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Import Projects - what are you working on?

3K views 20 replies 18 participants last post by  wsdave 
#1 ·
Just curious how many active import projects there are on the forum. I know there are some import trucks, including Twisted Minis' awesome work. This is probably the only hot rod forum I have ever been on where the import projects are truly received as openly as the domestic ones, so I am just curious what else is being built here.

I have one of each. This rendering is what my import project should look like when it "finished". I was always fascinated with concept cars and always wished I could have one as my daily driver. I have also always wanted to create my own vehicle. When my skills reached the point where all that was possible I decided to go for it. Since it is a daily driver I decided to start with an existing vehicle to take advantage of the engineering already invested - why reinvent the wheel...

The base car is a 91 Honda Accord. The bucks for developing the custom body are actually on the car now, and I will be doing the final surfacing work soon. I still drive the vehicle daily and the goal is to continue to drive it as much as possible throughout the build. The plan is to take molds off the final plugs, and make the final version in carbon fiber - that will be permanently bonded to the car.
 
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#7 ·
Here is an 87 E30 cabrio that I did; H&R springs, Momo wheels, chip, exhaust. I miss that car. It was darn near flawless; new interior, new top, flawless brand new paint on factory original panels that zero body work. 200hp and it stuck like glue to the road.







This is my wife's current car, a 99 E300 turbodiesel. She is letting me do some things to it. For now my next goal is some better wheels. Nothing "bling" just maybe some of the MB 5-spoke sport wheels. I think I can sneak in a chip without her noticing, but I'll have to clear an exhaust with her first. Its just so nice as it is. I want it to go a little faster, but the ride, handling, and everything about that car is so top-notch I don't want to mess with it. It amazes me. That 170 hp diesel will light up the tires at will, it gets 30+ mpg, it redlines at 5400 rpms, and it doesn't make any more noise than a 3.1 V6. German engineering... I'm hooked.





Here is how a tire in the road modified my wife's previous car, a 97 Toyota Tercel. You can understand why I replaced it with a mercedes tank.

 
#9 · (Edited)

My "Import Project"..bug spattered..dusted up from a 200 mile drive to Tombstone, AZ and back. Safeway parking lot..getting LIQUID Refreshment for the evening :drool:

That night..beer in hand..(and cigar of course)..cleaning up a bit in the shop.

Also have a 75 280 Z(bought new)..that was my autocrosser..next getting nuetered (emisions) for the street and my 18 year old son.. Sitting next to the 120
 
#11 · (Edited)
2007 vw gti

well i have both. i have a 1965 ford galaxie 500 xl converbable and also a 2007 vw gti. (golf beefed up). it comes with a 200 horse power 2.0t fsi engine fwd. i have replaced the front mount intercooler, fuel pump, injectors, turbo, exhaust, air intake, and suspension, brakes, and clutch. i am pushing about 323 horse power. next month i am going to replace the turbo, manifold, fuel pump, injectors, front mount intercooler, air intake, and the computer softwear. i will be pushing about 385 horse power. to the wheels. i will tell you what i just love the autobahn over here in germany. i can not wait to get the gti back to the states and start running it on the 1/4 mile back home in colorado..........
 

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#12 ·
V8 Miata

I got to tell ya, those are 2 way cool hotrods you got.
I'll post some pictures of the projects going in my shop in the next day or so.
74 440 Black Challenger, 70 440 Lime Green Charger, 41 454 Willys Coupe & last but not least a V8 Miata.

We also have a 92 Dodge Spirit RT, it's only got 15k miles, this little thing is a grocery getter sleeper.
 
#13 ·
I have a hard and fast rule that I don't work on anything that uses metric size nuts and bolts. That said..... I'm considering a V8 MGB project after the Max Wedge Polara is done so maybe it isn't that hard and fast a rule after all.
 
#15 ·
1996 Mazda MX-6 LS. 2.5L V6 rated at just 160 CHP made 161.5 WHP with a K&N drop in filter and an exhaust broken off after the 3rd of 3 cats.

Black leather and all power acessories plus a smooth as glass ride and handling and braking that was compared to bimmers and porsches in it's day.

I stepped up to larger OE brakes (I was actualy the first person to discover this upgrade so I'm kinda known in the community :thumbup: ) and a thicker rear sway bar, this got me a nice neutral car that can actualy drift a bit despite being fwd.

I have been a huge fan of mazda since I bought the car, I love the fact that while Mitsubishi is spying on it's EVO customers to find out if they race to get out of warranty work and Nissan is leaving GTR owners hanging with $20,000 junk trannies Mazda gives it's owners discounts on any and all parts as a reward for for racing and then sweetens the pot by giving any Mazda owner exclusive access to certain products just for racing.
 
#17 ·
I have a 1989 Dodge Raider/Mitsubishi Montero SWB. It has the venerable Mitsubishi 3.0 SOHC engine pumping out a whopping 140HP, and a 5 speed. Plans are to swap in the DOHC 3.0 from a Dodge Stealth/Mitsu 3000 (about 200 HP) and mate it to an AW4 automatic. The Raider came with an AW2 as an option, and I'm told the bolt pattern is the same.

My Jeep runs an AW4, so only needing parts for one tranny would be nice.
 
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