It's still stock
Nothing major, it's still stock. The car is pushing 19 years or so of age, it just needs some sprucing up. The first quality of life mod I did was install some GlowShift gauges I got from Chris at Redline Barbados who is, by the way, building an amazing 280Z, check out the article we posted a little while ago.
Since we last left off my Subaru GC8 WRX has been through quite a bit of what I would call...quality of life mods.
Nothing major, it's still stock. The car is pushing 19 years or so of age, it just needs some sprucing up. The first quality of life mod I did was install some GlowShift gauges I got from Chris at Redline Barbados who is, by the way, building an amazing 280Z, check out the article we posted a little while ago.
I got a Boost Gauge, an Air/Fuel wide band gauge and an oil temperature gauge, maybe I'll get one or two more but I got these to monitor the health of my car. The gauge pod I got from eBay, it didn't fit right though, so I got it sanded down a bit.
Old car problems.
Now I can maybe wrench a bit but I'm completely lost when it comes to electrical work on cars. So I gave a man a call who is probably one of the best automotive electricians on the island, Randy Brewster, he owns a little company called BossTech Auto, he does amazing work. As the car is old though while installing the gauges and the pod, the centre console piece just shattered on us. Nothing a little super glue can't fix.
Fixed.
She Lives.
While I was there I did an oil change as well, since we installed an oil filter sandwitch plate so we could get an oil temperature reading. An oil change I can do.
The next mod to the car was upgrading the cooling system. I first upgraded the cooling hoses with silicone hoses because they were old and looked like they were about to burst. I assume the radiator was that old because not long after that it actually gave out on me, so I decided to get a decent Mishimoto radiator. It dropped right in, factory fans bolted right on. I just had to bend the housing of the left fan back a bit so it wouldn't foul on the power steering belt. Good stuff.
As is my luck sometime between doing all of this my hood scoop decided to detach itself and blew away on the highway. So i found this company called RPG Carbon, they make fiberglass and carbon fibre parts for a bunch of different cars. So i ordered a new scoop from them and here's how the car sits now.
CHAPTER 2
Working on a car takes some time. It's been a while since this happened, and my parts came. A few were to just fix the problems with the car, things that broke when we worked on her putting in the cluster, the time for another oil change came around as well, and she's been running like a dream.
I started using LIQUI MOLY 10W-40 supplied by the guys at TDK Auto Supplies. Works really well with my engine and turbo charger.
Project Ford in the rear
Some external mods were needed too. JDM yellow fog lights just bring the nostalgia back from the 90's. You probably spotted the change of the indicators to the amber ones as well, really just bringing together the feel of the car.
New center console came as well, fresh from E bay, feels good to have it coming together slowly but surely. I did a small induction Mod solely for the sound, I removed the factory snorkel which up through the side fender, I am pretty satisfied with the sound it makes now when I'm driving.
The next step will be some engine work, big things to come guys. - Maurice
The Phoenix
The lancer shell is pretty rusty but the EVO 3 shell though not perfect is in good shape. Every weekend he's been transferring parts he can use from the Lancer to the EVO, control arms, brake and fuel lines, drive shaft etc.
The 90's were an amazing time in the Japanese automotive industry, it is often referred to as JDM's golden era and with good reason.
In the 90's, it can be argued that cars such as the Honda NSX, the Toyota Supra, the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, the Mitsubishi Galant VR4, the civic and Integra Type-R, the Mazda RX-7, the Nissan Skyline GTR and of course the Mitsubishi Evolution were in their stride. These offered a more hands-on approach to driving than their later iterations.
I got to spend some time with a friend of mine. He owns a project car. He's restoring a Mitsubishi Evolution 3. His name is Mark and although this isn't his first project car it's certainly one of the most interesting. Mark has been around cars a long time he learned all he knew about working on cars from his father and other "old heads" he hung around, after that it was easy to apply what he learned.
Humble Beginnings
His first project was a 1991 Toyota Starlet Soleil it was automatic and had a 4efe engine. He converted it into a GT Turbo Starlet. He replaced all the body panels, interior trims, and lights with those of the GT Turbo model. The build was pretty extensive. Later he got an LSD manual gearbox, converted the car to manual, turbocharged the stock 4efe engine and ran it at 7psi of boost. From there Mark had to make a decision on what his next step was going to be with the car. Originally he was going to swap the engine with a fully built 5efe engine and add some boost but he then decided to do something different and take a 4agze from an ae101 Toyota Levin. This engine was supercharged and that was causing some problems while mounting the engine so the decision was made to turbocharge it with a td05 turbine.Supporting moods were then made so it could actually handle this power. For suspension, he used Buddy club coil overs, for brakes at the front bigger hubs were fitted then 10" slotted StopTech rotors, attached to those were 4 pot Wilwood calipers and at the rear stock GT Turbo calipers were used. I'm sure I missed some stuff but as you can see it was an ambitious build.His next project would be a bit more challenging. Due to his love for 90s cars he ended up restoring a Mitsubishi Evolution 3, one of the few in the island. The build hasn't been going on for very long but it's shaping up nicely.
The Phoenix
Mark has given the car the name The Phoenix and in order to raise it from the ashes, he has been using two rolling shells, a 1996 lancer GLX shell, and the EVO 3 shell. The lancer shell is pretty rusty but the EVO 3 shell though not perfect is in good shape. Every weekend he's been transferring parts he can use from the Lancer to the EVO, control arms, brake and fuel lines, drive shaft etc. When I got there he was in the process of removing the fuel tank and drive shaft.
Life as a donor car is hard.
Mark does the majority of the work on his project on his own, he's the type that believes if something needs to be done it's best to do it yourself, although, when he runs into trouble he'll be the first to admit he needs help or that he doesn't know what he's doing. It's all a learning experience after all and project cars tend to teach us a lot.
The goal for the car right now is to get it running but Mark does have big plans for it in the future. He wants to do a full build on the engine, fully forge it, bigger turbo etc. The end goal though is to get the car into the 6-second bracket on the 1/8 mile drag strip (we don't have a 1/4 mile strip here). This goal is very obtainable the stock 4G63T makes about 270bhp stock in a chassis weighing 1260 kgs or so, the same weight as my Subaru GC8 WRX, it'll be mighty quick.
This build really resonates with me as we both own 90s cars, rival cars of the same golden era. Also, the first cars we put a lot of work into were both Toyota Starlets. Watching this build I'm living vicariously through Mark and I hope he meets his goal of finishing the car this year.
Oringal Momo wheel
A good days work.
Building a car is all about passion, project cars test you in every way imaginable and they may not be for everyone but if you have the drive, there isn't a more rewarding experience.
We will be keeping you up to date with this build, until next time.
-Maurice
For the love of HONDA
Recently we had the pleasure of meeting Duane Skeete. He and his father are building a hatchback EG Honda Civic. This Honda is Duane's third or fourth Honda I believe, so he knows his way around the platform. The car isn't done yet but we can already tell, It's going to be clean...and quick.
Hondas are great cars.
However, as we all know they sometimes receive a lot of hate in the car community. Honda owners are stereotyped to be young kids who rice their cars and install tasteless exhaust mods (huge fart cannons on the exhaust)
When in the hands of the right person however, great things can happen.
Recently we had the pleasure of meeting Duane Skeete. He and his father are building a Hatchback EG Honda Civic. This Honda is Duane's ninth Honda I believe, so he knows his way around the platform. The car isn't done yet but we can already tell, it's going to be clean...and quick.
Duane and his father have been building this car for the past 3 years or so, you would never know they aren't even mechanics.
Pops
Their attention to detail on this build is amazing, everything is immaculate, this is mostly because of Duane's father, he believes in keeping his work shop tidy and cleaning and maintaining his tools well.
“A tidy man = A tidy car.”
The shell is currently empty for the most part but the engine is mounted. A Honda B18c motor rests under the hood. Pulled straight from a Type-R these naturally aspirated motors make close to 200bhp, in this tiny, light, 2door hatch the power to weight ratios are going to be a bit crazy.
B series
This car is Duane"s first engine swap, but you'd swear he's a veteran. He gets the majority of his information online. That's the beauty of hondas, there's so much information available about them and aftermarket part support as well. It's a good platform to start on if you want to modify or build a car. Unlike my subaru, the engine bay is a nightmare if you don't know what you're looking for.
Over the years Duane has amassed quite the number of parts for the car.
Brace for the incoming parts list.
- ASR sway bar kit for the rear which includes a chassis reinforcement plate, sway bar and rose joint end links
- Top fuel carbon intake
- Momo race steering wheel
- K Sport coilover
- K Sport lower control arms - Voodoo line
- Skunk 2 front and rear camber adjustable arms
- Blox Mini Race muffler and 2.5" mandrel bent pipe
- NRG weighted shifter
- B&M short shifter
- Hasport engine mounts
- Energy suspension complete bushing kit
- New genuine Honda Si front lips and fog lights and varies clips, bolts, etc
- Fully rebuilt GSR front and rear brakes
- Hondaata s300 ECU
- All the bolts in the engine bay were replaced as well because they were all rusted
Duane admitted the list is long. Almost everything has been replaced, even all the door and trunk strips, windshield rubbers, seals around the tail lights and new tail lights. He has a lot more planned for the car, like a full aftermarket exhaust but such is the nature of project cars.
When we first got there to photograph the car Duane and his father were already working on it, they try to every weekend. The plan for today was to install the shifter, bleed the brakes and do some work on the engine loom.
We were impressed when we saw them fidgeting with the loom but we were assured there are wiring diagrams online and it only looks hard. Beautiful how cars can bring people together.
Duane said the car should be running in a month or so. We have high hopes for this build and we'll up date you guys as it goes along.
Till next time.
-Maurice
