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Mishi's Blog: #PROJECT9630

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MISHI
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Mishi's Blog: #PROJECT9630

Postby MISHI » September 10th, 2019, 8:44 am

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Soooo gather around... it's STORY TIME!

Uncle Mishi is back with a lil story... AND BOY this is a story.

So let's wind the clock back... WAY back. Who remembers "BLKWHITEPAZ"?
(show by raise of hands)... SOME of allyuh was in diapers or worse spermers then.

But anywaayyyyy as Santana says, the corny arse name was in fact my FIRST ever forum name on ANY forum thing in life ever. In fact I was personally invited by Nebert Marin (Mr. Gear) to check out the "Madda Badda Louder Ride" that was Trinituner. Why that name though?

(Let's turn the clock back to 2001)

I was looking for a car. In those days I had my mother's CK2A "flare kit" lancer running up and down and had JUST scored a job working in ANSA MCAL Tobago. Little would I end up months later having to give her back that car... and in doing so, fueled my need... no, WANT for a car.

Annnnnnnd then there was this:
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PIECE... OF... (words that YouTube demonetizes you for if you say it out aloud)

Now this: THIS is a Photoshop. Why? Because well, digital cameras were't the "every blasted body and their granny have" thing that we have now. In those days they were to the elitest of the elite... and to be honest... a myth like Bigfoot riding a Unicorn with a pet Loch Ness monster chasing it.

Yes, this was where I started this car. And as many of you know along the years, this car went through a LOT of changes and upgrades... dare I say: "EVOLUTION"

But I won't bore you with the long arse story of growing up with it... that's for a whole session with a mobile KFC and doubles man on standby. But You can read it here if you on the Bookz:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 736&type=3

Right. That out of the way, remember the "Making 701 great again" post? No? here:

http://trinituner.com/v4/forums/viewtopic.php?t=716838

Nice. Now if you followed that story time you'll remember I promised that 2019 would start what we will come to know it nowadays as:

#project9630.

But in fact, it started the year before.
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It sat for years not running. And every year I would promise to get it started like you'd promise to take your kid to Chuck E Cheese... and didn't. And your kid would retaliate by giving you the sad face... but bad thing is for a car guy, your car can do that too.

And one day, I couldn't bare to watch it anymore... It was rotting... it was faded, the neighbors were rebuilding their house next door and cement was beating on it... glass cracked, body dented... I couldn't allow this car to go down the route of many an abandon... not this car that I have shared so much of my life with... something that was more a friend than many humans... no. I HAD to do something. So I broke out the washcloth and bucket... and went to work on it.
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And as I did that, a whole new feeling of importance started coming along. I HAD to start making plans... plans that took me down a rabbit hole of expense and stress, but what's a car life without empty pockets and high boost blood pressure, right?

Right.

First thing's first: That engine bay.
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If it wasn't moss, it was rust. If it wasn't rust, it was something "dry rotten". So out came the trusty "bomb spray" (Evercoat's "black it out" is a gem if you ever used it), autosol, electrical tape, CIF, purple blaster, WD40, and God alone knows what the hell else I had out there.
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Clean.

Now I had a plan for the car: Back in 2010, I made an edit to see what it would look like all white with white RCT4 wheels. Le Rally style. So I found what I could find on the net and:
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That was the result. Of course no CB came 5 hole at that point: the Brembo and 5 combo was merely a result of me trying to find a suitable picture to use the wheels for at the right angle. But in doing this, I cast it aside saying

"Naaaah... too plain"

Of course, that was the inner immature "boy ricer" part of me. So fast forward to 2018 and i decided to try that same idea again. With a new sense of determination for what I wanted. THIS time though, I fell in love with a new wheel look:
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OZ Rally racing.

I thought "PERFECT"... but then, problem: they ONLY came 5 hole.

"Ferk".

Looks like I have to give up on that. WAIT!!!! Wasn't there a video where a guy did a 5 hole front on his EVO/ MIRAGE clone?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6ksHXQokrw

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Well OK that sorts out the front, but what of the rear? It was then I was learning the FWD CS Ralliart rear setup is ACTUALLY a direct bolt on other than for one minor mod you have to make to the rear toe arm assembly. Now, you can either cut it shorter or get an adjustable one, which I did in the latter sense.

So much to the unhappiness of my bank account, I began the search for parts. Now the first mission was to get ALL the service items I could. Timing belt, water pump, seals, ect etc etc. A LOT had to come from good ole Japan so it took some time. Image

So within that I placed orders over the next few months for all the other things I wanted: Lights, brakes, suspension, you name it. As time went and EZONE became more appreciative (after I had to pay em) more and more items filled the house. Of course I bought from my local collegues when I could.

I also was lucky to score a bunch of used parts as well in the way of an EVO 2 front lip... another unicorn part that almost NON existent, EVO3 rear bumper complete, 4 power window doors, GSR Recaros, rear windshield with rear wiper (yeah I went there) and some other miscellaneous items.
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Remember those adjustable arms I spoke of, I made a booboo: I ordered the CS type, which was WAAAY too long (That's what she said)

AHEM... (cough)

Anyway,

So I had to do some doctoring to bring it back into spec.

And so much cutting and measuring later, got it as perfect as could be.
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"GREAT!"

So as the car sat, I started installing the body parts I needed on it. Bumper, doors, front lip etc. The car began to look more like a panda than anything else... much to the enjoyment of many apparently. Removed a bunch of wiring all around the car that in my days learning to work on this it, that I admit was a lot of "ratch"
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Now the BIG doozie came the fact that I had to replace the fuel pump. THIS was ny no means an easy task considering you had to DROP the entire tank and not one I ever did before.

"Like a virgiiiiiinn (OOH)

(sees all the "stares WTFishly from the readers)

Yeah... moving along.
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I took the liberty of getting another fuel tank as I wasn't sure the condition of mine for one... and also I feared that because my car was a carburetted model, there was no inner baffle to keep the fuel from swirling. And upon some advice from some good friends here, I decided to attempt the task...
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and BOY was it an eye opener: The ENTIRE tak was rusted with sediment. The pump AND fuel gauge was... well, THAT:
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So NOW I had to get a new gauge sender as well. But that could be done later. For now, the fuel pump is the main plan. So I installed a new Walbro 190LPH... which is WAY more than needed and put everything back up.
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And then by late November, she fired up for the first time in 6 years.

Elation, yes. But that turned quickly into a bunch of frustration and money that was spent that didn't need to be. Turns out that the Walbro was too large for the tank and in doing so, damaged an o ring seal and as well I had to stack up some rubbers on the tank to fit it somewhat.

I didn't help that I knew nothing about "bad gas" at that point. I had changed the tank, but I used back a good bit of the old fuel into the new tank. I know now that was a big mistake. The car would take 6 or 7 tries to start. When it did, it would misfire, cut off... you name it, it did it... much like a child telling you "I DOH WANNA GOOOOOO!!!!!!"

I did some wild goose chasing the issue: had the injectors cleaned, a new AEM regulator installed, and topped off the tank with fresh fuel (Topped off, NOT replace) and still it started and ran like crap. But anyway you know what? Let that sort out at the garage. She started and that was enough for me.
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More work continued along the way like painting the rocker cover and replacing the radiator among many other little things.
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By December I had already amassed all the items to service the car. So off to my mechanic who works on 701 to give her a good lease on engine life.
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By January 2nd or so, 9630 was done with her organ surgeries, but not without some hiccups:

The clutch kit I got was not the right pressure plate... the axle cup I bought new couldn't fit because the wrong seal was fitted... and still she started and drove like crap.

Bummer. It didn't help that I JUST dropped 701 that morning and told the man "take care of her cause is not my car" Pointing the the fact it was Uncle Rawle Mahabir's pride and joy...

Till I got the call that moment: He died. That was one of the tougher things to hear this beginning of 2019. Sadly, I took 9630 home.
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I started to continue the troubleshooting and figured I'd perform another fuel pump change... namely by using a Denso for a S2000 application... at 140LPH it was plenty enough over the standard 80LPH that they usually use. It was also smaller and fit perfect in the tank. So new seals, new lines redone, new fuel, new plugs... and she started in one (or 2) tries.
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PERFECT!

Most of 2019 was spent doing little odds and ends in preparation for having the bodywork done... namely saving money. I decided on using another garage at this point as I wanted to try them and also with what I needed to do, I believed they were best suited for the job.
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And so at the end of May, I said goodbye to 9630 and left her at Sherman's Auto garage, where she spent the next 3 months being worked on. Of course, updates were being given along the way. Now I planned to go with a new white for the car since I found the Scotia white a bit dull. The color I painted the Advan wheels on 701 were the prime choice: Ford Ultra White (M6774A)
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And by August, 9630 was back... and looked,
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well, plain.

The car looked great but just a bit bland. It needed something to give it an accent... and with the already red accents and rally wheels, I figured there was only one thing that could be added:
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MUDFLAPS! So one Photoshop later, it was a done deal. Order placed.

Now began the task of getting most of the main suspension components on. Now I have had good things to say about Fortune Auto ever since I had their coilovers on 701, so I decided it was the only option for 9630. The fronts were easy enough... the rears were too... until the brake lines.
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Now because of the Ralliart setup, you need a female to female- (thinks scissorly)

STAHP EET!

Ahem,

Anyway, I needed brake lines, let's just go with that. Trouble was that while the CB hard line was one type of flare, the CS was another... which I had no knowledge on. I just thought they were all the same. One complete leak out of fluid later, I found out on suggestion from my pardner Daniel, that the flare in the lines were different.
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So one quick trip to the "Georgia Boys" parts place later, I scored some Lancer lines that worked for the two different ends perfectly.
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So now it was a 5 hole machine. Time to test the OZ wheels...
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and now the new problem: Because I could only get the wheels in 45 offset, I had to use a spacer... which is no big deal, I've run spacers on the evo in the past. As long as I get at least 5 turns on my lug nuts before tightening, I'm fine.
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BUT, the issue is, that these are 8" wide. So to clear the rear arm, I had to use a 7mm spacer. And while I get a good 5 turns on the rears before torquing down, I only get 4.5 on the front. So definitely some extended studs are needed. I sourced some from ichiba or 3sx performance but I'm still debating which I will get as one is 60mm and one 55mm... I don't want one too long like the ARP ones are.

But for what it is, it's fine. I had my old 701 stock wheels lying around and by this time I got the flaps... and began the many measurements, ride height adjustments, and settings for when I would get tyres on the wheels.
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Good fortune came my way as racetrac had a sale on the same Sailun tyres that I run onthe EVO and I have nothing but good reviews for it (ZSR model). I rushed the chance and got a set for half of what I'd usually pay.
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And so with a FINAL final readjust for the correct tyres, and final cutting of the flaps, she was done.
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Now "done" is relative, as there is SO much more I need to do. I still need to find the right flywheel so I can use the correct clutch setup for this FWD box. as well as the axle seal to replace in order to have the new cup fitted among other repairs to be done. Also at present the aftermarket aircon system has been scrapped out and presently working on gathering all the OEM aircon system parts needed, as well as installing a FMIC and "possibly" the reinstall of rally driving lamps.

And if that's not enough of a money eater, I still plan on going with a standalone Haltech system primarily for the fact that this car has NO way of error checking because it was not EFI to begin with... and there may be a time in the future, I would like to take it possibly to the 300HP range. But for now, 9630 will sit.

Anyway if you reached this far in the story (I TOLD you it was a heck of a story) well done.

As always I have SO many people to thank:

TEKNET as always for supplying me with OEM and aftermarket items,
DRL Performance
Tuner Imports
Sherman's Auto Garage, Tobago for the tedious work needed to bring 9630 back to what it is today
WHEEL WIZARD
Racetrac Tobago
Classic Paints Toago
7381 Performance parts
Steve for constantly supplying me with spares
Shaunritch Latchman
John Ferreira
Carva
Daniel Persad for countless days going all over sourcing stuff in Trinidad
Jon Marc and "Cally" for the transportation

I could go on and on (and on and on) wth people but it is too long to list.

Uncle Mishi tired... I writing this since 4am.

Later!

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Dave
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Re: Mishi's Blog: #PROJECT9630

Postby Dave » September 10th, 2019, 10:50 am

When I grow up I want to be like Uncle Mishi! To think I drove this auto 4g13 to what it is now!

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MISHI
3NE 2NR Aficionado
Posts: 5474
Joined: May 14th, 2003, 4:00 pm
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Contact:

Re: Mishi's Blog: #PROJECT9630

Postby MISHI » September 10th, 2019, 3:54 pm

Dave wrote:When I grow up I want to be like Uncle Mishi! To think I drove this auto 4g13 to what it is now!


Indeed bro. You are so much a part of this car's history with your help and advice over the years.

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Parvin
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Re: Mishi's Blog: #PROJECT9630

Postby Parvin » October 13th, 2019, 11:16 am

Aye MISHI, you mind sending me a contact number bro ?

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