RR of the Day: Beware the sleeper, Turbo Mirage
Oh, how we love us some "Q-ships" and it doesn't get more unassuming than this 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo.
Sharing a platform with its stable mate, the Dodge Colt GT, only 1500 examples were produced. The factory-equipped 1.6 DOHC mill was outfitted with a turbo, but no intercooler and was able to churn out 145 hp in stock trim. Four-wheel disc brakes and some trick suspension tuning, made this the ultimate sleeper back in '89, but times, they've changed.
So, the Autoblog reader with the apt name 'TurboMirage' decided that the stock power plant had to keep up with the Joneses. To quote T.M., swapping the 2-liter 4G63 engine from a turbo Eclipse "was an extremely simple, plug and play affair" since both motors share much of the same components and dimensions. The new heart, when attached to the stock tranny and outfitted with equal length half-shafts, creates an estimated 400 hp and, according to Mr. Mirage, limited torque steer.
Getting up to the four hundred mark involved HKS camshafts, uprated injectors, a Mitsubishi 20G snail and a 3" turbo-back expelling the exhaust. All that adds up to a claimed quarter-mile run of 11.67 seconds at a stupidly quick 123 MPH.
The best part: no visual additions beyond some tinted glass and upgraded wheels/tires. Keep it sleeper Senor Mirage and yes, we'll even plug your website.
Click on through for an engine shot.
If you'd like to see your own ride featured here, simply upload photos into our Flickr group. We select one image to highlight each week day, and crown a Rig of the Week on Sundays. Detailed instructions can be found after the jump.
Instructions for submitting to Autoblog's RR of the Day:
Create a Flickr account if you don't already have one. Search for and join the group called 'Autoblog RR of the Day'. Upload up to three photos of your ride to your own account at a size no larger than 450 pixels wide if possible and include as much information about it and yourself as possible. Click on each photo and just above the picture it will say "Send to group". Click that and select the Autoblog group. You're done, that's it!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
charley 6:32AM (12/18/2008)
I have two of these cars for alot of years now. There so fun to drive, ones stock and one has a few things. The cool thing is that the little 1.6 dohc can take so many cheap mods. I put a 35 dollar 2.o turbo eclipse throttle body and it was like 10 horses or more and same with side mount intercooler for 30 bucks. I baught a evo 3 exhaust manifold that helped the second most was like 2o horses seemed like. But the biggest boost in power was the 14 b turbo from junk yard 100 bucks. Made the car so much faster, even the injectors just pop in from eclipse turbo. But I do need to find someone who can do head gaskets and timing. I have taken to so many shops to repair or change timing belts and the car comes back sputtering badly,not sure whats wrong now. But we are going to tow it tommorow and see if we can see whats wrong with it. CharleyTurbo...
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JonM in MN 10:29AM (9/08/2006)
I love this kind of thing. You can have all the dubs and wings and stripes ya want. This is the real deal.
If I were 25 again this is just the kind of thing I'd do.
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The other Bob 10:28AM (9/08/2006)
I love the sleeper.
This car is the opposite of those stupid cars with huge wings, ground effects and no engine mods. Those cars are all show and no go.
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Steve 10:37AM (9/08/2006)
(#1) Actually, some "of those stupid cars with huge wings, ground effects" go like hell. But they look stupid as hell too.
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nailz420 10:40AM (9/08/2006)
So did they put an intercooler in it, or what?
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menice 10:49AM (9/08/2006)
#4..nope dont see an intercooler. not much room.
sweet sleeper, should do a couple more apperance mods though.
i'd probably challange his wife at light and she'd smoke my ass before I got to second.
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Oolon Coluphid 10:53AM (9/08/2006)
#5: there's a FMIC under the front bumper
http://www.turbomirage.com/photo_galleries/FMIC_Install/
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MR 10:57AM (9/08/2006)
He might be using something like the factory sidemount intercooler used on teh DSM triplets. THey're if I recall correctly in the pass side wheelwell, and it the piping looks similar to what's used on the Talon/Laser/Eclipse.
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JonM in MN 11:13AM (9/08/2006)
I just checked out his site and it's really well done, but I didn't see where he posted, if he did, what it cost him to do the upgrade. Did anybody catch that?
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Jscro 11:25AM (9/08/2006)
Brilliant ride!
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menice 11:31AM (9/08/2006)
ok i stand corrected, somehow there was room for an FMIC. just wow, this does a quarter mile almost as fast as a prius gets to 60mph (10.seconds) and thats provided the prius pedal reaches the floor. (there a governer on that?)
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Bill 11:57AM (9/08/2006)
Very nice! I've never been a fan of Mitsu, but when these cars came out, I thought that the size and proportions of this car where what the Civic should have been. The Civic had gotten kind of bloated in my opinion, and I secretly liked these better, but would never had admitted it.
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Ryan 11:58AM (9/08/2006)
It's crazy this almost 20 year old Mitsu "Metro" is generating more comments on here than any of there new offerings, including the new EVO. Not good.
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JayP 12:10PM (9/08/2006)
More 80's hatches please.
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khiem 12:25PM (9/08/2006)
Ryan, that's because the Evo owners are on their own Evo boards. :-)
Still, this is very nice car and it appears to be well balanced. Managing 11's in the quarter on a front wheel drive, street looking car is no small feat.
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Joe B 2:43PM (9/08/2006)
Seriously sweet ride. Not only is it a fast sleeper, it is so clean and well done.
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Aaron 1:41PM (9/08/2006)
I'm glad this is getting some notice! I've been a fan of this car/website for awhile; coming from a DSM background; great work!
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Tom T. 12:56PM (9/08/2006)
Thanks for the comments guys! I submitted this, but honestly didn't expect it to be picked. Makes for a fun Friday, that's for sure. It's fun to be able to share your hobby with everyone.
As for the car, I figured that there would be some confusion and misconceptions, since I didn't get too detailed in my descriptions. Please feel free to visit my site, as many questions can be answered there.
Thanks again!
-Tom
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PJ 1:21PM (9/08/2006)
Awesome. Peel off that window tint and throw on a set of (sufficiently wide) steelies, and this car would be something out of my fantasies.
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JonM in MN 1:34PM (9/08/2006)
Nice work Tom. I asked this above, bu haven't found it on your site....what did this run you, time and money wise? Hope that's not a rude question.
Thanks for this...the first new car I ever bought by myself (in July of *1989*, no less) was a '90 Laser RS Turbo. Loved that car, traded it in '97 for an SUV for the wife. Have a WRX now, but still have many fond memories. Thanks for keeping that sweet motor alive for me.
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