Well after covering a faultless 22000mls since April, I decided to give the starion a bit of an xmas makeover. It is a one owner car (before me)and had covered 97000mls when i got her in May 2007. It came with all old MOT's, bill of sale, service history file etc....
Looked outwardly to be in immaculate condition. However as in most cases there is usually some things lurking just waiting to be found. Thankfully my m8 is a Mitsi master tech and served his apprenticeship on these cars.
I knew when I got her there was small areas of grot that needed sorting (back arches in particular).
Also the car had some accident damage to the front left wing and bumper (caused by me accelerating too hard off a wet roundabout), this will also be repaired during the restoration.
So managed to get her into FRD in Middlesbrough to have the restoration carried out. Ive got them to take photos of the restoration as it progresses, so here goes.

The car as it was at a recent Jap car meet in Sunderland
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I'm finding it pretty upsetting seeing her in this state as I absolutley dote on the car. However the lads at the garage are doing a fantastic job and I'm trying to turn her into one of the best examples in the UK.

Cheers for looking guys.

Well the stripping of the car is now complete and the areas that need attention/rectification can now be seen.
Couple of surprises, the hole in the centre of the bulkhead/bottom of windscreen. Had no idea that was festering away. Also the poor quality of the previous owners attempts of halting the grot, bad welds, shonky metal. Its made the job alot more time consuming than origianlly planned.
Also the other surprise is the experimental ECU that the guy found. Seems to be a ralliart model complete with original par number but is not a standard fitment on the car hmmmmm???? Any ideas guys????

There is alot of work to do but she's definetly worth it, the joys of starion ownbership lol

DAN

One gutted interior
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Peice of rot centre of bulkhead, dash was doing a good job of hiding it. Also can see a hole in the passenger footwell (bottom left of pic)
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Leading edge of the reare quarter, oxidised and had a bad peice of metal welded in
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Floorpan looking rearwards
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The dreaded rear arch grot (not as bad as id imagined)
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And finally the mysterious ECU??????
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More will follow soon.
DAN

Looking good so far Dan! looks like they're doing a great job.

Got mine back last August after a whole year in the workshop but it was worth every penny!

Ben

By the way guys im after a few parts to complete the restoration, primarilly the seals around the driver and passemgers windows
And due to the rust on the front bulkhead the windscreen may have to come out, as its bonded theres a high chance of it cracking, so if anyones got one lying about spare, i need a windscreen as well.

DAN

Dan,
the windscreen out is a doddle. Victor, a friend off this site,took mine out as that is his trade. He had all the gadgets and cutters and made it look easy. I did not need to buy a screen.

Do you think I have gone a little too far ? ha ha

id certainly be very wary of buying another starion again without fully checking it out! as after stripping it down completely it turned from what was meant to be a solid car to a bit of a teabag;

both side sills gone!
both floor pans to sills gone
both floors to bulkheads gone
both corners under dash gone
inside the rear arches on both sides were holed
both sides where the front wings bolt to the sills completely gone

but hey its currently off to be repaired so should be good as new fairly soon

Yeh i know what you mean, i did check it out thoroughly and even took a mitsubishi master tech with me. We knew the work needed doing and that had a reflection on the price paid for the car.
In all fairness the car had managed to hide the rot very well, no surface buubbles on any of the panels. It hasn't put me off starions at all, in fact i wouldnt mind a few more.

unfortunately i was stupid enough to take the previous owners word as gospel!