The Revival of a former parts car

[wohnson89]

When I was about eleven or so, I saw my first SVX. My family and I were going out for lunch and when we got to the restaurant we saw this wild red car parked in the parking lot. I immediately thought it was a Ferrari or some kind of exotic. My dad’s eyes lit up when he saw it. He knew the unmistakable lines of the SVX instantly. When, in 1993, my dad went out to buy his first new car it was between a few different cars, the Mazda RX-7 and the Subaru SVX were among these. The SVX got beaten out and he got the RX-7 but he had always liked the car. Of course being a body man’s son I too was interested, but I figured it was one of those cars that I would never be able to afford in my lifetime.

About a year ago, my search for the perfect car for my first car began. I had many criteria that the car had to meet: good looking, okay gas mileage, under budget well equipped (leather, heater, windshield, usual stuff)I made up a list with everything from Ford Broncos to Mitsubishi 3000gt vr4’s, which included the options and years that I wanted. I don’t know why, but my specificity made it hard for me to find a car. (I guess I’m just picky) Often I would ask my dad about a particular car that I found on Craigslist just to find out that it was either sold or he would not be interested in it, and he would just say “something will show up just trust me.”

That summer I was talking to my dad about cars, as we so often do, and he brought up this car that a friend of his had recently become engrossed in. He called it a “Subaru SVX.” I had all but forgotten that SVX that I saw in that restaurant parking lot so many years ago. Once again was intrigued but not quite obsessive. As my search for a car became ever more feverish, I was looking harder and harder to find that “perfect car.” Every time my dad would just say “something will show up just trust me.”

Around august of this year, I was playing with my dads phone and saw that there were some pictures of a SVX on it, in his parking lot. I didn’t know what to think because at first I thought it was his friends SVX but his was green, not black and white. It was a beautiful machine.

Months went by before I heard anything more about that mysterious black and white symbol of vehicular transportation. Then one afternoon, while sitting in the house waiting for the sound of the 5.7L Hemi that powered his Ram to roll into the drive way, I heard something else, something that sounded like nothing we owned, and I looked outside and I saw it. It was the SVX that I had seen on his phone months ago, and it was sitting in the driveway.

I immediately dropped what I was doing and ran outside. Something that I had never felt before overcame me and compelled me to run to it, and fast. It was like when a baby sees a wagon and in dumb struck awe he runs to it. I was so excited. We then surveyed the car then took it to a nearby parking lot so that I could drive it. I was even more in love with it.

My dad had to fill me in on the details of this car. The friend of my dad’s who we bought the car from, picked the car up from a person around the Washington area as a parts car. While under the control of that owner in the Washington area, the transmission blew-up. I think it had something to do with the owner shifting the car into neutral and revving it till it red-lined, and then slamming it into drive to do an all-wheel burnout, but it’s just an idea. When my dad’s friend acquired the car he completely rebuilt the transmission and fixed some other things fully intending on this SVX to be his second SVX but, his other projects forced him to sell the car to my dad. On November 10, 2010, “The Revrend” was moved to my hands. And I became the proud owner of a 1992 Subaru SVX LS-L.

Work continues on the car but so far, “The Revrend” has been completely painted and new wheels and tires are on the way. Many more little things still to come, and this car will be better than showroom quality when done. I love this car and I will NEVER sell it.

Here are some pictures of the car during the process.

^Here is the car when I first got it, faded paint in all its glory.


^This picture was taken after all the dents were taken out and the special colored primer was put on. It matches the main colors to be painted later.


^Right after the car came out of paint, it was buffed to a mirror finish. This is one of the best paint jobs I have ever seen. The white of the car is the original white/ blue pearl, but the black is variance the black on a 1995 Impala SS. The black, in actuality, is a very dark blue.


^You can see the blue of this color on the trunk lid. Those white specks are stray particles of buffing compound.




^As of today, all the buffing is done and assembly has been started. I found some TSW Malory's on Discount Tire Direct here http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...w=7&vid=006494 that I am going mount to replace the stock rims. There are still all of the little things to do before it is ready, but I can’t wait to drive it!

[Sean486]

What a great story. Nice job!!

[Blacky]

It's going to be gorgeous! Nice rims too.
They have an offset of 40, stock is 55. They should work without rubbing in the rear but by chance are they available in a higher offset.
I have a set of Mustang rims with I think 38 offset and they rubbed a tiny bit before I rolled the rim of the rear fenders.

P.S. Don't forget to order hubcentric rings and lug nuts. The stock lugs won't work with most aftermarket rims.

[svxfiles]

wohnson89,
Welcome to "The Family".

[wohnson89]

Originally Posted by Blacky

It's going to be gorgeous! Nice rims too.
They have an offset of 40, stock is 55. They should work without rubbing in the rear but by chance are they available in a higher offset.
I have a set of Mustang rims with I think 38 offset and they rubbed a tiny bit before I rolled the rim of the rear fenders.

P.S. Don't forget to order hubcentric rings and lug nuts. The stock lugs won't work with most aftermarket rims.

If I order before the 31st I can get $100 off instantly, also the hubcentric rings and lugs come with the order.

Originally Posted by svxfiles

wohnson89,
Welcome to "The Family".

And a fine howdy-do to you too!

Well, my car now has its bumpers all on and the interior will be going on this next week. my headlights have been resurfaced, and the black trim around them is now painted the same as the black on the car. The Revrend is looking spiffy.

p.s. I have some videos up on you tube that give some better views of my car. http://www.youtube.com/user/wjohnson111094

[michael]

Nice paint job man! I'd like to see it with black mirrors and a thin red or silver pinstripe going around the whole thing just below the black. Just a thought

[Sean486]

I'm not sure I like the black fender tops, but that comes down to personal preference [I always prefer the factory look]. Over all I love to see your SVX getting this much love and I can tell it is going to turn out very nicely.

I am looking forward to seeing some pictures of it put back together and buffed.

[wohnson89]

Originally Posted by michael

Nice paint job man! I'd like to see it with black mirrors and a thin red or silver pinstripe going around the whole thing just below the black. Just a thought

I wish I could but a pinstripe just doesn't look good when it is between the white and a black belt molding!

Originally Posted by Sean486

I'm not sure I like the black fender tops, but that comes down to personal preference [I always prefer the factory look]. Over all I love to see your SVX getting this much love and I can tell it is going to turn out very nicely.

I am looking forward to seeing some pictures of it put back together and buffed.

The SVX is all buffed and it is in assembly right now. This car will be all factory except for the wheels and the black paint, and I have to say despite not being factory, it look pretty good. When it gets all done I'll have my brother, who is a photographer, take some pics of it.

[wohnson89]

I hate Double posts but here I go.

My car is now all assembled and in the process of getting the interior repaired (The driver seat was jacked up to say the least) and as soon as I get some shoes for him I can let him breath for the first time in at least 4 months.

Here is a video of the outside of the car, all is now assembled but only the exterior was assembled at the time of this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85EzcNMLoRE

[Sean486]

Wow, the paint looks great, and your headlights are so clear too. It's a beauty.

[wohnson89]

Originally Posted by Sean486

Wow, the paint looks great, and your headlights are so clear too. It's a beauty.

My dad thinks it should be illegal for cars to have plastic headlights because of the yellowing. That is why most of my family's cars have glass headlights except his ram, a Hyundai, and my SVX. But since most cars nowadays have plastic, he has had to develop new techniques. Except the side-marker light, they are the original lights (as far as I know). Also the black trim around the lights is the same color as the black on the car.

[Subix]

I'll 2nd the great story... that was a nice read. Funny I had seen your video a few days before seeing this thread.... you're lucky to have such a beautiful SVX! I was never a fan of white but after seeing Nate's late last year, I'm lust struck on eventually getting one.

Looking forward to some more videos

[92 SVX]

I got to agree that turned out very nice, I too am unsure what to think of the hood and the front fender tops being black but it does look nice.

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by 92 SVX

I got to agree that turned out very nice, I too am unsure what to think of the hood and the front fender tops being black but it does look nice.

I too agree that a true two tone Pearlie looks nice.
That is why we painted The Racer with that paint job about a year and a half ago.
That is why I had made a deal with Jerry to paint my New Pearlie that way a LOONG time ago.


It is with mixed feelings that I admit this.


There is a guy in Cumberland that wants to paint HIS SVX this way, and maybey I have "cautioned hm not too.
Sorry Freeman...

[wohnson89]

Originally Posted by svxfiles

I too agree that a true two tone Pearlie looks nice.
That is why we painted The Racer with that paint job about a year and a half ago.
That is why I had made a deal with Jerry to paint my New Pearlie that way a LOONG time ago.


It is with mixed feelings that I admit this.


There is a guy in Cumberland that wants to paint HIS SVX this way, and maybey I have "cautioned hm not too.
Sorry Freeman...

When I my dad and I finally decided to give it a "real" two tone I still had a little hesitation, but when I saw it in the color coordinated primer go on, I was utterly convinced, and when I saw it all assembled with the paint that way, I began to wonder why Subaru didn't paint them that way in the first place.

Originally Posted by 92 SVX

I got to agree that turned out very nice, I too am unsure what to think of the hood and the front fender tops being black but it does look nice.

Once you go black you don't go back....

Originally Posted by Subix

I'll 2nd the great story... that was a nice read. Funny I had seen your video a few days before seeing this thread.... you're lucky to have such a beautiful SVX! I was never a fan of white but after seeing Nate's late last year, I'm lust struck on eventually getting one.

Looking forward to some more videos

I still think that the black and white is the best color on an SVX, just my opinion.