What have YOU being doing or are you planning to do with your Vette?

[Chuffer]

Really neat

 

[Corvetteville]

I said the same thing donkey`s years ago when I bought my first black car , an Opel Manta GTE . A real bugger to keep clean and looking sharp . You can never just wash a black car without polishing it afterwards unless you can put up with horrible streaks all over it . Since then I have owned 4 more black cars and my wife is on her second !! Will I ever learn

My wife's Z4 is Black metallic, looks terrible when dirty, but fantastic when cleaned & polished. I use Turtle wax spray & 2 microfiber towels while the cars still wet after washing. Spray & wipe, then buff with dry towel. Bit like detailer but with more wax. Works a treat & unlike some products, it's not stupid money & is currently on special

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[CaptainK]

Well, I haven't been doing anything with my Vette recently, BUT I have been tinkering with my Mitsi FTO recently (not been on the road since 2017). As its car related, I thought I'd share as its an opportunity to show off my mechanical numptiness compared to all these wonderful posts I see of car re-building and so forth on here. However, the car is also my mechanical learning aid as its not on the road, and thus it matters not if I leave it in a state.

All I'm aiming to do is change the rear brake discs and pads, and then change the oil and filter. Simple stuff right? Granted I am very busy normally, so only get tinkering time here and there (so a week or so can go by between tinkers).

So far collectively I've invested 5 hours, and for that effort I've managed to replace the disc and pads on one side of the car. I bet you're impressed?

 

[Roscobbc]

Given that the FTO has been out of production for a number of years now (what it ever marketed in the UK?) - how easy is it to source parts? - will it be an issue in the future?
Its an odd situation where is was looking on another forum where the conversation was about classic Fords - both UK produced (Mark 3 Cortina) and Ford Galaxie (early 60's) and that body parts are readility available (at a price no doubt) from the USA for the Galaxie but nothing available now for Mark 3 Cortina.......

 

[Chuffer]

Well, I haven't been doing anything with my Vette recently, BUT I have been tinkering with my Mitsi FTO recently (not been on the road since 2017). As its car related, I thought I'd share as its an opportunity to show off my mechanical numptiness compared to all these wonderful posts I see of car re-building and so forth on here. However, the car is also my mechanical learning aid as its not on the road, and thus it matters not if I leave it in a state.

All I'm aiming to do is change the rear brake discs and pads, and then change the oil and filter. Simple stuff right? Granted I am very busy normally, so only get tinkering time here and there (so a week or so can go by between tinkers).

So far collectively I've invested 5 hours, and for that effort I've managed to replace the disc and pads on one side of the car. I bet you're impressed?

Way to go Captain K ! Very impressed I am as Yoda would say

 

[CaptainK]

Given that the FTO has been out of production for a number of years now (what it ever marketed in the UK?) - how easy is it to source parts? - will it be an issue in the future?

My FTO is an import, as its a 1994 one. They are mostly all grey import cars as only built for the Japanese domestic market, with only the official Ralliart ones being sold officially in the UK for a short amount of time around 2000-2001 I think. They themselves were just normal Jap FTOs that Ralliart (Mitsubishi's own brand) imported themselves. So anything younger than that, and ALL pre-facelift models (aka before 1997) are grey imports.

Parts wise, they have a following on the Jap scene and as such plenty of parts from specialists dealing in Jap parts. I normally get all my parts from Viamoto as I've known them for years, back when I was on the Jap scene and a moderator for the FTO UK club etc.

As to the future of parts, well, hard to say like with most "aging cars". I suspect though later on down the line it'll be hard to find parts as there aren't many in the UK. Other than my own, I haven't seen one in my part of the world for a very long time. I'm hoping to keep mine for as long as possible due to the fact its fairly rare, and mine is a top spec one (the GPX), with the all important and desirable rare manual gearbox. The autos use a Porsche tiptronic box, which is a good box don't get me wrong - but they only have 4 speeds and are ridiculously high geared, which is not what you want in a high revving (8250rpm redline), low torque, engine. As such, the lower spec V6 engine model with manual gearbox is actually faster than the top spec with the auto.

 

[CaptainK]

Way to go Captain K ! Very impressed I am as Yoda would say

Thanks. Now I know what I'm doing, I hoping the other side of the rear brakes will take less than 5 hours - maybe as low as 4 hours 59 minutes

 

[Roscobbc]

My FTO is an import, as its a 1994 one. They are mostly all grey import cars as only built for the Japanese domestic market, with only the official Ralliart ones being sold officially in the UK for a short amount of time around 2000-2001 I think. They themselves were just normal Jap FTOs that Ralliart (Mitsubishi's own brand) imported themselves. So anything younger than that, and ALL pre-facelift models (aka before 1997) are grey imports.

Parts wise, they have a following on the Jap scene and as such plenty of parts from specialists dealing in Jap parts. I normally get all my parts from Viamoto as I've known them for years, back when I was on the Jap scene and a moderator for the FTO UK club etc.

As to the future of parts, well, hard to say like with most "aging cars". I suspect though later on down the line it'll be hard to find parts as there aren't many in the UK. Other than my own, I haven't seen one in my part of the world for a very long time. I'm hoping to keep mine for as long as possible due to the fact its fairly rare, and mine is a top spec one (the GPX), with the all important and desirable rare manual gearbox. The autos use a Porsche tiptronic box, which is a good box don't get me wrong - but they only have 4 speeds and are ridiculously high geared, which is not what you want in a high revving (8250rpm redline), low torque, engine. As such, the lower spec V6 engine model with manual gearbox is actually faster than the top spec with the auto.

Oddly I was having a conversation with a neighbour yesterday about his father in laws 2001 Gallant. I know its top of the range. Owned from more or less new - its got 90K+ miles and its a quad cam V6 auto (presumably 3ltr) - been standing for a few years - was kinda interested as a cheap wheels daily driver but not so sure about parts availabilty and that quad cam engine. Buddy of mine had one of those 4wheel steer Mitsubishi GTO's which seemed to require a huge bank balance to maintain. Yoiur thoughts Capt?

 

[CaptainK]

Oddly I was having a conversation with a neighbour yesterday about his father in laws 2001 Gallant. I know its top of the range. Owned from more or less new - its got 90K+ miles and its a quad cam V6 auto (presumably 3ltr) - been standing for a few years - was kinda interested as a cheap wheels daily driver but not so sure about parts availabilty and that quad cam engine. Buddy of mine had one of those 4wheel steer Mitsubishi GTO's which seemed to require a huge bank balance to maintain. Yoiur thoughts Capt?

A Gallant you say? I can't remember much about them now, other than the legendary 2.5 V6 VR4 Gallant. Superb machine, and handily donated their engines into many an FTO back in the day. Their V6 and the 2 litre V6 in an FTO are similar and it fits nicely in an FTO engine bay. It being turbo and bigger capacity means the FTO then surprises a lot of people.

The GTO / 3000 GT I've always been undecided on. Yes its a technical marvel for the time with 4wd, 4ws and a lot of other aids and technical stuff. But for what it is, it isn't as fast as the contemporary Supra or Skyline etc, which are also more reliable. And all the fancy electronic stuff on it isn't that reliable. Great when it works though. Obviously go for the twin turbo version, as the N/A 3.0 litre version is a lot slower - pretty much identical to a top spec 2 litre FTO. My uncle had one for a while, LHD version in 3000GT spec. It went well, but like you said, a lot to maintain.
I remember now being at a Jap event in Exeter which ended with a bunch of us going back up Haldon Hill nearby (steep dual carriageway hill, known to test cars), and the GTO boys were bigging up their cars and seemed to be fobbing off the FTO. Each to their own. So when we stopped later they were extremely shocked that I had kept up with them all the way, including up said hill. I think that opened their eyes to it.
To be fair to them, the FTO when reviewed by mags and TV and stuff were only reviewing the Auto version of the FTO, to which the gearing does not suit. Mitsi was proud of their deal with Porsche and the fantastic Porsche gearbox tech they got, and they made the FTO mainly to try out their new tech - said Porsche gearbox and their new MIVEC system (VTEC equivalent / Variable Valve Timing). The problem was, a 4 speed gearbox made the auto FTO a lot slower - but amusing on rolling roads as they could top out around 180MPH in fourth (a manual tops out at 167mph in fifth). So it got the nickname of "FTSlow" unfortunately. Later on in the facelift version there was a 5 speed auto version of the Porsche tiptronic gearbox, but Mitsi decided not to correct the gearing and just shoved an extra tall gear in the fifth gear place - theoretical max speed at max rpm was now something like 220mph for the 5 speed auto.

 

[Chuffer]

Continuing the theme of quick Japanese cars , I had a Mitsubishi Starion Wide Bodied Turbo for a number of years . A great car , rapid , and rare on UK roads to boot ! A little known fact at the time was that it was the worlds most powerful 4 cylinder standard production engine at the time of the model launch . The rear end design and style of the wide rim alloy wheels was very reminiscent of the Chevy Camaro IROOC - Z too

 

[Chuffer]

`Ere Tis ,

 

[CaptainK]

Nice Starion ! Many years past, there was a Starion abandoned on the then G/F's parents' farm. It looked good, but obviously needed some resto to get it back on the road. It was open so I looked all over it and thought about doing something with it. Dug into it and turned out the cars actually belonged to someone, and he was being a d$%^ - he was supposed to be paying storage for the cars on the land, but never did. So when I asked to take one away as obviously he didn't want them, he wanted a LOT of money for them. So I never did get that resto project. I think it was the later 2.6 turbo engine one if I remember correctly, and it had the same widebodied look as your car above (and it was also red).

 

[Chuffer]

Cheers , CaptainK . The majority of them were in that particular red but did see the odd one or two in white or silver back in the day . Mitsubishi Motors are currently auctioning off some of their Heritage Fleet without reserve through AA Auto Auction and a 1988 Starion 3000GT Turbo in red like mine was is currently at a bid of £16,000 with 24 days to go . Never thought they would fetch that price when I sold mine ! Ho hum
At the time I owned it I was a Mechanical & Electrical Services Clerk of Works for Northants County Council and worked on lots of new school builds and major refurbs and when ever I turned up at site in it the kids were like flies around a jam pot .

 

[CaptainK]

Yeah I saw some of the Mitsi Heritage Fleet was up for auction. A shame really, but good news for collectors - I know I definitely don't have the kind of cash needed to grab one of those.

 

[antijam]

Although it scrubs up well for a photo.....



......my '71 is really only a '10 foot car'. The paint job is not bad but it's starting to show its age - what a dealer would call 'patina' but the rest of us know as chips and scratches. Most glaringly annoying though was the state of the interior windshield side trim. The top of the drivers side trim had been eaten away presumably by interaction over many years with the soft-top mechanism. I had effected a clumsy 'repair' by building up the missing part with black RTV. Piccie shows the repaired trim - which also had a crack in it - against an original....



Both side trims really needed replacement , so after a ritual bloodletting of the bank account and a two month wait, I finally received a replacement pair. The sun visors and all the interior windshield frame trim needs to be removed to release the side trims....



... so I got the opportunity to examine at least the rear of the screen part of the birdcage, which wasn't in bad nick..



With the old trims removed I think "great - a five minute job to fit the new ones." Errr...not quite. The trims are leathercloth covered foam on a metal backing, with two patches of knobbly plastic 'Velcro'. While the new trims are quite a good reproduction of the original, it turns out they need quite a bit of manipulation of the metal backing to achieve a good fit to the screen, after which new holes have to be drilled in the screen frame for the retaining screws. No matter how hard I try I cannot get the 'Velcro ' to attach but after several expletive laden hours I finally have everything back in place. I'm still not sure I've obtained the optimum fit, but at least one eyesore is a thing of the past....

 

[Chuffer]

You might only consider your car to be a 10 footer ( which I rate mine as too ) but it looks stunning to me and a blind man would be glad to see it
The trims must be different on earlier C3`s as they are grain effect plastic in my 1980 which I took off and refitted very easily and filled in a small crack and resprayed the whole lot .

 

[Letank]

Following on from the heater control panel and selector plate work I did last week. This week I have restored the tired looking A/C vent + wiper switch panel and fitted a new parking brake seal. Upon removing the parking brake console to fit the seal I discovered that the electric window switches were hard wired to the main harness, making it difficult to remove the console. So I also installed some connectors on the electric window switch harnesses to make things a bit easier now and in future

Before: (badly touched up, chipped and a little corroded)


After:

 

[Oneball]

Following on from the heater control panel and selector plate work I did last week. This week I have restored the tired looking A/C vent + wiper switch panel and fitted a new parking brake seal. Upon removing the parking brake console to fit the seal I discovered that the electric window switches were hard wired to the main harness, making it difficult to remove the console. So I also installed some connectors on the electric window switch harnesses to make things a bit easier now and in future

Before: (badly touched up, chipped and a little corroded)
View attachment 10127

After:
View attachment 10128
View attachment 10129
View attachment 10132
View attachment 10133

looking good, where did you get the plugs from?

 

[antijam]

Following on from the heater control panel and selector plate work I did last week. This week I have restored the tired looking A/C vent + wiper switch panel and fitted a new parking brake seal. Upon removing the parking brake console to fit the seal I discovered that the electric window switches were hard wired to the main harness, making it difficult to remove the console. So I also installed some connectors on the electric window switch harnesses to make things a bit easier now and in future

Before: (badly touched up, chipped and a little corroded)
View attachment 10127

After:
View attachment 10128
View attachment 10129
View attachment 10132
View attachment 10133

Quite a transformation - nice work.

 

[Letank]

looking good, where did you get the plugs from?

Thanks I got a box of various sized connectors from Amazon a while back. They always come in handy.
Glarks 400Pcs 6.3mm 1 2 3 4 6 8 9... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Y4QFF92?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share