My first DSM was a 1984 Starion was totaled by a drunk driver in front of my own house while I was at the bar, talk about ironic situations. About the only mod I did was to modify my airbox and screw with ignition, not much in the way of a budget for creating anything fast. (Lost the picture of the rear end; the window is blown out and both rear axles are bent: it was hit from behind @50 mph or more and pushed over 100ft into cement parking lot gate)
My second DSM was a '89 Conquest that a lot of hard earned money went into fixing up to be drivable when I bought it. It had enough Mods in it to be acceptable but the Michigan roads kept eating them up. Starting with a modified air box and ram air combo (removed the fender connection and added flex tubing down through the body into the brake vent in the air dam). Boost gauge, 11psi boost w/ controller, HR lowering springs, Stillen cross drilled rotors and pads, Tockico struts, Schroth harness belts, Supertrapp Exhaust and hollowed out Cats. The next item was a new turbo, but I needed to rebuild the engine before I could do that (125k miles on the OD). The cost would have been $3k for the engine setup I wanted, so the alternative was a new car.
9/20/97
I traded in the Conquest and ordered a '98 Eclipse GSX. Within two weeks of ownership and 1000 miles later I had put it through a road race. (Waterford Hills Road Racing 1.5 mile track w/ 13 turns). My competition in my stock DSM was a '96 Talon AWD, '91 Eclipse AWD, '97 Eclipse GS-T and many hopped up VW's and Audi's. I quickly learned about drift and brake fade during this race, none of which felt very good while driving (although the brake fade may have saved me in several corners). And on top of that the rain didn't help either. But from the learning experience I've had so far, I would do it again. (The Eclipse is a new learning experience for me since I've spent the last 7 yrs in a Star/Quest)
10/6/97
The Mods scheduled for this car in the next week (already ordered) in 3" Thermal Research Exhaust, Short Shifter, SPI Boost gauge, and K&N filter. The next mods scheduled for the spring (when more money arrives) is the suspension. I'm still debating the pros and cons of progressive rate over coil overs (been doing lots 'o research).
11/4/97
I had a know-it-all at school tell me he could get from 0-60 in his new bitchin' Camero (Z28) in 4.5 sec. But by who's atomic watch I would really like to know. HHMmmm I wonder if he really knows anything about cars.
5/18/98
I took the car in for two recalls, one for too much carpeting under the dash, and the other was for the transfer case leaking. The dealer gave me a hard time over the boost gauge. The service manager thought I had already screwed with the boost pressure.
7/98
Got a upper intercooler pipe on, man what a difference! A lot quicker now, I can actually squawk the wheels on a greasy part of Livernois in front of school. Getting more blackend exhaust coming out of the tailpipe. I can actually see the diesel looking fog that is left behind after hitting second gear.
1/1/99
What a wonderful time in the snow! The AWD is awsome. I am discovering more front end push as I take these Michigan lefts a little fast in the slush. Creating rooster tails in intersections is also fun. I get all 4 wheels spinning at once and the snow goes all over the stupid SUV behind me. Got to love it. There are a couple of clowns in our office complex with 'moosetangs' that can't even get out of the parking lot. Nothing getting this car stuck.
Last updated 1/17/99