Congrats to our January 2008 ROTM :: duTTch !!

[sixsixfour]

Congratulations to our JANUARY 2008 Ride Of The Month!!
Mark "duTTch" Gunter #1305
Panama Green 1996 Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR4


Mark's ROTM Wiki Page

3SI.ORG MEMBER 1305 DuTTch

1996 PANAMA GREEN MITSUBISHI 3000 GT VR4

127.000 MILES




ENGINE:

AMS STAGE THREE 0.03 OVERBORED PORTED AND POLISHED HEADS WITH 1MM OVERSIZED STEEL VALVES

AND 99 LIFTERS WITH ROSS 9:1 PISTONS AND PAUTER RODS

TURBOCHARGERS PHANTOM TURBOS WITH 3SX SS OIL FEED AND RETURN LINES

SBC DXD FULL FACE CLUTCH W/ UR LIGHT WEIGHT FLYWHEEL

3SX LIGHT WEIGHT PULLEY

HOT WIRED WALLBRO 255 HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP

PTE 680cc FUEL INJECTORS

TANABE "HYPER MEDALLION" DUAL EXIT CATBACK EXHAUST WITH 4.5"TIPS

STILLEN DOWNPIPE

DSM SMIC’s

COMETIC TRI PLY METAL HEAD GASKETS

ARP MAIN AND HEAD STUDS

GTPRO FUEL RAILS, 6AN SHOWKILLER DUAL FEED SS FUEL LINES WITH AEROMOTIVE AFPR AND GAUGE

KEVLAR TIMING BELT

DR POLISHED HIGH SPRING ADJUSTABLE 14PSI WASTE GATE ACTUATORS

DEJON HYPER SILVER INTAKE RUNNERS WITH K&N FILTERS

NGK COPPER SPARKPLUGS, MSD IGNITION WIRES AND COILS

EGR VACUUM HOSE REDUCTION AND BLOCK OFF PLATES

GREDDY TYPE R BOV OPEN LOOP

MAXIMAL PERFORMANCE SOLID MOTORMOUNTS 4X

EARL OIL COOLER WITH 8AN SS BRAIDED LINES

SAMCO RED RADIATOR HOSES

DN REAR PRE-CAT ELIMINATOR

IPS POLISHED THROTTLE BODY WITH ADAMVR4 SPRING MOD

DN PERFORMANCE SS INTERCOOLER PIPING

3SX KRANK VENT KIT


ELECTRONICS:

HKS EVC II EBC

APEXI TURBO TIMER

95 TT ECU WITH PALM M515 WITH MIRAGE CORP. POCKET LOGGER HYBRID SOFTWARE

XD1 &LC1 WIDEBAND O2 SENSOR AND GAUGE

GREDDY ULTIMATE EMANAGE WITH BOOMSLANG HARNASS

GREDDY 60MM OIL TEMP GAUGE WITH PEAK HOLD

GREDDY 60MM EGT WITH PEAK HOLD

GREDDY 60MM COOLANT TEMP GAUGE WITH PEAK HOLD

GREDDY 60MM OIL PRESSURE GAUGE

GREDDY 60MM BOOST GAUGE WITH PEAK HOLD

MSD DIS 4 IGNITION AMPLIFIER


SHOW:

CHARCOOL WINDOW TINT

EDGAVI CUSTOM DESIGNED TAN/BLACK SHIFT BOOT

CUSTOM GRILL WITH GREEN NEON GLOW STICK

3SX CLEAR FRONT BLINKERS

3SXPERFORMANCE POLISHED "VR4" SPARKPLUG COVER

GTPRO POLISHED PLENUM

3SX POLISHED FRONT AND REAR VALVE COVER

3SX POLISHED THERMOSTAT HOUSING

CUSTOM ONE OF 3S KIND CHROME DOOR HANDLES

CHROME DUAL TRUMPET HORN

RED VACUUM HOSING AND RED WIRING LOOM

ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE MIRROR SS DRESS UP KIT

ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE VR4 MIRROR SS DOOR SILL

SUSPENSION AND WHEELS:

APPLE CANDY GREEN INTRAX LOWERING SPRINGS

3SX ADJUSTABLE CONTROL ARMS

SANER FRONT SWAY BAR

HYPER SILVER MUSTANG SALEEN WHEELS 18X9 WITH BFGOODRIDGE G-FORCE KDW NT 18 X 265 X 35

POLISHED TEC FRONT STRUT BAR AND REAR CUSCO STRUT BAR

CROSS DRILLED SLOTTED ROTORS WITH SS BRAIDED LINES AND PORTERFIELD BRAKE PADS


BODY:

99 SAIL PANELS

BOMEX FRONT LIP

DEFT SPYDER 575 CF HOOD WITH AERO CATCH HOOD LATCHES

3SX HOOD STRUTS


OTHER:

DUAL A-PILLAR POD

RED GROUNDING WIRE KIT

SSS SHORT SHIFTER

ORIGINAL TAN DASHMAT

SYLVANA "SILVERSTAR" 5200K LOW BEAMS 55W

PURSUIT CAR ALARM

APROLOCK KILL SWITCH

HEADER THERMAL WRAP

ALUMNIUM BATTERY BOX IN REAR WITH OPTIMA RED TOP BATTERY

MAXIMAL PERFORMANCE 6SPEED TRANSFERCASE BRACKET

CUSTOM FRONT SEAT COVERINGS


LIQUIDS:

PENNZOIL SYNCHROMESH TRANNY FLUID,

MOBIL 1 SYNTHETIC 15W-50MOTOR OIL AND MOBIL 1 OIL FILTER

MOTUL BREAK OIL


NOT INSTALLED:

*REMOTE STARTER

*ROAD BOY GREEN FOG LIGHTS

*SPECIAL OIL COOLER RAM AIR MOD

*EBAY SS FRONT HEADER

*WATER METHANOL INJECTION

*3SX RADIATOR

*FLEXALITE FANS

*CXRACING FMIC WITH PIPING

*K-SPORT ADJUSTABLE COIL OVER SUSPENSION

*DENSO SUPRA FUEL PUMP

*DUAL WALBRO FUEL PUMP SET UP


WISHLIST:

-IPS 272 CAMSHAFTS W/ HIGH REV VALVE SPRINGS

-TWO PIECE CF DRIVE SHAFT

-GRAYHAZE SPECIAL ALMOST COIL LESS IGNITION KIT.

-IPS TDO5 E16G COMPLETE TURBO KIT

-UR ADJUSTABLE CAM GEARS



My Story:
Bought the VR4 locally in Frisco Texas after a year of searching, the car had 78k miles on it and was bone stock and in great shape, the owner said he sold it because his son was turning 16 and he did not want him to have the car so he could kill himself (smart thinking!)-good for me lol. You always wonder why a person sells a car, do they know there is something wrong with it? That thinking process must have jinxed it. The AC compressor went out a few days later, where do you go in a situation like that, the Mitsu dealer and so my wallet was already a $1000 bucks lighter. Great start right! Then replacing two Michelin tires as one had a bubble on it was another $600 and the sunroof had to be repaired, those last two things I knew about when I bought the car. But that was pretty much the beginning of endless pumping of $$$$ into the car.

A few weeks of owner ship I drove home and came across another white VR4 owned by Gordon Totty here in Lewisville my home town, he followed me home and he told me all about all that info out there on the world wide web for these cars specifically 3si.org , oh boy I wish I would have never done that, thanks Gordon! That was the beginning of the end. Now the addiction kicked in. Went to our first meet and met this guy from euless Phil Hosner (show killer) , turned out that he thought he was the duke from euless or something, he drove his car over a curb from one parking lot into another 30 feet thru the air and totaled it, wow these meets are exciting. Then the modding started and it never stopped. When I saw the cars from showkiller and Edgavi, I am like wow that looks cool and its fast. It all started with a K&N FIPK, then the first TX 3S gathering came along and I remember there was a contest , who had the most modifications on their car, and then Phil and Eddie started writing and they never stopped it was one long list. That day I made a vow I need more mods then them together lol. I am getting there for sure!

In the process a few things went wrong of course, which VR4 doesn’t! First I had an oil change done by the local mitsu dealer and the mechanic decided to run the engine without any oil, oopsie!! He actually admitted it and the dealer got me a brand new short block- not a bad deal for a car that had about 90k on it at that time.

The at some point in time I got my new phantoms turbos and unfortunately I hadn’t turned down the boost enough and was not tuned at all and I got challenged by a trans-am on a local highway going to a local 3S meet with my supporting wife behind me, and yup blew up the engine. Things only got worse from there. I asked Nissan next to my work for a favor and they pulled the engine, I had it rebuild by AMS in Fort Worth and it went back in. As the Nissan mechanic was turning the engine over to get the oil flowing throughout the engine, 1) the engine seized 2) the fuel rails were leaking and got into the starter and set the engine bay on fire, yeaks. Finally Nissan came through and paid for the rebuild and free labor to reassemble it again. This process took about 11 months. And it rose from the ashes and made a nice recovery I think. In that process I had a few forced mods installed of course hehe! We love those forced mods lol. It got proven 400 awhp at 14.7psi with a goal of 500awhp. I am proud of the car and hope to have it for a long time to come. I want to thank my wife (SpyderGirl) for all her support and getting just as addicted to 3S as we now together have a 1996 VR4(speed) a 1996 Spyder SL(show) and 1994 NA(daily driving). Special thanks to Phil Hosner (show killer) and Grayson (Grayhaze) and various other people for all the work they have done on my car.


AWARDS and SPECIAL MENTIONS:

* 2004 TX GATHERING 2ND PLACE BEST OF SHOW

* 2005 OK GATHERING 2ND PLACE BEST OF SHOW

* 2007 TX GATHERING 1ST PLACE MOST AWHP

* 2007 TX GATHERING 3RD PLACE FASTEST TT

* 2007 TX GATHERING 3RS PLACE BEST OF SHOW

* 2007 NG 4TH PLACE 2ND GENERATION CAR SHOW

* 2007 NG FINAL FOUR DRAG RACES UNLIMITED CLASS


MAJOR 3S GATHERINGS ATTENDED:

* NATIONAL GATHERING IN 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007

* TEXAS GATHERING IN 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007

* OKLAHOMA 3S GATHERING 2005, 2006 & 2007

* ROCKY MOUNTAIN GATHERING 2006

[hawk362]

I want those seats, except in a different color, where and how much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jrod]

Congrats Mark.

[DuTTch]

Originally Posted by hawk362

I want those seats, except in a different color, where and how much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thye were locally made here in dfw 700 for the pair.

[DuTTch]

Originally Posted by jrod

Congrats Mark.

Thanks, bummer there were no other entries. I was gonna vote for myself though

[J-Groove]

Congrats Mark!!!!!!

[SpyderGirl]

Congratulations. Beautiful Car, but I am a bit biased.

[Sean3S]

Those seats are pimpin', nice Mark

[Adollarwodbnice]

Very nice car..., congrats!

[Kelgalis]

HAWT! Green cars ftw!