With less than three weeks until the Cherokee Trails International Rally we've discovered two problems, one new one and one old one that has returned. The new is that we've determined that the steering rack is shot, as a result of the impact it took in the crash. The old is that the left-front sub-frame is just a tick out of alignment (again!) It seems that in the process of having the A-Pillar aligned the subfame unknowingly got tweaked. The biggest problem is that we had already reinforced the sub-frame (in its current position, out of alignment,) so we'll see if the frame shop can straighten it out this week. Other than that, all the glass has been installed, the new body panels have been painted, and everything else is ready to go. Hopefully the frame shop can work some magic this week, or else we're going to have to take it easy at Cherokee Trails. Be sure to check out the photos of the damage and repair process.

The front-left corner was pulled out, but when we went to install the door on the driver's side we discovered that the A-Pillar was out of alignment, so back to the shop it went. Once it came back from the frame-shop we sent it across the alley to the body shop to have the roof cut off and the replacement one, taken from a "donor" Impreza wagon, put on. Well, as it turns out the roof from the wagon was about an inch narrower towards the rear than the sedan, so we wound up having to buy a new roof panel. But that's all done with now and once we get the car back all we really have to do is install the rest of the new body panels and windows. Be sure to check out the photos of the damage and repair process.

Well, Subaru's reputation for building tough, durable cars rings true once again. Despite rolling the car at about 70mph, and as bad as it looks in the photos, most of the damage to the car was limited to the bodywork. So on Thursday November 16 the first step in the repair process was taken when the left-front corner of the car, along with the tire dent in the fire wall/floor pan, was pulled out and/or straightened. Once the body shop finishes straightening out the radiator supports and such the car will return to the Rocky Road garage. At that point we will begin pulling off and replacing all the mangled and mutilated body work. The biggest project is going to be replacing the A Pillars and front half of the roof, but with 4 months until Cherokee Trails we have plenty of time.