netdobeiras Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 My dad had a mitsubishi starion since I was a little kid. I remember being inside of one of those things. It had a red interior with funky seat belts and was all white on the outside. My father bought it in America about 20 years ago and shipped it to Portugal. Eventually we left Portugal deciding not live there anymore leaving the car behind. It is in a garage with my grandparents that have not touch it for almost 20 years since we left. I would go there every summer and see the car but never thought about having it since I had forgotten how cool it was from living in america for so long. Then one summer I examined it and got inside the car and was just completely astonished at how cool it was on the inside and outside( since the car was crampedly parked behind other cars for years I never had a good look). I just could not believe what my family had and how we were treating it. We all know how cool toyotas Supras look as well as other cars such as the Honda NSX but the Starion is amazing and blows these things away in looks!!!. I just said we have to fix it. it only has 60k miles. I just wanted to join this club to admire this car, how unnoticed it goes in compared to other "cool classics". I'm glad to have discovered it and you guys truly have a jewel. btw just a few questions about this car. What model is it and possibly what year is it since i didn't remind myself to see it over the summer. Like i said it is all white on the outside, red interior with funky seat belts and 5 speed manual. I believe it is 87 or 88. Also what if i wanted to import it back to America? would it have to pass emmisions test being over 25 years old and what are the possible costs? ( just one thing to add-my father had to carry a beaker around to fill up the tank since the gas nozzles would not fit in the gas hole!!.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcristquester Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 First off, welcome. If the seat belts retracted from above, then it was an 87-89. If the steering wheel had 4 spokes vs 2, it was an 88-89. If the rear bumper was white, it was an 88-89. I think white over burgandy was available in all years. We'd love some pics of it if you can get some from your grandparents. Cool story with it. Too bad it's not driving somewhere.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcristquester Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 Also, if you can get a pic of the tire size sticker on the inside of the drivers door jamb, we'll be able to tell if it's an SHP model which were only 88-89 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightwalkerancestery Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 Or if he's going to go that far, just get a picture of the card in the doorjam. Lol. - Charles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
importwarrior Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSQuest88 Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 Also if the front seat headrests were hollow in the middle that should be 88-89 style seats. If they were just like a typical solid headrest that you can't see through the middle they are 87 style seats...if That makes sense lol. I doubt the seats were changed out with 60k miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills89quest Posted December 12, 2014 Report Share Posted December 12, 2014 very cool story...welcome. I hope you are able to get this to the US and be reunited with it. That would be a great story and something you could cherish with your own kids(If you have them, if not maybe some day) restoring it. Good luck and keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
netdobeiras Posted December 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 The steering wheel was most certainly two spoked, the headrests were solid and the back bumper was all white. the seat belts did indeed retract from the top. I would get pictures but my grandparents don't have cameras over there so I have to ask a cousin. I don't know anything about the rims except they are original and pretty sparkly. I don't know how else to help. It had a somewhat funky leathery smell to it on the inside. I just had a flashback about it when i was a kid and remember the radio having big tail silver buttons. The radio also did not work because of how frequencies were different in portugal. Thats all i have for now. I posted a picture but am not sure if you can see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcristquester Posted December 13, 2014 Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 It's an 87 for sure with that description of the silver buttons, two spoke steering wheel and solid front seat headrests. Unless it was painted over, the very back center piece of the rear bumper should be black, not the whole bumper. You wouldn't really notice it if parked tight in somewhere liked it is. The funky leathery smell is unique to these cars in my opinion, but I like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
netdobeiras Posted December 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Well thanks for the info everyone. I can't really do anything else with this post since the car is not with me and it doesn't work. But just a question about the leather interiors..... what if there are rats in the garage? and i mean big rats? can they go inside and munch at the leather or is the car well sealed or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcristquester Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 I'd be more worried about rats chewing on the electrical system. That you can't see sometimes. Rats and mice can fit in the smallest of holes. If they want in, they'll get in by chewing through rubber and plastic easily. You can sometimes keep them away with clothes dryer fabric softener sheets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87redcat Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Importing the car back into the US should be easy as far as customs goes. It was a US car to begin with so no modifications should be needed. Some Japanese cars had to have safety glass installed or have doors reinforced but that was all factory for this car.You need to look into shipping companies. Some may require that it run so that they can drive it on and off ship. that may be a deciding factor if you import it or not. Otherwise, the white w/red interior was/is not a popular color choice among Americans. I myself have an 86 flatty with the same colors and love it. I guess what I'm getting at is that you could probably find one of the same color combo here in the States for cheaper than importing you Father's car. Sorry to say. But I would check around DaveOh and welcome aboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chromedome Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Welcome aboard! And thanks to the rest of you for the info on the seats. I recently bought an '88 with a damn near perfect interior, but the headrest are solid. So I guess the interior has been fiddled with. Good to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
netdobeiras Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 well thanks guys I will one day come back and post something about the car. what problems she should have, what year and model and so on. Just right now i have no money to do anything with the car. She has 60k miles to her and my father said there should be no major issue with the car since it worked fine when he left it. Most likely than not I will leave her there but it's unbelievable that a car this sexy gets little to no recognition as one of the coolest japanese sports-car around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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