The Best's Money Pit

1995

Mitsubishi

3000GT Spyder VR4 #477

Sable Black

[b][COLOR="Blue"][SIZE="6"]BRG 2013 [i]"Best of Show"[/i] and [i]"Best Engine Bay"[/i] winner.[/b][/SIZE][/COLOR]

First of all we would like to thank the community for the support and knowledge you guys and girls have provided over the last decade plus. Since joining the community I have been infected by the mod bug and have become a hoarder… thanks because there is no cure! So, I try to infect as many people as possible :suspect:.

In 2009 we, my husband and I, set out looking for a Spyder VR4. Finally after over a year of searching we found one. June 2010 and 28 hours on the roads, we had our Spyder. It wasn't perfect but met most of our requirements: not red, low mileage (27K), all stock, right price, and documentation.

The next day, after bringing the Spyder home, a hydraulic hose burst (welcome to the Spyder world). Seeing a pink puddle under the car was a little disheartening. What was even worse is when we found out the hose was common refrigerator water dispenser hose, FML. We did a quick fix with some brake line , and ordered the correct hose (plus a few extra –just in case). This was the beginning of the money dump and the hoarding addiction.

With the new addition, our 94 VR4 had to go, can’t afford two of these things. So we painstakingly brought the 94 back to stock condition and put the aftermarket parts on the Spyder. Mud flaps, wheels, tail lights, and 99 center garnish were immediately installed, the rest would wait. While we were doing the wheels, we also painted the brake calipers and cleaned up the wheel wells.

First order of business after the hoses was to address the minor dent in the oil pan. New oil pan and Stillen DP installed, it's getting there.

Next was the interior, starting with new door panels as the previous ones were bubbled. Dash vents were replaced because the old ones were cracked (surprise, surprise). And hell, if we are pulling out the dash, might as well replace the center console( a visible crack) and carpet. While the dash was out, I was able to run my wiring for the halos and Sirius satellite radio. And replaced the speakers with some Memphis Audio. We also modified some Vifa 2.5 inch speaker to fit in the dash, *almost* looks factory.

Next up was some engine work, installing all the aftermarket parts we pulled off the 94. But then we came across an IPS quad-tip exhaust which I had to have, figures because I just spent three hours cleaning off 15 years of exhaust residue on the old tips. And a PST 1 piece CF driveshaft, won't have to worry about carrier bearings. Doing a pressure test, found the throttle body to be leaking. Found the thread by JimVR4 and rebuilt the throttle body. Later I decide to polish it.

And last were the body issues. Apparently parking stops can double as bumper scratchers. The front bumper had seen better days. Found out it was cheaper to get a new bumper (since it only came in black) than to have the original one repaired and painted. Ordered the bumper and took the old one off. While the bumper was off, we installed the DSM intercoolers. New bumper arrives, crap it is a red 99, had to wait another week to receive the right bumper. The rear bumper, roof, and tonneau cover needed to be repainted thanks to the ASC crappy paint job. So we took it to a local body shop that has done work on our other cars. Rear bumper proved to be a royal PITA on the Spyder, but I had it off in 1 ½ hours. The rear bumper had a minor scuff mark on it and the decals were in the wrong place. While it was at the shop, one of the hydraulic cylinders for the tonneau started to leak, great another FML moment. About two weeks later we would get the car back. We installed the skillard43 splitter and we were just about done. The only thing we needed to do after that ( I’m in denial) was have a couple of door dents pulled by a paintless dent repair guy.

Now we just tinker with a few things here or there. Or I'll get really bored and start pulling parts off just to clean them. I'm super anal about having a clean engine bay.

[b][color="DarkSlateBlue"]Update: Winter 2011[/b][/color]

Decided to put on all new wheel well plastics, because the rears were cracked, and the fronts were almost impossible to clean.

Then came the "big" job, replacing headers, rear precat delete, and installing Killer Glass radiator pipe. This pretty much took most of the winter LOL. Draining the block was a royal PITA. And getting the rear precat out proved to be even more challenging. We got it all put back together sometime in April, yeah it was a long project.

[b][color="green"]Future parts to be installed[/b][/color]
Polished lower intake
Polished calipers
DBA 4000 brake rotors
SS brake lines
Skillard44 Custom Grille (retains fog lights)
For some more pictures: [url]http://s392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/[/url]

And the start of the Spyder: [url]http://www.3si.org/forum/f1/1800-miles-later-i-own-spyder-vr4-496809/[/url]

After the paint job: [url]http://www.3si.org/forum/f60/spyder-back-paint-505722/[/url]

[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Internet%20Firefox%20downloads/IMG_3516.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/Spyder%20Barn/SpyderShak020internet.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/Spyder%20Barn/SpyderShak012edit.jpg[/IMG]

[b][COLOR="blue"]Apparently the add picture function is broken, because all I get is a big red X LOL. [url]http://s392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/[/url][/b][/color]

Converted DSM intercoolers
DNP Y-pipe
DNP pre-turbo pipes
DNP header
DNP rear precat delete
K&N air filter
HKS BOV
Accel wires
Pulstar plugs
3sx polish spark plug cover
Chaser Carbon Fiber timing belt cover
Carbon Fiber wrap- a/c fuse cover, cruise control cover, fuse box, brake reservoir cap, coolant overflow cap, windshield tank cap
Polished plenum- did myself
Polished rebuilt throttle body- did myself
Polished vacuum tube holder- did myself
Polished 3sx poly motor mount- did myself
Polished Intercooler Hard piping- did myself
Polished heat shields
Killer Glass w/ Engine Ice coolant
Tirado Custom Coating Powder coated valve cover
EK2 fuel injector harness cover
oohnoo fuel rail loop
New OEM hood insulator
Stainless Steel Socket cap bolt kit
Mikalor T Bolt Clamps
Custom Billet Strut Covers

[B][COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Courier New"][SIZE="4"]Before: Completely stock engine bay[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/b]
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/Spyder013s.jpg[/IMG]

[b][COLOR="Indigo"][FONT="Courier New"][SIZE="4"]After[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/b]
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/BilletStrutCover017.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/Spydercurrent005s.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/small.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/killerglass019s.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/Spyder203-13-1220001.jpg[/IMG]

New OEM carpet
New OEM Spyder Floor Mats
New dash vents
New Memphis Auto Speaker (front & rear)
New Vifa 2.5" Dash Speakers
New OEM door panels (left & right)
New OEM hydraulic lines for the tonneau cover
RX8 Shift knob
Seattle Short throw shifter
New leather shift boot
Reconditioned Leather Seats

1999 3000GT Headlights with Halos
Tinted tail lights and third brake light
Smoked corner signals
Skillard44 Front Splitter
IPS 1st Gen Quad Tip Exhaust
Stillen Downpipe
PST One piece carbon fiber driveshaft
Retro-Solutions 5000K 55w HID low beam
High beam projector mod
Skillard44 Fuel Line protector
*In progress*Custom Skillard44 Billet Grille (retains for lights)

[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/Spyder20enhanced.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/CF20license20003edit.jpg[/IMG]

Stock Head Unit
New Memphis Auto Speaker (front & rear)
New Vifa 2.5" Dash Speakers
Sirius Stiletto 2

Stock

Thanks to 4x4 mode... it made these pictures possible.

Stock wheel gap FTW!

[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp4/hoopb23/Spyder/Frontsplashguards004s.jpg[/IMG]

Enkei RP05 18x8.5 +30 offset
Goodyear Eagle F1 245/45/18