Option — Shōwa Car Tuning & Buyers Guide (2000 Edition)
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About this issue
180 available scans from Option — Shōwa Car Tuning & Buyers Guide (2000 Edition), in right-to-left reading order. Japanese OCR and English translation drafts are available throughout. Drafts have not received exhaustive image proofreading; unreadable source remains recorded in the archival data.
Page 170 — English draft translation
The Galant VR-4 is the ancestor of today’s celebrated Lancer Evolution series. The early E38A, with 205 horsepower, debuted in 1987; a later minor change brought the 220-hp E39A. Its 4G63 engine shares the Evolution series’ engine code, but is in a much milder state of tune—which makes Evolution factory and aftermarket parts easy to adapt. This car makes good use of Evo parts: the ignition coil and airflow meter are from an Evo II, the actuator is from an Evo I, and it even uses Evo II transmission gearing (which can be swapped in as a bolt-on). It puts its 300 horsepower to effective use.
Captions and page details
Advanced minor-car edition
G’s Project (052-791-7805) also offers high-lift camshafts. ¥280,000…
…¥8,000.
This was built by HKS Kansai (TEL 07438-4-0126)…
…VR-4.
E38/39A Galant VR-4
A 4WD turbo sedan that…
Ancestor of the Lancer Evolution!
Chase down the Impreza!
I want a Galant VR-4!
…39A Galant
~ Buyer’s guide ~
Sample car: E38…
“The early models are true Showa-era cars, but most examples have been driven hard and are rough. The later models technically fall into the Heisei era, but you may still find a good one for around ¥500,000. They remain popular, so there are a fair number available.” (Million Car Sales, MOS shop, 042-676-2341)
¥200,000–500,000 / ★★☆☆☆ / some well-kept later cars remain
…price
Availability
At a glance
The engine is the same 4G63 twin-cam turbo used in the Lancer Evolution. It has HKS 264/264-degree camshafts and a cutback on the exhaust side of the stock TD05-20G turbo. Output is about 300 horsepower.
Owner Takane Murakami says, “It feels great when I beat a Silvia in the quarter-mile!”
Owner Jun Sasaki (foreground)
Galant Evolution III!?
…has an air outlet from the… fitted, yet it looks completely natural.
The Lancer Evolution III rear wing fits beautifully! Parts from the Lancer Evolution can be adapted not only for the engine but also for the exterior.
Galant
168
Minor-car edition, beginner level ★ modified