Sold the '02 Eclipse GT last week that I bought three months ago to one of my employees and picked up a '99 Montero Sport Limited with 160K. That brings the Sport garage up to four! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" /> Hopefully it will go back down to three here in not too long. Friend of mine is thinking of buying my '03 Limited.









The dealership printed out the build sheet for me. AFAIKT, the only option missing is the rear tire carrier and the multi-CD changer in the rear compartment - interesting, since it has the Infinity system. Rear locker, heated everything, rear side AM/FM antenna, keyless/alarm, ... long list.

Exterior and interior are in excellent shape. The clear on the door frames just started turning white a couple months ago. Otherwise, a couple really small, almost un-seeable door dings but that's all. Engine runs really good, tranny's solid. A/C needs fixed, needs a new headlight housing and front turn signal housing, antenna mast and the rear seat heater fan switch.

Shocks are shot all the way around - look like factory originals so I guess that's not too bad. Front drive train is good but the front steering/suspension is a wreck. They took great care of the rest of the vehicle and engine but drove the suspension/steering into the ground. Runs like a top, passes CO emissions great.

But, since this is going to be my big Sport v2.0, the drive train and suspension condition really doesn't matter. Just as long as its good enough to not leave me stranded getting it back and forth to the places it'll need to get before the bottoms chopped off.

Anyway, almost too nice to turn into what I'm going to turn it into. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Time to start looking for a transmission, NP231 and other parts and pieces.

So, my evil plan ...

2" body lift, torch the bottom off, pull the transmission and t-case, slap the Montero A/T under it with the NP231 and a doubler, Dynatrac ProRock 44s w/5.13s (probably) on 35"s. I REALLY, REALLY want to do the 3-link I've been working on for the last 2 years, but that's going to require someone that's very good at precision fabrication and I don't really know anyone I trust that much anymore. So, I may go back to some type of radius arm setup. I'll see how it goes.

Now that I've go my big Sport rebuilt, I'm looking forward to building this one. Don't know how it'll wheel, but it'll look sharp when its done. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Edward

Nice! I love finds like that.

Yea, just a fluke really. I was surfing craig's list looking at prices to try to convince my friend with the '98 to not let it go for spare change and just stumbled across the '99. Can't believe how few '99 Limiteds there are anymore. I spent a couple hours this week surfing every car site, etc. I could find, trying to find another one. I found one other '99 and I'm not completely sure they didn't have it mis-advertised. Too bad Mitsu didn't sell more. The 3.5L is an awesome engine and I still think the '99 Limited is a much better vehicle overall than the '00-'05 Limited.

The '99 has the factory locker which will come out when the bottom is done. I want to transplant that into my little '97 if I can. Don't know if the axles are the same, though.

Edward

So it does have the 00-04 trans in it? V4A51, I think it was.

I didn't look at the '99 FSMs this weekend, but it looks like it. Checked my notes - same 5 solenoids w/input and output speed sensors. I'll look at the FSMs tonight.

Thanks!
Edward

Consolidating to a build thread so everything is in one thread.

1999 Montero Sport Limited 3.5L crawler build

Edward