This is the Build Thread for 1992 Galant VR-4. Reply below.

Hi everyone,

My name is Rein, I'm 23 years old and I'm from Belgium. I've been looking around on this forum for quite a while now and finally decided it was time to make an account and start a build thread. I've always been a big Mitsubishi fan, especially when it comes to the Galant. Besides this VR-4, I also own a 1989 Galant GLSi that originally belonged to my grandfather. It's a car I'll never sell and it's what really got me into these cars.

After searching for a project car for quite some time, I finally found #840/1000. The car was originally sold in California before being imported to Belgium in 1994. It later spent some time in the Netherlands before ending up back in Belgium, where I bought it in October 2024. It had been sitting for around 12 years, so it definitely needed some love, but it was complete enough that I knew it was worth saving.

My goal isn't to build the fastest vr4 out there. I want to restore it properly while keeping its original character. I'm aiming for a clean OEM+ build that I can enjoy for many years. The target is somewhere around 300-350 hp, but reliability and doing things the right way are much more important to me than chasing big numbers. I would love to hear from some of you if 300-350hp is possible on the stock drivetrain with my evo 3 16G, PTE 1000cc's and ecmlink V3.

Since buying the car, the project has slowly turned into a full restoration. Whenever possible, I've been restoring original parts instead of replacing them. A lot of time has gone into cleaning, powder coating, zinc plating hardware, replacing bushings and trying to make every part look and function as it should.

I've also been collecting a few rare OEM and JDM parts along the way, which has been almost as much fun as working on the car itself.

There's already quite a bit of progress to catch up on, so I'll use the next few posts to show everything that's been done up until now before posting updates as I continue working on it. I may have gone a little overboard with the camera... enjoy the photo dump!

I hope you enjoy following along, and as always, any advice or suggestions are more than welcome!

One of the biggest jobs I've tackled so far has been the complete rear suspension.

Originally, I only planned on replacing a few worn parts, but as soon as everything was apart I knew there was no point in putting old components back on the car. Since this is hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime restoration, I decided to do it properly.

The entire rear suspension and subframe came off the car and every component was stripped down individually. Everything was cleaned, inspected and sorted. The subframe and brackets were powder coated, while as much of the original hardware as possible was zinc plated to keep the factory look. All the suspension arms received new energy bushings and anything that was too worn was replaced. I also found a replacement 4WS system as I plan to keep 4WS in this car.

The fuel tank also came out while I had everything apart, which made access much easier and gave me the opportunity to restore that as well.

It's been a lot more work than I originally expected, but seeing all the restored parts ready to go back together has made it worth the effort. I still have plenty to do, but I'm really happy with how it's turning out.

Besides working on the car itself, I've probably spent just as much time hunting for parts.

These cars are getting difficult to find parts for, especially here in Europe, so whenever something rare came up for sale I tried to grab it while I still could.
There are probably a few things I'm forgetting, but finding these parts has become part of the hobby. Sometimes it feels like I spend more time searching Yahoo Auctions and Facebook Marketplace than actually working on the car!

The plan for the engine is to keep it fairly simple. The car already came with an Evo III 16G turbo, Precision 1000cc injectors, a 2G MAF and an Apexi SAFC. Since then I've picked up a 1g with ECMLink V3 and an AEM wideband, which should give me a much better tuning setup.

At the moment I'm aiming for somewhere around 300-350hp. I don't really have a specific number in mind, I just want a reliable, responsive street car that I can enjoy on back roads without constantly worrying about breaking things. I don't plan on drag racing or launching the car, so drivability and reliability are much more important to me than squeezing every last horsepower out of it. I'd be interested to hear what you guys think about that goal. Is an Evo III 16G still the turbo you would choose for that power level, or would you recommend going with something slightly larger from the start? I'd also be interested to hear what kind of setup people are running around that power level and how they like it. I'm also interested to hear how stock gearboxes hold up at this power level.

The car currently has a 2G MAF with the Apexi S-AFC, I want to replace the S-AFC with ECMlink V3. I have a 1g ecu with ECMlink V3, I would like to have some confirmation if I can run this ecu in my vr4. This is the part number on the ecu: MD128625

Looking forward to hearing your opinions!

I've also been collecting parts for the suspension and finally managed to get my hands on a set of original Advan RGs. They're 17x8.5 +37, which I think suits the Galant really well. I wanted something that looked period correct rather than a modern wheel, and these were pretty much my dream wheels for the car. The current plan is to run 235/40R17 tires.

For suspension I'm still deciding between BC Racing BR coilovers and Feal 441s. The BCs seem to be the obvious choice because they're easy to get here in Europe and a lot of people seem happy with them, but I've also heard really good things about the Feals. If anyone has experience with either, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I'm also curious about the fitment. From what I've found, 17x8.5 +37 with 235/40R17 should fit pretty well, but I would still love to hear your opinions about this as I think it's going to be tight in the front. My goal isn't to slam the car. I want it to sit nicely, handle well and still be practical to drive on Belgian roads. Ideally I'd like to avoid rolling or pulling the fenders if possible, but I'm not sure if that's realistic with this setup.

If anyone is running a similar wheel and tire combination, I'd really appreciate seeing some pictures or hearing what worked for you.

Good lord you have some nice parts, with what you have your power range you’re shooting for is very much possible, your ECU will work perfect for what you need. Only thing is the ecu won’t bolt up to the factory location without transferring the board over to a galant ecu housing or modifying your existing 1g housing. Not that big of a deal but something to consider. Your wheel and tire setup should also fit without modifying

Might need a bigger turbo, I could possibly see 250-275whp. Id like to see what you can get out of it and go from there. Nice stock pile of parts though, some rare gems in there.

Wow. It’s rare to see a USDM GVR4 in Europe. Congratulations.

I think your build is perfect for having fun. With the 16G, you'll hit that 300 hp mark with response starting from very low RPMs.

You got some great parts! We look forward to more updates on this project.

Quick question: did you keep the 4WS?

nazagalant1993 said:

Wow. It’s rare to see a USDM GVR4 in Europe. Congratulations.

I think your build is perfect for having fun. With the 16G, you'll hit that 300 hp mark with response starting from very low RPMs.

You got some great parts! We look forward to more updates on this project.

Quick question: did you keep the 4WS?

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Thanks for the feedback!
I will be keeping 4WS for now. The system that came off the car is beyond repair and the lines are very crusty. I was able to find probably the only 4WS system to pop up for sale in Europe and it was just a 30 min drive away. I now have a full replacement 4WS system complete with all the lines from a low mileage VR-4 RS.

I finally finished the underside with Raptor Liner and have the complete rear suspension back together, including the 4WS system. I also rebuilt the driveshaft and got that installed (rear axles are still missing on the pictures). The car is finally back on its wheels again, which feels like a huge milestone after having it on stands for about 9 months.

I'm now looking at suspension options because my original shocks need replacing. I'm mainly deciding between BC Racing and Feal coilovers. For those who have experience with both, are the Feals worth the extra money, or would you stick with BC Racing? The car will mostly be street driven with the occasional spirited drive.

You are doing a fantastic job on this car. I salute you.

I have been doing a similar thing to my 1973 Datsun 510 /1600 all winter and spring. Someday #855 will get some of the same treatment.

Have you searched the board regarding the coilovers? I know there were may discussions about Feal and BC a number of years back. I built my own with KYB AGX, Eibach and Tein parts years ago, but never used the car much after that. It's time to get it back on the road.

iceman69510 said:

You are doing a fantastic job on this car. I salute you.

I have been doing a similar thing to my 1973 Datsun 510 /1600 all winter and spring. Someday #855 will get some of the same treatment.

Have you searched the board regarding the coilovers? I know there were may discussions about Feal and BC a number of years back. I built my own with KYB AGX, Eibach and Tein parts years ago, but never used the car much after that. It's time to get it back on the road.

Click to expand...

Thanks! I found a bunch of old posts and I think my conclusion is that bcracing is ok but feal is better and has vehicle specific valving. I'm still going back and forth on both options as I'm wondering if the feals are worth the extra $500.

Small milestone today: the vr4 drove out of the shed under its own power for the first time in about 10 months!

It felt really good to finally see it outside and moving again. After months of working on it, this was definitely a nice motivation boost to keep pushing and get it back on the road.

Next up is the front suspension and then the engine bay. Still plenty of work ahead, but it feels like I’m finally making some real progress again!