Murphy's Project RS

User avatar
sdwarf36
Posts: 822
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2004 6:06 pm

Re: Murphy's Project RS

Post by sdwarf36 »

I'd be concerned about the front bumper-not about being too weak-but being too strong.
I'll fill you in on my mistake from my younger days-I had a Datsun 510 wagon that was my pretend rally car I used to hammer around the dirt roads with. I had aquired a piece of 3" pipe I made into a bumper-because it looked "tough". Flying down a dirt road one day things went wrong. The rf corner went into a very large rock. The rock held its ground-the bumper was undamaged-but the car was destroyed. :(
Moral of the story : something has gotta give. In my case, the Datsun was weaker than the bumper. Which is the point I'm getting at-what does that bumper attach too? Did Subaru plan on the bumper taking the 1st 10mph of impact while saving the car-and the crumple zone the next 20 mph? It would suck if a minor off with impact kinks a wheelwell-or moves a suspension pick up point-and a $25 piece of pipe comes thru unscathed.
Translating road racing to hillclimbing:
Proper tire selection== nothing hooks up on moss or wet leaves.
Staying on the racing line==anything paved is considered good.
Terry.Murphy
Posts: 46
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 2:51 pm
AntiSpam: No
Location: Belmont, NH

Murphy's Project RS

Post by Terry.Murphy »

I get what you mean. The old bumper beam was very sturdy but made of thin steel and much larger. It attaches to the original mounting points, which are into the front rails. I hadn't even thought about that, and to be honest, if the car has a minor off and gets totaled badly ill just hope to find an impreza shell laying around. There are certainly enough in this area!
2010 Subaru Forester DD
1996 Legacy Outback Wagon - Winter Beater
2001 Impreza RS - Project Autox/Hillclimb/Track Car
User avatar
Mopar 151
Posts: 470
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 1:03 am

Re: Murphy's Project RS

Post by Mopar 151 »

My suggestion, as a UJE (Uncertified Junkyard Engineer) - drill a 1/2" hole in the back side of the tube, just outboard of the brackets. This will create a fold point, to fail before the car structure. Welding an A&A tab on the front side of the tube, to poke through a slit through the bumper cover, will give you a place to put a shackle for a tow/tiedown hook.
John and Michelle Reed
KSCC Life Member
NEHA # 151
Terry.Murphy
Posts: 46
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 2:51 pm
AntiSpam: No
Location: Belmont, NH

Murphy's Project RS

Post by Terry.Murphy »

Thanks for the suggestions John and Sherman, I went with the half inch holes! It makes a lot of sense and I am glad I made a post about it before I finished it up!

Here is a quick update: got the car painted this week, we did all the prep to it and just had the single stage flat sprayed by chassis masters this week. My second set of race tires came in. Going with 275/35-15 A6s for autocross and potentially hills, 245/45-16 hankook z214 in c51 compound for tracks and hills and I'll run my KDW2's for rain tires. All that is left for the season is to fix a leak at my oil pressure sender, a breeze through to tighten everything up, and a serious interior clean! I look forward to seeing everyone at Ascutney in May.

New paint pics:
Image
ImageImage
Image
2010 Subaru Forester DD
1996 Legacy Outback Wagon - Winter Beater
2001 Impreza RS - Project Autox/Hillclimb/Track Car
Post Reply