My Japanese shite

[Station]

I love 80's Japanese cars. I always wanted a mk1 MR2, a Mitsubishi Starion, and a Z31 300ZX when I was younger.

I have thankfully owned them all now!

 

I bought this beaut in 2008 for a measly £250 with tax and MOT, but with running problems.

 

 

I got it running, and then more spannering made it broken again. I spent over 2 grand on it, including swapping the engine, and even then it didn't run. I took it to Oulton Park twice and had it fail on both occasions. I sold it for £550 in 2010, and kept the wide body alloy wheels, which I sold for about £200. It was a narrow body, and I've always wanted a wide body.

 

Looking at the prices of good ones today, they genuinely go for £4000 +. I thought, that's it, I'll never own one again.

I was going to go up to Blackpool to see an early Z31 300ZX (the one with the 280Z rear lights), and literally before I confirmed I was going to go and see it, I went on the Starion forum and saw one for sale in Bolton.

 

I haggled the fella down a tiny bit (this is the most I've ever bought a car for) - the car wasn't running, but I knew it was the fuel pump. There's no rust on the car, which is the important thing as these engines are pretty good (the injection system isn't if it's messed with).

 

 

I had five blokes pushing the car into my unit. The brakes were completely seized.

 

 

A disintegrated brake pad:

 

 

A broken exhaust back box:

 

 

Pads were completely stuck in the carriers:

 

 

Same with the fronts:

 

 

A quick break from work to buy chips from KFC - look at the size of this chip! (glow is just some lighting effect caused by the sun):

 

 

Overall, it needs new pads, a new fuel pump and a backbox. I sold my Honda CRX, which was a blessing really as I'm running out of space. The engine runs fine with a replacement fuel pump doing it's thing.

 

[Bren]

The wide bodied models look the dogs bollocks.

 

The 8v engines are very tough.

 

Sad fact - Paul Robinson in neighbours had one.

[Jim Bell]

Don't it make you feeeeeeel good !?

[\stefandennis]

 

That looks class, very well bought.

You'd best flog me that CRX for £400 now as you'll be running out of room soon.

[SambaS]

Nice one, absolutely love these!

[UmBongo]

Cool Starion.

 

Even the name exudes some kind of interstellar activity.

[Sudsprint]

Fantastic car - love it!

[fordperv]

Cool Starion.

 

Even the name exudes some kind of interstellar activity.

 

i thought it was stallion in a japanese accent " ahhhh rook at our new car the starion"

 

the widebody are lovely looking cars

[tooSavvy]

^^^^^ urban myth of epicallic proportions

 

TS

[saucedoctor]

What a thing! Lovely stuff.

[fordperv]

^^^^^ urban myth of epicallic proportions

 

TS

 

 

i know but it makes me smile so much 

[Bren]

Doesnt the 2.0 make more power than the 2.6?

[Station]

I think so, it was introduced for the American market due to more low end torque.

Spent the day removing the tank, borked pump, and will probably need new injectors. The tank is full of sediment on the bottom and the fuel is browny red. The car runs fine with fuel straight into the inlet. The new pump pressurises and blows out the union due to injectors being clogged.

LOL :,(

 

Fortunately I knew of all the pitfalls of a long standing Starion, and I have parts from my last one. Also Mr Starion UK Neil Philpotts has a garage two minutes from my garage (he has raced them for the past twenty years).

[Mr Lobster]

Really smart looking car these. Agreed on the '80's coupe J love.  Used to walk past a Toyota dealer on my way back from college when I was doing A levels in about '91 and also had a longing look and quick fantasize over the Mk1 MR2 and Supras on the used car pitch.

[brickwall]

Are Starions not worth some nice coin in good nick? This could be a great little investment.

[Negative Creep]

Can you get more 80's than that?

[Minimad5]

Bloody knew it !
Legend - Drop me a txt when you're down Da Unit, and i'll bring tea making supplies* and get in the way.

*not said in an Asian accent.

[skattrd]

I always liked the Starion as well, that does look like a good one.

I never understood people buying Capris when these were available.

[Station]

They are worth about £4k in really good condition, that's pretty understandable, compared with Supras and RX7's of the same era, end these are rarer.

 

They're really easy to work on, the fuel tank was stuck in with 8 bolts which came out easily!

 

 

 

Two buckets of this (tank was nearly full):

 

 

My current fuelling set up!

 

 

Going to back flush the injectors and put a new filter on tomorrow!

 

Does it get any blacker than this?

 

 

The sticker on the door is an advisory on the turbocharger - there's also a canny Mitsubishi/Fischer tape caddy in the dashboard (unfortunately no stereo was in there):

 

 

Seats have adjustable lumber/bolster support - not as cool as the Z31's pneumatic pump ones though:

 

 

 

Obligatory poppy up lights shot: