This is the Build Thread for 1995 GSX Resurrection. Reply below.

First post in over 11 years - feels pretty wild.

Back in July 2025 I purchased a Durango Copper Pearl GSX. This was the first opportunity I'd have had to own a rare color. So, I got an insane deal on the car and brought it home.

What I knew when I bought the car:

• The timing belt needed to be done. It was previously done with generic parts and the belt appeared really worn
• The turbo had been removed. This was why the car originally sat - the previous owner had blown the 16g up.
• It was plastidipped - so seeing it's actual condition wasn't feasible at the time

Mods that came with the car:

• ECMLink V3
• SAFC
• Exhaust - of some sort
• EBAY FMIC W/ Greddy Type S
• 1000CC Injectors
• AEM Fuel Pump
• AEM Wideband
• AEM Boost Gauge
• 2GB Front and rear conversion

Once the car was home I begin to clean it up and fix what needed to be fixed. I installed a new oem timing belt kit from ExtremePSI and a Small 16g.. as I was fixing and cleaning it up I began to have second thoughts. This is what I found

• Bondo cracking/lifting rear passenger side
• Damage to the car under the rear tail lights - damage was pulled but because paint chipped, rust has began to form
• Undercarriage/Frame rail caved in under the drivers side
• Poorly installed Push to start button

After this work was done I began to have a no start issue which is where I stand today. So far this is what i've found:

• CAS signal is present - ECMLINK is seeing RPM signal and the fuel pump is turning on
• Starts on starting fluid
• I do have spark on all 4 cylinders
• 12V at each injector plug
• ECU is NOT pulsing the injectors
  • Tested injector driver in ECU
  • Tested resistor pack

At this point I believe there is something going on in the ignition that's causing the ECU to not pull the injectors to ground.

We have a runner!

Because I had thought there was something wrong with the ignition - I went diving into the interior. First thing was first.. I needed to remove the "push to start". My hope was nothing was wrong with the actual ignition/starter wiring and there was a weird desire for a push to start. The previous owner had taken a 14AWG speaker wire and used a nut to tighten it down from the positive terminal of the starter, ran that wire into the car where there was a push to start button that then went back to the male connector for the signal on the starter. I deleted that and reinstalled the factory starter signal wire and boom - no crank.

I tested voltage at the starter relay and it was obvious the clutch switch was the culprit - popped my head under there and saw it was plugged in, so I unplugged it and BAM we're back to cranking with no fuel.

So at this point I had suspected that It was a cam/crank sensor issue. So I installed a 1g CAS and used a Sheriden engineering jumper harness andddd no dice. I even tried a second ECMLink.. STILL no fuel...

After I had tried the second ECU i began to think something was wrong with either the settings in ECMLink or something was torching the Injector Drivers every time I installed a new ecu. So - I tested that theory.

I had a spare 97 ECU so I installed that with the 1g CAS and adjusted the firing order. AND BAM it fired up and HARDLY ran on 1-2 cylinders..

I popped the ECMLink back in and began looking at every single check box and I noticed in the MISC tab - the Lock Temperature box was selected.. and if I logged the ECT while cranking I noticed it shoot up to 350*.. from 226. I watched that InjecOn value and it immediately stopped pulsing the injectors just after cranking.

I disabled that and BOOM it fires up and runs on 2 cylinders again. I test for fuel and see that Cylinder 1 is hardly getting fuel, cylinder 2 is good, and 3 and 4 have nothing.

I went ahead and and put some 560CC injectors from an evo in, rescaled them and she fired up and ran!

Obligatory video or it running, camera really picks up those dry lifters

Big thanks to Corey (@gofer ) and @Dusty Landrum for letting me pick their brains for two weeks.

Two updates tonight..

As I began working on the Durango Copper car I realized the damage to the chassis was just too much for me to feel like investing much time in. Due to the price, color, and how complete it was - I tried to convince myself I'd be okay with just how beat it up was. However, I just couldn't get beyond it, especially with the intention of a restoration. So I decided if I was going to move on from one rare color, it would have to be another one.

I've been in a group chat for a few years with a few fellas down in AZ and at some point somebody had mentioned that there was a Biscayne Pearl GSX that MIGHT be available at some point.. Well, it was available and the chassis itself is extremely clean and is a perfect candidate. So we've been working out some details and Due to work - I can't get down there to pick it up and bring it back to Washington State until April.

So the next few updates for the Durango Copper GSX will be getting the car driving so that I can work out any mechanical gremlins before we do the drivetrain swap. The next few things i'll be doing:

• Rewiring a hacked ECT sensor plug and replacing the random sensor (not even sure what it's for)
• Installed and bleed Clutch and Brake fluid reservoir
• Install VRSF FMIC - currently the car has an incomplete EBAY kit
• Install alternator and power steering pump
• Add coolant and bleed system
• Install front o2 sensor

I'll probably lay down a light tune on the car so that it's pretty driveable and make sure everything is solid before starting to swap the Biscayne pearl car once its home.

Thanks for the shout out, but you did all the hard work and figured it out on your own. Sucks you can't move forward with the DC 2g because of the shape it's in, but looking forward to seeing build on the new GMP chassis.

Man - a month since my last update. Things have been busy.

I got the car driving last weekend. The master cylinder had seized so I had to swap a new master in and managed to get a pedal in it.

The car shifts nicely into all 5 gears and reverse. And that folks - is all she wrote for this car. My goal was to get it to the point where I was confident in the drivetrain being good - then I could begin the disassembly for the chassis swap.

At this point I've decided to actually swap this running 7 bolt into a 2GA talon shell i have and build a long block for the biscayne car. Then swap the majority of bits from the copper GSX into the green GSX.

Right now we're planning on flying down to Phoenix May 7th to begin our trip with the car back to Seattle. Updates will probably be slim until then. In the mean time I'll probably spend some time updating my build thread on my 1998 GSX.

Well! May 7th came and went - we made it to Phoenix and back! Some photos from our trek.

My brother and I flew out May 7th and arrived in Phoenix around 11AM. @Brandon Nicholson picked us up in his sweet summit and taxi'd us over to Uhaul to pick up the truck and trailer. We decided we wanted to trailer it back ourselves rather than ship the car, mainly because Brandon had some parts for us to bring back as well. Unfortunately Uhaul didn't provide us with any straps so we headed to Harbor Freight for some ratchet straps - so forgive us for the awful strap down job. After we grabbed straps we snagged some Whattaburger and headed to Brandon's.

At Brandon's place we picked up a couple long blocks, some coilovers, and an exhaust. All things we needed for the Biscayne car (and a long block for my Colt Vista 4g63 swap). We loaded all that up and swung over to Kevin's place to grab the car. We actually threw the coilovers on the car at Kevins and loaded the car up. This was when we got the chance to meet the legend @gofer, who donated some parts for the build! As it was getting late we decided to check out the local culinary scene and grab some of Phoenix's finest food, Chilis; which didn't disappoint.

After finishing up with dinner around 10:30/11PM, my bro and I headed out to LA.


Saying bye to Brandon!

Friday morning in LA. We took a quick nap here before heading out to pick up a transmission and some 8g galants parts.

Gas stop in Gorman - check out those gas prices. Yikes.

We stopped Kettleman City to grab some In and Out and take a break. From here we ended up shooting up to Sacramento and then down to Fremont to pick up some Evo parts for my brother at Illumaesthetic. After there - we stopped and grabbed Sushi in Vacaville with a good friend and headed out to Seattle.

Saturday Morning, in Medford! We made one other stop during the night in Weed, California.

Our last stop was in Newberg to pick up some 2gb Talon parts!


Ironically I didn't take many photos once we got back. We were both so tired we ended up unloading everything and getting situated and going to sleep. We covered around 1600 miles and 25 hours of driving over 35 hours. We were pretty tired. In the next week I plan to go through the car and whats there and give a update! Super excited to get moving on this project!

Well - 5 months since we brought the GSX back from Arizona and we've started making some progress. It took me a few months to get to because I had a couple builds in front of this one and race season. First thing was to get everything cleaned out. The previous owner was using the car as a parts car - so as things were removed they were placed inside the interior. Fortunately, most of those parts are still good, I believe. Once I was able to get it cleaned out and pulled apart. I cleaned it up as best I could. The factory sound deadening really holds on to dirt and grime. Really trying to convince myself I don't need to remove it. But we'll see where I land.




Once we got that done - I moved on to the engine bay next. Apparently the factory engine still ran when it was purchased. However, it didn't run well. I'm not entirely sure what that means but I'll be swapping it with a refreshed 7 bolt anyway. After cleaning it up and pulling the engine out - it was pretty clean there was a clutch/brake fluid leak that chewed up the drivers side corner of the engine bay. I decided at that point i'd respray the bay. So I dropped the subframe, cleaned the bay and prepped it, then a buddy applied rust converter and some primer. We're pretty close to being able to spray the bay - I just want to spend some time on a few more areas before.



Next up is the respray and I get to begin putting things INTO the car, instead of removing them!

I’ve got to stop reading build threads. Seeing shopping for project car really does something to me where I want to look for another project (im already deep in 2)

Love this color can’t wait to see how it turns out

Sick color, one of the coolest. Glad to see it being saved, definitely a thread to follow!

definitely following along, love the story, reminds me of mine when i picked it up in Rock Island Washington

Pjj said:

definitely following along, love the story, reminds me of mine when i picked it up in Rock Island Washington

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I remember when you grabbed that - we chatted on IG. That was a shell right?

PickleRick said:

I remember when you grabbed that - we chatted on IG. That was a shell right?

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yeah it was a roller, ended up having the numbers matching block in the hatch. shes come a long way from sititng in the driveway to a 10 second car now getting a haltech 2500 over the winter all the way here in Canada