This is the Build Thread for 1997 Eagle Talon TSi AWD | Jade Pearl #3 | Track Build. Reply below.

Twenty-five years ago, I saw my first Jade Pearl Talon in person, but never saw another one again. Ever since then, I had always kept an eye out for one.

By early 2025, I had largely accepted that owning a Jade Pearl AWD probably wasn't going to happen. Years had passed since my first opportunity to buy a Jade Pearl from a friend had fallen through, and opportunities to buy genuine Jade Pearl Talons were few and far between.

Then this past February, one appeared.

The car was listed in a Facebook group and immediately caught my attention. I reached out, but days turned into weeks without a response. Eventually, I assumed it had either sold or the owner had decided to keep it.

Life moved on.

As many now know, things fell into place for me, and I eventually acquired two Jade Pearl Talon AWDs. I thought I was set, but I always wondered how far I would take my Jade Pearl #2 | Street Build. I liked the idea of having a Jade Pearl dedicated solely to track duty, but I wasn't willing to sacrifice the freedom of being able to drive the street car anywhere I wanted.

Then last month, out of the blue, I finally heard back regarding the February car.

As it turned out, the owner had lost access to his Facebook account and returned to find an inbox full of messages and inquiries. Fortunately, he felt my interest was genuine and wanted to work something out with me.

Over the next several weeks, we worked through the details and eventually reached an agreement to bring the car home from New Hampshire to Washington.

Unlike the other Jade Pearls, this one isn't a preservation project.

While the drivetrain appears to be solid, the body has significant rust issues. Rather than turning it into a full-blown restoration project, the plan is to give the car a new purpose—a dedicated track car.

What makes this car special to me isn't necessarily its condition, but what it represents. After spending twenty-five years searching for a single Jade Pearl Talon, I somehow ended up with three.

Each one now has its own role:

• Jade Pearl #1 — OEM Time Capsule
• Jade Pearl #2 — Street Build
• Jade Pearl #3 — Track Build

Now the work begins.

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Nice finds! I’m so jealous of the time capsule. If you EVER…..

Can you track it without really addressing the rust issues? Or are you gonna fix it but with a focus on function over aesthetics?

garageless_1gb said:

Can you track it without really addressing the rust issues? Or are you gonna fix it but with a focus on function over aesthetics?

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Safety will definitely be the priority, so any major rust issues that could affect the structural integrity of the car will be addressed before it ever sees the track.

What I meant is that I don't have to get caught up chasing perfection on this one. If a rusted factory component makes more sense to replace with a functional solution, I'm comfortable doing that. For example, if the core support were rotted out, I'd have no issue going with a tubular replacement instead of trying to restore it back to factory condition.

Basically, I just have a little more flexibility with this one than I do with my other Jade Pearls.