The Top Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Resource

Join the best E39A 1991-1992 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 community and document your GVR4 journey.

  • Software Upgraded - Reset Your Password to Login
    In order to log in after the forum software change, you need to reset your password. If you don't have access to the email address you used to register your GVR4.org account, you won't be able to reset your password. In that case, follow the instructions here to regain access to the forum.

Good trustworthy shops.

gvr4ever

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
6,190
Location
central Indiana
Does anyone know if any good places for work in the mid west. AMS no longer works on anything older then an EVO and I will likely need some work done in the near future. I suspect that I will have to pull the intake manifold off. In that case, I will want to have the head rebuilt as well.

So, any good machine shops, or depending on the cost, a shop that can do all the work.
 

Chase

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
133
Location
Naperville, IL
There's plenty. AMS will still do it. Otherwise there's Boostin Performance, Douglas Autowerks, Devo Tuning, Strictly Modified, etc.... Plenty here in Chicagoland.
 

gvr4ever

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
6,190
Location
central Indiana
I actually talked to AMS today. They don't work on anything older then a EVO anymore. They actually recommended Strictly Modified, but I had never heard of them.

Anyone here actually have work done from them and can vouch for them?

BTW, I'm actually in central Indiana. I just thought AMS had a reputation for doing it right the first time.
 
Last edited:

GSTwithPSI

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
3,460
Location
SoCal
Quoting gvr4ever:
I actually talked to AMS today. They don't work on anything older then a EVO anymore. They actually recommended Strictly Modified, but I had never heard of them.

Anyone here actually have work done from them and can vouch for them?

BTW, I'm actually in central Indiana. I just thought AMS had a reputation for doing it right the first time.



^ Lol. I knew it would only be a matter of time before AMS was too cool for the little guy with the old DSM. Back in the day I used to go to the BBQ's and such they hosted monthly at their shop in my 1G Eclipse when I was a student in Chicago. They actually had a GVR4 at the shop which was driven by one of the guys who worked there. AMS was one of the few places at that time you could go to in the Chicagoland area that had an AWD dyno. This was back when they were just getting big with their shop EVO. I suppose they are all mostly just rich people now, with little time for customers, especially since they were never very customer friendly in my dealings with them before they were rich. Although I personally have never dealt with Strictly Modified, I have had friends who have and recommended them to me after my dealings with AMS. I would be comfortable giving them a try. No matter what you do though, AMS is doing you a favor by not working on your car, I promise you that.
 
Last edited:

mikus

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
2,763
Location
Aurora IL
They're a solid, well-reputed shop and charge a competitive rate for their level of skill & quality. Most DSM owners frankly either 1) can't afford it or 2) want their leaky, poorly-maintained ride to get the ubertune.

This regurgitated butthurt sentiment is old. You want their attention? You want them to grill you a burger? Then your auto demographic needs to do enough business to merit it. If 100 random DSM kids parked their leaky shitbox in my driveway I'm not going to cook them a goddamn thing unless they make it worth my while, and neither would you. The few who are spending real money found good homes with other good, competitive shops, that's business.

This doesn't matter to VR4 owners anyway right? Don't you guys invoke the riot act if someone calls your car a DSM, now they're your community? Except for Mark.. and he's not on the board ever since he got hella rich and made that video with T-Pain on his yacht

/rant
 

turbowop

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 29, 2001
Messages
11,971
Location
Yakima, WA
How does an intake manifold R&R turn into a head rebuild? That's a bit more than a "while you're in there" situation. Pulling the intake aint that difficult.
 
Last edited:

gvr4ever

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
6,190
Location
central Indiana
It might be easy, but I've never done it. Not sure what I'm in for. As far as a rebuild. I'm currently down to one car and I'm trying to figure out if I want to do work ahead of another failure if I'm digging in to it.

I'm wondering how I blew the gasket. Could just be age. I've been running stock boost on my winter tires. Turned it up a tad with the warmer weather, but for the most part, I've been babying it. The most boost this engine has ever seen is 18psi, but I usually only run 17psi at most.

I'm just not sure what all the causes are for a blown intake gasket. I had a older more worn Talon once that I didn't care nearly as much about. Beat the crap out of it till near 200K miles and never blew the intake gasket. Guess it's just a roll of the dice.
 

GSTwithPSI

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
3,460
Location
SoCal
Quoting mikus:
They're a solid, well-reputed shop and charge a competitive rate for their level of skill & quality. Most DSM owners frankly either 1) can't afford it or 2) want their leaky, poorly-maintained ride to get the ubertune.

This regurgitated butthurt sentiment is old. You want their attention? You want them to grill you a burger? Then your auto demographic needs to do enough business to merit it. If 100 random DSM kids parked their leaky shitbox in my driveway I'm not going to cook them a goddamn thing unless they make it worth my while, and neither would you. The few who are spending real money found good homes with other good, competitive shops, that's business.

This doesn't matter to VR4 owners anyway right? Don't you guys invoke the riot act if someone calls your car a DSM, now they're your community? Except for Mark.. and he's not on the board ever since he got hella rich and made that video with T-Pain on his yacht

/rant



Lol you mad bro?? Sounds like you're mad? Look I'm sorry if my statement offended you, as it clearly has. I'm not sure about you, but I have spent my fair share of cash at AMS under the impression they were "A solid, well-reputed shop and charge a competitive rate for their level of skill & quality." So I'm not spewing anything, just speaking from experience. And because I have actually spent money there, dealt with their customer service, and have seen first had how their work has turned out, I can say whatever I want about them. Small events like having meets and BBQ's at their shop alluded to a time where AMS welcomed all the "Kids in leaky shitboxes" because that's where they started doing business, working on said shitboxes and building a strong customer base there. So even though it seems to you that "spending real money" is some kind of qualification to the level of service one should receive at a shop or any established business for that matter, the rest of us who live in the real world know that's BS, and doesn't count for anything. However, if by spending "real money" you mean dropping 30K on your EVO in an attempt to make it just like AMS's shop car then yes, you are absolutely right that a job worth 30K to AMS will get the extra attention it needs to be done perfectly. And If it doesn't get done perfectly, you better believe AMS will be kissing ass and making sure that 30K investor sticks around for another 30K investment in the future. That's not called business, that's called sh*t customer service. Because if you are the little guy spending 4k for you motor rebuild, (because you heard AMS is so awesome and they do perfect work and they are expensive because they are so awesome and they have this super fast shop EVO and my friend said they are awesome and Bill got a sweet turbo from them and I LOVE AMS *takes a breath*!!!) good luck with getting the attention you need or the customer service you deserve as a paying customer, because I'm saying from experience it won't be there. I believe 4K IS "real money" to most members here and probably to you as well, but again, I don't think the money you spend somewhere should determine how equally you are treated as a paying customer. Here's my auto demographic for you: I drive an automobile...like 99.99% of the rest of the people here. How does anything but that merit how much business, or the quality of work a shop should do with its customers?

VR4s, DSMs, EVOs, they are all the same to me. They are cars, plain and simple. I have better things to waste my time with than bitching at someone for mislabeling any of the for-mentioned vehicles. And seeing as I own both a 1G DSM and a VR4, I could really care less about the differences. The OP asked about reputable shops in the area and this is my 2 cents from experience. And although I wouldn't ever argue that AMS is indeed reputable, I do think there are much better shops in the area. So if you have something positive to say about AMS from some experience or dealings with them to counter what I have said , feel free to add it here, otherwise quit defending them because I doubt anyone cares how much you love AMS or hate those who don't.

/FACTS
 
Last edited:

Chase

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
133
Location
Naperville, IL
Almost forgot. There's R&D automotive here in the suburbs. Guy named John runs it. Does good work.
 

gvr41190

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2010
Messages
31
Location
Richmond, IN
OP, you might want to register with Indy Stars and check with folks there. Indy Stars

I don't know any of the people personally, but the forum seems like a good resource for the Indiana area.
 
Support Vendors who Support the GVR-4 Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Recent Forum Posts

Top