figures, strange for me to see it though.

That does help me somewhat in narrowing down what tyres to get, so thank you!

The majority of my experience working on cars has been through diesel fabias so this will certainly be a learning experience!

[skomaz]

So will the manual choke 

[DieselMonte]

27 minutes ago, skomaz said:

So will the manual choke 

Funny thing, the choke on this will ""cancel"" itself once the engine starts to warm up

According to the owners manual, that feature is exclusive to UK spec cars (including ireland) 

[nige8021]

The camshaft drive if belt driven would also be top of the list to be replaced ?

[DieselMonte]

1 minute ago, nige8021 said:

The camshaft drive if belt driven would also be top of the list to be replaced ?

I *think* it's chain driven

Will check tomorrow

[nige8021]

@DieselMonte looks like it is a belt https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/timing-belt-set-10505/subaru/justy/justy-i-kad/4409-1000 

[KenONeill]

8 hours ago, DieselMonte said:

that feature is exclusive to UK spec cars

s/UK/Ingurlundshire according to the scan of the manual.

[VanhireBoys]

What a find DM - And just ripe for the €56 tax as well!! 

 

Well done !! 👍

[J.R.]

I am far more jealous of you with that than anyone buying a new SUV app connected tea tray for a dashboard driver aid system filled Bag 'O' Shoîte.

 

Amazing to think that it would otherwise have gone to scrap, in my first 2 decades of driving I would be fighting off other buyers offering more than the asking price and having to up the offer several times to bag something so sought after (back then) as that.

 

That era was the pinnacle of vehicle simplicity and reliability and the Japanese at the top of the pile and at the top of their game, so rare to find a protected example, it should be worth more than any classic barn find, its something that you can use straight away with minimal preventative maintenance and drive for decades.

 

I would have it in a heartbeat.

[Gaz]

I'm with VHB & JR - cracking little find 👍

 

We had the luck of the devil once with a 1980 Toyota Starlet (RWD version 1.2GL).  Wifey didn't even want to go and look at it, but conceded.  We bought it on the spot and paid over the odds without hesitation, because it was in showroom condition and I couldn't fault it.  Served us well for many years 😎

 

This one reminds me fondly of our Smarty orange Starlet.

 

Gaz 

[DieselMonte]

6 hours ago, VanhireBoys said:

What a find DM - And just ripe for the €56 tax as well!! 

 

Well done !! 👍

Just turned 30 too, registered 1st of October 1992.

 

I'm really pleased to have got it especially considering it can still move under its own steam even after all this time lying up.

21 hours ago, nige8021 said:

@DieselMonte looks like it is a belt https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/timing-belt-set-10505/subaru/justy/justy-i-kad/4409-1000 

You're right and I was completely wrong, took off the cover and it's got a rather old looking belt so it will need changing. Seemingly it's non interference atleast, and a very easy job to DIY.

 

Anyhow, did a bit to it today, 

Firstly a pic of the "new" backbox

I took it out and gave it it's first wash in ages, bit grimy but not bad at all

 

With that done I took the plugs out for a look. I can't tell much from them other than they're old. Will get new ones.

Gave the carb a few hits of carb cleaner, did clean off some Gunk but not all of it

Dropped the fuel filter to change it

New one looks slightly different but should work fine.

Old filter seems to have caught some Rust from the tank.

Seemingly no bung on the tank so draining the old fuel through the feed to the filter. Which will take a while.

Easy access atleast, this sits high enough that I didn't need to lift the car at all to get at it.

As a last thing I tried buffing half the bonnet to see how it would come up. 

Looks like it'll come up well.

 

 

Edited 16 October, 2022 by DieselMonte

[skomaz]

Absolute cracking find and it looks like it'll come up well...

[J.R.]

I like polishing old faded red paintwork, it always comes up so much better but faded from the original, it gives it a hue and a patina that cannot be replicated with new paintwork.

 

That engine started after about 3 cranks and on 12 year old petrol and plugs!

[J.R.]

You want to to flat the paint through to the bare metal on various high spots then go up through the wet n dry grades finishing with fine compound then clear coat over those areas.

 

After waxing it will then look like a vehicle that has been cherished by its elderly owner and polished so often at weekends that he has gone through the paint!

 

A few decades ago that was a sign of a superbly reliable vehicle in tip-top condition.

 

Adding patina!

 

Oh and dont forget the tartan rug over the rear seat!

Edited 17 October, 2022 by J.R.

[DieselMonte]

Jacked it up on one corner to get as much as I could out.

Fresh fuel and New filter in

Ran for a bit and looks like it's running clear fuel through the filter. 

Couldn't get every drop out but as much as I could.

Ordered spark plugs which should be here tomorrow. 

Seemingly a place not too far from me does 145/12 tyres for 50 a corner.

Should be OK for the driving this will see.

[Warrior193]

On 16/10/2022 at 22:14, J.R. said:

I like polishing old faded red paintwork, it always comes up so much better but faded from the original, it gives it a hue and a patina that cannot be replicated with new paintwork.

 

That engine started after about 3 cranks and on 12 year old petrol and plugs!

Incredible how well that engine sounds, given how long it hasn't run. 

[J.R.]

I bought a Honda GX50 (I think) engine for a cement mixer I bought cheap without motive power. Its the tiny light high revving one that they use on backpack mounted strimmers.

 

Made in the Honda factory in Thailand, inititally I thought it was an empty box as it was so light.

 

I fitted it and was pleased to find that it was indeed the one intended for the machine, the pinion for the toothed drive belt fitted the shaft and the motor mounting holes lined up.

 

I put some old stale fuel in it (all that I had) and very slowly pulled the starter for less than one revolution just to ensure that it had compression and to draw some fuel through, I did not expect it to fire up let alone settle to a smooth idle and sound like a sewing machine.

Edited 18 October, 2022 by J.R.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Didn't realise you'd made a thread for this. Brilliant work so far, DM.

[DieselMonte]

42 minutes ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

Didn't realise you'd made a thread for this. Brilliant work so far, DM.

Cracking away at it while I get stuff sorted with the mk1(s)

Still haven't gotten a logbook for the vrs so just gonna put it aside for the moment.

[DieselMonte]

New spark plugs put in, they made a noticeable difference.

 

Revs a lot more freely now, still a bit stumbly under 2000 rpm when you're driving it however. Clears up above that.

 

Sounds quite nice with an open intake.

Only Like this because the air filter I ordered has still not arrived.

Got the wheels off it to get tyres on.

Pretty good shape underneath considering.

And you can see why I needed new tyres. All of them were like this

And one was like this

Got some ditchfinders fitted for 50 euro a corner.

All the driving this will see, they should be fine. 

[DieselMonte]

Too many photos to put in one post but I've finished polishing the paint, wasn't glazed or waxed in that photo, so might come out a bit glossier when I'm actually finished.

And I used trim restore on the bumpers, 

Didn't get a good before/after shot like I did the bonnet, so I did one on the boot trim.

Took the plates off for probably the first time, as evidenced by the imprint of the numbers behind them.

Not sure whether I'll keep the old plates or maybe get new metal ones. Might put a jap/square plate on the front as it seems one might fit it better than the original one

[KenONeill]

34 minutes ago, DieselMonte said:

 

Revs a lot more freely now, still a bit stumbly under 2000 rpm when you're driving it however. Clears up above that

Maybe needs an Italian tune up?

[skomaz]

Thought you might have given the wheels a quick clean up and spray before getting the tyres fitted but looks like you didn't have time. 

 

Looking good though.