My EVO X journey, it has given what I thought was forever taken away
Oct 19, 2016, 02:49 PM
#1
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My EVO X journey, it has given what I thought was forever taken away
He drives, I ride, and this car feeds our dream.
Ever since I was little, I've been fascinated by speed. I'd race my wheelchair down the steepest streets in my small hometown in Upper Michigan, leaning forward to reduce drag, and watch as the asphalt sped past at 14-inches from my nose. I drew sketches in my notebook of ways to make my chair go faster. (There's this electric golf cart motor, I wonder...)
I can't lean forward while driving my chair anymore, and I've lost the motor control to draw. The craving for speed, to feel the velocity reverberate in your bones, has only grown stronger though. They say that the desire to speed up only increases as life slows down, and that couldn't be more true every day.
I was diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) disease when I was 18 months old. CMT is a genetic neuromusular disease that targets the protective myelin sheath around the nerves and inhibits the signals sent to the muscles. CMT is degenerative, so the loss of motor function started at my finger tips and toes and gradually worked its way to my upper arms, legs, and torso. I have fond memories of running when I was really young, walking with a walker, and then crawling as fast as I could while chasing my corgi around.
I had started to make peace with no more racing, but then my roommate and best friend suggested an idea so crazy that it worked. We get a car together, we upgrade it together, and together we go faster than I've ever been. This is where our used EVO X MR came into my life, and it has left an indelible mark to say the least. I could never really be proud to own an electric wheelchair because, let's be honest, they're not that great to look at.
I say it's left a mark, and the sheer joy of riding in it as it speeds down the road certainly has. The frustration and worry as the tires blew out while driving, the brake pads and discs had to be replaced, and the engine and transmission dangerously overheat has certainly lefttheir mark as well. The dealership and technicians either failed to mention certain aspects, or lied about others. By the time these numerous expensive problems reared their ugly heads, we we stuck with the car and all the baggage it carried with it.
To chase a dream, attain it, then have it ripped away is a feeling unfathomable in its ability to hijack your every thought. "If only...." becomes the new mantra, yet you can't forget that brief moment when everything was beautiful. Chasing this dream has consumed precious time never to be reclaimed (CMT is degenerative and things I can enjoy today may not be possible two years later.), funds that were not that plentiful to begin with, and the hope of a girl who just wants to race again. I don't regret getting into modding cars though, especially the Evo, it's been fascination and a whole new world every step of the way.
Ever since I was little, I've been fascinated by speed. I'd race my wheelchair down the steepest streets in my small hometown in Upper Michigan, leaning forward to reduce drag, and watch as the asphalt sped past at 14-inches from my nose. I drew sketches in my notebook of ways to make my chair go faster. (There's this electric golf cart motor, I wonder...)
I can't lean forward while driving my chair anymore, and I've lost the motor control to draw. The craving for speed, to feel the velocity reverberate in your bones, has only grown stronger though. They say that the desire to speed up only increases as life slows down, and that couldn't be more true every day.
I was diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) disease when I was 18 months old. CMT is a genetic neuromusular disease that targets the protective myelin sheath around the nerves and inhibits the signals sent to the muscles. CMT is degenerative, so the loss of motor function started at my finger tips and toes and gradually worked its way to my upper arms, legs, and torso. I have fond memories of running when I was really young, walking with a walker, and then crawling as fast as I could while chasing my corgi around.
I had started to make peace with no more racing, but then my roommate and best friend suggested an idea so crazy that it worked. We get a car together, we upgrade it together, and together we go faster than I've ever been. This is where our used EVO X MR came into my life, and it has left an indelible mark to say the least. I could never really be proud to own an electric wheelchair because, let's be honest, they're not that great to look at.
I say it's left a mark, and the sheer joy of riding in it as it speeds down the road certainly has. The frustration and worry as the tires blew out while driving, the brake pads and discs had to be replaced, and the engine and transmission dangerously overheat has certainly lefttheir mark as well. The dealership and technicians either failed to mention certain aspects, or lied about others. By the time these numerous expensive problems reared their ugly heads, we we stuck with the car and all the baggage it carried with it.
To chase a dream, attain it, then have it ripped away is a feeling unfathomable in its ability to hijack your every thought. "If only...." becomes the new mantra, yet you can't forget that brief moment when everything was beautiful. Chasing this dream has consumed precious time never to be reclaimed (CMT is degenerative and things I can enjoy today may not be possible two years later.), funds that were not that plentiful to begin with, and the hope of a girl who just wants to race again. I don't regret getting into modding cars though, especially the Evo, it's been fascination and a whole new world every step of the way.
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JDZNate (Oct 21, 2016)
Oct 20, 2016, 11:58 AM
#3
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Thread Starter
It's overheating and it feels like the clutch is slipping. My "car partner" (as I call him) describes it as there being a delay between shifting gears. This is an SST, so I'm concerned.
The car came with an open-air intake, exhaust system, and manual boost controller when we bought it. We've since bought an electronic boost controller (getting that installed this week), but there's some other upgrades/fixes that the car really needs to be safe and enjoyable.
I'm not trying to build a 900hp beast, but something that is enjoyable and does have that excitement. Something around 400-450hp. The more I dive down the research rabbit hole though, the more I learn what we need. Do we now get an intercooler kit OR a a Dodson Sump to make it die from overheating, fuel injector kit OR a new clutch? So it's an impossible decision of which safety thing to fix.
The car came with an open-air intake, exhaust system, and manual boost controller when we bought it. We've since bought an electronic boost controller (getting that installed this week), but there's some other upgrades/fixes that the car really needs to be safe and enjoyable.
I'm not trying to build a 900hp beast, but something that is enjoyable and does have that excitement. Something around 400-450hp. The more I dive down the research rabbit hole though, the more I learn what we need. Do we now get an intercooler kit OR a a Dodson Sump to make it die from overheating, fuel injector kit OR a new clutch? So it's an impossible decision of which safety thing to fix.
Oct 20, 2016, 01:12 PM
#5
Might be worth taking video of the issue. The trans is overheating? Is it under normal driving or spirited driving? If your ever driving wide open throttle or under boost I would recommend being in S-SPORT mode and manual shifting the trans. That is how I drive mine all the time. If your in New Mexico Kozmicmotorsports is in Houston, TX and could probably be of service.
- Robert
- Robert
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JDZNate (Oct 21, 2016)
Oct 20, 2016, 07:30 PM
#6
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Thread Starter
Might be worth taking video of the issue. The trans is overheating? Is it under normal driving or spirited driving? If your ever driving wide open throttle or under boost I would recommend being in S-SPORT mode and manual shifting the trans. That is how I drive mine all the time. If your in New Mexico Kozmicmotorsports is in Houston, TX and could probably be of service.
- Robert
- Robert
We were doing some driving (and a bit of spirited) in the beginning, and it was overheated so bad that you would burn your hand lifting the hood up. There was also some smoke. We've been driving it suuuuper easy in Sport mode, and it's still running hot as hell.
Oct 24, 2016, 03:57 PM
#7
Is there any specialty Mitsubishi shops in your area? It might be worth it to take the car in for inspection. Hope the car can be fixed up and you can enjoy it once more.
Do you ride as a passenger in the front seat?
Do you ride as a passenger in the front seat?
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