Hey guys. I'm new to evos, and I realize this forum is mostly filled with USDM market cars, but I figured I'd join up anyways!
I live in Canada and recently imported a JDM Evo VI in Rheims blue with 63,000 km on it.
The car is 100% stock apart from an exhaust, HKS hipermax coils, a boost gauge, headlights, and shift knob. Perfect For me because I get a solid platform to build on with low mileage.
Don't have any big plans in the near near future, but I am hoping to eventually do a cam and valve spring/retainer change, for some better mid range power and a very unique exhaust sound. I will be repainting the calipers, dipping the rims matte black, installing strut bars and mudflaps, replacing the tie rods, and detailing the car as soon as it gets off the boat.
Any questions or comments, feel free to voice your opinion. And here's some pictures..

Cheers!




This is the only rust on the entire vehicle:

 

Looks great. Welcome to evom. With all the V/VI's landing in CA now evom could really use more tech sections devoted to these early models.

 

Looks great- V and VI are still very special! It was a toss up between those and a VII for me. Got a great deal on a stock VII on the auction... she's on the water now! Lots of info on the UK forums for the early model cars. They're pretty bombproof- just a few niggles. Enjoy.

 

Awesome car! Too bad it's moving to Rust country.

 

With that in mind, weatherproofing the shell might be a good idea. There are a number of good threads on that on lancerregister. They have been figuring out how to preserve these cars for years over in the UK.

 

Rust proofing is the second thing I plan to do after picking it up! First being a full set of winters, as it's that time of year up here. Then immediately to the nearest shop for a full underbody Krown treatment. On the plus side, where I live the roads don't get salted in the winter. We have an abundance of rock quarries therefore our roads are "gravelled". Apparently salt isn't very useful for melting snow when it's -40.

As for the lack of mechanical advice for the earlier Evo's; the good news is that with the 4G63 engine being used all the way up to the IX, much of the information is directly transferable or extremely similar, such as timing belt and clutch changes.

 

Sounds like a good plan.
Ever considered moving to a warmer place?

 

Then I wouldn't be able to use my snowmobile
And I'd probably have ended up with a nice Silvia S15 RWD instead of the AWD evo.
Besides, in the winter they clear out a course on a frozen lake, so living up here has its perks

 

VERY cool. Welcome

 

don't dip the rim black, maybe a gray or gunmetal, black is old; or keep the original color these cars are classic it's nice to keep them original

 

Black is no older than grey. All personal preference really. I've always preferred black, especially matte black, to grey.
If the rims were gunmetal already, then yes I'd keep them as is, but I've seen a couple of these VI's in this Rheims colour with the rims dipped matte black and I very much liked them. Besides, it will match my black and blue Ralliart mudflaps perfectly, along with the blue G2 paint/black brembo decals. And the great thing about plasti-dip, any colour, is you're only a peel away from original.
Back on the gunmetal though, when I purchase new wheels for summer and upsize to 18's, I'll definitely be looking for gunmetal. I saw one of these on another forum with gunmetal Enkei's and it was pure sex.