Before many manufacturers happened on the clever idea of throwing a turbo on their hot hatch engines, Mitsubishi (and by extension, Dodge/Plymouth) were doing it. Starting in 1984, they put the 4G32T turbo four in the fourth generation Colt GT (with the famous twin stick transmission), and by 1989, the sixth generation Colt GT received the 135hp 4G61T. With the turbo lag of the day, this must have been really fun, and this version of Colt GT has become something of a cult favorite with tuners, who modify the factory engine or slip in a 4G63T engine from the DSM Eclipse/Talon/Laser. Unfortunately, the combination of tuning and the cars’ cheap-speed mean that many have been lost to attrition, and the remainder are hard to find for sale. You can find this 1989 Plymouth Colt GT Turbo for sale for C$3200 in Mission, BC.
Instead of the stock C3 Corvette-looking wheels, this car seems to be wearing fifth-gen turbo wheels, which suit the car well. This particular car is said to have 285,000km, a fully rebuilt engine with performance upgrades, and an upgraded turbo and transaxle from a Talon. The rebuilt systems are said to have about 18,000km on them, as have the tires, brake pads, and a rewired aftermarket fuel pump.
As you might expect with an older economy car, there are some problem areas, namely warped discs, rust under the hatch glass, and hard cold starting. However, it’s said to pull well and do fine when warm. Everything that is visible looks straight and only needing a good wash – the car looks as if it’s been sitting a while, and the missing license plate substantiates that theory.
The engine compartment looks pretty clean, and that engine is actually quite attractive – oh, for the days when manufacturers made their engines attractive, instead of taking the lazy way out with plastic covers. That open cone air filter halfway back in the engine compartment is a little silly, as it will probably draw only hot air from the engine compartment. So unless you’re keeping it for the intake sound, it’s probably best to return to the stock intake, or fabricate something that will funnel cold air up to the filter.
And here’s where you can see there might be a little more than just some minor rust in the hatch. Somehow, moisture has been making its way into the car and staining the seats, unless that’s hair or dirt. They’re said to be new since the old seats were worn. This car has been for sale for nearly three weeks, so ask some careful questions and then get ready to deal.
Tags: american, colt gt, Feature, hot hatch, japanese, plymouth, turbo
Rusty But Trusty 
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