New project - Mitsubishi Mirage Asti ZR
Discussion
I had owned my mx5 mk2 for 5 years, and was definitely feeling the itch for something different in the last 6 months or so.
Nothing really took my fancy and nobody was that interested in the 5, so i figured i was pretty much stuck with it.
That was until a good friend of mine advertised a somewhat unusual Japanese import up for sale.
A deal was struck, and one week later I am the proud owner of a Mitsubishi Mirage Asti ZR (if you are japanese), or Lancer coupe (australia, USA).
It is effectively a coupe bodied 90s CJ era colt cyborg.
This is no average Mirage though, what caught my eye was the spec-
1.6l DOHC MIVEC engine, putting out 170bhp, and without the aid of any forced induction. All of this in a car that weighs 1060kg...seemed like a good recipe to me.
The car is 19 years old, so cosmetically and structurally there will be rust to attend to (it's been in the UK for 11 of those years). However mechanically things look pretty good, the MIVEC kicks in when it should, and sounds fantastic...the car really hustles along and I've yet to give it a full service.
also handles surprisingly well for a FWD car, i didn't have particularly high expectations coming from an mx5, but i really am pleasantly surprised.
These are so rare in the UK in this spec, that I just couldn't resist...and it's a real hoot to drive.
Nothing really took my fancy and nobody was that interested in the 5, so i figured i was pretty much stuck with it.
That was until a good friend of mine advertised a somewhat unusual Japanese import up for sale.
A deal was struck, and one week later I am the proud owner of a Mitsubishi Mirage Asti ZR (if you are japanese), or Lancer coupe (australia, USA).
It is effectively a coupe bodied 90s CJ era colt cyborg.
This is no average Mirage though, what caught my eye was the spec-
1.6l DOHC MIVEC engine, putting out 170bhp, and without the aid of any forced induction. All of this in a car that weighs 1060kg...seemed like a good recipe to me.
The car is 19 years old, so cosmetically and structurally there will be rust to attend to (it's been in the UK for 11 of those years). However mechanically things look pretty good, the MIVEC kicks in when it should, and sounds fantastic...the car really hustles along and I've yet to give it a full service.
also handles surprisingly well for a FWD car, i didn't have particularly high expectations coming from an mx5, but i really am pleasantly surprised.
These are so rare in the UK in this spec, that I just couldn't resist...and it's a real hoot to drive.
Edited by designforlife on Tuesday 29th September 09:47
Edited by designforlife on Tuesday 29th September 09:48
Edited by designforlife on Wednesday 13th January 15:05
Should be an interesting project, kind of reminds me of the Mitsubishi Eclipse from the original Fast and Furious - in a good way!
I saw you post this on the MX5 facebook page by the way and the negative response that it got. Unfortunately the group seems to have descended into a mosh-pit for chavs and a**holes.
I saw you post this on the MX5 facebook page by the way and the negative response that it got. Unfortunately the group seems to have descended into a mosh-pit for chavs and a**holes.
yeah it's a real shame that the mx5 community has gone the way it has, it's so different now to how it was 5 or so years back....more akin to a corsa owners group now.
The colt scene seems much smaller and more intimate, and a few guys have been mega helpful already.
finding some parts for this have been tricky, i ended up ordering a rear wheel hub from the US!
Booked in for first service on the 12th of this month, its going to be a pricey one, but should get the car all set mechanically.
Sofar she seems most at home on bypass and carriageway territory...the mivec sounds utterly brilliant when it kicks in, i'd be loath to ever drown that out with an exhaust.
The car will remain very standard apart from coilovers and some interesting JDM wheels.
The colt scene seems much smaller and more intimate, and a few guys have been mega helpful already.
finding some parts for this have been tricky, i ended up ordering a rear wheel hub from the US!
Booked in for first service on the 12th of this month, its going to be a pricey one, but should get the car all set mechanically.
Sofar she seems most at home on bypass and carriageway territory...the mivec sounds utterly brilliant when it kicks in, i'd be loath to ever drown that out with an exhaust.
The car will remain very standard apart from coilovers and some interesting JDM wheels.
Aye, will do - whereabouts in Herts are you? I'm Baldock ways..
Another thing, that 'Asti' name doesn't do it any favours! I'm not suggesting you do, but if it were mine I'd try to remove the Asti part of the sticker just leaving the 'ZR' bit in red. Asti kinda sounds like a medication for OAPs.
Another thing, that 'Asti' name doesn't do it any favours! I'm not suggesting you do, but if it were mine I'd try to remove the Asti part of the sticker just leaving the 'ZR' bit in red. Asti kinda sounds like a medication for OAPs.
First little DIY job completed lastnight...shiny new Blitz panel filter to replace the utterly filthy OEM one, looked like it hadn't been changed for years.
She's definitely breathing a bit easier now, and i've gained a nice little bit of induction noise.
I'm still not over the novelty of having electric folding wing mirrors...so JDM!
She's definitely breathing a bit easier now, and i've gained a nice little bit of induction noise.
I'm still not over the novelty of having electric folding wing mirrors...so JDM!
hehe don't let the pictures fool you, she's pretty rusty underneath, and there's cosmetic rust all over the show.
My priority list-
-Full service (inc cambelt, water pump and that noisy hub)
-Suspension service (pretty sure the droplinks and bushings are knackered, cos it sounds like an old wooden cart on uneven roads)
-Structural rust repair (both rear chassis legs need a lot of grinding back and plating in, and the sills don't look too clever either)
- cosmetic rust repair (needs a new rear wheel arch panel welding in, and various smaller rusty bits attending to)
-full blow over
- fun stuff.
the later part of this list won't be happening for a while, need to spread the cost!!
My priority list-
-Full service (inc cambelt, water pump and that noisy hub)
-Suspension service (pretty sure the droplinks and bushings are knackered, cos it sounds like an old wooden cart on uneven roads)
-Structural rust repair (both rear chassis legs need a lot of grinding back and plating in, and the sills don't look too clever either)
- cosmetic rust repair (needs a new rear wheel arch panel welding in, and various smaller rusty bits attending to)
-full blow over
- fun stuff.
the later part of this list won't be happening for a while, need to spread the cost!!
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