Nice thread I too looking an Evo and I have been on and off this site now and then but its also good to have an understanding of how something works before you mess with it and the Evo is actually my dream car and weekend car so I am super excited the only thing I am kinda worried about is the insurance.Just as you put it I too want a clean car stock or lightly modded with good brand name parts because that says alot about the owner too.

 

I learned from a lot of trial and error on my first car which was a 91 talon and my pops. After I got my car back in 06 it didn't take me long to figure out that I had the basic 4g63. So I did my research on the computer on the motor and read a lot of books and magazines. Example my tranny had went out in my talon took me 2 days to pull it out due to the fact that I didn't know what I was doing and I asked my pops a thousand questions. But after that I was able to take the tranny in and out in and car running in about a couple of hours. So researching, reading books and magazines, and a mechanic who knows there stuff will come a long ways.

 

Hey man, im actually origionally from Susanville. Love reno! As far as me, Ive loved Evo's since i first saw one back in 2003. I was young and i fell in love. Many years passed, and i slowly got into cars, then going fast in cars, then building cars to go faster. Started off with a Nissan 200sx, then nissan Sentra, and a couple others, until i bought my 240sx and decided to go BIG and swap in an SR20DET. It was my first BIG project. Went from doing normal intakes and exhaust swaps, to full engine, wiring, fitment and everything. Had some help from a couple people, but overall, did it myself. and learned alot in the process. ended up, at the end of everything, pushed ~450 with it until i decided to buy my evo. Didnt know ANYthing about it but knew of its capabilities. Bought it and immediately started doing the mods. Had issues, sought help, got help, fixed issues. And thats the story of the evo. Everytime we build a new car, its a learning experience. Each car is different. We (my best bud and i) have built countless cars including my 240, Evo, Camaro, eclipse, RX-7 (rotors are WEIRD), TA, 300zx, and also have built an RB25 minivan (that was fun), 72 stingray with SR20DET, Saleens, mustangs, camaros, TA's, a supra, and a couple others.

What im trying to get at, is every car is a learning experience. and what ive noticed about the evo community, is that if you ever need help, there are tons of people willing to help you out. I wouldnt have the evo i have today without help from a lot of people. So i hope you are able to get your evo, have fun with it, make your mistakes, learn from them, and make your subie friends jealous!

 

read read read... learn what other people have had success with and what their failures were.
get some tools and start wrenching yourself. check out the diy section here as a start.
ask lots of questions!
good luck.