Téa gets some sun: the tan Leone...

Joke consistency.

Came across this at the wreckers a couple weeks back.
The usual drill: Solid, neat, complete, and different.. it deserves a good looking over!

Mentioned a lot of this on the previous Leone-wagon post subtlety (yes, skillfully..) linked above, but again; 3rd generation Subaru Leone (L-Series) introduced ~1984. Available as a sedan and coupe in addition to the (from memory) particularly-successful wagon as above. Production lasted a full 10 years; but with the Legacy/Liberty being introduced around halfway in, and the Impreza in late 92/93... well after three generations spanning over twenty years, time was up for the Leone name.

This particular example was a 1990 build, so.. close enough to bang-on half-way through? That perfect happy medium of looks-older-than-it-is, and you-could-buy-a-new-one-the-same-years-later..?
..it was a 5speed with dual-range, quite neat, all there, straight, rust-free.. and then only 14X,000km on the clock? Interesting really, as these are otherwise well loved. I'm sure whatever was wrong with it could have been quite easily/cheaply fixed.. it had so much more to offer.
But regardless. Here it was. Here to give up its bits n pieces to other much-more-flogged Leone's getting around Australia.

..such as these stunning genuine-accessory headlamp covers, or maybe that aluminium bullbar..

..maybe some of those beautifully-straight, but drearily-beige panels?

Yep. solid beige over a grey cloth/vinyl combo. Lush.
But hey, non-metallic in 1990 means no clear in sight. Yes, the oxidation here is just decorative - this'd genuinely polish up a treat.
Sure the finished product is reminiscent of overly-moist custard, but I know I'm keen! Its pleasant.


So.. moving on with the L-series pictorial tour...

Opening the ALWAYS classy flameless doors (genuinely.. there's miles of imaginary bonus-points raining onto the tally as my eyes pass over this..), and into the interior...

Simple hard-wearing grey cloth and vinyl trim..

The vinyl floor covering..

..and a view from the driver's seat.
Mentioned it before, but yep.. I love that instrument pod on these. Not uncommon for the era, but the huge selection of fingertip buttons right there is properly.. handy? There's a skinny two-spoke wheel with handgrips, and this obviously low-specced model is lacking a tacho.. despite the 5speed shifter on the floor.

Serious vent slider at the drivers knee.
The writing under the trim? How long's that been there..?!

The cluster.. at an angle..
..and those buttons again, HVAC sliders and all.

A/C, fan control, and interestingly-round recirculation push button...

Our wiper? Its everyone's wiper.

Factory Subaru AM/FM radio above a classic Pioneer component Cassette-deck..

Never seen a cigarette.

1992 Subaru L Series owners manual - Strangely out of place in the 1990-build car...

Unusually shaped, but no doubt simple and easy to use.

 ...more 'Subaru 4WD', and a possibly less-than-impressed rear differential..

Under the bonnet; the EA82 single-cam flat-four, which drives those four wheels..
..and of course, the spare wheel. It is a Subaru after all!

But back inside..

Opening the rear door, and oof.. that frameless glass again...

A little dirt on an otherwise very tidy rear seat...

...and there's the grille!

On the rear passenger footwell; Australia's penny - additionally period-correct since these were phased out not long after this car was built.

...while under the driver's seat, the small Pioneer Amplifier to go with the Casette-deck.



And that'd be all here?



Well I can't take everything, but I'm sure as hell not leaving that classic Pioneer gear there!

A better look at the Amp; just a touch dusty...

..and just like magic.


Brought home, cleaned up, and now to repeat a couple recent Instagram post comments... for the sake of recycling..

silver-face Pioneer GM-40 amplifier, June 1978 production. Found along with a matching Pioneer component cassette-deck, in a Subaru L-series (Leone) wagon at the wreckers on the weekend - just too quality to leave them behind!

..and the matching component cassette-deck mentioned in the previous pic; a Pioneer KP-88G - also June 1978. Just feels quality compared to units only a decade younger; complete, and largely unmarked... It would have been a shame to leave them in a car set to be crushed. I only have a somewhat casual interest in oldschool audio, but coincidentally bought a mid-80's Clarion City-Connection component setup for the AW11 not long back..! So as for these, I'll likely get them looked over at the same time, then just put away for a future project..

"..it's not pink, it's salmon!" Back cover of the interestingly-pink 3rd generation Subaru Leone (L-Series) owners manual. FUJI HEAVY INDUSTRIES LTD. Tokyo Ja.. Japon..?




DONE.



Never leaving empty handed!