The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support STM Tuned
Please Support STM Tuned

College budget build help.

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

fmars62

10+ Year Contributor
373
1
May 30, 2011
Middletown, New_York
Hey everyone, I have been a lurker on here for a while now and I keep posting threads that I want to get a dsm but now I am trying to get everything together first then Ill pick myself up one :) finally...

I am 19, sophomore in college and I am going for my Bachelor of Auto Tech, so I can work on my car at school any time I want.

I have 7k in my bank right now and I have more money coming my way in the future but...I want to get a 95-96 Talon Tsi as my project car. I want to completely gut it, no A/C, no heat, etc. But im not going to give up power steering. I want to make somewhere between 450-600awhp (600 being the max). I want to do this cheap and right. My goal for this car is for it to be mainly a street car, and then some drag too. I want to be taking down little civics...

Now what route do you guys recommend I take? I know the first thing I need to do is actually get a talon first but where to go from there?

Questions:

1. I want to be running high boost so what do you recommend for the block, internals, engine parts, etc...?

2. I want to lose as much weight as possible so what can I shave besides the A/C, heat, spare tire? (I want to keep powr steering)

3. Transmission and clutch recommendations? Dogbox? Sheptrans?

4. What suspension route should I take?
 
I would worry about getting a car and getting it running and driving properly. I don't see how you'll be able to properly build a car to make 500+ hp with 7k. I would assume part of the 7k will be used to purchase the car.
 
The route I suggest is to read untill your eyes bleed. This has been covered many times. If you want it cheap and fast do not expect it to be reliable. Good luck!

A stock tsi would beat "little civics" any day. For the hp your talking about it would be more fun going after corvettes
 
I would worry about getting a car and getting it running and driving properly. I don't see how you'll be able to properly build a car to make 500+ hp with 7k. I would assume part of the 7k will be used to purchase the car.

It's possible. I'm at 7k, but I paid 4 for the car. So a early 2g gotten for $2k would make it, but you'll have to do almost everything yourself.
 
It's possible. I'm at 7k, but I paid 4 for the car. So a early 2g gotten for $2k would make it, but you'll have to do almost everything yourself.

I guess it would be possible if everything was bought used or major discounts. I still do not think it is a realistic goal based on what I have bought and fixed for my car. Rarely does everything go as planned.
 
Its really hard to go to school and build a car. I did it and had to sell everything and lost a lot of money and time. I also wasnt able to buy a lot of things that i needed. School is more important. If you do anything, just do a 14b or 16g upgrade and keep it around 16psi
 
Like others have said, best bet would be to get a car and get it driveable. Plan on taking about $1000 dollars of that for little things that never sross your mind. So far, I have spent almost as much on unexpected things than I did for the car. Take baby steps. Trying to do a big build all at once and making it driveable at the same time.....not very easy. Not imossible, but not easy.
 
Its really hard to go to school and build a car. I did it and had to sell everything and lost a lot of money and time. I also wasnt able to buy a lot of things that i needed. School is more important. If you do anything, just do a 14b or 16g upgrade and keep it around 16psi

Yep, totally agree.
 
I don't think a Shep Transmission is going to fit your budget. If you absolutely want to upgrade the transmission you should get a rebuild kit from Jacks or TMZ, but if I were you I would just take it easy and not launch it like a maniac. Suspension keep stock for now.

Now as for mods. You should start off with MAINTENANCE, wideband, boost gauge, oil pressure gauge, link, fpr, fuel pump, and the injectors you want to end your build with. Install all that and read up on link and get familiar with it before you start making power. Get a good intercooler. Get your turbo last.

As for saving weight, if you are going to keep it a street car I would recommend you don't do it.
 
I dd my car on occasion and I've done about as much weight reduction (without carbon fiber, fiberglass, lexan, etc) as anybody. I love mine that way. :thumb: Wouldnt have it any other way now.

I agree, you should find the one you want first, then do all maintenance and get to know your car before slapping 3k in parts on it. That's a recipe for disaster.
 
What's the point of going to auto tech school if you are asking people to pretty much tell you what to get?
You should be learning this stuff and researching as you go along. There are pages upon pages of part reviews, recommendations and such. Have you even gone through and read any of it?

I chuckled when you said "cheap and right" because that is something I said in the beginning when I got my dsm and have regreted saying this ever since.
 
Doing it cheap and right don't go together. If you by parts cheap like from ebay it isn't going to last.
Spend the money now with quality parts and you won't regret it later.
 
i would say about 400whp is more reasonable goal with a 7k budget if you dont have a car yet.
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top