1977 Dodge Colt with History, fresh engine & running parts car and tons of spares

So, the old grey mare ain't what she used to be, but she is certainly not ready for the glue factory.

This car was built by the late - great Ray Dimitio and run by he and Grant Whiting to a championship or two in the early-90s. I am the 4th owner and ran it in G5 for several seasons with mixed results, but the car itself has always been a crowd favorite. (see 2003 Lake Nahwatzel, 2001 Brooklyn Tavern and 2001 Pico Right here)

The scoop is:
>I spun a bearing at it's last event and took the opportunity to build a VanLandingham special 2.4L (now G2). I drove it for about an hour, so it was not even fully broken in and the jetting not complete.
>Then...life happened and I put the car in storage for a lot longer than I expected to.
>In the mean time I bought a running parts car for parts and/or fully developed re-shell (this car [Mitsubishi Lancer] is basically Japan's answer to the Ford Escort and most mods are the same)
>I bought another car that I took all body work, front & rear glass + _________ for parts
>I realize that I will not be able to continue with this passion as soon as I hope to and I (NOBODY!) wants to see this car disappear so I have to let it go

Current specs:

1977 Dodge Colt, Coupe
(1977 Mitsubishi Lancer)

Chassis / Interior
* Fully seam welded
* All suspension pickup points reinforced
* Safety Devices bolt/weld in roll cage (legal for 2003 season)
* OMP Champion driver’s seat
* Corbeau Co-driver’s seat
* Pyrotech 5pt. harnesses
* Two floor mounted fire extinguishers
* Terralight map light
* Pedal assembly 1980 Dodge Colt FWD

Suspension / Steering
* All bushings replaced with H.D. ‘Safari’ pieces
* Front spring - H&R 300mm / 230# (Factory ‘Safari’ spring alternate – 170#)
* Front damper – GAB / KYB Rally insert (Mazda 323 GTX)
* Spare front dampers
* Front swaybar – Factory ‘Safari’ w/ polyurethane bushings
* Rear spring – Factory ‘Safari” leaf - +/-120#
* Rear damper – Bilstein
* ‘Safari’ quick ratio steering box (2.5 turns lock-to-lock)

Brakes
* Front brakes stock (9.5” w/Hawk pads)
* Rear brakes stock 1986 Toyota Corolla GT-S (9” w/Hawk pads)
* Booster 1980 Dodge Colt FWD
* Master cylinder 1986 Toyota Corolla GT-S
* Driver adjustable F/R bias knob

Engine
* Head 1976-77 Plymouth Arrow (Canadian spec?)
* Head ported/polished, blueprinted, and milled .040”
* John Baker Cam (Duration - 330?, Lift – 11mm, Lobe Center - 103?)
* Block Dodge 2.6L (1980 D-50 / Challenger) > 2.4L w/ 2.0L crank
* Blueprinted, balance shafts removed, milled .005”
* Pistons – Air Cooled VW 92mm, Balanced
* Compression ratio – 11.5:1
* Crank – 2.0L – 90mm, Balanced
* Flywheel 2.0L, Balanced
* Clutch – Volvo Turbo Pressure Plate w/ Advanced Clutch Technologies 6-puck sintered disk, stock Colt cable
* Motor mounts – 1983-84 Starion Turbo
* Oil pump – 1983-84 Starion Turbo
* Oil cooler – Mitsubishi 3000GT
* Accusump
* Radiator - Dodge D-50 truck
* Radiator Fan – Mercedes 240 Diesel
* Twin Dellorto DHLA Carburetors (45mm), 1979-84 Colt FWD cable
* Ignition – D-50 2.6L distributor, MSD Blaster coil, MSD wires, NGK

Drivetrain
* Transmission – Dodge D-50 5-speed, factory rebuilt C-2 package w/’Safari’ bearings, ‘tufftrided’ shift forks, and ‘Safari’ synchros
* Driveshaft – Custom w/Std. Colt front U-joint and 1986 Toyota Corolla GT-S rear U-joint
* Rear end / Axle - 1986 Toyota Corolla GT-S, narrowed 2”, w/LSD (4.30 final drive)
*7 wheels - 6 have mostly Michelins, of varying condition, mounted

Electrical
* Battery - Interstate/Orbital Red Gel Cell
* Alternator – Custom 110 amp
* Lights – H-4 w/ PIAA SuperWhite
* All lights, dual fuel pumps(Facett), Horn, Radiator fan, etc. are fused and relayed
* Lights, radiator fan, fuel pumps, wipers, reverse lights, main power accessed on co-driver switch panel

Miscellaneous
* Transmission fluid – Redline MTL
* Rearend – Redline 70-90

Spares include:
*3 spare wheels (two with tires mounted), hood, boot lid, fenders, grills, bumpers, front & rear glass, tail and signal lenses, wiper motor & arms, fuel cans, strut assembly, pressure plate & flywheel, 3 boxes of service fluids, cleaners and mechanical 'stuff' + more

Now for reality / addressing these pictures:

The car has been sitting for several years outside Bellingham. I was up there this weekend to check things out and can tell you that, other than updating safety equipment, most of what is required is elbow grease. Other than paint peeling from valve cover the engine was inspected and turned by hand with no issues at all. All cross hatching can be seen through spark plug hole and glistens. I have not started it yet because of old gas in lines and drained battery, but I had driven it to the garage when I put it in storage. The front fenders were thrown together to drive and headlight trim rings are not installed, but you can see the driver-side fender needs to be straightened. There is some surface rust on parts of the cage that welding had begun on(The welding was started with flux core MIG and needs to be ground and start over). I can't find the skid plate, so you need to install a new one. There is some light surface rust along the bottom of the car and front suspension, but as most will attest, this will disappear after your first stage. Finally, it needs a new final drive. It performs fine, and will work well for RallyX but it whines and should be replaced before a Performance Rally event.

I have been pretty candid here and feel that the whole kit & kaboodle, car + spares + running parts car can easily go for $3500. I need to shuffle things around if this is not sold and removed by April 1st, so I will be open to 'realistic' offers for now. If the car does not sell right away, it will still be available, but you may not get the second car and a bulk of the spares...

Also, if someone wants everything outright with no negotiations I will include the Terratrip 303+ w/ dual sensors and remote zero buttons. I also have some PIAA 80 Pro XT(?) pencil and cornering lights that I might let go for the right price, but only with the car

email or call for details 206.883.5488



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2011 02:27AM by rcr286.

Forwarded to a few friends.
Neat car.

Nice car. What's the price outright without negotiations? Oh and can you send more pics to mack Seven Three Zero @ gmail.com - specifically the cage.

---

-Jason

Some snag this thing. It was run by a guy named Terry hackler way back at first event i was at, then somebody else, and THEN after Grant Whiting flipped (brutally as ever--Grant was one of the better drivers in USA at the time, and very BRAVE) his last Maz-dog RX2 or RX3, he and Ray got this thing 9so it was at least three people running it before Grant and Ray.

But they made this bugger fly like nobody before.
There were stages in the early 90s where Grant and his arch nemesis Vern Johnson from Portland in his Toiletta Commodah (with a 2,0 DOHC Japanese import thang) would be battling it out in the Divisional event and have stage times 12-15 seconds quicker than the Choiniere Audi or whoever.

Somebody could bang in the ever popular Volvo Dana 30 and get hold of Adam Crane and snag the nicely modded rear axle shafts which are OH! 4 on 4.5" bolt circle---just right for this.
Then for a mere 130 bucks bang in a 4.88 ring and pinion and be done.
(He's keeping his axle with the 5.35 and going to all-Volvo bolt pattern front and rear---5 on 4.25)

$3500 and I will throw in the Terratrip.

I will send more pics of the car in competition to your email.

Mack 73 > Concerning pictures of the cage, all I have right now are what is posted on the picture page. It is a Safety Devices cage, a company that makes the best bolt-in cages - the cage fits so tightly that the cage is actually bolted to the A- & B-pillars! I may be able to come up with pictures later this week, but the car is 100 miles away from me right now... I can give a basic description based on the linked pictures though:

>It is a standard main hoop that is bolted to the floor and B-pillars.
>There is a horizontal cross bar behind the seats.
>There are three bars extending from the top corners of the hoop - two to the rear fender wells and one crosses from above the driver to the passenger-side wheel well (pics 2e, 44, 45 & 46).
>There are the standard hoops running from the top corners of the main hoop that follow the roof line forward & are bolted to the A-pillars and the floor with a horizontal running across the top of the windshield (with tubular gussets at the junction - pic 34).
>Finally, there is a single door bar on each side (pics 2c & 33).

I hope this helps.

I will send more pics of the car in competition to your email as well.

Thanks John. I was going to mention Crane as well, but felt the ad was long enough.

The parts car is completely unmolested and ready to be built into a JDM Escort. The Volvo axle conversion and 5-link with vertical turrets will will be easy with Adam's existing templates, etc. Vanlandingham can set you up with an RX7 / Saab front brake kit and JVAB front struts. If you run a couple seasons with this car while taking the time to build an updated car with the parts car and this engine/transmission, this car will be a force to be reckoned with in G2 (it was already a top 3 G5 car)...and one of the most fun cars you will race!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2011 01:49PM by rcr286.

Quote
rcr286
Thanks John. I was going to mention Crane as well, but felt the ad was long enough.

The parts car is completely unmolested and ready to be built into a JDM Escort. The Volvo axle conversion and 5-link with vertical turrets will will be easy with Adam's existing templates, etc. Vanlandingham can set you up with an RX7 / Saab front brake kit and JVAB front struts. If you run a couple seasons with this car while taking the time to build an updated car with the parts car and this engine/transmission, this car will be a force to be reckoned with in G2 (it was already a top 3 G5 car)...and one of the most fun cars you will race!

Other than finding other body shells and windshields.

I've been buying Colt parts cars for the windshields - thanks to searchtempest.com - even though it costs way more in diesel fuel to go pick them up than the purchase price of the car.

Somebody needs to get this particular Colt back in shape and out on the stages again. It still could be very competitive - with the right driver - certainly not some old wheezer like me, though.

That was always a pretty clean car. Did ok when Terry had it. I was surprised when Ray bought it as it wasn't a rotary. We all witnessed Chad DiMarco in his Colt MM and knew the platform could be quick. I put the Delorttos on in right after they bought it back in the late 80s. If we weren't trying to buy a rental house....

Cage would only need minor updates although I would recomend a bit more.

I sold those cars new in Aberdeen and they were pretty popular back in the day but are getting scarce.

Concerning bits, etc., Rich Smith has been an enthusiastic resource for parts and information. He is a member of Rally Anarchy, so he should be accessible to all.

We've got a set of fiberglass molds for the front end that I am sure we can let go cheap to the ultimate buyer. I've also got an extra trunk lid, a nice spoiler, and some other stuff that we still have from our Colt days.

While people are kicking tires (sort of) I need to work out a plan to keep this thing around while I am out of town for two months. I have a place for the race car, but the parts car (which I started and drove around the block yesterday) will have to go to a drifter on craigslist or the crusher unless I can find a place to keep it. (it has to be 'gone' by April 1st!)

Any suggestions/volunteers?

Wilson!!! I want all the old Colt stuff back. Molds and all. E-mail me how much.
(I thought Jari took it all.)

George



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2011 02:27PM by Gravelgeezer.

I am looking for a new commuter car, and would give it a good home. Or you can just park it at my house. I will make a spot for it.

Cool! Thanks Sean.

It will probably be gone by then, but it is good to know there is support. I will keep in touch.