1G Entertain me. 90 AWD Base Model Rarity

[NicelowZ]

Hi guys.

So super random, but am curious. Haven't been around these cars long enough to know about the rarity of certain optioned cars. I own and have been around alot of different platforms. You know how some of us car guys get chub over having something rarer than most.

My 90 Talon is a 5 speed AWD car. When i bought it I noticed these things about it. No sunroof, no abs, (so rear lsd), no rear windshield wiper, no power windows, and no cruise. SO curious, is that a weird optioned car being a awd or no? I know the base models were well known for less options, just thought it was kinda interesting to see the lack thereof on a turbo awd model. Im only cool in my mind right?

 

[pauleyman]

90 did not have abs available so that part isn't rare.

 

[Purevil]

It might not have come from the dealer that way. I installed wind up windows, installed manual mirrors, deleted the cruise control (even swapped in a non-cruise column) and deleted the power steering on my old 91 gsx. It was all factory oem stuff that could be found everywhere in the junkyards 15 years ago. Unless you had the window sticker showing it was custom ordered that way, I wouldn't believe it did.

 

[Mech Addict]

Do you know if it has factory security system? What kind of radio head unit?
Back in 90 things like a/c, cruise, and power windows, locks, mirrors really were “extras” that some units came without. I don’t know how many optioned were packaged together, but tour car’s other ‘upgrades’ might offer clues.

 

[steve]

In general Talons were offered with less standard options than Eclipse's.
Early cars also had less options available like sunroofs and automatic transmissions.

 

[Mech Addict]

Yes, auto and AWD were not offered together in 90. My 90 GSX has leather seats, cruise, security, double-din radio, power locks/windows/mirrors; pretty much optioned up but w/o sunroof (or ABS, but sounds like that was never an option on 90). Does yours have the "turbine" (aka cheese slicer) wheels? I could see a previous owner delete the cruise, but getting into the doors to swap out power for roll-up windows, and swapping out the mirrors; seems less likely. And deleting cruise would most likely keep the same t/s stalks, not switch them over. Yes, this could have been done, but again, chances seem slim, unless there is solid evidence. Maybe a custom order in 90?? Someone who was really into the performance above all else. The VIN has a few codes for option level. The 6th character: 3=Medium, 4=High, 5=Premium, 6=Special. What is yours?

 

[steve]

ABS and rear LSD weren't available together until 92. In 91 you could get both as options but not together due to limitations of the ABS controller.

I'm sure somebody somewhere has the sales brochure for the 1990 Talon line. I might have the 1990 Eclipse one in a drawer, I know I have the 91 Mitsubishi one stashed away.

The 1990 Technical Information Manual gives an idea of what was options on Lasers and Talons at the start.

 

[Mech Addict]

I do have the 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse brochure at home. I'll look tonight.

 

[MindBlowin03]

In the early 2000s I was going thru a parts car. It was a 90 Talon AWD 5 speed car with almost no options whatsoever. Roll up windows, no cruise, no rear wiper, no sunroof, etc. I was shocked by this and always wondered if this was a factory ordered car if someone had swapped parts out.

 

[NicelowZ]

Yes, auto and AWD were not offered together in 90. My 90 GSX has leather seats, cruise, security, double-din radio, power locks/windows/mirrors; pretty much optioned up but w/o sunroof (or ABS, but sounds like that was never an option on 90). Does yours have the "turbine" (aka cheese slicer) wheels? I could see a previous owner delete the cruise, but getting into the doors to swap out power for roll-up windows, and swapping out the mirrors; seems less likely. And deleting cruise would most likely keep the same t/s stalks, not switch them over. Yes, this could have been done, but again, chances seem slim, unless there is solid evidence. Maybe a custom order in 90?? Someone who was really into the performance above all else. The VIN has a few codes for option level. The 6th character: 3=Medium, 4=High, 5=Premium, 6=Special. What is yours?

My 6th character is 6. So being its a 6, means it was a special order car?

Im not sure it has a security system. What would be the easiest way to check for that? The radio is aftermarket so I have no idea on what radio it had in it, but id assume a base radio as the car doesn't have door speakers/speaker grilles. Oddly enough it does have power mirrors.

In the early 2000s I was going thru a parts car. It was a 90 Talon AWD 5 speed car with almost no options whatsoever. Roll up windows, no cruise, no rear wiper, no sunroof, etc. I was shocked by this and always wondered if this was a factory ordered car if someone had swapped parts out.

Looks like it was possibly a special ordered car then. Sounds just like mine. Kinda cool!

 

[97egl]

My 90 TSI AWD has 6th digit as a "6" as well.

I have
-Cruise
-Power Windows, Locks, and Mirrors
-Leather (Or was until I swapped to cloth)
-LSD
-16" Alloy Wheels

I don't have a sunroof or rear wiper on my talon thankfully. I got Sunroofs on 2 other DSM's I own and they do nothing but help nature destroy the car by leaking in rain and baking the crap out of the interior. Rear wiper is whatever. Looks kinda dorky IMO but its actually very helpful on a car with a massive a$$ rear window when its raining