Merrill's 4G64 DOHC.

[Merrill]

I wasn't directing my response at anyone in particular... I just needed to clarify is all.

[pennyman1]

thats how i took it too...

[77amc]

I know it's been several pages but did you ever come up with a "KIT" for the brakes (all the parts, numbers etc..)
I found a 3000gt SL but not vr4. Can these brake parts work? (I've only seen 1, ONE vr4 Galant or any, in the past several years going to the yards)
It's not really a 'pull-it' type of yard and ALL vehicles are laying flat on the ground. (especially the ones I want to get parts from the under side)

My 88 long bed, 1-ton is going next week to get the 5.2 motor centered and mounts made.. Need to make it stop too!

Thanks E

[77amc]

So Sorry.. One of these days I'll learn me to read..
Post #27..

[Merrill]

I'm pretty sure the base 3000gt is a 276mm rotor (you may want to look that up). If it is a 276, it will work as the smaller brake upgrade along with the Galant and Diamante front rotors.

However - all the info I posted on #10 and #27 is for reference to big brakes with 5 lug swapping - not 6 lug. The offsets are different with all the rotors, so 6 lug big brakes are a bit more of an issue and I don't have all the info since I swapped to 5 lug.

[77amc]

I'm already at a 5-lug Toyota swap fr/rr. Also, got a set of lowered spindles waiting too!
I'm envious on how it seem that you just "find" these parts so easily..
Thanks
Errol

[Merrill]

Right on then... should be no problem. All you have to decide now is how big of a rotor you want. I've only confirmed one for sure, but the others are 99% sure they will fit and function. I just haven't installed them and tested them since I went to 4 pots and custom everything.

I do find a lot of parts often, but I know where to look at the same time. Most of the yard parts I buy are just for the purpose of mock-up or sometimes just a temporary part. Most parts I buy new. Important items (like brakes) will always be bought new or reman. One reason is they are easier to find. The other reason is being assured that you won't have a problem with it right out of the box (most of the time :lol: )

I do still have those red 314mm calipers that I was going to use before the 4 pots. If you need them, toss me an offer. I think I paid 40 bucks for them and I'm not going to use them... they're just sitting in a box looking pretty.

[77amc]

PRAISE GOD YEAH I'll take them!! (left a visitor message)
These are fronts correct? Just spent the last hour or so reading up on 5-lug rear discs, so I'm a tad cornfused.
And these are for 3000GT rotors? I just guess that the front rotors are different from the SL 3000gt versus the VR4.?
Red.. Those should look nice peaking through the Conquest rims.

Errol

[Merrill]

PRAISE GOD YEAH I'll take them!! (left a visitor message)
These are fronts correct? Just spent the last hour or so reading up on 5-lug rear discs, so I'm a tad cornfused.
And these are for 3000GT rotors? I just guess that the front rotors are different from the SL 3000gt versus the VR4.?
Red.. Those should look nice peaking through the Conquest rims.

Errol

So I PM'd all the info to you, but for the other readers here - I'll make this clear.

The 2 piston Montero Sport calipers (as we are talking about) will fit if you machine both the rotor and the caliper to clear the thicker rotor. Spacing will also have to be solved for the change in offset of the rotor. The 3KGT VR4 rotor is thicker than the Montero Sport rotor, but is the same OD of 314mm. All this is explained on post #10 and #27. Since mine (and yours) are 5 lug swap, this is all we can confirm at this time.

I don't have much info on the rear disc since I simply narrowed a Ford 8.8 which is equipped with 285mm rear discs. Any other axle/brake combo would require me to engineer something, so I'm not much help on the info.

There are 3 rotor options for the 3000GT.
1 - non-VR4 276mm front rotors
2 - 1991-993 VR4 296mm front rotors
3 - 1994+ VR4 314mm front rotors

If you use the Montero Sport 276mm 2 piston calipers, you will need a rotor from any Galant, some Eclipse, Diamante, 3000GT (non-VR4), and a dozen other Mitsu cars that use a 276mm rotor (there are dozens).

If you use Montero Sport 314mm 2 piston calipers, you will need a rotor from the 1994+ 3000GT VR4. You will also need to machine the rotor and caliper down to clear as stated in Post #10 and #27.

EITHER size will require you to machine the center bore to 86.1mm so you can adapt to the Toyota front hub. Again, this is all for 5 lug swaps only. It will NOT work with a 6 lug Mighty Max hub because the rotor offsets are too high (they will hit the spindle). You can also use 3000GT VR4 4 piston calipers and machine your own brackets (that's what I did - post #'s 100, 104, 119, 126 have info and pics).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So now that is all explained - here are some page 11 pics!

Since my RHD swap was finished, I havent washed the truck. There has been little to no time to do it. Since I was tired of looking at all the dirt and grease buildup, I decided washing it even at night would net a result that looked better even if I missed a few spots.

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The next morning revealed a damn good job for washing at night. I couldn't even find one spot I needed to go back over....

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But the next day... It rained. Now my truck is all dirty again...
:roulette::roulette::roulette:
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I'm going to check the weather reports from now on....

[Mandle]

Haha that's how it always works. Wash it and in comes the rain. I'm glad you updated some current pictures though. I've loved reading this thread, and keep bringing myself back for ideas and I start mock up on my 1st gen.
I think I'm stealing your door skin idea this weekend in fact =-D

[Mandle]

Hey Merrill. I noticed you didn't cut speaker holes in your door skins. I'm wondering if you relocated the front speakers or eliminated them?

[Merrill]

I intend to machine some quick release door hinges in the future. I can't have any electrical going to the doors.

I haven't decided if I will install a sound system or not yet, but if I do, front speakers will probably go into the kick panels and rears into the rear pillars.

[BradMph]

Hey Merrill. I noticed you didn't cut speaker holes in your door skins. I'm wondering if you relocated the front speakers or eliminated them?


Our doors take in so much water and door speakers tend to rust or get all crusty, so the kick panels are a good idea, I think under dash in corners would be better maybe though. Can't kick them, no water to ruin them and they are close to the ears, but this is 1st for dash, not sure if 2nd gen dash supports them to good.

I like his idea about the quick release door handles, no electric for them means you never get locked outside of truck when you have a dead battery, lol.

[Merrill]

My factory dash speakers will remain out because I am routing the roll cage through the dash at the speaker location. Since I'm 6'2, and the truck is small, I decided not to bend around the dash but rather go through it. Since the RHD dash is not common here in the states, the only way to preserve it is to go through the speaker holes to avoid lots of cutting.

Quick release doors are there to make life easy at the track, or loading the truck into a trailer. With the door off, I can get in and out of the truck in a tight space. It's also easier to work on the truck with no doors attached when you are back and forth between working under the hood and in the cab. It's also "totally race car" to take your doors off :lol:

[BradMph]

Oh crap, lmao didn't see the doors are going removable. :lmao: Slipped under the radar on that one.
But wait, didn't Bo and Luke just jump in the window to get in their race car? Besides sliding across the hood on each show. JK!

[Merrill]

:lol: I dare you to slide across the paper thin MM hood.... I triple dog dare you!! hahaha

Yeah the truck is much easier to load and work on in some situations when you take the doors off. I can also claim total baller status on a nice day and just go for a door-less cruise around the city lol.

By the way - Thank you for the sticky status (whoever did it)!

[Merrill]

I swear I just bought the truck yesterday, but it was pointed out to me that this thread was started one year and four days ago. I've pretty much owned my truck for one year. It's hard to believe it has been a year already!

Progress and plans have changed over the past year, but the majority of it, though off schedule and full of setbacks, has been pretty good. I have received a lot of compliments, PM's regarding "how" I did some of it, questions regarding what parts I used, and all kinds of thanks for helping and even inspiring others. I am truly honored. This group is really awesome!

I have always wanted to make a kind of "timeline" post that shows the beginning to current status of my truck, so here it is. Everyone is welcome to comment in any way - I wont be hurt if you think my truck looked way better before I started it :lol:

I only make that statement above about the comments because I went back through this thread and pulled the pics for it. Some of them show the truck looking MUCH NICER than current hahaha.


The Exterior

This was the truck as I purchased it in January, 2014.
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Despite having some dings and dents, it wasn't really that bad at all for being 23 years old. I later found out I am the 3rd owner, and the first owner was a local bread company. This was a dealer maintained delivery truck! I totally scored.

Even though it was clean, it wasn't good enough. First I gave it some better looking mirrors (F1 style) and face lifted the front end with the '93 plus bumper and grille and a set of projector headlights. It didn't take long for me to realize that that wasn't enough. After attacking the chassis mods (314mm 4 pot big brakes, narrowed Ford 8.8 LSD, and suspension drop), I finished it off with a set of 17" Enkei wheels that are similar to Evo X factory wheels.
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This was was where the exterior started to go down hill. Some full readers of my thread recall "The Crackhead" that banged out and painted my truck back in June or '14.... Long story short, the dude was literally a crackhead and turned my simple Flat White paint job into drywall texture that is impossible to clean.

I banged out Phase 1 of the chassis plus the interior in 4 months. I was going to debut this truck at MOD 2014. Once the crackhead finished texturing my truck, I cancelled my debut appearance. Some may even recall I wasn't able to get hood and tailgate back from the crackhead because he went to jail. This whole jacked up paint job literally derailed most of my plans and caused me to say "F**K IT!!" for a couple months. I even had a friend of mine make an artistic "rust look" on my hood and tailgate because they were never finished and painted when the truck was. I was so pissed.


Here is the current look of my truck One Year Later
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I o owe some thanks to the members here and all over that kept expressing interest in my truck even though I stopped posting and updating for a bit. I was totally derailed after that crack-ass paint job. It's still on there, but I have a few new additions I will take care of before I sand down all the texture and paint it again.


My Opinion & Review

1 - - - - - - - - 10
XXX XXXX XXX
I started with a very decent truck. Even though it was beat up and very stock, it was a solid 5.

1 - - - - - - - - 10
XXX XXXX XXX
Just before paint, I really feel I brought this up to a clean and very respectable look. It wasn't dead on my vision, but I can confidently give it an 8.

1 - - - - - - - - 10
XXX XXXX XXX
I'll be honest... I don't typically take pics that show off the shit paint :lol: That honesty translates to my current exterior rating. It's terrible. However, if you look past the texture, you will still see a nice truck with a few complimenting accents and style, so I'm dropping back down to a 5.

Once I get the new mods done and a fresh coat of paint on it, I know I can score a 10 in my brain and vision.



The Engine & Bay


Such a beauty!! I was completely shocked the day I popped the hood for the first time. Incredibly clean - smooth running - and what a maintenance record it had! It showed.
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It has been my intention from the get go to swap this over to a much more modern platform. The Evo variant 4G64 DOHC was being started before I even bought the truck, so I have left the mod list alone for this engine except for one item - a custom air intake.
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This was such a simple mod and really unlocked quite a bit of fin in this little 8 valve. Even the sound was brought out a little. It sounded just a little bit more serious under a full throttle pull. All I wanted to do was keep the engine pretty until I swapped it. This engine bay was perfect until the attack of the crackhead..... Everything ended up getting painted after he got ahold of it. My prestine wiring harnesses were now white and flaking. My overflow bottle was color matched. My engine was speckle painted in white..... This bay looked like total shit. To add insult to injury, the crackhead went back and rattle canned over my radiator hoses, charco can, brake booster, wiper motor, and a dozen other parts of the bay to try and hide all the over spray.... a real class act douche.


Here is the current look of my engine bay One Year Later
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I'm going to say nothing else other than "LOL"

My Opinion & Review

1 - - - - - - - - 10
XXX XXXX XXX
I started with a damn near PERFECT stock engine and bay. Dealer maintained, extremely clean, un-molested, decent power. This was an easy 8 as far as stock 8 valves are concerned.

1 - - - - - - - - 10
XXX XXXX XXX
The intake really polished it off. I'm not going to duplicate my first score after an upgrade, so 9 it is.

1 - - - - - - - - 10
XXX XXXX XXX
One year later, everything is over sprayed, and the engine I wanted to have in is still not in. It looks like shit and it's still in the truck... its a 2.

We'll see what happens in the coming months, but I know what I need to do to bring this rating back up.



The Interior

I bought this with some random bucket seats wrapped in Hawaiian seat covers... It was laughable at best. I'm not sure if the "Ford Racing" steering wheel cover was to be funny or if it was just something the previous owner had laying around. I barely fit in the truck with those seats, but the owner did still have the bench which I installed very quickly after purchasing the truck.
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The bench is much more tolerable for a guy my height. It didn't take long for the interior to get done. It was a short list, but a lot of work. I was chasing something clean and "as comfortable" as a truck intended for racing could be. I chose a nice set of red leather racing seats, dyed a second dash black, dyed the trim plastics black, added a red leather steeering wheel with quick release, and made a rear brake for some drifting fun. To top it off, I built a custom set of arms rests and made a color matched set of door cards out of 6061 aluminum. Id say the "mid point" of my interior was right where I wanted it. Hard to keep clean, but I love it!
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It's pretty amazing how lucky you can get sometimes. I toyed with the idea of a right hand drive swap at the beginning of this build, but soon dropped the plan due to unnecessary "bling expense"... It just wasnt practical. Well, fate landed in my lap one day after a close friend was scouting the yards in San Diego. I got the call saying he had found an old highway truck that had been converted to RHD. Long story short, he bought it all, I went to pick it up a week later. After repairing the cracked dash and dying it black, I performed the complete swap in 36 hours (my personal best).

Here is the current look of my engine bay One Year Later
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Not bad.... just not with carpet anymore lol. It's been fun learning this truck all over again. I've been in the industry now for 15 years. Driving right hand drive has never been a big struggle or issue for me. Driving my truck on the right, however, has been interesting to say the least. After driving it for 11 months on the left, suddenly I am in the same truck now on the opposite side. It was weird at first (because I know this truck inside and out), but now I think it would be weird to go back to the left hahaha.

My Opinion & Review

1 - - - - - - - - 10
XXX XXXX XXX
This interior kinda sucked to start with. I'm not counting the first bucket seats with the flowers, but the bench was pretty torn up. The steering wheel was trashed and the cover simply didn't match. The dash was hacked beyond repair because the idiot previous owner tried to install speakers that were way too big, and the whole interior was riddled with wood screws and household wiring. Pure shit. With everything needing to be replaced, this interior was a 2.

1 - - - - - - - - 10
XXX XXXX XXX
I nailed it! Exactly what I was looking for as far as comfort and appearance. The only thing that was NOT changed before the swap was the carpet. Surprisingly enough, it was hard to tell it was still blue. So I will bump this to a 9.

1 - - - - - - - - 10
XXX XXXX XXX
Tough to score this one since it's still the same interior minus the carpet. However - that totally kills the look. It has no feel without the carpet, so down one point it goes to an 8.


If I could just toss some carpet in and my roll cage, I'd give it a 10 after my window crank and handles get dyed. Not having carpet REALLY kills it though, so that is first lol.


Everything Else

These 11 pages of this thread have a ton of mods and details listed in them. I know I didn't list them all, but I didn't get all the "before" pics either. It's also tough to break everything down into categories. One thing I do like is my chassis. There have been a ton of mods done to the chassis and I can easily label it an 8 with where I have built it up to.


So what do you think? I've got some time to kill before I decide if I will pull the trigger on the next direction of the build, but I would love to hear some feedback - good or bad (trust me, I can take it). Where do you rate my truck after one year?

Post up!

[Redneckmoparman]

SWAP SWAP SWAP SWAP SWAP SWAP SWAP SWAP

I think its time for some 16v goodness =] figure out the supercharger later just get the engine in!!!!!!

Oh and did i mention 16v swap???? It would make the engine bay look awesome and make you feel a TON better about it

If i get my 16v swap done first ill be a little dissapointed lol after all my engine is just a bare block that needs all new internals and has no accessories and i have no job and no money so dont let me beat you!!!!

[crvtec90]

You've done a great job sir.

If it were me... I would try to locate an additional truck to play with. That way if you're really serious about drastic changes then you will still have your original truck to drive around in/ take measurements and comparisons/etc while building the newest version.

Looking forward to seeing more

[pennyman1]

Tremendous amount of work done in a relatively short time. I totally understand the work and the change of focus with a truck like yours - wish I have the time and talent to do half of what you did to your truck. If I had spare cash I would seriously either buy some of the parts from this truck, or have you build me some things for Geronimo. Your work is top notch and we all want to see more - keep it coming, doesn't need to be just on this truck either.

[Merrill]

So try and follow along with me here.....

I am dancing around with this build right now and I'm kind of in the middle of a "screw it" stage and trying to have some fun. I have encountered a bit of dead time and I decided to look into a few things. This is what I have found/am doing (possibly).

I had a client jump up and ask me to gather info on the 8V engines so I could possibly build a crazy hybrid setup. The discussion came up about tuning it, and I obviously just suggested the DSM ECU because it would be extremely easy to do - almost plug and play. In the end you get better tuning control, knock control, fan control, DIS (ignition), more fueling, more support.... the list goes on. The MM ECU is basically a dummed down DSM ECU, so patching it over would be cake. Hell, the cam/crank sensor wheels are near identical so as long as the phasing is correct, it will run all day.

DIS is a great option one would gain from the swap as well. More powerful spark, ability to tweak and adjust more directly, and less things to maintain are always better in the end. You could also keep it running with a distributor all day long provided that you add a couple diodes to the coil signal... it would go all day.

Changing up to a 2G ECU would be cake as well since you can use the combined CAS/CPS from a 1g on a 2g... etc. Thats not a hurdle at all lol. You could also gain from integrating the OBD2 system, and tuning gets even easier. DSMLink and a few other systems will tune either one all day. You could almost go completely plug and play with a 2.4 Spyder ECU and harness and be done with it.

This is where I am going to have a little fun with my build. I intend to run my DOHC setup on an Evo ECU since this is basically and Evo platform (the engine I'm currently building). I could shell out the dollars for an actual Evo ECU, or I could flash a similar ECU with the Evo ROM. I grabbed a 3G Eclipse ECU and harness today and checked it off my list.

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Heres the thing - 1G/2G DSM owners have swapped over Evo ECU's before (nothing new). Since the MM 2.4 is so much like a DSM, I may be able to stick this ECU and harness onto my 8V and run it. It would also add all the tuning ability without all the headaches. This is 100% a complete "maybe I will do it if I can find the time." However, there is nothing stopping it from working. If someone wants the info to do theirs, let me know, I'm sure I can help.

In the mean time, I'm still collecting parts and taking care of this busy season with my clients...

[Merrill]

I managed to get my harness pinout complete for the 3g Eclipse ECU. One of the reasons I like to go back and do it all myself is because information tends to suck sometimes. The 3G and Evo ECU's are very similar since the same pin serves pretty much the same function, but they are not identical on the pinouts. The EVO ECU uses pins that the Eclipse unit does not, and the Evo pinouts seem to be missing 3G info. They also do not share the same wire colors (except the ground lol). I snagged up a FSM for the 3g and now I have a complete 3g pinout correctly written to the ECU and color codes.

Judging by the looks of the schematics I have been digging through, running the 8V 4g64 off of the 3G/Evo ECU would be very possible as long as you add the missing components like IFS, Transistor(s) for DIS, ignition coils, and swap the IACV over to DSM/Evo/Eclipse type. You also have to add the OBD2 plugs and you will lose your mechanical speedometer because the ECU needs to use a VSS. You can absolutely find a substitute speedometer easily once you convert to OBD2.

I do have some extra time over the next couple days. I will probably dig into some other FSM's and write some pinout/wiring info for DSM to 8V conversions for those who may be interested. This would be so much easier than building stuff like Megasqirt and tapping in piggy-back ECU's.

I'm still undecided if I will actually run my 8V on the 3G ECU or not. I really don't want to make a harness for it and then have to make it again for the next swap. Maybe I'll make an adapter harness or something.... I don't know yet.... Stay tuned!

[Merrill]

So here is a little info after half a days worth of pinouts with 1G DSM and Mighty Max harnesses:
-60% of the wires/circuits are plug and play/same pin and function but different color on most(extremely easy).
-20% of the wires don't exist on the MM so they need to be added (semi-easy).
- the remaining 20% just need to be re-pinned (easy).
-A throttle body swap will need to happen/required (easy).
-DIS can be wired in (easy) OR you can leave the distributor in place and use it (better to have DIS though).

I'm trying to dig up the MAF pins to verify the wiring. There are also a couple circuits that I have zero info in. A wire is on my ECU, but there is nothing on the diagram listed for it. This is why it sucks not having a FSM lol. I'll figure it out soon though. If anyone has a known working 1G DSM ECU I can borrow to verify my pinout/swap function, I'd appreciate it. I'll return it when I am finished and replace it if I break it. I'm just not going to do a permanent swap is all. I'd rather have the work listed for others to use for their rides in the future.

[BradMph]

Try this link Merrill...http://www.lilevo.com/mirage/ECU%20editting,%20MAF(T),%20Eprom,%20Map,%20Tuning ,%20Pinouts,%20Standalone%20etc/1G%20PINOUTS%20FULL%20ecu%20harness.htm


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I can locate schematics on some stuff if needed.

[Rahtid]

there is a vss signal coming out of the cluster, i have been working on the same setup i have a 3g ecu and a evo and dsm harness

[Redneckmoparman]

Okay now you make me want to put the mitsu motor back in my truck! obd2, easy tuning, 16v, dis, and more reliable electronics.

[Redneckmoparman]

i have complete fsm for the trucks if you need any pinouts or info

[Merrill]

Try this link Merrill...http://www.lilevo.com/mirage/ECU%20editting,%20MAF(T),%20Eprom,%20Map,%20Tuning ,%20Pinouts,%20Standalone%20etc/1G%20PINOUTS%20FULL%20ecu%20harness.htm


12976

I can locate schematics on some stuff if needed.

I have 2 issues I'm trying to solve. I have all the pinouts, but I don't have all the functions to cross over connectors correctly. One example is the DSM main relay has 10 pins while the MM has 8. The MAF plugs are also different. Knowing the function is what will allow this to work. I also have to chase a couple wires down in the MM to verify them.


there is a vss signal coming out of the cluster, i have been working on the same setup i have a 3g ecu and a evo and dsm harness

I found that one that runs to a reed switch but didn't know it went to the cluster. For the latter model ECU's (3g/Evo), you will probably want to just retro it anyway to the correct VSS. This is the retro sensor that will fit the MM trans (and any other for that matter).

http://dgzmd7u6z2by7.cloudfront.net/partimage/TRS/1ATRS00210/large.JPG

These can be found on Montero Sport transmissions. The only issue is losing your mechanical speedometer, but if you are switching to OBD2, you can get virtually anything to read and display vehicle speed, or use an aftermarket speedometer. I'm going to add a digital dash to my truck which will display speed and any other readable sensor.


Okay now you make me want to put the mitsu motor back in my truck! obd2, easy tuning, 16v, dis, and more reliable electronics.

i have complete fsm for the trucks if you need any pinouts or info

I'm pretty much doing this for everyone to use if they need it. You can literally stick this on to almost any engine and configuration throughout the Mitsu platforms (and maybe others). A lot of people use Megasquirt to run and tune their builds, but there is something so much better available as a near plug and play with the same (or more - depending on ECU) tuning ability. It's pretty close to a "no brainer" in my opinion.

The fact that you can take a dummed down 4g64 8V and bring it to life just by adding and changing a few pins is epic. Then adding the ability to tune easily with other ECU's..... even better. I'm obviously switching up to the 16V Evo platform, but that doesnt mean it can't be used on any other.

If you have the actual FSM for this truck, I could sure use some info out of it.

[BradMph]

For the DSM functions concerning the 10 pin on the MPI relay, here is an article that talks about this. If you haven't found it already.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/1g-basic-ecu-mpi-circuit-function.435961/

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I'm still doing some resourcing on the 8 pin functions for the MM.


Your trying to mix the functions between the above MM unit image above, with the this one shown below, correct?
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Pin Name
1 None
2 +12V Switched (Ignition, Coil +)
3 +12V Constant
4 Ground
5 Oil Pressure Signal
6 Diagnostics
7 Starter Signal
8 Temp Gauge
9 Boost Gauge
10 Vehicle Speed Sensor

[Rahtid]

The starion with digital dash had a vss that bolted to the transmission and allowed to hook up the speedometer

[Rahtid]

I will check to see what other car have the same setup

[noahwins]

Don't know if this helps but I have a socketed 6 bolt/early FI ECU plus a couple of chips with simple mods I can loan you if you need something re-writable to experiment with.

[Merrill]

I mainly need one completely stock. I put the word out to a couple local tuners here to see if they have one I can borrow when I'm ready. If I can't come up with one, I'll definitely let you know.

[Redneckmoparman]

Yes i do have the actual FSM it just says chrysler and ram 50 on the front page, but we all know its the same. My grandpa bought the 1990 FSM for the truck years ago and i inhereted it with the truck, so whatever info you want i can post up pics of the pages no problem.

P.S. I do have both parts of the FSM Volume 1 engine chassis & body and volume 2 electrical

[Merrill]

The '90 is the odd ball.... it might not have what I need in it, but I'll let you know if there is something I need to view. Thank you!

Right now it is tax season and beginning of race season. I am totally swamped. I also have all the parts ordered for the rebuild of my new engine, so I might not even get to installing a DSM ECU, but I'll try. I really would love to provide all the info and confirmation of it for those who want better options.

[Merrill]

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Fun stuff in the works.... finally getting to the engine on this build. More coming soon!

[Merrill]

Now we're getting somewhere.....

Its been over a year since I started this engine build and now I finally have it coming together. Long story short, I just moved into a new home, decided to build my own furniture, and now everyone wants me to build theirs. My very good friend struck a deal with me to kick my build back in gear. He agreed to grab my engine parts for my build if I draft and build his furniture for his new house. I( agreed.

All of this is awesome for the build, but I still need to find the time to do it between all my other clients and what not. Here is what I have managed to get done in a few hours of free time.

The build starts with a full set of gaskets and seals for the rebuild (obviously), fresh new sets of ARP main and head studs, new ACL Race bearings, Manley rods, and a new intake manifold with TB.

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The intake manifold was a gamble. I could either spend $600 in parts to assemble a custom manifold, machine all my own parts on my CNC (would take months at this rate), or grab a POS manifold from China and build to suit my flow requirements and calculated needs for this build. I chose the latter.

I typically set my expectations very low with Chinese parts. This order was no different regarding my expectations except for the fact that my expectations were shattered... The parts was far worse than I actually expected, which was very little. This is going to take a lot of work to correct.

Straight out of the box - this is what it looked like.....

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The flange holes had to be drilled out just to mount it, the polish was beyond half ass (not even 1/8 assed in my opinion), the machine work on the port holes looks like someone just tapped it with a drill for a counter-sink, there are casting marks and tags everywhere, the ports don't actually line up with the head (they're 1/8" off/low), the throttle cable stand-offs aren't even level, there is no hole drilled for the MAP sensor, the welds for the MAP sensor flange were blown through making it impossible to mount the sensor, the TB flange is not lined up with the inlet, virtually nothing is cleanly machined, and the welds look extremely "cold" (meaning almost no penetration). This is just what I noticed right out of the box.... It gets worse :lol:



I truly have NO CLUE why someone would buy such junk and stick it on their engine. Chasing a good price tag of $160 for a higher flowing intake manifold is understandable, but this thing would cause more problems than it is worth. Just to correct the welding and machining would probably cost over $400 - and you STILL wouldn't net a great performing manifold. Please do yourselves a favor and save of for quality parts.

You may ask "why" I would buy something like this knowing that it is straight garbage.... The reason is because I only need one part off of it and I can machine and fix everything at no cost to me (except time). It took little time for me to get this nasty bastard a first class ticket straight to my band saw. The whole upper plenum is going in the recycling...

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Since my build requires a lot more volume and flow, I will construct a new plenum using 6061 USA made aluminum. Here is the velocity stack plate machined to fit the existing runners.

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This took a ton of work to weld. I really don't know what the hell this manifold is made out of, but I have welded lots and lots of cast aluminum in my time, but this is something else... There is so much junk that floats up to the surface of the weld, and it doesn't actually puddle up at all. It just melts. The cast runners are thicker than the plate I am welding to, but they start melting away before I even get a puddle on the plate. I ended up having to pre-heat the plate just so I could get the timing right on the weld lol. When I mentioned earlier that "It gets worse" - I meant it. Aside from the cast metal grade/purity being unknown, the casting was done so crappy that it is riddled with air pockets. You never know where they are until it blows out and ruins your weld. It took about 6 hours to weld and machine this plate. Good aluminum would take no more than 3 to do the same with.

The end result is good though....

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After the runners were fixed to the head, it was time to cut the plenum. This is nothing more than extruded round 6061. Cut it, slice it, weld it....

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Now on to the TB plate. Nothing more than a 3" elbow mated to the plenum end cap and the TB flange itself. I did give it a little "kick" down and to the side just for fun (to see if I liked the look), but I will end up going back and redoing this portion.

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So far - so good. Just a few little tweaks to the volume and design need to be done still. It's all starting to come together nicely. I'll have more as it happens!!



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[LukeGirard]

I just sat down and read this whole thread. WOW! The level of skill and fabrication is amazing! I really want to make an Evo Mighty Max now. Except I have no skill or money lol. I can dream and hopefully I can build a truck this well in the future. Just want to say again amazing work keep it up.

[Merrill]

Thank you. I hope one of these days someone will build one of these for themselves... DSM's are popular, but the Evo's are better lol.

[BradMph]

I just sat down and read this whole thread. WOW! The level of skill and fabrication is amazing! I really want to make an Evo Mighty Max now. Except I have no skill or money lol. I can dream and hopefully I can build a truck this well in the future. Just want to say again amazing work keep it up.

Merrill is a machine that builds machines and is not happy unless he is machining. :grin:


Nice welds on that intake Merrill, Looking nice!

[Merrill]

Thanks for the awesome comments! It's kinda neat to run back on my own thread and read what I have done myself and then read the responses of others. It reminds me to keep getting back on this build when I get extremely swamped with my other clients.


Not a ton to update on right now. I've been building a lot of furniture recently and am also waiting on another shipment of parts to show up for my engine. Still need rods, timing belt, alternator and PS pump to name a few. Theres a handful of other odds and ends I need as well. I'm just trying to be as patient as possible with it since I am getting closer to install.

Here is what I have done in my spare time (for the hell of it mostly)....

Starting off with my interior. I did make the executive decision to leave the carpet out and paint match my floor later with some cool tricks. I did something very similar to my race car years ago and loved the look/feel of it.


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It was basically truck bed liner placed in a strategic location to act like a floor mat.

Thats what I plan to do again but this time I added a nice little piece I've been working on developing for a while now. Its a clutch ramp with a heel stay which makes foot work almost second nature when driving. Its a phenomenal little addition.


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After that I decided to play around a little bit. I love how my rear sway bar really strengthens up the ass of the truck but am not fond of how sloppy the front end is. For the purpose of experimentation, I built a body brace.

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The results are simple: For what it does do - it does a great job. It is not a strut bar (looks like one though), and without knowing what it does, the end user would probably notice very little. However, it does tighten things up pretty well, and looks cool as shit when you pop the hood. I was able to confirm fit with every engine/chassis combo for the 2nd Gen as well.


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Speaking of rear sway bars.... Here is a new addition for all the rear sway bar freaks out there! If you read the beginning posts here, you will notice I originally purchased a Montero Sport rear sway bar for my truck. Once I did the 8.8 swap, I found out the MS bar simply would not work for my build (which is a bummer). Another member here, and local to me, was interested in fitting up the MS bar to his truck, so I cut him a deal on it for the purpose of R&D.

Thanks to the both of us, a Bolt-On kit now exists for the Montero Sport rear sway bar to fit the MM.


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Why is this bar better? The popular Ford rear sway bar is a great fit for the all around action, but it is the exact same size as the factory front MM bar at 7/8". The Ford bar is also narrow fit which means it mounts to the inner frame rails. The Montero Sport bar is a bigger 1" bar and it is wide fit which means it mounts to the outer frame rails. What does this translate to? Even MORE stability and control of the chassis when getting serious about cornering and control.

I really want to rip my Ford bar off and install the MS bar but it wont fit right on my Ford 8.8. Chances are I will build a custom sway bar later for my chassis when I build it, so the Ford bar will still do a great job in the mean time.

Thats all I have for now. Very soon both of the Ford and Montero Sport mount kits will be available and I will make that announcement. We just have a few things left to wrap up with R&D.

[pennyman1]

I never thought about a brace across the engine bay, but I can understand how that would improve the stiffness in the front end. Most people don't realize that the inner fenders and core support being welded together are part of the structure of the truck, not just a place to hang parts. You now have me thinking about how to make one for Geronimo, as I get a lot of flex in the cab by the cab mount on the driver's side under the fuse box under hard cornering.I also like the idea of the 1" rear bar kit - that won't overpower the smaller front bar and cause oversteer?

[Merrill]

This brace basically does the same thing as a set of solid or Poly cab bushings. It stabilizes the body of the truck during hard cornering by keeping it as square as possible. I was considering a set of fender bars as well but the math is proving to do very little for basic loads. I may do it anyway for the hell of it.

This bar wont fit once the new engine goes in, so it will be sold once I swap. Anyone who wants to stake a claim on it is welcome to.

I don't have any seat time in a truck with the MS bar yet. The ability to over steer just by flicking the wheel has been reported as an increase, but thats open to interpretation. Some may claim a sneeze would make you drift while others would say it does absolutely nothing in their opinions. My truck does the same with the Ford bar in my opinion lol. Once I have a more in depth review after R&D is done, I will post up the info. So far everything is great with it.

[Redneckmoparman]

Even my old 70s dodge pickup with bolt in inner fenders uses them for structure. The guys that take them out for giant tires report a TON more chassis flex without them unless the frame is boxed. They also have problems with cracks in the cab due to flexing since dodge designed it as a structural part of the truck. Just cause something is body on frame, doesnt mean that the body is just a thing sitting on there. I would love to see an X brace in the engine bay like a mustang or the current viper.

[noahwins]

You're pretty full of yourself but you are a damn good at what you do, man. Like Kanye. :clap:

[Merrill]

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Had a little more fun today with the chassis mods.

[Merrill]

Another update on the rear sway bar.

I had the opportunity today after the R&D follow up appointment to take the truck for a run and really get a feel.

General - Compared to the Ford bar, the Montero Sport bar is actually SMOOTHER than the Ford bar. However, it is a lot more stable and offers up a much more positive feel in the corners. You pretty much don't even know it exists unless you are in a corner or going over an awkward bump. The Montero Sport bar is truly a great addition to the MM which offers a lot more comfort compared to the Ford bar.

Oversteer - I did not encounter an oversteer issue during my drive. The important thing to remember here is there are dozens of factors contributing to over or under steer - not just one (like adding a sway bar). The MS bar is added to a near stock truck with a suspension drop. My truck is highly modified and tuned to handle and feel the way it does. There are too many variables in suspension setups and designs to offer a better opinion on the oversteer concerns other than my experience under the conditions of the truck it is installed to. It did, however, keep the ass end of the truck in check and firmly planted during the corners.

That's all I can offer now on my experience. I'm sure the owner will pop on and drop his review of it as well.
Both kits have been given the green light for production and I will have some pricing and availability numbers soon.
Questions? Post up!

[pennyman1]

How hard is it to mount the front x member bar - that looks like it will solve a lot of flex issues with the front end. Still thinking about the ms sway bar setup - I have a turn six rear sway bar kit I bought years ago for Geronimo, but it bolted to the frame for the center bushings, then the bars went to the back and the end links bolted to brackets on the rear of the leafs behind the axle. I never liked how it worked so I took it off, but still have it - your kit was the way I wanted to remount it. its only a 3/4inch bar I think.

[Merrill]

The opposing angle of the lower control arm bolts do create a mechanical lock on the bar, but all you have to do is back them out a but to install. It's very simple to install and remove.

I'm liking it thus far. Combined with the upper body brace, this front end is more rigid and solid with a more positive feel. It would be better complimented with a thicker sway bar, but that will be coming soon.

[pennyman1]

I have a monster addco bar - forged steel and 1 1/4 inch - its so massive the wheels rub on it before you hit lock , even with wheels with less than 4 1/2 inch back spacing - its sitting for now.

[Merrill]

Yeah I'm still working on worming an S10 bar in the front, but it is just a wee bit too narrow and the mounting is odd. Chances are I am going to build a new system for the front end to adapt the bar.

[incorporatedx]

just read the whole build. good stuff. I'm down in phoenix with a 4G63 swapped 73 galant wagon. Once yours is running on the new engine i'd love to see it!

[Merrill]

just read the whole build. good stuff. I'm down in phoenix with a 4G63 swapped 73 galant wagon. Once yours is running on the new engine i'd love to see it!

Thank you! I wouldn't mind seeing your wagon too if you can manage. I've always wanted one but never able to catch a good deal on one. Maybe one day I will...



Well, it simply wouldn't be my build unless there are snags lol. Here are some page 13 pics and a very small update for the followers.

So back on Page 5 (post #103 (http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showthread.php/3055-Merrill-s-4G64-DOHC?p=30402&viewfull=1#post30402)) I ran into a couple snags with the water pump and power steering mounting. Since this is a RWD application, the clocking of the Evo water pump puts the inlet right in front of the bracket blocking it. The solution was to cut the thermostat housing bracket and fab an elbow to mate the two. Since the block is RWD and not FWD, the castings are slightly different. There are no holes for the power steering pump to bolt to the block. The solution for that was adding a plate to the modified FWD mount and cutting down the Evo PS bracket to fit.

All of those were really no big deal, and once I have everything all assembled, I will make a post with all the details and happy little pics to explain what needs to be done to modify a RWD block to fit Evo 4-9 components. Again, this is ONLY for adding Evo 4-9 accessories and 4G64 accessories with the 2 belt system (basically anything FWD). If you used the factory accessories and such (AC/PS/Alt/WP) with the 3 belts as they are in the Montero Sport, you wouldn't run into these issues.

Here is the latest issue with fitment - the Alternator.

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Now one thing I ran into a while ago (and couldn't figure out) was why my accessories were not lining up correctly. It finally hit me when I was trying to mount the Evo alternator - the oil pump is different on a RWD block. That was a rather interesting find because I have never seen a difference in pumps between G63/64/69 of the later series. They're all the same pump (older DSM series have some differences like 6/7 bolt, FWD/RWD, etc.). What I need to do now is go buy a new Evo oil pump and toss the Montero sport one.

For future builders that want to tackle this engine in the same style I am - You can NOT just trim the tab off to mount the alternator. The reason why is the tensioner mount machining on the oil pump protrudes too far. It would have to be machined down to fit (which is not recommended). If you just said "screw it" and left it alone, the serpentine belt would get shredded and go flying off every chance it could because it does not line up with the rest of the components when mounted to the RWD oil pump. If you are building on a budget and can't afford a new pump (understandable because an OEM pump is about $250 retail), you can either source a good used one (not recommended because you don't know the history/condition), OR you can buy a cheap-o pump, use the case only, and swap over the OEM pump gears and regulator for peace of mind. Those are a couple options.

So that is what I have for now. I'll keep this updated as I go.

[Merrill]

It has been brought to my attention that I have not updated in a while....

Well - I have no updates. That's why hahaha. Between the upcoming summer shows I have to build for, and all the other pieces I'm currently undertaking, I have no time to play with my truck. I was going to do a fit check on my engine and take a few shots, but a client brought his Harley in for a build. My time is booked for a while, but hopefully something frees up soon so I can take some time to play with the truck.

[pennyman1]

That pesky work that pays the bills gets in the way all the time...

[Merrill]

Hell yeah it does lol. But I really can't complain.... I love what I do, but damn I'm getting tired of staring at my engine in the corner lol.

[crvtec90]

Dude.....I know the feeling. Looking forward to seeing more whenever either of us gets back to it.

[Merrill]

I just got a smoking deal on a trade to really amplify the balls of this engine. I'll have more once it all goes through. Gonna be a few weeks...

[noahwins]

Good, wouldn't want it to be underpowered or anything.

[incorporatedx]

Thank you! I wouldn't mind seeing your wagon too if you can manage. I've always wanted one but never able to catch a good deal on one. Maybe one day I will...


I dont want to clutter up your thread, but here's a pic;

https://igcdn-photos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t51.2885-15/10852692_1043876085626836_24434799_n.jpg

here's a build thread for it;
http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46017&page=6

Converting the engine to work RWD does take some figuring, here's mine once it was ready, i used a 6 bolt 4G63 from the early 90's;
http://photos-d.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-prn/10369358_1403487463270907_55184840_n.jpg

[Merrill]

^^I like it. Totally want one now....




So I had a bit of fun today. Along with all that fun came some cool discoveries for you swappers out there.

Lets start with the cool stuff....

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There it is in all its glory! One Evo powered Mighty Max (variant). Slides right in as if it were meant to be! I did make a couple really unique discoveries as well.

They are as follows...

Engine mounts:

Montero Sport 2.4 engine mounts (the lower/rubber portion that bolts to the chassis) are identical to the MM.
The actual bracket that bolts to the block is different. The difference is great, though. Montero sport block mounts move the engine forward to provide clearance which eliminates the need to jackass the install with hammer mods or cutting. This is a bolt-on solution for the swappers. You no longer need to make custom mounts - just find the MS block mounts/plates and have a good day.

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In addition, the tail shaft of the Montero Sport 5 speed sits about an inch rearward compared to the stock MM. This means the shifter will stay in the exact same place as stock if you use the MS tail shaft and shifter after moving the engine forward.

I have no info on the driveshaft. The reason why is I already had to modify mine to install my Ford 8.8. As such, I'm sure you still need to lengthen the driveshaft an inch to compensate for the engine position. Either way you slice it, that's 2 less mods you need to make since they can be bolted on as if they were stock.

Cam Position Sensor Vs. Heater Core

If everything was easy, hot blondes in bikini's would be doing it, right? Well this is one problem I need to find a solution to. The cam sensor directly interferes with the heater core tubes. This can be solved by phasing the sensor and reluctor, or finding another routing solution... I'll figure it out later and provide the solution.

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My Master Cylinder

This really only applies to the RHD community. Mitsubishi makes 2 versions of many master cylinders - Ones with ports on the right, and ones with ports on the left. I do have a giant custom intake manifold, but either way, find a master cylinder with its ports located on the right side. It makes for a much tidier installation and will not create an interference problem.

For the LHD community, use the LHD port master cylinder. This will give more space for your header.

I did have to trim down my intake manifold slightly for clearance, but there is still plenty of volume in the design without creating negative effect to cylinder #4.

My Header

I'm pretty sure I'm just going to have to rebuild it all from scratch. Of course I can "make it work" in its current design, but I'm just not totally satisfied with it. I did build it off of the truck to begin with. I'm pretty much dead on, but I just think it could look a bit cleaner.

That's all I got for now. Time to put the old 'n moldy back in.

[crvtec90]

That's good to know about the mounts :thumbup:

[Merrill]

I'm seriously debating on finishing this by MOD. I'm not sure if I can get it done or not, but I'm thinking about it for sure.

Anyone else going to MOD this year?

[Merrill]

Here are the part #s for the bolt-on solution to move the engine forward:

http://mitsubishiparts.net/media/images/oe/collision/6/6290160.gif
(Ref. #1) Right side mount - MD308249
(Ref. #2) Left side mount - MD322806

These are found on the '97-'99 Montero Sport 2.4 2wd. The rubber mou ts are exactly the same as the MM.

I can't find a breakdown or part number for the tail housing but that is also a part you might want to source. It will allow you to keep the shifter in the exact same location as your MM after moving everything forward. You could get away without using it, but this is an option for you. You will need to source the tail housing, shifter housing and shifter.

The driveshaft can either be lengthened - or - you can have a spacer machined that bolts on between the yoke flanges of the drive shaft and differential. It's up to you which one you want to go with.

[DroppedMitsu]

MOD is this month correct? I would love to go(missing it again, wanted to make it to last years too) but my truck wont be don't until probably sometime next month.

[Merrill]

MOD is Saturday, July 11. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be there this year. I know 3 of my clients will be attending, so I guess I have to lol.

[DroppedMitsu]

hmm ok a little more time than I thought. I might make it there we shall see.

[Merrill]

I really hope you do.... They might actually give MM's a section as opposed to peppering them in the crowd lol

[Merrill]

Here is a bit of an update for what I am calling "MOD Mods"

My hood will eventually be useless with a big supercharger sticking through it. At this point, I figured I'd make a subtle mod to it for the time being. Just tossed in some vents...

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Once again this year, I have no time for paint and body. I have my body mods list in order, but there is no way I can pull it off. I also don't want to show the crackhead paint job off. It wasn't good enough last year and it certainly isnt any better this year. What options do I have? Well - only slight modification. I spent 4 bucks on some flat black and slightly modified the paint job a little.

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I think it looks pretty good.

Finally, I am currently building a roll cage for a 9th Gen FG4 Civic, but I goofed on the harness bar. I completely spaced the fact that I have to recess the driver's side harness bar on the Civic. Every rule book states that there are to be no grinding marks or modifications to roll bars/cages. I also have a great reputation for not side stepping any of my work. As such - a new main hood had to be bent from scratch. A mild loss of materials cost and time - yes. Worth it in the end to maintain my reputation - absolutely; I'll bend a dozen more if I have to.

I tried to sell it locally on a couple boards since the dimensions are a lot like other cars. It will fit in a bunch of them easily. The problem I soon discovered is there are not a lot of fabricators and builders on these local boards, so who the hell would want "just a main hoop" without rear bars, door bars, and other supports? If you can't build the rest yourself, it is pointless at any cost (even as only the cost of materials that I was listing it for).

Moving on to today... This morning I tossed it in the truck for the hell of it. It definitely doesn't fit as tightly as I bend my other cages, but it is not extremely sloppy either. It's workable for sure. I plan to toss on some door bars and roll to MOD with a roll bar in the truck.

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I'll have more pics of this later. Here's the deal with the roll bar - I don't need it. I'm just tossing it in for the show. I'd still like to recoup my losses on the materials (which is about $150). If anyone is interested in a really cheap DOM bolt-in roll bar for a MM/D50, now would be the time to PM me. It will be available mid July. Obviously since my truck is RHD, the diagonal brace is backwards. If someone wants to buy this bar, I'll flip the main hoop around for LHD if needed (free of charge). All you need to pay is the price of shipping from Las Vegas, NV, plus $150 for the bar itself. For reference, I usually charge $750 for a spec built 4 point roll bar. This is a chance to get one for a MM for cheap!

That's all I have at the moment. I'll have more pics up later as things get built.

[Merrill]

Is everyone ready for the most badass update yet!?!?!

Last night, I replaced my water pump. Oooohhh yeah. While that is the sickest mod anyone has ever seen...

I one-upped myself....

I noticed my tail light was out. You wanna know what I did about it....?

I replaced it!

I know you're all jealous of my maintenanced' out ride and all.... you don't have to say anything.... I know

:lol:

Seriously, that's all I've done lately lol. I'm too busy with everyone else's rides. Thanks for the PM's and messages from everyone checking for updates! I tried to make these updates as cool as possible lol.

[Merrill]

Well I now my last few updates kinda suck, but I didn't think this thread would completely stall out lol.

I guess I'll just post up only the significant updates....


Many years of wrenching has taught me that no matter what color you want something to be, it only ends up turning black. I know that sounds like it was pulled straight from the pile of extremely pessimistic shit, but the true story behind it is nothing can escape the touch of the auto workers hands. Grease, oil, metal dust, dirt and grime all end up staining virtually every surface even after you wash your hands. It's as if you sweat dirt all the time. There's just no way around it.

I tried very hard over this past year and a half to keep my vibrant colored interior nice and clean. The trick, I thought, was to utilize materials that are easily cleaned (like leather or vinyl and smooth painted surfaces). My bright red leather seats, steering wheel and vinyl arm rests turned out to be the biggest culprits of dirt catching ugliness. It seemed no matter how hard I scrubbed at them, they would never really get clean like they were after I originally installed them. The steering wheel itself suffered the worst when faced with my "Abrasive Hand Syndrome" after a long day of metal work.

It seemed as if I was not going to keep my bright red accented interior around much longer. The seats were starting to turn to maroon from the original bright red. The steering wheel was just about the same. The parts that did last quite well was the white painted surfaces. Of course a black stain is beyond accentuated on a white surface, but all I had to do was wipe it off. I had to rethink the surface and rethink the color. This offers an opportunity to play around with the whole look and vibe of the interior as well.

A few weeks ago, a client gave me a Leonard Volanti steering wheel he had sitting around for years. I particularly liked it because it is acrylic and it offered up a different color to the interior: Baby Blue.

Tossing the red and replacing with baby blue meant I had to add a couple more matching accents. A few updates ago, I mentioned goofing on the harness bar section of a main hoop built for a FG4 Civic. It is a loose fit for my truck, but it will do for now. I figured it would be the perfect match for the baby blue steering wheel. I modified the door bars only slightly to bring them up to shoulder height, but still allow the arm rest to clear and maintain a bit of comfort. The door bars just help hold the main hoop in place in this design, so I had a bit of design wiggle room.
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There was no way I was going to install baby blue seats into my truck. It's a nice color, but I don't like it that much. I figured they would better match the black dash. One issue I naturally have is a "space tolerance" (if you will). I'm almost 6'3" tall and my fitment in this standard cab with a roll cage was extremely tight with the last seats, even though they were lower than the factory bench. In order to run the cage, I needed to sit even lower than the already low buckets. NRG recently came out with a Rally style bucket which features an extremely low sitting position, and an "anti-submarine" front bolster. They are also only available in black. I figured I'd give them a shot. Installation meant fabricating a new set of seat brackets all together, but that's no big deal.
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Now we get to an annual show known as EOS Showcase. EOS is a non-profit organization that was established to raise school supply donations that benefit underprivileged children in Southern Nevada. It was requested of my by a few friends and clients that I attend. Personally I feel my truck is nowhere near ready to sit in a show with such fine vehicles, but I support the cause and figured "why not"? Besides, I figured this would be a decent opportunity to see where my truck really stands as far as interest and what not.

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I really didn't expect to win anything as far as trophies or prizes (which I didn't), but all in all, it was a great show and I did get to meet a few enthusiasts and talk with a pretty decent crown about the MM. It was a great turnout.

That's all I have for now.

[Merrill]

+284 views in 23 hours but no comments :(

[pennyman1]

I don't see why you thought your truck didn't belong there - it looks really good for under construction - you can't tell from the outside...

[Fordubishi]

we may not comment as we're all in awe of your build and don't know what to say other the WOW!!!!

[tink]

I think your truck belonged there, too. No reason for it not to! My dad once told a story of a car that was done on the outside, even underneath 100% but the interior wasn't 'show ready' yet. Him & the guys took it to the show anyway and put up brown paper in the insides of all the windows so nobody could see the 'unfinished' inside - the car ended up winning some sort of prize, forget what but it did... paint or customization (chopped/sectioned etc). So yeah.

AND if you take your truck again next year a lot of people will remember it hey yeah wasn't this truck --- blah blah yep! SWEET! Cool, right on, etc. I'm glad you took it, looks damn good as-is ;)

Love the bar *though I'd tie the dog to it inside anyways

Everything ends up black & if it's already black it gets white fuzzy floaty things stuck to it. No winning. Pick whatever color you don't hate to clean all the time.

Have a charcoal grey dash/seats/carpet/etc. in a car & every time I'm at a stoplight I'm wiping white (??? something) dust type stuff like miniature bits of cotton off the dang dash & even by the gages. Ridiculous. Static or some BS. IDK! all leather seats so it's not like cheap seats are full of dust or anything. Stuff happens.

Your truck looks darn good man. Oh and if those seats don't give you enough room maybe look at the seats out of a lotus elise (not joking) those dang seats are the thinnest all around seats I've seen in person, maybe = max leg room? No telling how uncomfy they are though ...

[Merrill]

Thanks for the compliments.
I'm not really chasing kudos on this, but it's cool to read. I just like to car talk is all. Lately it's been like talking to myself lol.

I do love my truck, but I just don't see it as ready as I'd like it to be. It looks fine in pics, and in person, but I just have a mental image of it and it currently doesn't match lol.

I'm very familiar with the Lotus seats. I had to install a pair into my client's 4 rotor RX-7 recently because there is very little space inside. They wouldn't fir too well inside the truck with the roll bar in because they have a serious amount of lay-back. My knees would be touching the dash lol. I'd definitely rock them otherwise.

Hopefully by next year I'll reach my goals with the truck. I'm just beyond pressed for time right now with other builds. It's getting into SEMA crunch time.

[steen3rddensity]

gets meaner every time i check the thread. digging the new colors for the interior too.

[tink]

Nothing wrong with talking to yourself so long as it's not at the doc's office ;)

I know what you mean about that mental image of what it should look like... will look like. I do the same dang thing here with so many things, from the house to the garden to the truck & car. I've found after a while it gets easier just taking your time with improvements since you can look at things however you want! Besides that gives you time to think what about if I do this... or that & end up better in the long run.

[Merrill]

lol true story. I've just been writing a lot of blogs and making a lot of vids lately. There's been a ton of talking to myself hahaha.

I'm been considering a radical new direction with the truck for a while now. It's just a matter of pulling the trigger and making it happen is all.

[Redneckmoparman]

First thing i do every time i come to this forum is come check the progress on your truck lol. Always love seeing the amazing things you do to solve problems that come up. I think most here feel that too many questions will distract you and make it harder to follow the progress lol.

[Merrill]

The more questions - the merry.

Think of it this way, if I don't explain something enough, and someone is either not a member, or too shy to speak up, or whatever the case - you would be helping them by posting up a question. It might be the same for lots of readers.

Distractions are few and far between for me. The only thing that really derails progress on a build thread is running off topic.

So the cool news, I think I may have an open window to get my swap finished and installed soon. I'll keep it updated as I go!

[Merrill]

This year I decided to dress up the front a bit and have a little fun. I' had some left over steel tubing from a previous build, so I decided to update the front a bit. The 93+ front bumper is my favorite out of all the MM front ends, but the brackets I built years ago didn't really do anything except hold the bumper up where it needed to be. It offered no safety at all, but then again, it's not like the factory ones are much better haha.

I decided to build up a nice little combo piece that would offer up better protection in the unfortunate event of a collision, and hold the bumper on the truck. This could have been anything to be hidden behind the bumper, but I really wanted something to show off. I decided to go with dual purpose a Bash Bar design.

Bash bars are very simple in their own design. All one really needs is a few tubes and a mounting location to make one. In this instance, I wanted the Bash Bar to be tucked away and completely hidden under the bumper cover. I would like it to not be seen unless I take the cover off. This required a bit of clever fab work to make the Bash Bar take the shape of the bumper itself.

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While I was putting it together, I figured I might as well have something more than "just some tubes" to show off once the cover was removed. Since the Bash Bar is designed to take the general shape of the bumper, I decided to make it look somewhat like a bumper when the bumper cover is removed. This also gives the viewer something to stare at while the bumper cover is removed.

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I believe in practicality (for the most part haha). The idea of having a handful of tools to pull the bumper cover off sounds a little impractical to me. I really don't know when I'll really "need" to pull the cover off in only a few seconds, but the ability to do it is appealing, and makes sense. Nothing really says "race car" like actual race car parts. Dzus fasteners can be found all over the racing scene. They can even be found holding most cars together. The genius of a Dzus fastener is that they only require a flat shaped object (screw driver, a coin, or a key) to give it a quater of a turn to pop it out. They sit flush with the panel they are mounted to, and they hold up well. I decided to use 4 of them to mount the bumper cover to the Bash Bar itself. The result is nice and clean, and the cover can be off in only a few seconds.

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Here are some of my favorite shots of everything all put together.

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Finally, I found a deal I like on a set of wheels. There was really nothing wrong with my 17" Enkei's, but I plan to get stupid on my brakes again and jump up from the 12" rotors up front to a set of 14" rotors. This will require bigger wheels. In addition to that, I really wanted something a little less "hover craft" on the truck. I wanted a decent lip on the wheels to fill the gap a bit. The result s a set of 18" XXR wheels. They're cheap, but they'll do for now. Once I get more build time, I'll definitely switch up a higher quality wheel.

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That's all I really have for now. I do have a few other pieces to build for the truck which I will post up at some point. Hopefully it wont take as long to update as this time.

[geezer101]

My hat off to you Merrill, that is some very clever and well executed fab work on your bash bar. No wonder it has been a while since your last update. Now you're gonna have to detail the sub frame behind the front bar lol. It looks naked back there. What about the front indicator housings? Are there any legal issues with not having those connected while driving?

[meandmit]

Love to see some ideas for the rear, I need to do something there.

[Merrill]

My hat off to you Merrill, that is some very clever and well executed fab work on your bash bar. No wonder it has been a while since your last update. Now you're gonna have to detail the sub frame behind the front bar lol. It looks naked back there. What about the front indicator housings? Are there any legal issues with not having those connected while driving?

Thanks! It's looking like I'll just barely have the time to build my intercooler and oil cooler setup which will fill that space in nicely. I just started on it tonight. Im converting the corner lights to dual filament bulbs for the indicators and running lamps. The front lenses will go clear to serve as fog lights while the bumper cover is attached. Technically it is illegal here not having them, but I have yet to receive a citation for it.


Love to see some ideas for the rear, I need to do something there.

I have something pretty wicked planned out for the rear. I have to buy my sheet metal brake before I can make it happen though. It looks cool in my mind so far haha.

[crvtec90]

That bumper is serious stuff man:thumbup:

Are the stars press cut using a dye? Id like to see the mitsu diamond logo like that.

[Merrill]

The stars are dimple die panels which are CNC laser cut. I get the panels from one of my sponsors called IHeartGussets.

[Merrill]

This is where it gets really cool, but really sad.

I managed to find the time to build my intercooler and il cooler setup. It was so awesome to see it come together so quickly after getting it all drafted up and calculated for the truck. It was so perfect.

The day after I finished the oil cooler bracket/latch support, I was involved in a collision. The part that sucks is the other driver was at fault, but said she doesn't have insurance, and none was provided on the report. It has turned into an investigation, and it's looking like the truck is a gonner. I'll keep it updated as I know more.

Here are the pics of the intercooler and oil cooler systems.

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This is the last pic of everything assembled. All I was waiting on was my oil cooler relocation pieces to arrive so I can finish mock-up and get the assembly pressure tested and coated. It was taken the day before the collision.


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I always try to look at the bright side of everything. It sure beats sulking in misery for ever. The bright side is I was able to collect data to further back up the design behind my products. The bash bar did exactly what it was supposed to do which is bend ONLY the mounting brackets. That means the brackets themselves, about $5 worth of steel, can be rebuilt and reinstalled to the Bash Bar without the bash bar needing to be completely rebuilt.

The best news about all the data collected from this collision is calculating the damage based on a rather "unrealistic" circumstance. Bash Bars are primarily used in racing where there is contact to another vehicle or wall - not necessarily a collision. I T-boned the car that I was involved in the collision with. After running the math on it, I exceeded the average contact load on a bash bar and the intended damage remains the same. That is fantastic news regarding design and engineering principals.

The second bright side I see here is the intercooler is undamaged due to the design of the front end. Most of this is due to the design of the Mighty Max core support and how it impacts, but the intercooler was mounted to the sheet metal of the core support just like the radiator. The sheet metal is easily deformed which means the intercooler was simply pushed back. The oil cooler itself is destroyed, but oh well. A new Setrab Oil Cooler is about $150 or so.

Here are some shots of the accident itself




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While you might be looking at the pics and thinking something like: "Well, that doesn't look so bad."
You're right. It doesn't look that bad, but unfortunately lurking beneath the twisted metal is the real damage. I hit a Cadillac at the left rear door (mostly), but the C-Pillar of the car is what caused the whole right side of my truck to get pushed rearward about 4-5 inches at the top front corner where the corner light is. The whole right side of the Mighty Max structure is crushed. My door doesn't even open and close correctly anymore.

While it may be repaired, and it is not out of my ability to do, I'll lose entirely too much money and time in the end to only end up with a salvage titled vehicle. I have to assume that's all I will end up with since the other driver is not insured. Of course, I'm still waiting on the answer from the insurance company.

I'll keep everyone up to date on the details as I get them!

[Fordubishi]

Well that sucks big time. I know the feeling as I hit a Jeep and screwed up my cab pretty bad(He was charged for causing it). Stripped all the parts off then was lucky enough to find a rust free cab to rebuild the truck. Now granted I did strip the truck to the frame and went overboard with the rebuild. I don't know how your insurance works but I settled for 7/8th the write off value and the truck didn't get a salvage or write off title.So another bright side you can (maybe) change some of the things you didn't like about the first build :)

[Merrill]

Well that sucks big time. I know the feeling as I hit a Jeep and screwed up my cab pretty bad(He was charged for causing it). Stripped all the parts off then was lucky enough to find a rust free cab to rebuild the truck. Now granted I did strip the truck to the frame and went overboard with the rebuild. I don't know how your insurance works but I settled for 7/8th the write off value and the truck didn't get a salvage or write off title.So another bright side you can (maybe) change some of the things you didn't like about the first build :)

I'm covered, but they don't cover my truck because I didn't have collision coverage. If I do another build on a MM, I will probably go way overboard as well lol. We'll see what happens. It all depends on which one makes me lose the least amount of money. I still need a truck to run my business,and every day I don't have one, I lose more and more. My entire build schedule with my clients and everything else has been delayed big time. I likely can't afford to down the truck for a long period of time to repair it or build another one.

[camoit]

That's not so bad. Just buy it back from the insurance company if they total it. Then rebuild it. But do it nice. Then get it appraised and get an agreed value policy. Yes it will cost you but then it's covered. I could only get my value up to 150,000 on the truck.

[geezer101]

That is terrible news Merrill. At least you had the foresight to drive with 3rd party insurance - even more so was the fact that you had designed and installed the bash bar when you did. Insurance is scammy at the best of times and they probably would've rejected your claim for anything that wasn't stock on your MM. Hopefully you'll find a suitable truck to work with. You have poured so much into your MM and it's a shame that it looks like this now...

[Hiteshotrodshop]

Just curious to what would be a better build for my mm? 4g63 or 4g64. Would like a high review motor and turbo.

[geezer101]

Just curious to what would be a better build for my mm? 4g63 or 4g64. Would like a high review motor and turbo.

I'm guessing you got an auto correct and it ambushed your post - you mean a high revving motor? Might be a better question on another thread - more than likely there is already an existing one here. Me personally? The 4G63 6 bolt twin cam turbo engine. More support in regards to info and aftermarket parts. I read somewhere the 6 bolt bottom ends are beefier and these engines can make big numbers when tuned.

[Merrill]

Just curious to what would be a better build for my mm? 4g63 or 4g64. Would like a high review motor and turbo.

That all depends on how you build it. Technically, neither is really better than the other. I used a 4G64 block with Evo components, while others will use a full DSM 4g63. Some build 4G64 6 bolt blocks with DOHC heads.... It's really up to you and your abilities. I've built and seen dozensof hybrid combinations hit record breaking numbers in dozens of variants. It's all up to how you build it.

The biggest hurdle you will have to conquer is the transmission. You have to find the right trans for the block you use, and there are a few other little snags here and there depending on the hybrid/variant build you chose. In my case, I had to make a half a dozen adjustments to the front accessories of my block to mate up all the Evo accessories to the block. I also had to modify and change brackets and coolant tubes just to make it RWD compatible.

[thefreack]

Not to hijack. My build has a full dsm drop in if you want to see that. But just like Merrill said there are a lot of different options for these trucks. Some more work than others. So plan ahead and start building. Have a goal in mind first or you will spend a lot of money on things you might not need. Once again did not mean to hijack your thread.

[Merrill]

You didn't hijack... it's all good.

[crvtec90]

So your truck is going bye bye and I see youre selling off parts.......but are u gonna get another max and finish where u left off?

[Merrill]

So your truck is going bye bye and I see youre selling off parts.......but are u gonna get another max and finish where u left off?

Not sure yet. All depends on what I find and what I feel like buying.

[geezer101]

I know that this whole sorry story is still pretty green but will you be entitled to financial compensation from the negligent party involved? We had a vehicle accident case a few years ago where the owner of a BMW claimed added damages for 'emotional loss' due to his personal investment in his car. He actually won further compensation. Laws here have changed in regards to vehicle collisions. Insurance companies were able to weasel out of paying full entitlements by claiming that by driving on the roads you were automatically partly responsible for any loss or damages, cutting out a percentage of payment (I got burnt by this when my Lancer fastback got hosed - I lost 10% of my entitlement :shakehead:). They got away with this for a long time until the courts clamped down on them.

[Merrill]

So I haven't been on here in over a year I guess. Lots of people keep writing in and asking about the truck and all that good stuff. Just wanted to say thanks for all the comments and messages from all over about the build and such. I can't believe how many views this thread has had.

[camoit]

So I haven't been on here in over a year I guess. Lots of people keep writing in and asking about the truck and all that good stuff. Just wanted to say thanks for all the comments and messages from all over about the build and such. I can't believe how many views this thread has had.

Guess you should get busy and update your fans.