This baby in 2006-2007 ish. I was looking for a fast car that was a good cruiser and rare to start with I was not looking for one instead I was looking at Toyota Supra, Nissan 300ZX, Nissan Skyline, Nissan s13-s15 and Honda NSX. I found that the Supra's did not look as nice from the manufacture up close but never took one out, heard bad reports from a friend who had a 300ZX so went against the thought of one of them. The Honda NSX was slightly too much money but still like it, so I was left with the Sylvia's and the Skyline. The best looking Skyline was the R34 (possibly still is) a friend had a GTR R33 this was a nice car to be in fast an comfy but could see that it is more of a racer than a daily drive car a little stiff and bouncy. The other downside is that the car is featured in so many films now showing it as an iconic car with all the stigma of all the boy racers wanting to race it or be in it? So had some things against it as well as noticing that there seemed to be more and more turning up in my local area. The Sylvia was a lovely car but was not anything that felt fast just like a normal sports car.
After many hours, days, weeks and months contemplating what to do I saw a car that I had seen from years before and liked it? Looked up a few of them and done some reading before taking one out and boy what a car 4WD made the car feel shore footed and was quiet. 320bhp from a 3.0L V6 24valve twin turbo, there was not any lag or huge kick from the Turbo’s just a progressive push along.
For those who like figures, my car is the 1999 one of the last ones made also it’s a UK version so a true 3000GT with TD04-13G Turbo's the manufacture claims:
Curb weight: 3781 lbs
Horsepower: 320@6000
Torque, lb-ft@rpm, SAE net: 315@2500
Acceleration, 0-60 mph, sec: 5.4
Standing 1/4 mile, sec/mph: 13.5@101.6
Braking, 60-0, feet: 118
Handling, lateral acceleration, g: 0.89
Top speed: 157 MPH (155 limited)
That's what they recon but as you can imagine even though I told friends and the sales guy it was that fast I would be leaving it as Mitsubishi had made it. A few months later I started with a few mods as upgrading failing parts was cheaper than replacing with new Mitsubishi parts. First I had done a few of the little ones:
Stage 1
Powerflow CAT back system keeping the stock look 4 exit pipes 3" boar (mid section had a leak)
ITG high flow Foam intake Filter (Wanted a performance boost)
Forge replacement dump (My one was goosing/honking)
Sports CAT (From 400 element to 200 element) (flexi was broken)
Stage 2
MAP-II (ECU dual switch) (To control the upgrades better and to have an eco/power mode)
550cc injectors (360 are stock but they default run at 90%, bigger injectors more fuel more power)
Larger Fuel rail (allow high flow to injectors)
Welbra 255l fuel pump (push the fuel through faster)
fuel pressure regulator (keep the pressure in the line when booting it)
hotwire kit (power jump for the fuel pump)
Tuned and Dyno run 273bhp flat ECU with about 310Lb/FT Power ECU 372BHP with 372Lb/FT (Restriction is now at the pre-cats)
Stage 3
3SX Alloy RAD (help things stay cool)
Pit road FMIC (800+bhp) (Stock side mounts were old and dented up. As there is no cold air inlet this will cool it)
Spec's 3+ clutch (mine was wearing out and stocks only hold 350BHP this single plate holds about 500Lb/FT)
Lighten Fly (while the tuner is in there)
DBA 4000 disc's (cross drilled and dashed)
EBC Yellow stuff pads (takes a little time to warm up work a lot better)
HKS DLI (stops spark blow out)
New Dyno report will be updated soon!
Some sites say that the 3000GT was built to go head to head with the skyline and Porsche 911 although the price would suggest this, the original receipt for my car is £56k as the car is more a GT car than a racer quiet and comfy over long runs and pitted roads, not like the skyline. As the price is like an entry 911 yet has the performance of the turbo again so again the Japs made a turbo power, comfort and reliable but cheaper than the Germans.