Just wanted to say hi. Just bought a 360 van. I was a little hesitant at posting because my intentions with this van are to build a radical custom with a new drivetrain. Now, I believe most will consider this a parts van and too far gone to restore and I believe that to be that case, which is why I'm thinking about building the custom. I would never butcher a good restoration candidate for this project. My thoughts are to either put a modified VW drivetrain in it or go with a chain drive dif and water cooled motorcycle motor. Before I get into any drivetrain changes I'm going to try and tackle the rust issues to see if this is truly too far gone to fix. Either way, at some point I will have parts available. Again, my intention wasn't to ruffle feathers with this project, just to introduce myself.

Pictures please or they don't exist !

Good luck and keep us updated.

Be sure to save any extra parts. They will be of use to most of us who are rebuilding rather than kustomizing. Good luck with your project !!

Whatever way you go, you are welcome here. My sedan was really badly rusted but it is back on the road now and I'm sure most guys would not have tried to save it.

Thanks for the welcome. As I said in my intro, I don't want to step on any toes here as I know most are not into customizing these and I totally understand. Here is a pic of it on the trailer when I picked it up.
I will most defiantly offer any parts up here first when I get to that point.

Hi from down under - and yes, I'm an originality sort of chap, but I also respect a well-done customisation
(especially when there is little chance of the body being restored to original).

Just don't claim it's "the fastest Subaru 360 in the World" and we'll all get on like a house on fire!



Seriously, you shouldn't worry what others say - do what you want to do.
I always say "we are but "temporary custodians" of these little beauties ....

Welcome to the Club!

It's your Subaru so it's your choice of what to do with it! Custom, go for it! Stock, go for it! Many members have brought back some complete rust buckets while others have chosen to let out their secret artist. Good luck and keep us posted.

Welcome to the club....I'm not a custom guy .... save the parts for the people who are trying to put some back on the road.. Carry on with your dream.....

Welcome to The Club!
In 1979 I sold the body shell of a van that I had stripped
for spare parts to a guy who made it s dragster with a
Chevy 409 engine behind his driver's seat. So you will
have to beat that to have the fastest 360 van.

I used some of the parts on my good van which I drove
every day for 40 years and 2 months, it is now owned
by a Club life member who still drives it every day.

Good luck on your project!

Ed

Welcome to the club. I'm more of a restore guy, but I'm a car enthusiast. If it has wheels and a motor I'm in. I'm still kicking around an idea of boxer 4 mid engine 360 sedan. I've been kicking it around so long my feet hurt. lol I just need a few months of time and an acre under roof. I'd get some projects done. I just spent most of today working on a shelf with my daughter. It's an heirloom project. The walnut we're using was cut from the family farm I grew up on. My dad brother and I cut it and had it milled. Then had it kiln dried. It's been boards longer than my daughter has been alive. We're also using several of dad's tools in the process. I inherited the tools and the wood after we sold the family farm. I know dad is looking down on us smiling. Many times my projects get pushed to the edges of the garage. This is just one of them. She'll be going off to college next fall so we have to get it done. It's fun watching her work, I could get it done faster but somethings you just have to learn.

Daughters get older and farther away... you can miss things. The Subie will always be sitting in the corner awaiting your next visit - heck, mine's been waiting almost 40 years!

Thanks for the warm welcome! The shelf project sounds like beautiful project to undertake!

I'm sure I'll have questions depending on how far from stock I will go. What ever I do I'm going to try to keep as much 360 as I can and as far as competing with that 409 powered version I have a 468 powered big block biscayne that I can turn to for speed!

That would likely be a new record for engine swaps!

Ed

Welcome to the club and build your dream what ever it may be
Remember it is your van not theirs

I live in moorhead m.n. and i picked up car in the same shape as your van. Mine is completely disassembled and in boxes! Now to figure out how to put it together!