Modern Classic: Garage G-force Evo Iii

No matter how long we spend covering global automotive culture, there is still that feeling of excitement when we stumble upon something special and start shooting it right then and there. It’s the essence of being a Speedhunter, bringing you – our readers – the best rides we find during our travels and at times that may not be the latest and wildest tuner demo car from Japan, but a simple, old, privately owned car we just happen to come across. Back last summer when I stopped by the brand new Garage G-Force HQ in Yokohama, among all the high-power Evos and GT-Rs that were being worked on in the workshop…

…it was a lonely Lancer Evolution III parked outside that stole my attention. It had just been dropped off by its owner and was about to receive a quick service, a bit of TLC to keep this well looked after modern day classic freshly oiled up and functioning as it should.

These days we tend to get too caught up in the latest and newest versions that manufacturers continue to throw at us, but once in a while it’s always nice to take a step back and admire where some of today’s best cars have originated from. It was back in January 1995 that the third generation of the Lancer Evolution, the CE9A, made its debut. It was to be the last high-performance, rally-bred special before the new body design would be introduced the following year, a shape what would form the base for the Evo 4, 5 and 6 (and the Evo 6 Tommi Makinen of course).

What is very obvious is that the owner of this car has done a great job of keeping it looking period correct…

…upgrading it here and there with more modern touches like a carbon roof conversion. This might seem like a very pricy modification but once an enthusiasts makes a choice to keep a specific car for an indefinite amount of time, it’s then the serious upgrading begin. We all know the benefits that shedding weight from the very top of the chassis can bring to the handling…

…so one can only assume the car is driven hard on a regular basis.

The fresh set of Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 tires also points to this, 215/40R17 all round, mounted on Racing Sparco NS-II Python wheels.

These first few initial upgrades made me even more curious of what had been done to the engine…

…and not surprisingly quite a lot of work has been carried out. The Garage G-Force mechanic pointed out that the 4G63 has been upgraded with a 2.3L stroker kit…

…a custom made stainless steel manifold…

…and a larger Garrett turbo, all good for “over 400 HP.” When the Japanese add the word “over” in front of any power, torque or speed figure then you should probably assume they are being somewhat conservative. With more than 400 HP on tap and not much over 1,300 kg this is undoubtedly a fun car to fling around the touge.

The mechanic was as baffled as I was with the “tuned by AMG” lettering on the spark plug cover.

A custom intake pipe takes the HKS foam filter as far away from the hot side of the engine as possible, shielded even by a sheet of aluminum. All rubber hoses have been replaced with hard pipes, which also plumbing the larger HPI intercooler in position.

The car rides on D2 coilovers with adjustable camber plates, dialled as far negative as they go. The Cusco strut tower bar is there to keep the front section of the chassis as rigid as possible through corners.

The impromptu shoot continued…

…with a quick look inside. The fixed Recaro bucket seat on the driver’s side was yet another hint that this car gets driven properly on a regular basis…

…and when you do give your modified engine a workout it’s always a very good idea to fit accurate sensors and gauges, something taken care by a nice line up of “Defis.”

The boost gauge is positioned right by the driver’s side A-pillar…

…while boost control is handled and monitored by this HKS EVC module.

I’m guessing the stock leather shifter was replaced at one point as this looked way too unmolested to be the original one.

So there you have it. At times it’s those cars in the distance that grab our attention, once upon a time the latest and most capable performance models – forgotten by many but still very much remembered and appreciated by a few.

Japan is full of finds like this Evo III and you can rest assured that our search for these gems will never end.

Garage G-Force

-Dino Dalle Carbonare

ADVERTISEMENT

Comments



Comments are closed.

87 comments

by Oldest
by Best by Newest by Oldest
1

Still one of my favorite cars in GT4. Yeah, i still play it. Lol. Dino, these are the types of stories that make me check this site regularly. Thanks for sharing it.

2

Still one of my favorite cars in GT4. Yeah, i still play it. Lol. Dino, these are the types of stories that make me check this site regularly. Thanks for sharing it.

3

Tuned by AMG:
Before Mercedes-Benz bought out AMG in the late nineties, AMG was an independent tuning firm that put out various cars. There was even a AMG tuned Mitsubishi Galant in the late eighties; that's probably where the owner sourced that spark plug cover from.
 
Here's a picture for reference: http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/i27/2709_3lo.jpg

4

Tuned by AMG:
Before Mercedes-Benz bought out AMG in the late nineties, AMG was an independent tuning firm that put out various cars. There was even a AMG tuned Mitsubishi Galant in the late eighties; that's probably where the owner sourced that spark plug cover from.
 
Here's a picture for reference: http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/i27/2709_3lo.jpg

5

agree with goon...the spark plug cover was craved by many 4G63 enthusiasts...

6

agree with goon...the spark plug cover was craved by many 4G63 enthusiasts...

7

@Tonioseven i agree, these are the type of stories that i like the most.

8

@Tonioseven i agree, these are the type of stories that i like the most.

9
david ex vr4 owner

WHAT AN INSPIRATION TO THE MITSY GROUP THIS EVO IS PRICELESS SO IMMACULATE !!!!  GERGEOUSS ORIGINAL EVO 3

10
david ex vr4 owner

WHAT AN INSPIRATION TO THE MITSY GROUP THIS EVO IS PRICELESS SO IMMACULATE !!!!  GERGEOUSS ORIGINAL EVO 3

11
david ex vr4 owner

loved the pix of this evo 3 really awsome .... a real credit to the owner !!!!!!!!!!!  mitsy allwaze

12
david ex vr4 owner

loved the pix of this evo 3 really awsome .... a real credit to the owner !!!!!!!!!!!  mitsy allwaze

13
david ex vr4 owner

DAVES CAR GROOMS ...........  24 YRZ HOLLER IF YOU NEED , ( FROM HOME ) FROM FAMILY TO SHOW , CUSTOM ETC !! :)  look me up on f.book

14
david ex vr4 owner

DAVES CAR GROOMS ...........  24 YRZ HOLLER IF YOU NEED , ( FROM HOME ) FROM FAMILY TO SHOW , CUSTOM ETC !! :)  look me up on f.book

15
inspector_exacto

I actually like the first 4 EVOS more than any of them that came after. The EVO IV especially.

16
inspector_exacto

I actually like the first 4 EVOS more than any of them that came after. The EVO IV especially.

17

Thank you for the input. It saved me some time on google. Cheers!!

18

Thank you for the input. It saved me some time on google. Cheers!!

19

Thank you Dino. You rock!!  I love these early WRC inspired cars. Any 22B's cruising around? I would give 2 body parts for one.

20

Thank you Dino. You rock!!  I love these early WRC inspired cars. Any 22B's cruising around? I would give 2 body parts for one.

21

Those are crimson sparco wheels not volk

22

Those are crimson sparco wheels not volk

23

D2's?!?!!!? Why? This car deserves better!

24

D2's?!?!!!? Why? This car deserves better!

25

Whats the story for the Evo X? I dont recall seeing any on here, or on any of the event coverage you do.

26

Whats the story for the Evo X? I dont recall seeing any on here, or on any of the event coverage you do.

27

215 tires and 400hp? This car needs AT LEAST 255 all around!

28

215 tires and 400hp? This car needs AT LEAST 255 all around!

29

If I'm not wrong it was a "special edition" of the VR4 at the time and was the first car where Mitsu used the 4G63T engine with a 16v head (8v head was in the starion, 2nd lancer, sapporo...)

30

If I'm not wrong it was a "special edition" of the VR4 at the time and was the first car where Mitsu used the 4G63T engine with a 16v head (8v head was in the starion, 2nd lancer, sapporo...)

31

Thanks for this info my man

32

Thanks for this info my man

33

the AMG Galant was a 2 liter non turbo actually

34

the AMG Galant was a 2 liter non turbo actually

35

Dino,
Can you possibly find out who made the carbon roof? These cars have a problem with the roof rusting out which might be the major reason the roof was replaced. Mine is rotting as well. If I am going to change my roof I might look into a carbon one.

36
speedhunters_dino

@JDMized Dunno, sounds like a recipe for a lot of fun to me

37
speedhunters_dino

@Wreckleford I think it was T&E

38
speedhunters_dino

@roeby There have been a few featured, Garage G-Force/Varis/Sunbeam collab car, Koyama Racing Labo...

39
speedhunters_dino

Interesting, I never knew that.  You learn something new every day :)

40

Thanks for this feature! I don't see early Evo's anywhere these days. It's good to see one of the originators of a genre, and one so close to it's rallying origins.

41

Amazing to see some of the earlies still in Japan!
 
Cant wait to get mine back to a decent standard and back on the road!

42

An Evo III is always a sight for sore eyes (especially in the RWD-biased climate we are experiencing right now, '90s were a lot more diverse in that sense), but whatever handling improvements were made by carbon roof conversion are now void with Chinese-made D2 coilovers and Cusco strut bar that has pivot points (which is about as rigid as having no strut bar)...the owner would be better of with factory shocks and upgraded springs imho.

43

@inspector_exacto I say first seven Lan Evo iterations.

44

"...once an enthusiasts makes a choice to keep a specific car for an indefinite amount of time, it’s then the serious upgrading begin."
 
I wish more people reached that level of enthusiastic maturity.

45

There were also AMG edition '92-95 Civic sedans in South Africa...
 
Source: http://www.eg-squad.nl/5thgenguide/civicballadeamg.html

46

Love it!

47

"forgotten by many but still very much remembered and appreciated by a few." I certainly hope this is not the case. It would be a shame to forget the glorious Evo cars of old.
 
Great car!

48
Gerben aka Suburuuh

This is one personal EVOIII, I'm glad you featured it! Don't forget the ancestors.

49

Love it! The last good lan evo, in my opinion at least.

50

@speedhunters_dino  @JDMized AWD skids are some of the best skids

51

yes, AMG tuned Mitsubishi Galant VR4's back in the day. and this is the first time I saw a EVO III tuned by AMG. but it could be just the spark plug cover that was added. but you'll never know.

52

The rims are Racing Sparco NS-II Python

53

Please make a feature of Evo 4, i never seen any on this  site yet

54

@speedhunters_dino If "fun" to you means no grip, then yes.
If you wanna go fast, then upgrade with wider tires/rims.

55

thats because evo 4 are the most average evo unfortunately

56

This is where the 'Tuned by AMG' spark plug cover comes from: http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/2007/12/28/debonair-when-amg-met-mitsubishi/
AMG did a full make over of the E39A Galant VR4, which included, different body kit, rear wing, interior styling, wheels and that spark cover in this expose.

58

@JDMized  @speedhunters_dino Here we go again, he is unhappy again. :D You know, JDMized it's pretty clear to everyone this is no track-purpose built car, leave it.

59

@Antonygl88 
it was the NA version that amg tinkered with 175hp, different interior, and externally different from the vr4 and regular galant. they had type 1 and type 2. i think it was the e33 chassis. i hope they feature a vr4 next time, quite a few of them still running in new zealand and the states, good following in some Asian countries as well.

60

@Antonygl88  Weird. Very weird. LOL

61
speedhunters_dino

@TheShinigami  @JDMized LOL Alex, you are truly hilarious.

62

@Antonygl88

63

@Antonygl88 Well, it actually isn't that weird. AMG is a tuning company and they tuned many different cars before they tied up with Mercedes-Benz.

64

@JDMized   The professional race car driver strikes again!!

65
speedhunters_dino

@GMoghadam  @Antonygl88 Thanks for that!  Very interesting stuff

66
speedhunters_dino

It's just so hard to find any here in Japan...but I'll keep my eyes peeled :)

67
speedhunters_dino

@tutagarrido Thanks!

68
speedhunters_dino

@Gerben aka Suburuuh Too right!

69
speedhunters_dino

@guReMcO Well far too many people don't appreciate older cars no more...

70

@inspector_exacto I do love my IV :) 

71

@apex_DNA It may seem like a waste but those of us who know these chassis well can tell you that that upgrade is absolutely necessary! Evos 1-3 and all 4th gen lancer chassis cars including our usdm mirage suffered from horrible roof rust due to the panel bond used. It attracts moisture.

72

@AlchEm1st I only said it was a waste when coupled with aforementioned suspension modifications.

73

@apex_DNA  @AlchEm1st True enough, was just saying he didn't really do it for the performance aspect.

74

@apex_DNA  True enough, was just saying he didn't really do it for the performance aspect.

75
AlessandroLwSgreccia

so simply and beautiful at the same time, i love the evos and from III to VI are my best favourites

76

Love seeing this older iron still taken care of and driven.

77

My favourite Evo! Not necessarily in this color, but either way, it's awesome.

78

@apex_DNA You can get custom made D2s which offer larger inserts and custom valving. Its possible hes done this which would make them a very good shock

79

@Ryanfels While possible, what's the point? (I also very much doubt that's what this owner has done) D2's are a rubbish china spec coilover. The people who buy them usually fall into three categories.
1 - Uninformed buyer who thinks they're good.
2 - Cheap people
3 - People looking to slam their car.

80
david ex vr4 owner

@Antonygl88  yea bro i had an 89 vr-4 for 14 yrz loved it miss it now

81
StantonTylerWarner

These are pretty cheap out here in Japan. Tempted to get one for a daily. Very clean car.

82
david ex vr4 owner

like good old vr-4z   :)
@speedhunters_dino  @guReMcO

83

@Ryanfels Not even close. Most JDM coilovers (or shock and spring combos) are not even that good to begin with, let alone some child-labor copyright-infringing company out of China...D2 originally was, and I believe still is, a company that offers cellphone plans in Europe, kinda like Metro PCS in US.

84

love it, every bit

85

@tbeaulieu hey can you explain more about this problem :)

86

Hello ,
Cane you advice me about the D2 Coilovers size or number that fits evo 3
And how much they cost ?
Thank you in advance.

87

Hey there!
It seem that the high-res links are not working.
Can you please repair the links?
I would like to have those wallpapers.
Thanks!

OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS