Lifted bugeye wagon aka "foretza"

[Jamie_stafford]

Hi, I thought I better start a build thread as I haven't left the poor thing alone since I got it! It started life as a humble 2.0 gx sport auto with lpg and OAP spec rub strips, I am aiming to have a cheap to run daily that I can blast down mild green lanes so some extra grand clearance is a must, so I have fitted forester s-turbo struts and wheels, it began with 195 60 15 and now has 215 60 16, all together I think I am around a 3in lift at the moment. 

This is how it started 

And as it sits with the forester parts

I am hoping to get some skid plates and tube work sorted soon as well as more lift. 

[Jay762]

Pinned for convenience

[Jamie_stafford]

A little update, the rear of the car is sitting a little low compared to the front with a 2" wheel arch gap difference, so I've made some 2" strut top spacers. They need a little clean up because freehand with a plasma cutter is quite hard to get smooth, then it's just getting time to fit them! 

[stants]

Nice !

I'd get a few sets made up sell them as there's always people looking for lift/saggy butt spacers, the only places that really seem to do them are in the states

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[Jamie_stafford]

I will get these sorted with the extra bolts and make sure there are no issues then I might make some if anyone wants them 

[Jamie_stafford]

I had a little test/play and the suspension travel isn't bad, so I have now removed the front arb and have gained an extra 70mm wheel travel on the front, I can now lift a front wheel 480mm off the ground before another wheel lifts, these pics are before the arb removal 

[Gambit]

Some nice hight . @Gaulson see you could have done this to your scoob if you hadn't sold it 

[Jamie_stafford]

Well the spacers are not quite done yet because I got a bit distracted by an old fold out sofa bed a friend of mine was throwing out, and I won't let anything go to waste, so I made it into a roof rack/tray, hoping to have the spare wheel, high lift Jack and waffle bords on there soon

So I started with one of these

Cut it up to make this

Added a few more parts I found around the workshop and added a couple of lights 

Added a top rail

some primer and matte black plasti coat and it's fitted

 

[Jamie_stafford]

Now time to get on with those spacers 

[Gambit]

Haha nothing going to waste like it 

[Jamie_stafford]

So the spacers are finally done after a re design (previous type had bolt access issues) but me being a bit thick forgot to weld the top bolts in before painting them 

 

[Mr B]

like the roof-rack, that turned out good.
I done strut spacers a few times, works quite well, rear ideally needs camber offset built in the spacer or get some camber bolts for the upper strut to hub hole..
Looks like a nice versatile this foretza :-)

[Jamie_stafford]

Thank you, ive got some camber bolts on the way so should have these fitted quite soon, the roof rack is back off for the moment as it killed my fuel consumption! Should have a new job starting a bit closer to home then it will go back on

[Jamie_stafford]

Fitted the spacers today! Very happy with the result, just need to make some trailing arm mount spacers now to get the wheel back to the centre of the arch, just need to find a standard one or better a lowered one for comparison pics 

[Jamie_stafford]

With the rear sat where I wanted it I ordered some all terrain tyres, had them fitted onto my wheels but the rears won't fit until I get the rear trailing arm spacers on as they hit the back of the sills pretty hard, as I had all 3 of the tyres I've had fitted together I had to get a pic, these are the original 195/60/15 to the forester 215/60/15 then to the new 215/65/16 all terrains, 

[Jamie_stafford]

I have fitted the rear trailing arm brackets, made them 52mm and it has worked perfectly, had to grind a bit of the spring perch on the rears as there was loads of tyre scrub witch means the tyres are sitting taller than a normal 215 65 16, I did expect them to be a little taller as they are remoulds, 

I will have to measure my ground  clearance as the pictures really don't show just how high it is! 

Here they are fitted

[Gambit]

Can definitely tell it's higher but I guess until you see it next to another blobeye the pictures don't do it justice 

[Jamie_stafford]

Just need to find one now, I measured the clearance under my rear diff, 11.5 inches! And that's with a boot full of works stuff and tools. 

[Jamie_stafford]

I have finally found a sport wagon for comparison pics! 

[Mr B]

do the tyres rub at all ?

is indeed a foretza . lol

reminds me a bit of the oz impreza version wagon

[Jamie_stafford]

A small amount on the front on full lock and nothing on the back, that is with no arch trimming, All working very good so far

[Gaulson]

You are right @Gambit i should have done this to mine. I miss the power!

[Jamie_stafford]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Jc286QdV5WT9S91k1

[Jamie_stafford]

Been away for a while, with a new addition to the family I've been pretty busy but still been getting some bits on the subaru done, and still figuring out tap talk!

Cut quite a lot out of the front bumper, added a custom skid plate I made at work, and it's just passed mot which I am very happy about!

Some pics of how it looks now and comparing it to my buddy's wrx ppp

 

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[Mr B]

making a forester look like weak sauce lol .

skid plate fits well with trimmed bumper .