Evo 1 - Going Overboard

[Black95TSIawd]

Sick!

 

[RWD4G63]

This seems like a very well thought out plan of attack to get the car to a serious spec! I'm looking forward to updates on the progress.

Also, what OS Giken clutch model is that? I'm highly considering an OSG clutch for my setup and would love a review once you get the car together.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

It's the R2CD, which has always reviewed very well (search this forum for a review in a DSM). A member here may be selling a very nice used unit shortly, keep your eyes peeled.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

Maybe time for the annual update. I'm still being dicked around on a job I "accepted" closer to home, where I could finally work on the car. I initially applied for this job July, 2018, did some testing and interviews, and signed an offer October, 2019 - but I still don't have a start date, and I'm still 1,500 miles away from where the rest of my life is. I've passed over promotions at my current job and I stopped looking for jobs closer to home because I had that signed offer in hand. To say I'm fed up is an understatement.

So, where are we on parts collecting, then?

The engine is pretty much ready to go to the machine shop, it just needs to be removed and disassembled. I placed a big order through RTM Racing for all of the smaller stuff, so I'm pretty sure that I have everything at this point. Full spec list of everything that's in my possession, which I'd like to assemble this winter:

OEM Evo 1 block (standard bore)
OEM Evo 1 crankshaft (standard journals)
Wiseco 85mm "HD" pistons - 8.5:1 compression - skirt and crown coating done through High Tech Coatings
Howard's 156mm billet steel connecting rods - stated weight 599 grams
King XP main bearings (both standard and +0.001" for oil clearance) - shooting for 0.025"
King XP rod bearings - shooting for 0.020" to 0.025" (coated)
Fluidampr balancer
RaceFab oil pan for later Evo OFH (incoming)
OEM Evo IX OFH
OEM Mitsubishi BSE
Kiggly 12-tooth trigger
OEM Evo 456 camshaft position sensor assembly
ARP main studs, misc bolts
Curt Brown Racing ported 2G cylinder head (RIP Curt)
JUN Machine cams
Competition Clutch cam gears
Topline lifters
Zaklee timing belt cover
OEM Evo IX timing belt
ARP L19 head bolts
Cometic 0.051" head gasket
Hyundai shaved/welded/coated valve cover
OEM Evo 1 intake manifold (going out to Boostin' Performance for porting)
OEM Mitsubishi Outlander 65mm DBW throttle body
Hellion vertical flow intercooler
Turbosmart IWG75 wastegate
Magnus fuel rail
SouthBay 2200cc injectors

Morrison Fabrication is doing a manifold & downpipe for the IWG EFR 7670, it should be featured on their instagram/facebook pages within the next couple weeks. I'll update this with pictures once it happens.

I've planned out an entire fuel system that uses a surge tank underneath the car with AEM 50-1005 400lph fuel pump. According to my math, the pump should be *barely* enough at 550whp, but the surge tank I'm eyeing has provision for a 2nd pump if it somehow runs out. Either way, it's going to be 8AN to the rail and 6AN back to the surge tank, which should never starve the engine on any condition. At full-tilt with two pumps, it's a 900whp+ fuel system.

What else is new?

I got a reconditioned set of Brembos at a price I couldn't refuse, so I'll sell my Brembo cores. The whole braking system is going to be new Evo 5-9 spec. That's new bolts everywhere, new shields, Centric Hi-Carbon rotors, StopTech Sport brake pads, Girodisc titanium shims, new brake master cylinder to fix the pedal issue, etc. I'm tired of braking issues.

Got a set of Ohlins DFVs from an Evo 789. Some additions required as previously noted, spring rates will be 9k front and 10k rear. Also got an Evo IV rear subframe and HKS Kansai 24mm rear sway bar for Evo 4-9. I had the rear diff bar fabricated for usage with bushings, because it is a street car, after all. I have every Ralliart bushing to do the rear now, just need some Whiteline bits and misc. small stuff.

I've stopped trying to build the car to compete in local Street Mod specification - running an EPAS column and Evo 4 subframe disqualifies me according to the rules, so I would be in E-Mod, which is ridiculously fast. It's going to be a raw-time only car for autocross. It would be eligible for most "Street" class Time Attack events as long as I keep the tire size at 255, and aero within reason.

My shopping cart at Amayama for OEM hardware is $1,977 CAD right now. That's almost $2,000 on brake shields, e-brake cables, e-brake handle, and nuts & bolts. Mitsubishi is apparently jacking up prices by an additional 20% on their already stupid prices, so this has to be done now. My cart on Rock Auto is $780 CAD for brake parts. My cart at RTM Racing is $1,290 CAD for fabrication pieces, fuel pieces and engine ancillaries. My cart at Hot Rod Fuel Hose is $743 CAD for AN hose and fittings. In all, I have a spreadsheet that adds up to around $30,000 CAD for a full car build & restoration, which I'm feeling like going through with.

Right now though, I'm getting protests from my parents who have told me to stop buying things because there's "no room" (despite them filling my old room at their house with useless trash), my job and COVID have made it absolutely impossible to visit Winnipeg to build an engine, even on vacation. I've asked my father if he wants to pull the engine from the car so it can go to the machine shop, and I can pick it up and get right to work building it. He declined, even though he's an extremely competent mechanic and the engine is being held in by a bolt and a 2x4 piece of wood, because we have "no room" for an engine. After telling me this, he pulled the engine from my brother's 1965 Mustang and tore it apart because of a terminal crack in the block, which is now taking up space in the garage. I wanted to take the car apart to have it towed to a fabricator to have a rollbar installed, but we have "no room" to put the interior parts, so that's also a "No". I hate to complain, I'm getting absolutely no support on this from anyone, which has dragged this out by years. I can't wait to finally move and get my own house so I can finally do things for myself.

There will be an enormous part out list of stuff I won't need anymore once I start sorting through parts, I will be listing it here.

 

[GSXbooster]

As always awesome parts acquisitions man!
Yeah sounds frustrating not feeling the support where you want it from.

You'll get there though, you're much further along than alot of people who only have the "dream".

It's quite a build you have going on and not just that but a restoration too. Very impressive!

Seems like alot of power on tap for the oe transmission gears. Maybe?

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

I was certainly concerned about power, that's why I stepped away from the stroker. E85-level compression, aftermarket intake manifold, higher flow EWG turbine and gnarly cams typically put torque above the 450 ft/lbs mark in the midrange on a 2.0L, which is what I've tried to avoid. I designed my setup to maximize boost response (both transient and threshold), but not create excessive torque. Smaller cams, stock intake, a well-ported head and the smaller turbine effectively broaden the torque curve by coming in early, similar to a stroker, but without the torque spike or midrange torque run that would weaken gears over time. I don't see it making more than 425 ft-lbs at 30-35 psi on E85, and probably under 400 on 94 pump, but it should still do 500 whp without much trouble by winding it out on E85.

The trans cooler and "Stage 4" transmission build give it a fighting chance, plus my car is 500 lbs lighter than the average DSM and has a shorter final drive, so the gears don't get loaded up as badly, or as long. Emergency gears are on standby though, because I know it's not unbreakable.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

The order for OEM parts at Amayama just went through - 278 items, including:

-Full set of brake shields
-OEM clutch master cylinder
-OEM ebrake handle to replace my ratty one
-Pair of ebrake cables for the conversion

The rest is basically just driveline/chassis hardware. A whole suspension, diff, brake system, fuel system, transfer case, etc worth of nuts and bolts. Since the whole rear suspension is getting changed, I got Evo 456-spec suspension hardware just so that everything is there and the proper fastener is used instead of cobbling something together and inviting disaster. Ground-up restoration is a go.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

Big update time.

I finally moved away from Ottawa to a place with a reasonable real estate market, and now closing the sale on my first house. Of course a garage was a major priority, so my new house has a 24x30 heated garage that I'll finally be able to work on the Evo in! My monthly budget wasn't entirely decimated by the purchase, meaning there is still some room each month to spend on the car.

Next, Morrison Fabrications finished the hot parts kit for the IWG EFR 7670. I had a long list of requests for them, including clearance for a BW EFR 8374 on the compressor housing if I ever want to change out the 7670, which they were able to make happen. The result is fantastic.

The Brembo calipers that I bought got absolutely hammered in shipping, so all 4 will have to be refinished. Not the end of the world and hopefully insurance covers some of it. Oh well. Onward!

 

[AWD-Tony]

Bummer!! I’d blame that more on the sender though for not packaging it well.

 

[GSXbooster]

Congrats on the house dude! Your place looks awesome. Being a home owner is quite nice. Just wait until you get the "mod bug" for your house too haha.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

Bummer!! I’d blame that more on the sender though for not packaging it well.

The calipers were brokered in, so they'll have to handle it anyway. Visa customer support on standby if not

Congrats on the house dude! Your place looks awesome. Being a home owner is quite nice. Just wait until you get the "mod bug" for your house too haha.

Thank you! I made sure to buy a house that needs absolutely nothing other than furniture for this very reason. The car gets everything!

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

The turbo setup has landed. It's the same as above, but it made a detour for some inconel heat shielding before it arrived here. It's a bit of a shame that I won't see the bare manifold/downpipe though.

Also, a silly exhaust hanger with a silly price tag. It's a Ralliart piece and it feels like a brick.

 

[Vegas Smith]

Damn, you must hate engine bay heat.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

Damn, you must hate engine bay heat.

It gets real hot on my parts storage shelf, I need to be ready!
But yeah, I prefer something that will stay totally consistent and reliable. Dyno numbers don't mean anything if your engine bay is heat soaked by the second lap. Turbos don't make power, setups do.

I would have used a manifold and turbo blanket but nobody I know makes custom manifold blankets and I doubt anything off the shelf would have worked. Plus I really didn't want to deal with changing header wrap on the downpipe constantly and god forbid an oil leak burns the car down.

 

[awdmonster1904]

Very nice build

 

[GSXbooster]

Right on man. That looks so awesome! Good thing you have 2 ferocious guard cats to keep it safe : )

Does the o2/downpipe connect to anything or is it a shorty exhaust?

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

Right on man. That looks so awesome! Good thing you have 2 ferocious guard cats to keep it safe : )

Does the o2/downpipe connect to anything or is it a shorty exhaust?

It's meant to be joined to the existing exhaust by the user. I'll just route it to the stock catalytic converter with 3" stainless pipe, so it mounts like stock. I'm going to remove the car's existing high-flow cat (2.5" I think?) and fab up a full 3" pipe with a GESI cat (again, fitting like stock), and my idea is to get a titanium exhaust from an Evo 7-9 to adapt. It honestly looks as though a later Evo exhaust can be flipped upside down, and with new hangers, would probably be very close to fitting without any tweaking. The muffler would have to be cut and flipped, but that's minor. I'm on the lookout for a Ralliart RACT9 exhaust to use, since it's got a muffler that would fly under the radar with the authorities, yet it's still 3" and super light.

 

[BeatupVR4]

Where do you pick up heat shielding like that?

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

Where do you pick up heat shielding like that?

It was custom-made for the kit by Advanced Thermal Products in California. They need the parts in their possession to do a setup.

Next week, I should have Evo 1-3 chassis reinforcement kits available for sale. The Evo 1-3 is in bad need of some structural integrity, and this kit puts reinforcement in the weak areas of the car. I'm doing an initial run of 10 kits to see if there is a market for it, hopefully it will be well-received.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

Not much to update, although I did get my hands on 10 chassis reinforcement kits from the metal fabricator. They turned out really well and exceeded my expectations. I've sold a bunch of them and keeping one, obviously. Usually I'm not a fan of adding weight, and these add around 14 pounds, but I think they'll do much more good than harm by fortifying the area around the firewall, where Evos love to twist. They have an added bonus of the car being able to take a hit, since the suspension mounting points, front frame rails, rad cradle and crossmembers are all fortified.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

Still not much to update because provincial border restrictions STILL keep me from crossing over to see my car.

A carbon fiber roof just arrived for the parts pile. It tips the bathroom scales at 9.4 lbs, probably not much different than stock. At least it looks cool.

Evo123s are known to rust in this area because the adhesive that Mitsubishi used to bond the roof to the rails was hygroscopic. It attracts moisture and will slowly rot the car from the inside out. The only way to fix it is to peel it all apart and remove the adhesive, but that usually ruins the roof in the process (if it's not already ruined by rust). My car is really clean in general when it comes to rust, but I think I saw some brown staining near the windshield, and it's just a matter of time until it forms. It's prudent to do this job before the car gets the chassis mods and paint. There are no OEM steel roofs available in Canada, or possibly the world at this point, so carbon fiber it is. See below for examples of other cars.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

For anyone still following, things haven't really gone as planned. I don't have the car at my house, it's still sitting in heated storage a few hundred miles away (7 years and counting). No progress on disassembling the car whatsoever.

The good? Lots and lots and lots of stuff on the way.
RaceFab oil pan (mine is the one with the cutout for the Evo IX OFH), trailing arms, rear camber arms, front N/S bar and front control arms ordered. I didn't think I'd ever get this done, but I found the cash to do it. Total around $5,500 CAD with shipping.

Next, OEM parts. About $7,000 CAD worth over the past year or two, mostly trim and such, almost enough to restore my whole car. One of many shipments below. Stock was really good on Evo 123 stuff somehow, and I managed to find the rare roof rain channels, which have been out of stock worldwide for years.

I fell back in love with the stock look, so I decided against cutting up the car and sold my rear flares, and decided to keep it Evo 1-3 rear suspension (Evo 4-9 rear suspension required some cutting & welding on the chassis to do properly). The 1993/1994 Evo Group A rally cars look great, and I wanted to mimic the look. That means I can probably ditch the HKS Kansai lip, the side skirts, metal wing and aftermarket tails. The OEM look isn't so bad. I think I'll be able to fit a 235/40R17 on a 17x9 +45 wheel all around without any additional cutting, thanks to the trailing arms.

I was offered actual Group A competition suspension parts, and that would be so damn cool, but they're very expensive. The RaceFab kit with the Mirage knuckles would slaughter them on tarmac, though.

The bad?
The Ohlins dampers I had turned out to have one visibly and obviously blown, so I sold them at a loss. Bastard Japanese sellers calling them "good condition". A new set of Evo 1-3 specific Ohlins dampers are $4,900 CAD + shipping from Europe (ouch), which looks like the only good option now.

Next, I lost a transmission and almost my whole transmission parts collection in the TMZ fire, so I'm in a bad, bad jam right now. It was over $8,000 CAD in rare/valuable stuff lost (at 2019 values), including my car's original Evo 1 RS transmission. These are next to impossible to find now. I can maybe put together a similar build at $8,000 (that I don't really have), or add a couple thousand to use PAR's straight cut kit. I'm at the point now where I'm doubting that it's worth it.

I'm pretty deflated right now, I can't help but feeling that I've ruined this car. I don't think I have the will and resources to keep throwing everything at this, and I'm starting to look for alternative ways of doing things. Maybe selling the Morrison/EFR setup to stay 68HTA at a reasonable power level, stock wiring instead of an Ohm Racing kit, stock transmission instead of a fancy rebuild, no carbon driveshaft, etc. The Canadian dollar is EXTREMELY weak right now against the USD, which compounds the problem. It also makes a part-out extremely tempting.

 

[Vegas Smith]

What all are you missing then? Shocks? You cant get just the one rebuilt? You have a transmission.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

What all are you missing then? Shocks? You cant get just the one rebuilt? You have a transmission.

The goal as of a couple years ago was a full bare-shell resto, each panel has something that needs to be addressed, including covering any indication that the car ever had a cage. I still need bodywork/paint, shocks that are suitable for the street, and now I'm totally lacking a transmission. The picture shows what was lost plus a new 4-spider diff, aside from the Adelia, which I kept at home because I was paranoid. With the EFR, it's going to a repositioned radiator, more advanced ECU with failsafes, etc.

 

[fourgsixty3]

Damn dude. Your stuff was at TMZ too? Sorry bud. Don't lose hope.