Cheers- glad to hear it might go down well here.
Yes - luckily the shift pattern with the subaru transmission, even though turned 180 degrees from its usual position, happens to work out spot on - just a standard 5 speed pattern, reverse below 5th. This was just shear luck more than anything.
Here's my latest update I have only just finished typing up - I have not updated the build thread on oldschool for over 5 months! I'll just copy and paste in the updates here. As above - if anyone wants to read the full project the link is in my first post
Well there goes 5 months.
Ha.
I've been too busy doing the summer things, entertaining guests, lots of cycling, loads of swimming and some hiking.
But I have still been whittling away on this engine. I'd love to have done more but like I think I said in a previous post - I only really want to do it when I can properly relax and enjoy the process. Plus summer has continued on quite nicely here - it's really only just become late summer
However there has been a few chilly evenings and some decent rain had recently which makes for perfect tinkering time.
So where I left off was some water pipe work. I needed to build some pipes to get the cold water into the heads. The original goldwing water pump used to reside about the middle of the engine at the front (now the back..) and feed straight out into a rubber hose that split the flow equally up into the heads. But I'm now bringing the water from the front mounted radiator, via the electric pump, along the side of the engine and up into the heads. I'm going to use the original steel pipes that go into the heads.
I chopped the bends off the ends of the old hose, fitted them onto some stainless tube like this..
Now I needed to feed that pipe evenly. I cut a hole in it and squeezed the end of a stainless elbow to suit..
Mitred the end to suit..
Welded it in place..
Then continued the pipe work so it made its way around the block. I've kept it tucked away so its not out on view too much when looking into the engine bay- for a cleaner look. I'll continue the rest of the pipework later on and brace it off a mount further back. Possibly add a little heat shield where it runs close to the exhaust headers although I don't really think the water will absorb up much heat from them. But just in case..
While I was doing the summer things I had some bits turn up from China. Some nice connectors for the engine loom. My hope is to have a setup that really easily connects with just a couple of main plugs. Time will tell on that but these will certainly help.
Another parcel - more goodies..
Yay. I can continue on with the exhaust work. I need to form some 3 into 1 collectors to suit. But I need a press.
Then a customers job that was in also needed a press. A Hiace van in which I was rebuilding the front suspension and new bushes had to be pressed into place. So I built a press. We had plenty of steel in the rack left over from customers jobs and an old 12 ton bottle jack so the only thing I had to buy was a pair of springs. I made the press nice and tall to suit my height and allow for long jobs in the future.
Press in action on hiace arms..
I painted it a nice grey.
I machined up a stub and a couple of different ends to suit. Over time I'll be sure to accumulate many different bits to use.
Now I've been using it I wish I'd built one ages ago!!!
So back to the exhaust. I made a form with some pipe offcuts. 3 into 1.
It worked but I just felt the angle was to sharp a transition.
Version two, on the right, next to version one...
Worked well but getting near the end of the forming it started to collapse...
This surprised me. I was expecting the stainless tube to split. The form deformed so much that I couldn't get the last bit of flare I needed.
Roll on version three...
This one I reinforced..
It worked a treat. Much better..
Back into the press and I applied some heat and hit it with a hammer...
Which created this...
Now to fuse these collectors onto the headers. I filled in the middle hole between the tubes with a teeny little triangle of stainless. Then with more little triangles I filled up the gaps where I couldnt get the collectors formed close enough.
That's where I'm at now. I added the filling triangles to both headers and will carefully flap disc them neatly so they match the collectors as well as I can so making for an easier time welding. I know the welding wont be flash. Functional - not artisan.. but I'll just be happy to get to that point because its like a big part of the build to check off.
I promise I shall do my best to get more time in on this build from now on.
however - I do have this shiny Scott CR1 road frame that I've just painted to build up and ride before winter turns up...
Alex
. Love these builds which any normal person would roll their eyes and tell you to just buy a 996 
