View Full Version : JBA3's "Let's revive the VR4" thread
Photos and videos of random things I felt like taking photos or videos of while reviving my 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4.
The car sat for over 3 1/2 years as a non-running vehicle. What started as simple maintenance - replacing the motor mounts - led to broken bolts, seized studs, stripped fittings, a cracked turbo housing, and a whole lot more work than I ever anticipated. Thinking "I can just upgrade this one thing" snowballed into better turbos, intercooler conversion, powder coated stuff, reductions of extra "stuff", aftermarket gauges, custom wiring and whatever else I end up doing before I finally turn the key and start driving. Luckily I had a bunch of parts sitting on the shelf from my last VR4, which spun a bearing (poor Spyder!)... I was going to rebuild, but ended up selling as a shell (without a motor).
Beginning of the revival:
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-07%2010.53.54_zpsddkxdoj2.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-07%2010.53.54_zpsddkxdoj2.jpg.html)
Engine was fine, and good compression. I don't think I took any photos before I removed and reinstalled the turbos / water housing / etc.
DR650 billets, 3SX stainless braided water lines and oil supply, OEM oil return to pan
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-07%2010.43.28_zpss3cdsjkk.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-07%2010.43.28_zpss3cdsjkk.jpg.html)
The interior. Lots of wiring changes, so I just pulled most of it.
Fuel
Stainless line from filter to rail
Powder coated rail (front for now, I'll do the rear once I know it runs)
Oohnoo fuel rail loop
Stainless line to FPR
FueLab mini AFPR
Return line using the stock feed line
6AN feed line from tank to fuel filter (stock fittings stripped pulling the pump, so, AN bulkhead conversion
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-10%2017.33.27_zpsmwiqcg5t.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-10%2017.33.27_zpsmwiqcg5t.jpg.html)
(stock assembly before bulkhead conversion)
Gauges, Electronics, and Wiring:
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-23%2013.47.58_zpskqnzg1rj.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-23%2013.47.58_zpskqnzg1rj.jpg.html)
Modifying the factory main gauges to fit the OBD2 monitor / boost controller and electroluminescent gauge overlays
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-23%2013.48.05_zpssteevzhy.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-23%2013.48.05_zpssteevzhy.jpg.html)
No factory wiring here, looks like a good spot to send the wiring out
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-23%2014.14.49_zpsks3bqpcl.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-23%2014.14.49_zpsks3bqpcl.jpg.html)
Wiring all tucked away neatly, overlays done, needles on just to see how it looks. I'll have to calibrate the RPM and speedometer later, but I can't do that until I have the car running.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-23%2013.48.56_zpsv5wl3x3r.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-23%2013.48.56_zpsv5wl3x3r.jpg.html)
The OEM part number for the main gauge cluster, just in case I need it later
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-22%2023.27.02_zpsripadlgz.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-22%2023.27.02_zpsripadlgz.jpg.html)
A ground splitting harness I made, to provide grounding for the gauges, OBD2 monitoring, and stereo.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-22%2023.26.37_zpstmhl1vdm.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-22%2023.26.37_zpstmhl1vdm.jpg.html)
The wiring coming off of the switches. It's 3 pairs that go into a 3-wire union that goes to a single line that will run to a 12 volt switched fused circuit
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-22%2023.26.26_zps0bj1dszc.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-22%2023.26.26_zps0bj1dszc.jpg.html)
Modified panel, used to just be a coin tray but I marked and cut everything to add in the seven SPST switches. The wiring coming off of it I did from scratch, it's a set of 3 pairs that go into a 3-wire union that goes to a single line that will run to a 12 volt switched fused circuit
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-22%2023.26.19_zpsta8yzc0v.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-22%2023.26.19_zpsta8yzc0v.jpg.html)
Modified panel, used to just be a coin tray but I marked and cut everything to add in the seven SPST switches
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-21%2018.08.34_zpscp7o0zoj.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-21%2018.08.34_zpscp7o0zoj.jpg.html)
Back of the dashboard
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-21%2018.05.04_zpsxqfxzmam.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-21%2018.05.04_zpsxqfxzmam.jpg.html)
Not exactly a wide open field, but plenty of space to run the wiring for all 3 center gauges
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-21%2018.04.49_zpsfsrjgn3n.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-21%2018.04.49_zpsfsrjgn3n.jpg.html)
Dash out of the car, venting ducts removed, and some of the gauges wired up
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-21%2017.30.56_zpsztntwyvf.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-21%2017.30.56_zpsztntwyvf.jpg.html)
Heat shrink at the end of the wire bundles to keep it nice and neat
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/rebuilding2015/th_2015-12-21%2017.30.31_zpsawb0lpux.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/rebuilding2015/2015-12-21%2017.30.31_zpsawb0lpux.jpg.html)
Some of the wiring harnesses I did with the soldering, heat shrink, and mesh bundling
Here we go! Initial test of the gauges, overlays, and OBD2 monitoring: https://youtu.be/QqEUwwNKqN4
Engine / Exhaust
(will be updated later)
FMIC / Cooling
(will be updated later)
Interior / Exterior
(will be updated later)
Suspension / Transmission
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/installs/maximal-tcase/th_2015-12-11%2023.41.17_zpsnel1ik3g.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/installs/maximal-tcase/2015-12-11%2023.41.17_zpsnel1ik3g.jpg.html) http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/installs/maximal-tcase/th_2015-12-11%2023.41.07_zpsvfhgqzsl.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/installs/maximal-tcase/2015-12-11%2023.41.07_zpsvfhgqzsl.jpg.html) http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/3000gt/installs/maximal-tcase/th_2015-12-11%2023.41.02_zpscksdmkam.jpg (http://s156.photobucket.com/user/jba3/media/3000gt/installs/maximal-tcase/2015-12-11%2023.41.02_zpscksdmkam.jpg.html)
Maximal TCase bracket (6 speed)
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