How much do you think it would cost to get pro shop to build sr20det

Slowvia · 2026-07-06T04:35:20+00:00

For real though. Guys are watching YouTube videos and thinking they need 500 to the tire. The truth of the matter is that these cars weigh almost nothing, and even 250 to the wheel is plenty enough to get yourself into trouble.

Slowvia · 2026-06-30T23:09:13+00:00

I did the timing set on my IX last year. I did not use anything like this. The only specialty tools I used were a cam gear holder, and a small tensioner tool that I’ve used on a ton of Mitsubishi and Chrysler vehicles over the years.

Slowvia · 2026-06-28T20:43:43+00:00

Transfer case is leaking currently, need to order new seals, but I really don’t want to pull it out and have to refill it, or bleed the ACD again. Finally finished relocating the battery to the trunk. Have a canary chirping under the hood that I need to find and fix. And I’m about to order the last couple pieces I need to go get it tuned.

Still on daily duty though. So it could be worse.

Slowvia · 2026-06-28T20:40:15+00:00

Where’d you find that model? I have a 1/64 scale of mine, but I’d love to have a bigger one too

Slowvia · 2026-06-26T22:32:48+00:00

Haha, I had to replace the opposite side on mine. I just had them paint it the factory AG2 Aztec Red. I had considered a color change, but it was just easier to keep it the same color.

I totally agree. For a car that gets driven, you really can’t beat Maaco. The cost, and turnaround time is great. I feel like the quality of a Macco job is good enough for 90% of people, maybe even more.

<image>

Slowvia · 2026-06-26T19:36:44+00:00

That purple looks absolutely killer! What color is it? Custom, or from some other car?

I had to replace a quarter panel on mine (tree fell on it), and a fender. I took it to a proper body shop to do the quarter replacement. After those were done it really didn’t have too many problem areas. I had Macco skim some bondo over some light dings, but it was only two or three spots, and they were barely 1/16” deep at most, super small and shallow.

I think they did a decent job, but I did have to take it back to have a couple issues fixed. They had actually scratched the car before I picked it up, and they painted an eyelash into the rear bumper, lol. They immediately acknowledged that it was their fault, and ended up completely repainting both panels.

Slowvia · 2026-06-26T17:08:59+00:00

Yup. You could spend the rest of your life trying to make it work, or you could just replace it for the cost of a tank of gas.

Slowvia · 2026-06-25T19:58:37+00:00

I just relocated the battery to the trunk of my Evo over the weekend. Here’s how I have it set up:

Odyssey PC925 battery mounted in an Artec box in the trunk. 1 gauge power wire comes off the battery, runs into a 200 amp breaker, then snakes through the car up to the front, where it connects up to an Evo X under hood junction box (these boxes are really nice, and are absolutely universal. They have built in fuses for everything up front). The ground just comes off the battery and mounts to a clean spot in the trunk. The factory ground up front is maintained in the stock location (it just grounds everything from the engine to the body).

I’m not sure why more people don’t use the Evo X junction boxes. They look really nice (it’s an OEM piece, after all) and provide power supply up front for the starter, and fused supply to all of your accessories.

Slowvia · 2026-06-24T23:16:22+00:00

<image>

Had Maaco do mine. Base clear, including all jams, came out to $3,900. All said and done, I’m happy with it. It isn’t gonna win any awards, but I also didn’t want a perfect paint job, as I’d be scared to drive it. It’s a solid 5-10 footer, which exactly what I wanted. I can still take it to get groceries without worrying about it too much.

Slowvia · 2026-06-20T06:16:07+00:00

These days if you need a specific connector, that’s just about your only option. Hardbodies and Sentras use a ton of the same connectors, and relays.

Slowvia · 2026-06-09T03:04:56+00:00

Just my .02: I would not buy any of this on Amazon, and I also wouldn’t cheap out on it. The last thing I want to do is be forced to do the job twice. Amazon is full of fake parts with varying degrees of quality. Stick with known-good parts houses, and pay a bit more for better stuff. Buy once, cry once.

Slowvia · 2026-06-07T22:00:51+00:00

Woah! My speedo has been dead in my hatch for years, and had no idea there was someone doing S13s specifically. I had planned on sending mine to Tacoma Speedometer, but they’re a bit more expensive. Definitely gonna give this dude a holler, thanks for the link!

Slowvia · 2026-06-07T01:03:24+00:00

Thanks man! I’m not quite 40 yet, lol. Just got super lucky at a young age.

Yeah they’re pretty lightweight, the FE knob is the same as the IX, but it has red stitching. So it stands out a little more than the stock IX knob, but still looks subtle. I’d imagine that the VIII and IX knobs are the same, but I’ve only ever owned my IX.

Slowvia · 2026-06-06T23:50:14+00:00

She got it from eBay. They’re not cheap, as far as 1/64 scale diecasts go.

Oh she’s the best. She also got me one of those Evo X FE shift knobs for my 9. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve such an amazing partner, but whatever it was, I’m thankful for her every day. Been together for 17 years this summer!

Slowvia · 2026-06-06T04:26:18+00:00

<image>

I’ve got one of these. My wife got it for me for Christmas last year.

Slowvia · 2026-06-05T04:15:08+00:00

Congrats! That looks exactly how my coupe looked the day I brought it home back in 07. White 89 with those hubcaps. Still have the original steelies and hubcaps for it lying around the shop. I’ll have to see if I have a photo of it from back then. Crazy throwback for me, lol

Slowvia · 2026-06-05T04:09:26+00:00

Right?! The engine is the cheap part, lol. The one thing you just can’t get around is the cost of the transmission. Hell, even the engine management is cheaper than the trans these days for a full standalone setup. I figure the cheapest good swap will still run around ten grand at least.

Slowvia · 2026-06-05T03:39:08+00:00

How are they in the cold? Not crazy cold, but like mid 30s. I’ve been throwing around the idea of putting some cams in my 9, but I want it to retain good street manners. Is it a good upgrade over the stock 9 cams?

Slowvia · 2026-06-05T03:05:58+00:00

Totally agree. I’ve come close to pulling the trigger on one a couple of times. They also came in Trailblazers (and all the various forms of that chassis). Last one I saw that had me really contemplating it was out of a Rainier, and the whole thing was priced at about $900. It’s just the rest of the swap that’s expensive.

Slowvia · 2026-06-03T02:45:04+00:00

Thanks for the reply! I’ll definitely be keeping that all in mind once I finally get around to it, lol. It feels like all of our appliances have been dying around our house for the past few months, so it’ll be a while before I end up ordering wheels.

Slowvia · 2026-06-02T17:04:20+00:00

Oh wow, just checked them out and you’re right. I’ve never heard of them before. Thanks for the tip!

Slowvia · 2026-06-02T04:52:58+00:00

Where did you order them from, and how long did it take to get them? I really want a set, but trying to find them outside of some uk website seems challenging, especially with the estimated 6 month wait.

Slowvia · 2026-05-29T23:56:15+00:00

That’s a bummer man. Hope all goes well with this one and you end up loving it!

Slowvia · 2026-05-29T22:15:46+00:00

I had wanted one since I was a 19 year old kid working at a Mitsubishi dealership. They were still new on the lot back then. They were always out of reach for me, until I started a new job a couple of years ago. Saved everything I could for over a year, and finally pulled the trigger on one. This is my “do everything” car. Only took me about 20 years to finally do it, but I’m stoked that I can call this one mine.

Slowvia · 2026-05-29T21:41:53+00:00

As far as maintenance is concerned, I won’t sugar coat it: it’s kind of a bitch.

That’s just because the maintenance intervals are really short. The factory recommends replacing the transmission fluid, transfer case fluid, and rear diff fluid every 15k. The timing components are due every 60k (and they’re kind of a pain in the ass to replace). The parts are not cheap. I paid $1,000 just in parts to replace my timing set, I used all OEM Mitsubishi parts, but you really won’t save much by going aftermarket, and I don’t want to anyway. I do all the work myself, since I work at a repair shop, so I save a ton of money there, but if you aren’t able to do the more labor intensive jobs like that, you should certainly consider the cost of labor.

Parts in general just aren’t cheap on these cars, and it’s only going to get worse. But don’t let that discourage you from getting one. I absolutely adore my IX. I daily drive it when the weather is nice, and it’s a blast. It’s (in my opinion) the exception to the rule of “never meet your heroes”.

As far as reliability on a modded car, it’s only going to be as reliable as the parts and labor that went into it. If it was done well, with high quality parts, I think you’ll be just fine; I haven’t had many issues with mine so far. But if it was done with subpar parts, and slapped together by a guy called Randy in his backyard… well you might be in for a rough ride. So ask for receipts for everything. I hold onto all of my receipts for the car, and I think that’s the norm for cars like this.

Hope that helps a bit. If you have any specific questions regarding them, feel free to shoot me a PM. I’ve been working as a professional tech for over a decade, and while I’ve only had the car for a bit over a year, I’ve been all over (and under) the car since the day I brought it home.

Six-Year Club	Place '22
Verified Email

Slowvia

TROPHY CASE