I've been a lurker for the last year and a half and thought I'd post what I've done. I have a 2nd car for performance, so I really just went for looks and comfort while leaving reliability alone.

When I first bought my Lancer DE, it was completely stock; although I was lucky enough that it came with rear disc brakes and a CVT trans cooler. The car looked more like a bland ford focus with hub caps and a small oxidized exhaust pipe -- didn't even have a chrome tip.



Figured I'd start with the basics and plasti-dipped the front.



The stock (non-rockford fosgate) audio was garbage. All static and muffled together. Pulled the dash, console to install an aux jack, mount the component crossovers and run new cables to the doors and trunk.



Installed Infinity Components in the doors and later sound deadened them.



Installed a 4 channel amp. I had a small 10 sitting around so I figured I'd give it a try. It ended up being way too small so I bought a 2nd amp and 2 12's (don't have any pictures of the 12s with me).



Replaced the stock steel wheels and hub caps with 18x8 Eclipse wheels (wider than the stock Lancer's 18 inch wheels and figured would make it look a little different than stock but still keep it OEM)



Found an Evo hood in phantom black for a great price and also installed paddle shifters.



The hood looked like it was missing something, so bought a pair of these.



I've never installed side skirts but figured how hard could it be? Turns out, it's a lot easier then you'd think. Drilled 20 holes and fitted them myself without a 2nd set of hands.



I'd like to lower the car but in Massachusetts I would bottom out on everything. I already can't make it out of my gfs driveway. I did install a rear sway bar off of an early GTS and it definitely helped with body roll.



Unfortunately this made the back look bland and my Tsudo exhaust looked too flashy. I wanted something to make it look a little different but not too crazy. Ordered a rear diffuser from Germany and cut the diffuser to fit it properly. This helped hide the huge potato cannon but still gave it the sound and look I wanted. Also removed the "Mitsubishi" and dealership stickers off the trunk,






There is still a few more things I'd like to do like finish up the sound deadening, swap the rear tail lights for the later year with black background. Also I'd like to find a newer gauge cluster that has a color screen with close to the same mileage and maybe move the license plate over.

I found some covers at the junkyard that seal the large holes in the door (behind the door panel). I got the drivers side but the passenger door was pinned shut and the Lancer was on top of another car. Still trying to find out what they are called to buy the passenger side but until then they are sitting in my house.

 

Sick mate! You planning on getting her lowered? I bet it would look amazing

 

Thanks! I want to but between the lower quality DE struts, snow and terrible Mass roads I wouldn't be able to go down half the roads here. The "potholes" on my street are more like ditches. There is a 2 foot long ditch that goes across the road (like a natural reverse speed bump) that if I hit doing more than 10 mph I bottom out at stock height.