Sigmata V2.0

Some of you are aware of the old Sigma wagon I rolled a couple years back. I got it after I got rid of my Celeste, and it was a trooper.

I basically removed the suspension and popped on some knock-off Hayashi Streets. I think it looked choice. I got heaps of comments and smiles. It ended up smoking a bit and chewed some wheel bearings, so after getting it fixed and back to stock, I sold it off sans WOF for $200.

Looked pretty sharp at it’s best

Since the blowout that was the Sapporo, I’ve been thinking more and more about another Sigma, albeit in sedan form. Just like almost any Mitsubishi in NZ, they don’t get a lot of respect and if modified, are done so in a fairly foul way. Think 17″ rims, not really lowered, garish silver paint everywhere and badly painted interiors. I reckon they’d make a sound option for an older Japanese car in regards to tasteful modifications, at an accessible price. They rarely sell for more than a grand or so, and mods are simple, like any old car. Here’s what I came up with on Photoshop.

Pretty standard fare. Hard slam, wheels, tidied up

14s with acceptable offset and width, low profile tyres with a hint of stretch, likely adjustable struts to get acceptable lowness and a few touches that I haven’t shown there.

Thoughts?

Sapporo supdate

At tec late again, time for a post on the future of the Sapporo

As it stands, I haven’t worked on the poor thing for months. I’ve been at tec til midnight consistently during the week, and either hungover or helping my Mother sell her house on the weekends.

I left it sitting in it’s warm shed somewhere near Hamilton, in bits, but dry and safe. The head is off pending accrual of a better one, and the front guards have been removed as they need some serious work to do their job to a WOF-able level. I’ve also removed various ancillaries for a clean and paint, as well as aquire bits and pieces of the electrical persuasion.

As it stands, I’d like to have it running this summer. Not necessarily legal and driveable, but running. This means I need to find a good condition cylinder head to whack on. As luck would have it, after negelecting such thoughts for weeks on end, I was pondering exactly that when I got a random text from a gentleman from the Oldschool forums. Mr caboon, or “Ogre” as he is also known happened to have a spare head going that had also had a refurb recently. I’ll take that! As a side note, he happens to be popping a rare AMG 4G63 into his LB Lancer, which I’d like to get some updates on. With any luck I’ll be having that in my posession in the coming weeks.

I have everything else sans a distributor, which is an easy find. All belts and gaskets are taken care of. I’d like another water pump really, I’ll see how the existing one looks.

Long term? Well once it’s running, I’ll need an exhaust system, as the 2′ of 2.5″  straight pipe likely won’t cut it. Suspension will be one of the first aspects taken care of once it’s road legal, likely in the form of some adjustable platforms in the front ala fuel spec, and something horrible in the back until I get the financials to get to work.

Engine-wise, I’ll stick with the SOHC for a while. It’s won’t be quick, but with a weber, extractors, the head cleaned up and a decent exhaust it’ll get around fine. Eventually, I’ll be opting for a DOHC 4G63, though of what type I’m unsure. ITB’s and a high rev limit is tempting, though will likely break easily and the power-to-weight ratio won’t be flash.

DOHC 4G63t is really the way forward for decent results, so will likely be what I opt for. It won’t be cheap, so will wait till I’m working full time next year.

I’d like some interesting wheels from the land of Japanese people, preferably in the 14 x 8 and 14 x 9 widths. I only need one kidney anyway.

The reality is, this is a long-long-term project. I didn’t want to see it end up crushed or crashed, so even if I just get it road-worthy, I’ll be happy. Michael over at RC understands, he’s been working on his C110 GTR for as long as I can remember.

Here’s a sad pic to end on

Mitsudrifty. lulz

I once owned a Mitsubishi Celeste. It was the first car I bought with my own money, and I can blame the interwebz for showing me them. I spent a bunch of money trying to pop a 12 valve Starion engine in it,and after 18 months of fluffing about, sold it off and lost a bunch of money also. I’ll have to do a post on this sometime

However, before the conversion, it had been running great, with a non-turbo SOHC 4G63 in it. With some basic suspension work, decent wheels and tyres, coupled to the extremely light chassis, it was fun. After selling it, I’ve had car after car that most would considerslow and boring; which they were, and are.

I’d been having real “hungers” for something else, something low, something loud and something fast. It had to be RWD and semi “modern”, as I enjoy going sideways, and having driven 70s era RWD in anger, they are too ghetto to have proper fun with. My kind of fun anyway.

I also preferred Mitsubishi, as my experience with them has shown them to be reliable as all hell, tough as old boots and considerably quick when done right. I was looking in the direction of a Starion, slamming a SOHC 4G63 with bike carbs in it, stripping it and going for a fang. I also looked at B310s and Sigmas, but the Datsun was too expensive, and the Sigma too ugly and ill-suited.

THEN!!! DUN DUN DUN etc

A fellow on www.oldschool.co.nz decided to sell his Mitsubishi Sapporo. Perfect. RWD, IRS, shares heaps/all with the Starions, can take the DOHC conversion easily, and was VERY cheap, so I snapped it up.

Here she be, in all her resplendent Maroon and very rusty glory.

Sigh. Yea ol bog/bondo

Head off- BHG

BHG was least of the head-related issues… Check welds encroaching into cam lobe seats

Parts I have procured for the current shitty engine, and future engine…Are those ITBs?

Speaking of, stick around for a few plans on what this dear old girl will experience in the coming months/years. Appreciate it