Project Mighty Sprite using Evo 9 4g63

Swaps in Progress, on the Road and on the Track.

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moparrbust
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Project Mighty Sprite using Evo 9 4g63

Post by moparrbust »

I have owned my 1958 Austin Healey Sprite for a little over a year and have been searching for the perfect engine/drivetrain setup. I recently acquired a 2006 Evo 9 salvage car and figured it would be cool to throw the engine in my 1400lb Sprite. I am also going with fiberglass front and rear flared bonnets and a narrowed ford 9'' for the rearend. Now I did some research and THOUGHT that a Starion trans would bolt up. I spent 3 weeks searching and finally acquired one today, cleaned it all up and tried to bolt it up to the 4g and came to find that only one bolt hole/dowel pin actually lines up. :( Would anybody happen to know what trans ACTUALLY bolts up to a Evo 9 4g63 engine?

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PS I have owned 2 1987 Starquests in the past and still own a 1989 Dodge Power Ram 50 4x4 which I put a built g54bT engine with 19c turbo from a quest into. That project isn't finished and after nonstop issues with the trans and tuning I am giving up on it and using what I can in the Sprite and parting out everything else.
Tank
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Post by Tank »

Your probably gonna want to Run a toyota trans with an adapter, or a chevy trans with an adapter, or get one of Bill's bellhousings for a narrow block.
moparrbust
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Post by moparrbust »

Tank wrote:Your probably gonna want to Run a toyota trans with an adapter, or a chevy trans with an adapter, or get one of Bill's bellhousings for a narrow block.


I need more specifics..............and also should've provided more specifics myself. I need to know exactly what (manual)trans will 100% bolt up to the Evo 9 4g63 engine as well as flywheel, clutch, tob AND be able to handle 350-400rwhp reliably. I have looked everywhere I could find and nobody has ever mentioned the answers I'm looking for. All help is appreciated as I don't want to have to abandon another project due to not being able to find a suitable trans.
Frenchi934
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Post by Frenchi934 »

there arent any transmissions that will bolt up to the evo 9 engine using OEM parts.

Bill Hincher (a member on the forum here and various online communities)
builds custom bell housings "bill housings" to put just about any trans on just about any motor.

for your power goals a w58 trans would most likely work and it shifts smoother and is cheaper than the r154 many like to use (both being toyota transmissions)
moparrbust
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Post by moparrbust »

Frenchi934 wrote:there arent any transmissions that will bolt up to the evo 9 engine using OEM parts.

Bill Hincher (a member on the forum here and various online communities)
builds custom bell housings "bill housings" to put just about any trans on just about any motor.

for your power goals a w58 trans would most likely work and it shifts smoother and is cheaper than the r154 many like to use (both being toyota transmissions)

I found a local guy with a r154 with 85k on it that he says shifts perfect with no issues for $500 but couldn't find a w58(and don't know what it even goes in originally). Is that a good price(too high low)?
moparrbust
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Post by moparrbust »

I made a little "progress" if you will. I finally decided on wheels(2 piece aluminum Cragar S/S) in 15x6 and 15x10 which arrived today. My evo 9 complete wire harness is being wittled down to bare bones make it run condition and Mr. Bill is almost ready to ship out my billhousing and stage 2 clutch setup.

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JDOliver
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Post by JDOliver »

Are you going to beef up the frame and body??

I helped a friend pick one of these up and turn it over for frame work last year. It was all of 350lbs or so of metal body and frame. It looked like he needed to build a good frame and put the body on top of it to me.
dees75z
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Post by dees75z »

Well this is cool. Looking pretty good so far!!!! Keep it up!!!
moparrbust
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Post by moparrbust »

There will definitely be some added metal to beef up the stiffness. The rear will be backhalfed and tie into a NHRA spec cage for occasional 10 second passes and the front will also be strengthened.
moparrbust
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Post by moparrbust »

My Billhousing arrived for the T5 along with clutch!! Now I'm searching for flywheel, clutch fork, pivot ball, starter and a intake manifold from a 1st gen AWD.

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starquestaz
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Post by starquestaz »

sweet
moparrbust
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Post by moparrbust »

After months of waiting, emailing and looking for a clutch fork and pivot ball with no success and other trans issues I have abandoned the Evo9 and T5 setup and bought a complete S2000 and will use that engine and trans. I will be selling my evo motor, billhousing, clutch and T5. :(
kuroi
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Post by kuroi »

That's a shame, the evo motor is far superior. Should have gone with the w58 out of an older toyota the wreckingyards have them like the plague.
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Richard
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Post by Richard »

pivot ball & clutch fork can be simply ordered from the mitsu dealer.
And there are various webshops that also sell them.

Should've been easy to obtain..
4G63 DOHC 7 Bolt in a Starion.
kuroi
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Post by kuroi »

And get ready for some machine work, the s2k motors are known for beating their valve seats to death.
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