Tag: vintage

For those of you who are not familiar with these cars, please visit http://www.subaru360club.org/ and click on ‘The History of the 360’.

It has 356cc two-cylinder two-stroke engine with a 3-speed-plus-overdrive (technically a 4-speed) transmission. It is two-door (suicide doors) with seating for 4.

It was almost completely intact when I got it and in very good overall condition. I have completely gone through it and everything now works and looks as it should.

The car has 24,000 miles on it. Work done includes:
• Brakes completely redone (cylinders redone, shoes, cut drums, re-pack wheel bearings).
• 4 new tires.
• All new shocks.
• New shifter bushings.
• Rebuilt starter.
• Rebuilt carb.
• New plugs, wires, rotor, distributer cap.
• New door and rear sidewindow weatherstripping.
• New black plastic edge trim in all original locations.
• New air and fuel filters.
• New rear axle-to-transmission seals and CV boots.
• New windshield wiper blades.

It has the original spare tire, factory wiring for towing the car, door stickers (break-in, speeds, tire pressure), 4 original hubcaps.

Modifications include:
• Electric fuel valve to replace the always-faulty vacuum valve.
• Electric windshield washer fluid pump/switch to replace the manual push-bulb pump (the electric switch is hidden inside the rubber push-bulb so it appears original).
• Larger-than-original convex outside rear-view mirrors on the original mirror stems.
• Larger interior rear-view mirror.
• New aluminum fuel tank (those who know about these cars understand why).
• Door pulls on the inside of the door (otherwise you pull on the door handle, which wears them out).

The interior is all original and in VERY good condition, except the mat over the fuel tank in the rear is new carpet. The rubber floor mats are not torn or worn and LAY FLAT. The rubber covers over the wheel wells inside are in the same condition. The rubber mudflaps are still in place and in good condition as well and they are FLAT (not curled).

Minuses (though minor).
• There is no headliner, but the inside of the roof panel is clean.
• It had no rear window when purchased so I had one fabricated from Lexan. It is clean, clear and scratch-free.
• As the car had the roof removed when I got it (hence the missing rear glass), it also was missing the chrome trim for the roof gasket. It is replaced with rubber piping to lock the gasket in place. NO LEAKS at the roof or the rear window.
• The license plate light is not original, though the new one replicates the original.
• This car NEVER had a back-up light.
• The front of the floor pans have been replaced with new steel welded in place. The rest of the body is rust-free and solid.
• I had the car re-painted with new white paint. Then some shmuck damaged the hood and left front fender. They were repaired and repainted but, even though the white paint used for touch-up came from the same painter, it is slightly off.
• There are a few minor defects in the paint: on the ledge above the driver’s door handle, the top of the left front fender, at the edge of left side of the hood and next to the gas filler door. They do not significantly detract from the appearance and could be touched-up without major work
• The front parking lights/turn signals are not original but they very closely resemble the originals.
• The ‘Subaru 360’ badge on the rear hood is a replica.

EVERYTHING works! The car starts, runs, drives and stops fine. It gets more attention than anything else I’ve ever owned, mostly because it is so unusual and most people have never heard of them, let alone seen one. I’ve enjoyed this car for just under 3 years, but the disease has kicked in again and it’s time for something different.

Included are many spare parts: 4 pistons, 1 cylinder, extra seatbelts, 1 NEW and 2 used oil pumps (very rare), 2 new brake shoes, 3 old shoes with lining detached (could be re-bonded if needed), several new rubber brake cylinders and seals, 1 short steel brake line, 1 new starter solenoid, several e-brake parts (for inside the drum), 1 signal flasher, 1 carb float, 1 interior light assembly, 1 New ‘Subaru’ script trim, 1 new trans gear (which one is unknown), 1 new axle shaft-to-transmission bearing, 1 new set of pints, 1 new air filter element, used-in-great-condition top rubber gasket, rear bumper and 1 choke/heater control panel assembly.

More pix available on request.