7 replies to this topic

[GSRVR]

G'day gents, been a while since I've logged in here.

 

Allow me to introduce another cordia saved from rotting away in the wrong hands or an early grave at SIMS Metal. In this case, a 1985 AB Cordia GSR which I picked up in November of last year. Whilst on the hunt for another to salvage, I came across this example on eBay & immediately made contact with the owner. It was a local car with the 1 owner since new & completely unmodified. The perfect base for a freshen up & a return to it's former glory.

 

I had arranged to check the car out with the owner a week before the auctions end to get an idea of the extent of the rust & mechanical issues which was the main reason he was letting it go. Regardless of it's downfalls, I bought with the intentions of restoring & rebuilding. 

 

After the initial start-up & test drive it was straight away apparent that the old '62 was tired - unstable idle, 0 boost, noisy driveshafts, stalling, missing & smokey, leaky injectors & the list continued. Still mostly common issues. Despite this, it made the 30 minute drive back home + fuel stop. Once she was up & going & sitting on a consistent speed it was smooth sailing. And everything worked, including the ice cold A/C. 

 

This would be the last day of it's current running condition.

 

After taking ownership I let it sit for a good few months as I focused on getting my other car up to scratch (UZZ31). Fast forward to June of this year I was ready to get stuck back into it again. As it goes, I got more done in as little as a week than I have in almost the 12 months of owning it. Before going on a hiatus though I had already started pulling the engine down & had the head off & rebuilt. So all that was left was a good days work of disconnecting lines/vacuum hoses, inlet manifold & engine mounts for the bottom end ready to be removed.

 

As of today, I'm going through the 'what should be' a relatively short process of restoring engine parts. However I certainly chose the best time of year to be painting with Melbourne's cold & wet Winter which has dragged things out a bit. Nonetheless, I have almost a car load of refurbished parts now. The bottom end has been removed however & now waiting to be carted off to be rebuilt.

 

For those of you who haven't come across my other AB Cordia from a couple years ago, it has now been abandon & used as a parts car for this new project.

 

Specifications:

 

Make: Mitsubishi

Model: AB Cordia GSR

Colour: SH Silver

Year: 10/85

Engine: 1.8 4G62BT SOHC

Transmission: KM164 5 Speed Manual

Turbocharger: High flow TC06

Fuel Type: Leaded

Weight: 1030kg

 

Pre-purchase auction photos:

 

 

 

 

 

Ultimately, the plan is to keep this car as original as I can. With the exception of upgraded brakes & wheels. The engine will be getting a stock rebuild, however I have already picked up a replacement turbo which has been high flowed which was just a bonus upon the sale. To me these are simply improvements that do not take away the originality of the car. However if I do run into unfortunate & unforeseen circumstances with the rebuilt motor if my luck was to change, only then would I consider the fate of most Cordias & go the VR4 route.

 

[GSRVR]

November 2013: The beginning

 

Here is a brief rundown to bring people up to speed:

 

When the engine was still running & in 1 piece one of the first issues that needed rectifying while in the process of elimination was the crossover pipe not sealing properly on the turbo end as well as the mounting bracket broken off & worn seal. Here is a refurbished replacement fitted at the time thanks to the Cordia guru Andrew for supplying me with it.

 

New seal, bracket mount in place as it should be:

 

 

Top view of it with new silicone hose & clamps added:

 

 

Next, the EGR was removed, inspected & cleaned out:

 

Before:

 

 

After:

 

 

Short lived, not long after the first stages of tearing the engine down started happening. Exhaust manifold & turbo set-up removed:

 

 

Oil as far as the eye can see. Also worth noticing no.1 cylinder the only one running clean:

 

 

Cracked exhaust manifold, you can see the repairs in this photo:

 

 

And upon closer inspection a nice big crack in the turbo exhaust housing:

 

 

One of the many corroded ends, this was from the water pipe that runs alongside the block:

 

 

What came from the radiator:

 

 

And here we have a non-split induction pipe, an unbroken TPS shaft & spare exhaust gaskets. All replacements that I was in need of sourced at the time.

 

 

Now it was on to removing the head:

 

 

 

 

Pistons out:

 

Edited by 0-PSI, 10 August 2014 - 12:40 AM.

[GSRVR]

June 2014: Back in action

 

By this point it was early December & that's where the progress came to a halt. Fast forward to early June 2014 I had just picked up a 1 month old engine hoist for a steal & at long last the bottom end was removed:

 

 

 

The opportunity was now taken to clean up the bay. Degreaser, bug & tar remover, a toothbrush, some rags & a bottle of cut & polish at hand the passenger side came up well:

 

 

The paint underneath was in much better condition than I had initially thought, preventing the urge to respray:

 

 

The drivers side before a major clean up, putrid.

 

 

Now with the brake booster, clutch master & a few other components out of the way I was able to hit the firewall rust caused from the leaky brake & clutch master:

 

 

Cleaned up with some 80 grit & rust converter applied, however not 100% as yet. The steering rack will come out next so I get full access to the rest of it underneath:

 

 

Now the first lot of parts were getting a clean up & refurbish. First off was the swaybar, cleaned & sanded ready for paint:

 

 

Stoneguard followed by satin black top coat:

(old bushes came in handy for something!)

 

 

Bush retaining brackets sanded, cleaned, etch primed & hit with some gloss black. Nuts & bolts also wire brushed & degreased:

 

 

A/C fan housing in the process of being sanded with some 80 grit: 

 

 

Etch primed awaiting satin black top coat as well as the mounting brackets:

 

 

Both fan housing bare metaled, etch primed & complete in satin black top coat:

 

 

 

2 of the engine mounts complete in gloss black engine enamel:

 

 

 

Rusty brake booster in the middle of getting cleaned up:

 

 

Complete in flat black:

 

 

No before shots of the airbox but here it is 99% complete:

 

 

 

Airbox clamps getting the same treatment in gloss black:

 

 

And here is just a small collection of clean parts in the boot as well as the high flow TC06 replacement.

 

 

A random shot of the rebuilt head & replacement exhaust manifold:

 

[GSRVR]

That basically leads up to where I am at the moment. The start of the week I went & picked up the now repaired radiator from Campbellfield Radiator Service.

 

New inlet/outlets were fitted & rad cleaned out, it was 30% blocked.

 

 

Refurbished fans dummy fitted:

 

 

SuperPro front bush kit & accessory belts, bushes included were:

 

- Control Arm Lower-Inner Bushing

 

- Strut Bar To Chassis Mount Kit

 

- Sway Bar Link To Chassis Bushing 

 

- Sway Bar To Strut Arm D Bushing 

 

- Sway Bar Mount To Chassis Bushing

 

 

New brake master came in. Also ordered a new clutch master which I will see next week:

 

 

More suspension parts restored - LCA (the 2nd is still being painted) & caster arms etch primed, stone guarded & finished in gloss black as well as new bushes fitted to LCA's & swaybar:

 

 

 

Next up over the days ahead I'll be cleaning & painting the TN Magna front brake upgrade ready to go on upon fitting the suspension components back & have the car on it's wheels again. Once the rust repaired area of the firewall has some paint I'll be able to freshen up the front & rear subframes & refit the steering rack, brake & clutch masters etc.

 

I'll continue to update as I build up more progress pics, keep an eye out!

 

Cheers.

[Hyper_Mike]

Awesome man!!

[mat]

I traded in my cordia turbo for $500 many years ago, was the worst decision i ever made, its good to see you are out saving them!

 

keep up the good work

[croket]

Wow mate lovin the detailed work

[hy_]

cool project mate - gotta love a well documented build!