My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Well, as a couple of you may know by now, I went and picked up a 94 Laguna Blue FWD L model on Saturday from Minnesota. This was a car that the transmission went out and the owner was thinking of possibly parting it out. I could not let that happen and decided to start making plans and get money together to go make the 750 mile round trip to go pick it up. Upon arriving I was disappointed to see that there was a lot more rust on the car than what I was told and that there was no battery so I could not even tell how the engine ran. Then came more and more frustration as the car would not shift out of park but after a few hours in near 0F degree cold, I finally figured out a way to get the car up onto the trailer and secured. Then had a very quick drive home partly due to frustration and just wanting to get back home quickly. (350 mile trip in just a hair over 5 hours that included a traffic jam in Minneapolis)

At this point, just not in a good mood and wondering if the damn thing would even run, much less even be worth the effort of fixing up. But then came Sunday morning and I was quick to go and take another look now that I had time to relax and think about it. The rust in the doors is horrible but those can be replaced rather easily if I can find some, and the rust in the quarter panels was not as bad as what I thought upon first impression. The interior is clean, and for the most part the paint is in good shape and just could use a couple of body parts replaced but nothing horrible. Next came throwing a battery in for the ultimate test to see what I was dealing with... Wow, was I happily surprised and excited:D After hearing my engine for the entire ownership have a slight rod knock and having a slightly rattling resonater, it was an amazing feeling to hear that EG33 start right up and just run ohh soo smoothly and the car just seemed to come to life. At this point I realized that the previous day ultimately will be worth all of the troubles I had. So, I will be slowly fixing this up and about a 85% chance that I will sell it again after things are taken care of and I have driven it enough to feel comfortable selling it to a new owner.

But anyway, sorry for the long post, but here are some pics-not great shape but there is potential...

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._2911876_n.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._4966662_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs173...._5350455_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs173...._1262448_n.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._2114570_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs193...._3026310_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs193...._3945093_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs173...._8063510_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs193...._6757802_n.jpg

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Good on ya, man!

Thanks for keeping another one on the road... Laguna blues deserve to be saved.

As Malcolm Reynolds (from the TV show Firefly) said: "we are too pretty for God to let us die."

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Good save! I also am tring to save one 92silver/black. I was able to start mine before puchase, needs tranny hoping pullnsave will provide, SVX's are awesome......G

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Well said! ;)

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

don't use a stock SVX trans... spend the little extra and the little extra work to swap in 4.44's. If you don't, you will be kicking youself later on;)

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Thanks Nate, am planning on the 444 swap, no SVX's in the jy around here but sometimes outbacks do show up thats my plan....................G

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Alright, I'm planning on swapping the transmission this weekend and the good trans has a blown diff so I need to swap the diff from the trans currently in the car. I knew I had found a thread or how-to on how to switch out the ring and pinion gear on the front diff and now can't seem to find it when i finally need it. Can someone point me in the right direction? The thread/how-to I'm thinking of had pictures as well as info.

Thanks in advance:)

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Good luck! Glad you were able to get a trans to hopefully get this back on the road :lol:;) I just remember reading that swaping the diff etc requires making sure everything is swapped over. Otherwise it can have problems arise. One of the toms should be able to chime in.

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Yeah, I know that the ring and pinion are a matching set and so you have to swap both parts over or else if you only do one or the other, they basically will chew each other apart.:eek: I just remember searching one day for random stuff and seeing a detailed description of what to do that also had pics. Like i said, of course when I actually need it, I can't find it anywhere:confused:

btw, thanks for the trans:D

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Nice purchase! Good to see another one saved. Wheels on backwards. :)

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

That is the worst door rot I have ever seen! Good job for keeping it running!

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Anyone? I'm going out to work on it tomorrow. I seriously can't find that thread anywhere...

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Think I found all the info I needed.
Hopefully have a running and driving somewhat lower mileage laguna after this weekend. Will try to get some undercarriage shots to show that underneath its amazingly clean after seeing the body Also will get some interior pics as it is also in quite nice shape with exception of a tear/hole in the drivers side seat bolster. Might also take the side garnish pieces off so they don't randomly fall off somewhere and take pics of the doors that will truly show how nasty they are. What you see with the side garnish pieces on is nothing...:(

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Alright, so it turns out the replacement transmission I got with a blown front diff ended up actually having a sheered Reduction gear in the tailhousing. So, I am looking for a little help as to how to get the gears off to be replaced. Obviously the gear on the end of the pinion shaft falls off when you remove the pinion shaft itself. I'm having a problem how to figure out how to get the actual reduction gear off though. There is a bearing on it that I heard could be pressed on and I need a transmission bearing puller to get that off. Now I'm wondering if after that comes off, does the gear just slide off or will i have to find another type of puller of some sort for that as well?
here are some pics of the sheered gear as well as the good one. The gear I'm having trouble figuring out is the one that is in the center and not the one thats lower and to the slight right.

sheered reduction gear
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._7142930_n.jpg
again
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._3913588_n.jpg
again
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._7480524_n.jpg
good reduction gear and pinion shaft gear
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._1326447_n.jpg
good
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs449...._1094752_n.jpg

Re: My New Spring/Summer Project
 

Damn misdiagnoses. Atleast you can fix it! :lol::lol::lol::lol:
Sorry about the bad trans :(