There are as many different answers to the speed question as there are people asking how to solve it. The need to go fast motivates people to do outrageous things. Combine the speed need with the desire to grab people’s attention, and you’ve got all the motivation necessary to create a one-of-a-kind pavement-eater.
If you’re ever in the Yorba Linda, California, area keep your eyes peeled for Phillip Traverse and his Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T Spyder. If you’re into cars at all (and if you’re not, why are you reading this?) you’ll notice Phil and his Spyder without any prompting from us. Phil’s desire to go fast, coupled with his self-imposed need to attract attention has lead to the creation of one of the hottest Eclipses we’ve seen. It was built to be seen.
The fact that his Eclipse is a Spyder is only the beginning of the differences between this GS-T and most of the others. Without a doubt, it’s the Spyder’s exoskeleton that gets the most attention. That is, until you see it blow by you on the street. But the outside gets all the initial raves. Phil shed the stock skin in favor of a complete body kit from Kaminari. The kit was complemented by a KTR wing also from Kaminari. Body Pros of Garden Grove, California, is responsible for the body kit and wing install. Phil also credits the Body Pro folks for filling the holes left by the factory wing (a must for magazine cover cars, don’t ya think?). Before Derek at Body Pros covered the Spyder with Ferrari-red pigment, clear corner lights were added, and the reverse lights and side markers were given a custom triple-diamond accent treatment. A set of Catz lights was bolted up once the body work was complete. None other than Modern Image Signworks in Huntington Beach, California, got the nod for the graphics scheme.
The Kaminari kit gave the Eclipse a new lowdown look. Phil wanted to get the Mitsu as low as he possibly could, so he turned to the folks at the Progress Group in Brea, California, for the altitude adjustment. A combination of Progress springs and KYB shocks dropped the GS-T 3 inches all around (the perch seats were raised 1 inch to achieve the 3-inch drop without cutting the springs). A set of Energy Suspension bushings went on, as did front and rear sway bars from Suspension Techniques. An upper strut tower bar from Suspension Techniques and a custom setup from Alignment Specialties of Yorba Linda, make up the remaining suspension mods. Up front, cross-drilled rotors of the 13-1/2-inch variety sit behind the 18x8 Enkei V1 wheels and Yokohama Nexus 225/40ZR18 tires. Can you say, "Fill the wheelwells"?
What you see on the outside hints at what’s going on inside. A quick flick of the switch and the top folds cleanly away to reveal a well-dressed interior. The gray factory leather buckets were pulled momentarily so Brea Custom Upholstery of Brea, California, could stitch in the new red leather inserts. The original carpet was yanked and new tweed threads were laid down. The front driver- and passenger-side portions also received red leather triple-diamond inserts. And speaking of inserts, the door panels got a tasty bit of red leather, as well. As a matter of fact, nearly everything that could be covered with matching red pigment was adorned in the color of crimson. An Auto Meter monster tach, boost, and exhaust gas temperature gauges were placed where Phil could read them with ease. A MOMO steering wheel (red, of course), Schroth Rallye 4 harnesses, SMC short shifter, and MOMO shift knob, along with the Räzo pedals, also add to the overall redness of the inside. The center console was made over to fit the gauges and the GReddy turbo timer and Profec unit.
But like most everything with this Spyder, there is much more going on than meets the eye. Besides, what good would all the show be without the go to back it up? It might sound like a cliché, but in this case, it’s true. The go on the inside consists of a killer audio system. About 800 watts worth of go, to be exact. The fact that Phil is a partner at Advantage Audio & Alarm in Brea, California, helped him fulfill his audio ambitions. If you’re looking at the center console for the head unit, forget it. Check the rearview mirror. That’s right, Phil mounted the Alpine faceplate on the rearview mirror. Pretty damn cool. The head unit is connected to an Alpine CD changer, Crossfire amps, and a host of Crossfire speakers of the 4-, 8-, and 10-inch variety. In addition to the audio components and the custom installation, the entire rolling showcase is protected by a security system that can open and close the top, roll the windows up and down, start the car, turn the stereo on and off, lock and unlock the doors, and protect the hood and trunk.
And speaking of the hood, don’t think that we left out the engine compartment because there’s nothing to talk about. We’re actually just saving the best for last. For upgrades to the 2.0L powerplant, Phil turned to Group 5 in San Diego. JE pistons, Crower connecting rods, Gude cams, and metal head gasket were added and the head was milled and port-matched. The intake was Extrude Honed, as was the HRC turbo exhaust manifold. RC Engineering was sourced for the 550cc injectors, while the original exhaust and downpipe was swapped for new units from RS*R. Why all the work to open the airways and strengthen the internals? Is an upgraded turbo from HRC reason enough? Since Phil wanted to go even faster, he opted to have St. Andre’s of Westminster, California, install an NOS system (faithful readers will remember the install from our July issue with the system’s ultra-cool hidden switches in the ashtray). A full arsenal of performance-enhancing components including an HRC side intercooler, an HKS AIC, Nology ignition and wires, Beru plugs, a K&N air filter and a GReddy blowoff make it possible for Phil to back up his show with plenty of go. To get the horsepower to the ground, a Clutch Masters Cyclone Stage 3 segmented kevlar clutch and billet aluminum flywheel (9 pounds) were slapped in by the Clutch Masters crew in Orange, California.
Phil is one Super Street enthusiast who wanted it all and got it. So, the next time you’re wondering if it’s possible to have speed, sounds, and style all in one ride, simply remember Phil’s Eclipse Spyder. Chances are you won’t be able to forget it even if you wanted to.