'92 4x4 rescue project

[Jeff V.]

I've been looking for a small 4x4 pickup for a while, and thanks to Chargerx3, I learned the Mighty Max was offered with a 6G72. This is an engine I know really well from my 3000GT days, and it also opens up some interesting engine upgrades and swaps. I know the 4 cylinder is just as capable, if not more so. But I just know 6G7s a lot better.

After nearly 4 months of searching, I found this poor bastard on eBay. (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1992-Mitsubishi-Mighty-Max-/351652722509?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=CDylDPNBtKVMTZiZGiq73TfbvrU%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc) So I took a gamble and had it shipped up from Arkansas. I feel like I just adopted an abused dog :lol:

It's really, really rough on the body and interior, and it took a pretty solid hit to the right front corner, but it was put back together fairly well. The damage was almost entirely isolated to the cab. The frame is basically untouched and aside from some surface rust, there's no rust or rot anywhere on this truck. It's got AC and an LSD. The AC doesn't work, but at least I won't have to track the parts down to add it.

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Just taking a power washer to it cleaned it up considerably. I've already replaced the smashed tailgate and broken light with parts off a gold Ram 50. The horrible purple window tint is now gone, I've replaced a bad flex section on the exhaust downpipe, and it's got all new brakes and belts. The last thing I need to do is replace the windshield so it can make it through the stupid Missouri safety inspection, in order to get the title transferred over.

Once I'm through that, I've got to finish re-assembling my Stealth so I can get that sold. Then I'll see what kind of fun projects I can find for the truck. :)

[Chargerx3]

Glad to see you stopped lurking and joined. Anyways this is going to be a fun process that hopefully brings a lot of attention to these trucks.

BTW what color is your interior? One minute it looks blue and the other it looks grey.

[Jeff V.]

It's light gray and badly sun damaged. I'll paint/dye it later.

[Chargerx3]

Doesn't look that bad. Some Armor All should clean most of that up. I am surprised how good your doors and door pulls look.

[DroppedMitsu]

Welcome to the site, lookin forward to the engine mods

[LuckyShooter87]

Good find! That V6 would be awesome to have... i was excited to find the one i did but that little 4-banger is TIRED! itll do for now, but id sure look into swapping in a V6... im assuming that transmission is conpletely different right?

[Chargerx3]

Yes the V5mt1 trans is what you will need to put a v6 in yours too. Otherwise it won't fit.

[geezer101]

Tip for rejuvenating interiors - stay the hell away from armorall. It evaporates and fogs up the glass. Give it a really good clean, buy a can of cheap-ass tire shine and give the trim a really fine spray with it. Rub the stuff into the grain of the vinyl with your bare hands, and repeat. It might take 2 or 3 applications but it will go a long way to restoring the colour and plasticity of the trim. If you're gonna recolour the trim with a penetrating vinyl spray, don't use anything to treat it first. Just give it a huge clean with something like pre-mixed sugar soap in a spray bottle - taking the entire interior out will make the end product look pro and you'll be able to get all the crap out of every corner and gap.

p.s. good stuff for taking on this truck project - save them, drive them, love them! :thumbup:

[Jeff V.]

I plan to paint and dye the dash later, so I'll skip the chemicals for now. When I did my Stealth, I used Simple Green to clean the dirt, and then dish soap to remove any residues. It's held up extremely well despite being parked outside for several years.

Mitsubishi is an evil temptress. Just when I thought I was close to being done with the basic maintenance, I found some fine pinholes in the fuel tank. My garage is a disaster right now.

Oh well. Looks like I might be trying one of those POR15 kits sooner than I expected.

[geezer101]

Damn, another member with fuel tank woes... :shakehead:

[Chargerx3]

That is not good jeff. Was hoping you didn't have that problem. As you know I just got done pressure washing mine last week because of all the rust in there.

[LuckyShooter87]

Im gonna start a "Go fund me" account for someone to make the tooling and presses necessary to start stamping out these tanks... you would sell like 300 instantly then probably bo more for another 25 years but still! It needs done!

[Jeff V.]

I don't know why you'd need to go to the expense of stamped tanks. It's basically a cube. It doesn't have any weird bevels and contours to wrap around hardware on the frame. I'd think any competent sheet metal shop should should be able to churn out a few.

[LuckyShooter87]

Well they'd have my money if someone could replicate a few!

[pennyman1]

there is no one style or size tank like the 1st gen - that is why no one makes them. Too many different tanks between 2wd and 4wd, and short wb standard cab, standard cab longbed, and extended cab shortbed.Then throw in carbed or efi...

[Chargerx3]

The shape of the 2nd gen 4x4 v6 tank is very much rectangular cube shaped. I would hope that would make it easy to find a replacement from a donor vehicle.

[Jeff V.]

Yessss. 3.8 MIVEC for $150 :shock:

19571

[Chargerx3]

Love it.

[85Ram50]

So I looked it up cause I needed to waste some time waiting for paint to dry. I found this partshotline page it has one 1`992 and a couple 94 and 91 gas tanks. the 92 is in Grover NC L & L Auto Sales & Parts
855-890-9506 Ext 296319 Stock # J644 $50 from a 2.4l 105"WB 4x2 Don't know if that will work on a 4x4

https://www.partshotlines.com/parts/mitsubishi/pickup/fuel-tank.html

http://www.usedpartx.com/usedparts-store/reno_nv-mitsubishi-mighty_max-1992-fuel_tank.html?fit_notes=0058febaff03f1b351555359a 54a309e&seq_num=6 (https://www.partshotlines.com/parts/mitsubishi/pickup/fuel-tank.html)

This site says it has the 105 and 116 WB 4x4 tank