Andrew's 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse GST

[MyBoostedGST]

This is the Build Thread for 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Reply below.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

Background: (The formative years)

It is the common troupe; your interests are initially defined by your parents and family members. I remember watching Saturday morning PowerBlock and seeing car magazines scattered throughout the house. My uncle’s old drag car shook the windows and sounded like Satan himself was trying to escape the underworld through those shorty headers. Picture frames lined the walls filled with photos of his old Mach One and various Mopars. We drove around in a red Dodge Ram with highly distinct blue/black vinyl stripes on the side. Many future gearheads tell of stories of a childhood completely consumed by automotive culture in every regard, and while that wasn’t necessarily my case, it made a heavy impact on me. I was lucky enough to grow up in the age when household video gaming was becoming popular. My earliest automotive memories are of a game called Viper Racing on the PC. I remember sitting there and playing for hours, obsessing over every detail. Looking back now, it was clearly step one in what would eventually become a lifelong obsession.

Without question, there is a pivotal moment in this whole story. It won’t surprise anyone who grew up in the 90’s and 2000’s. Gran Turismo. Sure, I had played various racing games, especially Need for Speed Hot Pursuit III. To that point, it was my favorite racing game after Viper Racing. Lusting over high-end Lamborghinis has me dreaming of owning one even to this day. But everything changed when I first played Gran Turismo. Honestly, I can’t even remember when I first experienced it. I don’t think I initially owned it. It had to be a friend’s house. All I know, is that it changed everything. This was my first experience with JDM cars, and I was hooked. Maybe it was a way to rebel against the establishment, my dad, my uncle. American muscle cars, Dodge Vipers and high-end Italian exotics were all I ever knew up to this point. Those were just video game cars though. I was never going to own one. But not now. These little Japanese cars were the antithesis of every red-blooded American man, and I was ready to stake my claim.

The Pennzoil Skyline and Tom’s Castrol Supra were among my favorites. However those were race cars, and not something I could ever have. Then it appeared as an option in game. The Mitsubishi GTO. Bright red with that giant rear wing. Without even realizing it, something had just grabbed me without even knowing. I had to know more about it. As I started scouring the internet looking for all of the information I could find, I quickly learned a 3000GT was not something that I could afford when I got my driver’s license. But there was something that, in my eyes, was the same. The Mitsubishi Eclipse. It was that moment that the changed happened, and my lifelong obsession started.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

The initial DSM: (A boys first car)

Being the son of a car guy had it’s perks. I did not have to wait until I was old enough to take drivers ed in school. The day I was old enough to start, I took a third party drivers education class. It all culminated in getting my license in February of 2005, only days after turning 16. Being one of only a handful of sophomores in High School with your driver’s license had it’s perks. In the years leading up, my dad made an arrangement with me. He would match every dollar that I saved for my first car. This was absolutely huge. I worked as a mattress Mascot dancing in front of a mattress store to earn money. I don’t care I looked ridiculous. $10 an hour cash was going towards that car, and nothing was stopping me. That Mitsubishi Eclipse that I dreamed of was within reality. To this day, I am acutely aware that without this offer from my father, things could very well be different. For this, I will be forever grateful.

The first ever photo of my 1998 Eclipse GST (the year on the camera is incorrect).

We pulled the trigger on my very first car in February 2005, a 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GST. To say that I was the kid at school with the coolest car would be an understatement. Sure, those little Honda guys will argue, but everyone in school knew my car. I was the kid with the red Eclipse. After owning it for less than a year, I decided to sell it. I’m not quite sure I ever got over that decision, and still somewhat regret it to this day. But so is life and we all move on.

Over the next ~15 years I experimented with different cars, all while buying and fixing up various DSM's (1gs, 2gs, Spyders, etc). College and the start a typical boring corporate life is what I focused on, knowing that a small sacrifice now was worth it in the long run. Flipping those DSM's kept me connected just enough to the community which consumed my formative years, but never quite scratched the itch. I forever felt like something was left un-finished. Over those 15 years, I ended up going through 12 different DSMs. Each one satisfied a new desire and allowed to me to explore different thought process. My green 95 TSI AWD was my most beloved car (and may still be) and is where I learned 90% of all my DSM knowledge. Once again, that was sold to move out and focus on college. A small sacrifice now, for a larger payoff later. All of the future DSM’s were stopped dead in their tracks by my lack of financial freedom. One day all of this hard work was going to pay off, and I would have the freedom to build the car the way I wanted. That would be the DSM closure that I was looking for.

My favorite photo I've ever taken. This perfectly summarized my early automotive life. Late nights, friends, and warm weather. (My green 95 TSI AWD, far right)

All of the DSM's that I've owned, including #3 twice.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

The Mustang: (A reality check)

To this day I blame Streetfire.net and Kenne Bell. Terminator Cobras roaming the streets and putting a hurt on just about everything, sans EVO’s and DSMs. A mustang was always something I wanted, and V8 power was a new experience for me. I found myself daily driving a Trailblazer SS for a few years, and loved the new experience. I received a promotion, recently paid for a wedding, and was settled in a house. All of that hard worked finally paid off. It was time to make a big leap. After a few test drives including a C6 Z06, I decided on a 2017 Mustang GT, Premium with Performance Pack. The car was absolutely perfect. It was loud, obnoxious, and everything I hoped it would be. It amazed me that a new car with only an exhaust and tune, could put down 400hp at the wheels with ease. Ripping down the hwy with my buddies fully forged, Turbo’d KA 240sx on E85, and keeping up with ease was the final straw.

To be honest, it changed the way I looked at cars. Putting all that time/money and effort into DSM's just wasn't worth it. Parts are getting hard to source. Midwest rust is eating old cars alive. Buying an AWD car just to throw a huge turbo at it just didn't seem reasonable. Honestly, a part of me was heartbroken. I always thought I would get the DSM closure I needed. But in that moment, it wasn’t worth it. Spending all that time and money building a “fast” DSM just wasn’t worth it. I could bolt on a supercharger and this Mustang would outrun any street driven DSM I could build. In a nostalgia slump, I went back and watched old Youtube videos of DSM street racing. It brought back all the memories, but didn't give me the motivation to overlook reality. I was bummed. After sulking for a few months it hit me. This wasn't the end of an era, it was the beginning of a new one.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

The Find:

No matter how prepared you are, how much you have planned, the only guarantee in life is change. After being furloughed from my job in March of 2020 due to Covid, I found myself with more time on my hands and a mind wandering without direction. While cleaning out the garage, I started thinking about what was next, automotively speaking. The Mustang was complete, exactly where I wanted it to be, and I was itching to get something that I could wrench on. Now I had the chance to have a long term project car, while still having something fun to drive on the weekends.

As we are all aware, there is something about DSM’s that just keep pulling you back in, and I am no different. While tossing the idea of various cars around, a thought always clung to the back of my mind. Closure. Never once in the 15 years that I have been involved in DSM’s, did I ever “finish” a build. I never got a car to the point where I was happy with it, achieved my goal. Different circumstances and realities always shifted the goal posts, and cars came and went. This was my one chance to finally put my head down and finish something. As mentioned previously, the Mustang changed everything. No longer was going as fast as possible the goal, that was covered by the Mustang. Priorities changed. I quickly realized that what I wanted was nostalgia, a sense of pride, and to keep the community that I loved so much alive. I decided at that time I wanted something I never desired before, an “OEM+” build. As clean as possible, while including just a few “period correct” pieces to make the car my own. To start this new “chapter” of my DSM life, I figured what better to way than to get back to the beginning; A red 2GB Eclipse.

I laid out a plan and started the search. Initially the goal was a GSX, but prices were skyrocketing. Still, I kept my options open and kept searching. Months went by and nothing came up for sale. Nothing. Being in the Midwest, it is hard enough to find a non-rusted out car, let alone a manual red 2GB. Suddenly the stars aligned, and 45 mins from me a red GST appeared for sale. As is usually the case, the ad was poor. Terrible photos, not enough to really see what you might be getting into, and vague information. But I was close, no sense in passing on the opportunity to go look at it.

Without hesitation there was one person that I had to have with me on this journey, my best friend Ned. The amount of hours playing Gran Turismo over by his house, the late nights working on cars in the garage, and even later nights scumbagging it around town (His purple TSI AWD is in front of mine in my favorite photo ever posted above). We hopped in my Trailblazer, and headed up to take a look at the car. When I arrived it was tucked away in an old barn. As the doors opened, a dirt covered concrete floor emerged. The engine was torn out of the bay, along with the transmission. Pistons and rods were in 5 gallon buckets laying next to the block. We quietly surveyed the car, carefully inspecting every piece. Body panels, glass, plastics. Under all the dust and parts scattered around, it actually looked solid. No rust, anywhere. Almost completely unheard of for a car in Wisconsin. No major body damage, just your normal unavoidable small door dings. The only downsides visible were the clearly repainted single stage paint, of course with slight overspray, and aftermarket front bumper. With the exception of having silver instead of chrome 5 spoke wheels, This car was almost identical to my very first 98 GST. While excited at the condition of the exterior, I had to remain calm until I got a close look at the interior.

As the driver door opened, a clean, black dashboard presented itself to me. Cracked grey leather seats adorned the front and some small stains covered the floor. There was a bit of a musty smell that lingered, even after venting the car for a few minutes. As I started to poke around more and more, I began to realize that everything was there, albeit dirty. No major plastics were missing, no peeling passenger air bag. No gaudy aftermarket shift knob, door speakers, or boost gauges. The interior looked damn stock, considering the state you usually find these in. I stepped back and thought to myself. This is literally identical to my first car. Red, black dash, grey leather. I started to get that feeling, this might be it. But I couldn't buy a FWD, it just wasn’t right. I haven’t been involved in DSM’s for 15 years to settle on a FWD.

That’s when it hit me. What am I looking for in this car? To build a 35r powered street car, to 2-step and launch down in Norwalk? What would it take to realistically get this car to match the performance of my basically stock Mustang? I don’t have the time to constantly be working and fixing a car that I am pushing the limits every time I drive it.

Things change, and in that moment, I grew up. No longer was I chasing a boyhood dream of 10 seconds. No, now I was chasing memories. A deal was made and the next day we picked up the car and all the parts.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

The car is home: (Finally, what you are here for)

May 22, 2020

We eased the car backwards off the trailer and parked it in the driveway. Buckets of parts filled with rods and pistons were thrown into the garage. During discussions with the prior owner, the history of the car became a bit more clear. It turns out the car was a southern transplant, and made it’s way to Wisconsin only a year prior. The former owner purchased it about a year prior, and drove it for a few days before tearing it apart. His plan was to fully build the engine along with the turbo and all supporting mods as necessary. But alas, life got in the way. The car ended up sitting for another 6 months torn apart, before posting it for sale. So what I had sitting in front of me was a basically stock car, motor and trans torn out and in pieces. Spending most of its life in Kentucky, it was spared the salt our roads see 6 months of the year. That southern charm, however, did not keep the dust off. While I knew the paint seemed decently clean, I wasn’t fully certain what we were going to find underneath. A quick spray wax on initial inspection seemed promising, so I was excited to jump right in. Knowing that I wanted to document the process, I figured a few “before” photos were in order.

My old 95 TSI AWD sitting next to it, in a state completely beyond (my) repair. That was the third car I ever purchased, and sold in roughly 2008-2009. It’s a story for another time, but I came across it again back in August 2016.


Besides the torn driver seat and some dirt, the interior looked pretty good. Dash was uncracked, and even the passenger side airbag was not peeling. Steering wheel leather was still soft and supple, and most plastics look like they had never been taken off. Shift knob was gross, but is an easy fix. Within my budget, I realistically couldn’t have asked for anything better.

The engine bay was as expected. A bit dirty, but everything looked to be there. When I say everything was there, I mean everything. Even the AC lines and stock boost control solenoid were still bolted to the car. Thankfully, there did not appear to be any cut wires or rusted brackets. Not mentioned before, but obviously the strut towers were closely inspected and are perfect. The only disappointment was the missing VIN plate on the firewall. After a final inspection, I was satisficed with the bay. Some brackets would have to be painted, and some small caps replaced, but nothing major that would hold the project up.

With all of the photos taken and the car closely inspected, I could no longer hold my excitement. I find cleaning cars to be relaxing and a major enjoyment, and there was no way I was waiting any longer to get this thing cleaned up. While I knew what to envision, I wasn’t full certain what the paint was going to look like under all that dust. We got to work with a quick wash.

I have to be honest, I was shocked at the result. While I am not versed in any sort of paint work, my buddy Ned has painted multiple cars. Telling me that it looked single stage and had overspray when we looked at the car, I was initially disappointed. To be honest, it almost turned me off from buying it. However I had to temper expectations for a 20+ year old car, and decided to risk it. While the car still needed a ton of paint correction, you could tell the potential was there. That red paint absolutely popped under that layer of water, and at that moment, I was transformed back to a 16 year old kid. All I could think of was further cleaning the car and getting that paint to really shine.

As the pavement began to dry, I thought back over the last 48 hours. Covid had sent the entire globe into a tailspin, but I felt a strange sense of comfort. I finally had what I needed, the ability to have closure. I knew I had some work ahead of me, but nothing that I couldn't handle. I tucked the car into the garage, neatly next to the mustang and headed inside. I went to bed that night with dreams dancing of that dripping red paint, black dash, and oh so beautiful rear spoiler. Sitting in my garage was my dream two car setup, and I could hardly believe it.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

May 27, 2020

My excitement was brimming, and while I knew I should really dive into evaluating the steps required to make it run, I couldn’t stop thinking about making it shine. As a photographer, the visual aspect plays a huge part in my enjoyment of cars, and to be honest, is my favorite part about a bright red 2GB. So after a deep and thorough wash, it was time to clean up the paint. While I may not be an expert, I am competent enough to not completely burn through the clear coat. My buddy Ned came over again and we got to work.

The side by side was a stark difference. Under the water you could tell it would shine, but the haze once dry dulled the car beyond what I thought was possible. We spent the next half day polishing the car and getting it about as good as we could without it becoming a multi day project.

Side by side comparison. Right after first pass, left as we purchased it.

​

The paint is in no way perfect. There is overspray in places, rock chips and slight discoloration in areas. But at the end of the day, it is a bright Red 2GB, and people overlook the small imperfections all the time. The car tends to only get driven after a fresh wash, so it always shines in the sun. My favorite part of the car is everyone who says “I haven’t seen an Eclipse this clean in years”. A repaint may be in the long term plans, but for now it is the perfect blend of shiny and driveable. My excitement was at an all time high, and it was time to start tackling the rest of the car.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

June 2, 2020

With the car now shining, the interior was next. I pulled out the seats and began to clean. The carpet is stained, and should be replaced at some point in the future, but acceptable for now. Maybe a steam clean would suffice. But a wipe down of the plastics and a vacuum and it was clean enough to sit in the garage while the mechanical work was being completed. Overall, I was still pleased with the overall condition. As I bolted the seats back in, I turned my attention to what I picked up just a few days prior.

The best part of the DSM world is the community. While many have moved onto other platforms, the community is still alive and well. I reached out locally and found an old buddy who had a longblock sitting from years ago. The engine was unknown, pulled from some random car and never ran since. I knew it was a risk, but it was worth it to throw in the car and begin putting some shakedown miles on it. Worst case scenario, it would be a donor for a completely stock rebuild. My excitement at this point had concluded that this car was never going to be sold, so every decision was a long term solution.

I inspected the engine a bit closer and then began inventorying all of the other parts that came with the car. The aftermarket pulleys and gears were going back to the previous owner of the longblock, so I grabbed the stock ones from the stash and added them to the pile. It appeared that I had everything needed, so it should be a simple project to get it running.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

June 7-8, 2020

As preparations for installing the engine were taking place, I had some additional work to be done to clean up the car. I was lucky enough to find a set of black leather seats local, and swapped out the grey seats. The black seats are far from perfect, but at least they did not have giant gash in the bottom. I was super happy with the changed, unaware of how much grief these would cause me in the future (foreshadowing my biggest issues with the car…).

I’m a big fan of the black leather with grey bottom plastics. The little bit of contrast helps keep the interior from looking like a black hole in my opinion.

After swapping in the new seats, it was time to address the final 5% of exterior finishing. The rubber around the windows and the plastics were very faded. To this day I still don’t know the best way, but I have always used “Back to Black” with decent success. It doesn’t last forever, but a fresh coat each year and it holds a pretty nice dark black.

Side by side comparison of the faded wiper cowl using Back to Black.

While the Back to Black can be wiped from paint, this first coat was going to be heavy and I did not want to delicately try to avoid the paint. I taped up the paint and went to town applying multiple thick coats. This final 5% is really what sets a car apart from others in my opinion.

Along with the black seats, I picked up a brand new OEM shift knob and double DIN. I searched for a few weeks for that radio, as it was the same one I had in my first DSM. I really wanted to keep the car as OEM as possible at this time. The interior was REALLY starting to come together, and would ultimately remain this way for the next few years.

The car was coming along nicely, everything I hoped it would be and more. Stepping back and looking at my garage, I had to pinch myself to actually believe this was my setup. While I had dreams of a larger garage with space for more vehicles, this was the perfect two car setup for me.

 

[jesse12345]

Awesome find! I can't get over how amazing red 2gb eclipses look. Super pumped for you!

 

[miliman13]

great pics! I envy those who can polish, all I have been able to do is burn the paint down to metal every time I have tried; truly depressing.

 

[chrisman287]

Great read so far! Welcome back

 

[MyBoostedGST]

Decisions and Consequences

June 19, 2020

As the world was coming out of lockdown, I was expecting to go back to work. What was initially a 30 day furlough ended up being extended multiple times, and ended up pushing all the way until the end of July. While being out of work was financially draining, this was the first time since I was 15 years old that I had an extended period of time off from work. It was early June, and my wife and I began discussing what summer might look like. By this point I knew the earliest I would go back to work was July 28th. As a school teacher, my wife had the entire summer off. After some internal reflection, I realized that this could very well be the only time in my working life that I have an entire summer to do what I wanted (prior to retirement). Not wanting to waste the opportunity, we began planning a cross country road trip. Keeping in mind Covid was still very much a thing, we planned a 3 week, quite self contained camping trip across the western US to National and State Parks. To say we were excited was an understatement.

At this point, our vehicle fleet consisted of the Eclipse, Mustang, 2005 Trailblazer (my daily) and my wife's 2008 Ford Escape. Since the Escape was the newer vehicle, we packed it full of camping supplies, and our bicycles, and headed south on June 10th. With spirits high and 3 weeks of exploring ahead of us, disaster struck. 220 miles away from home, the torque converter unexpectedly failed, stranding us in Bloomington, Illinois. I had a choice to make. After some online research, it was highly likely that the transmission itself also failed, meaning a roughly $2,000-3,000 fix, not to mention the cost to tow it all the way back to Wisconsin. The highest cost though, would have been the opportunity cost in forgoing this vacation. Remember, this is likely the only chance I will have until retirement for a 3+ week vacation with no responsibilities.

The Trailblazer was sitting back at home. But there was a reason we chose not to drive it in the first place. This was a cheap daily driver picked up when I traded in my old Trailblazer SS on the Mustang. While I loved the vehicle and it worked great, it certainly wasn't cross country road trip worthy. Could it have made the trip? Sure. Would it have? That I'm not so sure of. As I sat there contemplating what to do, reality set in. We couldn't have two old, unreliable, broken daily drivers at home. We are adults with adult responsibilities, and we needed to make sure that we were able to get to and from work on a consistent basis. I knew what had to be done.

Over the prior 6 months, I had been researching what my next daily driver was going to be. After driving numerous cars, I had settled on a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. It fit my needs/size and was the most comfortable car I had experienced. With years expected from the Escape, we had not put any thought into what would be the replacement for the Escape. Without wanting to put my wife into a position of choosing a car without any prior research, I made the hard decision to trade in the Escape for something new.

Google showed a Jeep dealership less than 5 miles from where we broke down. We hopped onto our bikes at 9am, and pedaled down to the dealership. By 3pm, we were loading the camping supplies from the Escape into our brand new Jeep Cherokee, and on the road south. I definitely wasn't expecting to buy a new vehicle on this road trip, 200+ miles from home, but life throws curveballs at you. Maybe it was Covid causing chaos in the world, the fact that I had been furloughed from work multiple times, but it didn't feel chaotic. It just seemed like another change that you navigated through and waited to see what came out the other end. We continued on our trip and had one of the best vacations I've ever been on. Looking back now, that trip was everything I hoped it would be and more.

If that was the end of this story, it wouldn't be worth writing about here. However, the purchase of that Jeep Cherokee had an implication that I was well aware of..... the Mustang had to go. Pandemic assistance checks were coming to an end, and I was still technically not working. The final nail in the coffin came when my employer called me to tell me that I was moving from furloughed, to officially laid off. No longer was I employed, and two car payments was just not something that I wanted to be financially responsible for. I didn't feel comfortable putting my wife in my old Trailblazer, so after some research and test drives, we ended up trading in the Mustang on a new Subaru Forester. To this day I still miss that Mustang and wonder if I made the correct decision. However, I was well versed in short term sacrifice for long term growth, and having two reliable daily drivers instead of multiple weekend cars was the responsible thing to do. On July 22, I said goodbye to the Mustang and we brought our Forester home.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

The First Drive

October 3, 2020

While writing this article, I came to a sad realization. I never took photos of the engine install. I'm not sure if I lost them from a memory card. If I was disappointed by the loss of the Mustang. Or what the reason may have been. All I know however, is that I don't have any photos from this 2 month period.

When we returned from our cross country road trip, I began the process of installing the long block I purchased. Everything went surprisingly smooth, and there were no major problems. Aftermarket cams were swapped for stock, aftermarket pulleys and gears swapped for OEM. I was not missing any random brackets/bolts/etc. It didn't take long, and the engine was in the car running. This however, is where things take a turn. There was a slight sound that was difficult to diagnose. Initial thought was lifter tick, and some revised 3g lifters were ordered to fix the issue. Nothing appeared to be rubbing in the timing cover, and the car ran absolutely beautifully. With the lifters ordered, we took the car for the first drive on October 3, 2020.

At this point, the car was basically 100% stock, with all original parts (sans replacement long block). I used the existing suspension, brakes, wheels and tires just to get it on the road. I wanted to test everything out to make sure it all worked; brakes, steering, electronics. The suspension was worn, and tires out of round. Nothing surprising, and I had plans to address all of those. Overall, that short drive confirmed that the car was solid, and just need some final touches to really bring it to life.

Winter was fast approaching, and my buddy offered me a storage spot in his shop over the long winter, same as he did for the Mustang in years prior. Knowing I wasn't going to work on the car much over winter, I took him up on the offer and we planned for me to bring the car up. The following weekend I packed up the car and drove it 200 miles there.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

Awesome find! I can't get over how amazing red 2gb eclipses look. Super pumped for you!

Thanks! While I have a soft spot for 1ga Talons, a bright red 2gb is my favorite.

great pics! I envy those who can polish, all I have been able to do is burn the paint down to metal every time I have tried; truly depressing.

Thanks! Have you been trying with a rotary or DA? With a DA and only some swirl remover, you should be able to get 50% of the results with almost no risk in burning through. I really suggest you try again, it makes such a huge difference and can be done safely if you aren't pushing it to the max. There are times I will be at a cars and coffee and just think to myself (If this person devoted 10 hours learning and $100, they could make this car look almost new.

Great read so far! Welcome back

Thanks! Hard to believe that I signed up on this forum over 15 years ago.

 

[kyler021]

Great read! I'm 19 so I wasn't around when these cars came out or when they peaked, but the way you write about them made me feel like I was there, if that makes any sense. Great pics too! What camera are you using?

 

[MyBoostedGST]

Great read! I'm 19 so I wasn't around when these cars came out or when they peaked, but the way you write about them made me feel like I was there, if that makes any sense. Great pics too! What camera are you using?

So glad to hear that. My entire goal with this thread is to bring back that nostalgia feel that I had at that age, so to hear that people currently that age are appreciating it is the greatest feeling ever. It is also fantastic seeing the younger generation now getting into these cars (does that make me sound old.....).

Photos in this thread to date are mostly iPhone and Canon 6D. However, most photos that will be posted soon will come from my newer EOS R (I think I purchased it in early 2021?). I've been photographing cars for roughly 15 years at this point, spanning many different bodies and lenses.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

The Most Memorable Drive

October 10, 2020

The car was running surprisingly well, considering that it was just put together a week ago. Suspension was a bit soft, steering a bit sloppy, but nothing you wouldn't expect from a 20+ year old car. I already had plans to swap all new suspension components into the car. Even though most of the components would have been fine sans ball joints and a few bushings, my plan was to keep this car forever, so a complete overhaul was worth it. There were some interior rattles, and the windows hissed as they weren't sealing very well. All minor issues that just needed some tweaking and love. Everything was good as I set the cruise at 72mph, G-Unit bumping on the horrendous stock stereo.

Wisconsin weather in October is usually one of two extremes; 70* and sunny, or 6" of snow. This weekend was shaping up to be an exceptionally beautiful one, and we made the decision for a little fall weekend cruise before storing the cars. My buddy Cook had just finished up his 5-speed swap on his 240sx, and we thought what better than two bone stock 90's tuners cars cruising around the driftless region of Wisconsin. We headed out that Saturday morning and drove the Mississippi River valley for 6 hours, stopping to grab photos and eating lunch.

Looking back, this is still one of my top 3 favorite memories with this car. I'm not sure I can really put my fingers on it. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I was driving around a car that I assembled by myself (this was the first time I ever installed and got running a car 100% on my own). Or if it was that I was finally cruising a car with my longtime buddy on roads that I could only dream about having close to home. Whatever the reason was, I just remember crossing a bridge from Minnesota into Wisconsin, as the sun was setting in my rear view mirror, thinking that this is up there with the greatest driving days of my life. The cars were slow, steering slopping, tires hard, all while lifters ticking away, but none of that mattered. We stopped a few places along the drive and I grabbed some of my favorite photos I've ever taken of my own car. I was riding high, and nothing could bring that down.

As the day was winding down, the "lifter tick" became more noticeable. As we pulled back into the driveway, it was becoming more obvious that there might be a serious issue. I knew from day one that there was the potential this engine had some issues, as it was pulled years ago for an unknown reason. The revised lifters were still in the mail, having not arrived before the trip. We made plans to bring them up before spring and swap them in the garage. Once the lifters were swapped, we would be able to further diagnose the issue. We made plans and I headed home for a few months of gathering parts for a spring build.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

February 20, 2021

While I still had hopes that the lifters were going to fix the issue, reality had been setting in. Talking with a few people and showing them some videos, it was becoming likely that something more than the lifters was the problem. We decided to wait until I had the car back home before digging into it more. Cook would trailer the car down for me later this spring, to avoid putting any more potential damage on the motor.

Feeding off the buzz from that last weekend cruise, I had been gathering parts over winter. Knowing that there were some potential big costs about to be incurred on the engine, I decided to focus on the aesthetics first. If the car wasn't going to be driveable, it was going to look damn good. While coilovers would be considered in the future, I had great experience with lowering springs on DSM's in the past. I wasn't looking for a canyon carving racer, I wanted a comfy ride in a mostly stock car, and springs would be perfect for that. I was hoping to find a set of Eibach Sportline springs, but they apparently aren't available new anymore. After considering the Pro Kit's but wanting a larger drop, I decided on a set of springs I had on a prior car, Megan Racing springs. I had great luck with them prior and knew the stance was as good as I was going to get without Coilovers. They may not be the most common on DSM's, I stand by that they are a great inexpensive alternative for our cars. I threw the springs on the stock shocks just to get the car low.

I knew I wanted a red with gold wheel setup for the car and began the search. This is without a doubt the single hardest decision for the car. The only gripe I have with 2g's are their inability to fit proper sized JDM wheels. Most of the wheels that I love need to be at least 9.5" wide to get the concave face (think TE37's, etc), and while fitment is possible, it limits the cruiser ability of the car with that much poke/camber. Initially I had a set of Gram Lights 57DR on order in a 18x9.5 size. I wanted 8.5 wide, but they didn't come in the Bronze at that size, only black or white. Searching more online and a few chats with some current 18x9.5 wheel owners, it became clear pretty quick that it wasn't going to work for my goals. I cancelled the order and began my search for the perfect wheel. In the meantime, I found a set of gold Rotas for sale locally in a 17x8. I knew they weren't the long term plan, but they would be better than nothing at this point. Plus they would validate my plans for a gold wheel.

My excitement was brimming, and we decided to throw the wheels and springs on the car. It had been months without working in the garage at all, and I was getting anxious to tinker. If nothing else, the excitement of seeing it lowered would bring additional motivation to finish it. We quickly threw the springs and wheels on, and put the car outside for a quick little photoshoot in the snow. The wheels were a bit small for my tastes, but the vision was starting to come together nonetheless.

After putting the Rotas on, we threw on a set of Cook's RPF1's in an ultra aggressive size for DSM's (17x9.5 +12 or something similar) but with too little tire, just to see what it would look like. I have a soft spot for RPF1's, but wanted something different on this build. Still, trying on different sets of wheels is always fun, and a trend that would continue every year during winter. My suggestion to you, get yourself a drifter boi friend. They have too many sets of wheels.

As winter was coming to a close, I began planning for summer. I knew that identifying the issues with the motor would be the first priority, and then the remainder of the build would be budgeted around that. Cook packed up the car and trailed it down for me in late spring.

 

[chrisman287]

I have some Sportline springs you can have for free just pay shipping

 

[MyBoostedGST]

I have some Sportline springs you can have for free just pay shipping

Really appreciate the offer, but I’m actually on Fortune Auto coilovers now.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

Planning

January 2021

As the weather turned, I began preparations for investigating the engine. I reached out to an old friend, Clint, to figure out his availability for building an engine. At this time I was not certain what the issue was (although I had assumptions), but I knew that I planned on keeping this car long term. From day one, I always considered a 100% stock rebuild using as many fresh and OEM parts as possible. Knowing an engine build might be necessary, I figured it was worth having a plan in place to execute as soon as we identified the culprit. While I myself had personally done everything to the car, I do not have experience building an engine. And to be honest, I just didn't want to learn. I have no plans to build multiple engines, so spending all the time learning and purchasing the tools to do it myself just wasn't something I wanted to take on. As I get older, I'm learning that some things are just better left to the experts. I wanted this engine built once, and built correctly. I trusted Clint to get it done and we made potential plans once I finished diagnosis. As final details were planned, Cook dropped the car off and I got to work on April 21.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

April through May 2021

I dove into the car to start finally diagnosing the issue. It has been a few years at this point so I can't remember exactly what we all looked into, but it turned out to be bad bearings. I pulled the engine and popped the rods off. Here were the bearings.

Clint and I spoke and finalized plans for the build. It would be a stock rebuild using as many new parts as possible, while also including ARP's and a balance shaft delete. The plans were never to push much power through it, but might as well take the safe precautions as the engine was apart anyways. By this time I had the long block in the car, along with a spare long block that I picked up in case this was trashed once fully pulled apart. I gathered all of the parts together, and Clint dropped by to pick it up.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

Engine Build

June 7, 2021

Clint got to work immediately. We kept in constant communication and problem solved as small issues came up. He tore the engine down for inspection. Luckily the parts I gathered were almost enough, and I think there was only one or two times I had to source something for the build. The largest part to source was a nicer condition crank, and that wasn't very difficult. I got him the last of the parts, and he went on his way.

At this point in 2021, the machine shops around us were CRAZY busy, and wait times were months. Clint took this time to clean up and paint a bunch of the components, just to put the final touch on the engine. It was turning out absolutely beautiful. Progress pics came flowing in and it was looking better and better.

All buttoned up and about ready to drop off.

While Clint was working on the engine, I started a few other smaller projects on the car. The biggest visual issue I had with the car was the black door handles. I was lucky enough to have handles that actually worked, and whoever installed them did a decent job, but I just couldn't stomach the sight of them much longer. I considered picking up a set of the metal ones, but couldn't get a set in time. After getting a recommendation for a local shop, I took the handles in to get painted using the gas door as a sample. Additionally, I took the opportunity to have them also paint a spare center taillight that I had laying around. I'm not the first one to do it, but I have always liked the look. I got the pieces back and installed them. The door handles went on smoothly and completely finished the look. I also threw the tail light on and was enjoying the way it was coming out.

The delay at the machine shop had meant the car was down all summer, but that wasn't a concern for me. The engine was just about finished up and would be dropped off any day.

 

[MyBoostedGST]

Engine Arrival

Oct 4, 2021

Clint dropped the engine off on Oct 4th, and I immediately got to work installing it. I only had a few weeks before I planned to store the car up by Cook, so there wasn't much time to waste. Clint had done a fantastic job, and I couldn't be any happier with the results. I got to work myself putting the engine in, and prepared for the first start.

The car ran beautifully. No issues, no concerns. I backed the car out of the garage for the first time on the new engine, and stared at all that I had accomplished.

I put some miles on the car to help break it in. This fall was unusually beautiful, and I delayed putting the car away for a few cruises. I was fortunate enough to get one weekend drive in with my dad, the first time we had a chance to cruise together with our fun cars. The DSM still needed some final touches, but it was great to experience it with my dad, the one who got me into cars.

This was an excellent weekend, and confirmed all of the work I was doing to the car was worth it. The following weekend I packed the car up and headed up to Cook's to store it for the winter.