Old School Galant VR4

[Need4Speed]

[color=black]Here was the scenario:[/color] [color=black] [/color] [color=black]Me...[/color] [color=black] [/color] [color=black]2005 LGT[/color] [color=black]Manual[/color] [color=black]Me and 2 others in the car[/color] [color=black]No mods[/color] [color=black] [/color] [color=black]Him...[/color] [color=black] [/color] [color=black]1991 or 1992 Galant VR4[/color] [color=black]Manual[/color] [color=black]Alone in the car[/color] [color=black]Car seemed tricked out with exhaust, BOV, etc...[/color] [color=black] [/color] [color=black]I saw the side of his car as we sat at the red light but I wasn't 100% sure if it was a VR4. The light changed and I accelerated pretty quickly but not as if it was an all out race. I look over to see him right next to me and it was obvious he was running hard. I immediately floored it. My lane was about to end (roughly 1/4 mile from the light) and his front bumper was even with my rear bumper. I pulled away very slowly. My lane was ending and about to become a shoulder. He backed off right as my lane ended. It was a pretty close race.[/color] [color=black] [/color] [color=black]If someone didn't know any better they would get whooped by that car... It is a great sleeper and easily modified to make a lot of power. AWD and a turbo (just the way I like it). From what I have read there are about 3000 of these in the US. Stock has about 195hp 205tq.[/color]

[John M]

The biggest reason I own a LGT now is because I once had a Galant VR4. They were an amazing car, especially when you consider they were made 13+ years ago. I had a 91 and with just a K&N and MBC it was as quick in the 1/8th mile as my LGT is with the same mods. For such a small production number, there are quite a lot of them out there that would leave us looking stupid: [url]http://www.dsmtimes.org/galant.htm[/url]

[wunderkind]

How do you know his car's front bumper is right next to your car's rear bumper as you accelerate quickly? Though the VR4 maybe small in numbers but it's Dodge cousin the Stealth is not an uncommon sight. I used to like them alot. THen the FD3S RX-7 came out. :D

[Guest *Jedimaster*]

Those are pretty cool- a kid I went to college with had one :cool:

[Drift Monkey]

I always liked those things! I could never find one though...

[IwannaSportSedan]

[quote name='wunderkind']Though the VR4 maybe small in numbers but it's Dodge cousin the Stealth is not an uncommon sight. I used to like them alot. THen the FD3S RX-7 came out. :D[/QUOTE] Do you mean the Galant VR4, or the 3000GT VR4? The Galant is a FWD sedan, which got AWD and a Turbo (more like an Evo, I think...) where the 3000GT was a bigger sport coupe which shared it's chassis with the Dodge Stealth and RT, the RT and 3000GT VR4 having twin turbo V6s, and AWD. If the galant VR4 shared pedigree with the Lancer Evolution of the time that would make for a nice car. Speaking of DiamondStar and related turbo drivetrains... My mother found a car she liked about 8-10 years ago now, and she still drives it daily, which is the 2.2 Liter I4 LeBaron GTC with the Variable Nozzle Turbo. It is "viper red" with carbon trim, and very fast. Torque steers like an arm-wrestler, though, and the build quality isn't that great. It gets taken care of pretty well, so it has survived this long. I am hoping that is what kind of fast the LGT is, only more so, with better driving dynamics. BTW, I saw a news blurb in some magazine that the current blockish Galant is getting the RalliArt treatment to try and boost sales out of the drain for Mitsu. Too bad it isn't getting full VR4 treatment with an infusion from the EVO VIII or detuned MR. With all this talk of slightly higher powered MS6s, Altima SE-Rs, RalliArt Galants, 300hp G35s, C55 AMG mercs, future E90 BMW M3s going over 400hp with V8s, and Corvettes topping 500hp, and the Audi RS4 coming soon, the Horsepower Wars are officially on, and Subaru needs to bring its game face. The Legacy STi H6 TT.

[rockford33]

The 3000 GT VR-4 also had all-wheel steering. Not incredibly quick cars to stock since they were fairly heavy (about 3800 pounds I believe), but could be very quick with some inexpensive mods. Look at a Galant VR-4 one time, but the guy wanted $12k for it (this was about 2 years ago). Ended up buying a Dodge Spirit R/T, another FWD performer that is little known. Stock, it has 224 hp, 217 ft-lbs of torque. Best of all, mods on these older cars net bigger gains than on new cars (I guess because of better designing). Adding a turbo back exhaust and netted 27 hp to the wheels on my Spirit (try that with our LGT's) and it only set me back ~$500 installed (full piping, high flow cat, muffler, and install). Iwanna, Your mom has a nice piece of history there with that VNT LeBaron. The VNT's are a little finicky from what I hear, and not very mod friendly, but build boost extremely quick. Fairly small turbos though, so not a lot of top end. I think they also used the VNT in a Shadow as well. Late 80's and early 90's Dodges shared a lot with Mitsubishi (including turbos, etc.)

[Whitestar Pilot]

I'm confused. You guys keep talking about the 3000GT VR4, which was a twin-turbo 6-cylinder, but wasn't the Galant VR4 a 4-cylinder Turbo based on the AWD Eclipse platform?

[IwannaSportSedan]

You may be right, whitestar pilot. I wasn't sure if it was based on the Eclipse TSi, or the Lancer Evo. Or maybe all three powertrains are the same... Not sure. The 3000GT VR4 and Stealth RT are the same as each other, but completely different from teh aforementioned cars. Rockford, yeah, my parents have actually been offered cash, not a lot of cash, but still, just to buy the LeBaron VNT. Most people think it is just a leBaron. very few people know what that car is, and if driven well, can surprise a lot of people. I drove that car a handful of times, but my younger brother has actually put some miles on it, and some fast ones at that. My mother always complains that she drives it too fast without knowing it, like 95mph in a 55 zone. It has an EMT plate on it, so people think she's trying to get someplace... The funnier story is how my dad put HS6 carbs and a european-spec steeper advance distributor in his 74 MGB, and the first day after putting the carbs on, promptly smoked a wannabe V6 Mustang and got pulled over by a cop. My dad is a 48 year old, 6'4" Lutheran pastor, and volunteer fire cheif, (and hobbyist car restorer, among other things) whos greying a little at the temples. not your typical outlaw. Everybody in the small town of 700 people soon found out that the local preacher was pulled over in his convertible! HEHEHE! :LOL: He still gives me grief about getting a speeding ticket 11 years ago. Payback is a sweet thing. Next he wants to put the XR2 Turbocharger on his base 91 Mercury Capri Convertible, after he gets his 1941 Chevy Firetruck restored. This is the "eclectic" household I came from, most of it happening after I graduated from HS, and left for college. I always miss out on the fun! Sorry for the detour off topic...

[emlevins]

[quote name='Whitestar Pilot']I'm confused. You guys keep talking about the 3000GT VR4, which was a twin-turbo 6-cylinder, but wasn't the Galant VR4 a 4-cylinder Turbo based on the AWD Eclipse platform?[/QUOTE] Yes - it was a 4 cylinder turbo that shared the same platform as the Talon/Eclipse. Both were AWD and had 195 HP I believe. I had a Talon and my wife had the Galant VR4. I later also had a Dodge Stealth twin turbo (went from Talon to Stealth and back to Talon), the Dodge twin of the Mitsu 3000 VR4 with 300 hp - which was nowhere as much fun to drive as either the Talon or Galant. Much too heavy and not very nimble and despite AWD was horrible in the snow. But the Galant and Talon were a joy to drive.

[Euclid]

[quote name='Whitestar Pilot'] but wasn't the Galant VR4 a 4-cylinder Turbo based on the AWD Eclipse platform?[/QUOTE] Actually the Eclipse was based off of the GVR4.

[Drift Monkey]

I'd take a Galant VR4 over a 3000GT VR4 anyday..

[John M]

I've owned them both, and I wouldn't. I argue this on so many boards I have a standard post: ---------------------- They're too heavy to handle well. Wait a minute, it pulls more lateral g's than a NSX, Supra, and C5. - [url]http://stealth316.com/images/mt_5-97-p16.jpg[/url] It only beats the C5 in a slalom - and we all know how poorly C5's handle - [url]http://stealth316.com/images/mt_5-97-p17.jpg[/url] With that kind of weight, it must stop poorly too. Wat a minute, what's that? It beats the NSX and Viper in braking? It ties the C5 and is only 1 foot behind a Supra? Only 2 feet behind the Ferrari? Impossible! [url]http://stealth316.com/images/mt_5-97-p21.jpg[/url] Yep, those cars were too heavy to do anything well. It came in last in all the acceleration tests. Too bad it's so hard to make more power out of that engine. I mean, my peashooter 9b stock turbos managed 109 traps with a race weight of 4070 lbs - throw those numbers into a hp calculator and see what it makes.

[evolutionmovement]

I'd rather throw that drivetrain into something light. :) Anyway, I put little stock in skidpad tests as they're poor representatives of true handling ability like tossability, predictability, adjustability, etc. They're not irrelevant, but IMO magazines put too much stock in them. But,then I just drive what I think is fun. I'd pick my 5MT '84 GL over most cars (all of which I can nearly guarantee perform much better on paper). The Stealth I drove I found to be lacking in involvement. It was like a date with an attractive woman that there just wasn't any chemistry with at all. I've never driven the Galant VR4, but it sems like a car I'd enjoy more. Steve

[Magowin]

[quote name='rockford33']The 3000 GT VR-4 also had all-wheel steering. Not incredibly quick cars to stock since they were fairly heavy (about 3800 pounds I believe), but could be very quick with some inexpensive mods. Look at a Galant VR-4 one time, but the guy wanted $12k for it (this was about 2 years ago). Ended up buying a Dodge Spirit R/T, another FWD performer that is little known. Stock, it has 224 hp, 217 ft-lbs of torque. Best of all, mods on these older cars net bigger gains than on new cars (I guess because of better designing). Adding a turbo back exhaust and netted 27 hp to the wheels on my Spirit (try that with our LGT's) and it only set me back ~$500 installed (full piping, high flow cat, muffler, and install). Iwanna, Your mom has a nice piece of history there with that VNT LeBaron. The VNT's are a little finicky from what I hear, and not very mod friendly, but build boost extremely quick. Fairly small turbos though, so not a lot of top end. I think they also used the VNT in a Shadow as well. Late 80's and early 90's Dodges shared a lot with Mitsubishi (including turbos, etc.)[/QUOTE] Yeah the Shelby CSX which was a Shadow with a VNT turbo and also some Shelby Daytona's had the VNT as well as my brother had the Daytona bought new in 90 that was a nice car actually too bad his wife totalled it. It put you back in the seat pretty good.

[Drift Monkey]

[quote name='John M']I've owned them both, and I wouldn't. I argue this on so many boards I have a standard post: ---------------------- They're too heavy to handle well. Wait a minute, it pulls more lateral g's than a NSX, Supra, and C5. - [url]http://stealth316.com/images/mt_5-97-p16.jpg[/url] It only beats the C5 in a slalom - and we all know how poorly C5's handle - [url]http://stealth316.com/images/mt_5-97-p17.jpg[/url] With that kind of weight, it must stop poorly too. Wat a minute, what's that? It beats the NSX and Viper in braking? It ties the C5 and is only 1 foot behind a Supra? Only 2 feet behind the Ferrari? Impossible! [url]http://stealth316.com/images/mt_5-97-p21.jpg[/url] Yep, those cars were too heavy to do anything well. It came in last in all the acceleration tests. Too bad it's so hard to make more power out of that engine. I mean, my peashooter 9b stock turbos managed 109 traps with a race weight of 4070 lbs - throw those numbers into a hp calculator and see what it makes.[/QUOTE] Ah, the sports cars of yesteryear... :lol:

[Need4Speed]

[quote name='wunderkind']How do you know his car's front bumper is right next to your car's rear bumper as you accelerate quickly? Though the VR4 maybe small in numbers but it's Dodge cousin the Stealth is not an uncommon sight. I used to like them alot. THen the FD3S RX-7 came out. :D[/QUOTE] I was (unsafely) looking back and left as I was flooring it because it was the only was I could see where he was. The road was going to end and if he didn't lift I would have had some serious issues.

[Mach V Dan]

My old Galant VR-4, a '92: [img]http://store1.yimg.com/I/machv_1824_53536881[/img] It had around 300 hp. It would have completely smoked my new Legacy turbo. One of our good customers has one with 400 horsepower at the WHEELS. :) --Dan Mach V [url=www.fastwrx.com]FastWRX.com[/url]

[John M]

I regret I don't have any pics of my GVR4 - it was #746/2000, dark green w/ sunroof. The biggest thing I miss about that car are the speed-sensitive wipers. You don't know how convienent it is for them to be on "intermittent" and automatically speed up as you do. Me on my way to the DSM Shootout in 2000, in the midst of dispensing some "interstate justice" :) : [img]http://www.moojohn.com/dsm/7.jpg[/img] Dan - Somebody around Mach V is bound to remember me, at least by name. I joined Club DSM in 1992 and have owned three 92 Eclipses (two were GSXs) and an 89 Mirage turbo before moving on to the 92 (wrecked) and 94 Stealth's that lead up to my Legacy. It's hard to believe that's been 12+ years! [url]http://www.moojohn.com/stealth/oldcars[/url]