So, I used to work for Mitsubishi and was told a story about the Starion . Someone asked, "So how did the Starion get it's name?" Answer: (In a Japanese accent) "Oh, you know, big horse".
...dont get it .
I think it's awesome that the starion is getting the most attention here and i agree it is the coolest of the three pictured (ONLY because of condition).
Haha, the Starion is a $900 special that I pulled out of a Navajo town in New Mexico, with a $400 NOS airdam and $1000 worth of paint from the local autobody college on it. It looks good because, it is good actually... Completely rust-free no-accident car. Even the interior is almost perfect, doesn't look like a desert car at all (was stored in the shade.) It just doesn't run...
Thanks for the compliments all!
(puts on flame-proof suit) I maintain that the late 80's / early 90's is, and perhaps always will be the hay-day of automotive engineering. Modern fuel-injection standard, no fifteen plastic covers to remove just to SEE the engine, modern suspension design, good fuel economy, no airbags or GPS/bluetooth garbage, and you could still get a car with crank windows and manual locks.
Until they start to reach "vintage" status, and the price goes up, I don't think I'm likely to own anything made after the mid-90's.
poopshovel wrote: (puts on flame-proof suit) I maintain that the late 80's / early 90's is, and perhaps always will be the hay-day of automotive engineering. Modern fuel-injection standard, no fifteen plastic covers to remove just to SEE the engine, modern suspension design, good fuel economy, no airbags or GPS/bluetooth garbage, and you could still get a car with crank windows and manual locks. Until they start to reach "vintage" status, and the price goes up, I don't think I'm likely to own anything made after the mid-90's.
I don't think you'll get too many flames around here for that opinion...
Joe Gearin wrote:pigeon wrote: The 80s will always be remembered as the best decade ever, and those 3 cars in one collection are a good reason why.Umm..... ahh..... you did live through the 80s right? parachute pants, teased hair, bandanas wrapped around the thigh......200hp was a ton of power, yuppies....
Some of us had a very different 80s. Think more Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and Graham Parker (ladies, Debbie Harry, Chrissy Hynde & Jane Wiedlin), and less Members' Club pop-culture crap.
Joe Gearin wrote: Those are super cool cars, a great fleet. Best decade ever? Nah, can't agree there.
The skinny tie guy next to the chick in tights & leg-warmers (me) seriously wants some Starion.
Yeah, there were some good things and cars in the 80s, but the pop culture B.S. is the first thing that hits me in the face when I think back. The whole new wave music thing was never my cup of tea, neither was glam rock. (Billy put down the makeup.....and the hairspray
) Also the greed=good mentality of that time leaves me cold. In the 80s the Japanese were on technogadget- overload which is kinda amusing, but also kinda dumb. (your door is a jar, digital dashes anyone?)
The decade did end on an automotive strong note, as cars started to get fast again after 85 or so. Pre 85, there was a lot of crap out there.
I do have a warm spot for Olivia Newton John in her legwarmers though! Xaanadu was awesome. So terribly, terribly awesome.
I um, came of age in the 80's met my wife then too. (Shes still my wife) 
Found my current carrer, my cars are also mostly from then. I have fond memories of then and a few of my club clothes still fit. I say BRING BACK THE 80'S !!!
Jay: Get the Starion running. It will surprise you. I went to a Bridgestone tire intro at Riverside Raceway when the Starion was a new car. One was there as was a Mustang GT, Camaro, and a couple of other performance cars for us to try out the new Bridgestone tires.
The Starion was the only one with a 5-point harness.
At the start of my second lap, I remember I really didn't have the time to glance down at the speedometer to see the speed entering turn one. It was very entertaining.
Get it running correctly, and your Porsche will have some heavy-duty competition.
triumph5 wrote: Jay: Get it running correctly, and your Porsche will have some heavy-duty competition.
and then he'll have a great excuse to step up to a 944 turbo.
Cotton wrote:triumph5 wrote: Jay: Get it running correctly, and your Porsche will have some heavy-duty competition.and then he'll have a great excuse to step up to a 944 turbo.
I detect an arms race in the making!
poopshovel wrote: (puts on flame-proof suit) I maintain that the late 80's / early 90's is, and perhaps always will be the hay-day of automotive engineering. Modern fuel-injection standard, no fifteen plastic covers to remove just to SEE the engine, modern suspension design, good fuel economy, no airbags or GPS/bluetooth garbage, and you could still get a car with crank windows and manual locks. Until they start to reach "vintage" status, and the price goes up, I don't think I'm likely to own anything made after the mid-90's.
Ohhh really? Well, explain these mr. smartypants:
Where is the corvette C4, or ferrari "testaroni" but who am I to judge.. i dont have any toys from the 80's
nice collection
I really, really want to have a showdown between the Starion and the 944S. They put out close power numbers on paper (about 180 HP / 170 lb-ft) and weigh in very similarly at around 3000 lbs... That said, it is my belief that a properly running Starion would eat the Porsche for breakfast in a straight line. I've never been nuts about the 944 twin-cam, it seems to have a real flat spot in the powerband and doesn't have much urgency to it.
On the other hand, mine refuses to idle and likes to run way rich, so it's probably not the best example to work from.
I bet you'd need a 944 Turbo to keep up with a late ('88-'89) Starion though. Maybe on a twisty road course it'd be a different story.
BTW I drove the Starion today! On, like, an actual street. First time ever. It still isn't running right AT ALL, but I did do it. Now it can go back in storage as I'm going back to Germany tomorrow. :(
I'm not surprised about your comments re the 944S - the only 944 twin cam I've driven that appears to have something approaching mid-range was a 944S2.
Mmmm... Starion... 
aircooled wrote: Needs more RX7. (complete the triad)
I got that covered:
I guess I'll never understand the DeLorean love fest. It's a truly unremarkable car, on the same level as a Bricklin. It's got a boat anchor of a motor. Hell, my '81 Citation X-11 would make it look bad at an auto-x with a similar 2.8L V-6. The X-11 was listed at 8.5 secs. 0-60, and the DMC was clocked by R&T at 10.5 secs. 0-60.
racerfink wrote: I guess I'll never understand the DeLorean love fest. It's a truly unremarkable car, on the same level as a Bricklin. It's got a boat anchor of a motor. Hell, my '81 Citation X-11 would make it look bad at an auto-x with a similar 2.8L V-6. The X-11 was listed at 8.5 secs. 0-60, and the DMC was clocked by R&T at 10.5 secs. 0-60.
Unremarkable? WTF? You haven't driven one. Okay, it's not the best sports car in the world, but "unremarkable" is just about the farthest description you could give it from reality.
What's to like? First of all, you get all kinds of attention everywhere. I've never had a car that generated so much enthusiasm in the general public... Secondly, the chassis is basically an early Esprit. It drives a lot like one and has a really nice feel to the steering. Yes, they had to raise the front springs to meet stupid U.S. headlight height requirements, but that's easy enough to fix.
The engine isn't brilliant in stock form but mine has cams and some breather mods. The company that made the upgrade kit (DMC Florida "Stage II" kit) claim around 200 BHP. Not sure about that but it does have lots of grunt in a nice, wide powerband and even sounds awesome.
It's not a pig, it drives really well and has a really pure sports car feel to it. This was just about the most technologically advanced car you could buy in 1981. Even Lamborghinis of the era were playing catch-up.
Plus you get the looks, the stainless body, and those doors. If you want a Chevy Citation over one of the most unique sports cars in existence, more power to you. That means more De Loreans for the rest of us.
Just be careful poking a Delorean from the bottom when it's on a lift. (ducks and runs for cover.)
I could see myself pimpin' a Starion or the Dodge Conquest (same car). IIRC the '86 and up versions of both had much wider wheels and more aggressive flares than the earlier ones and I thought they looked great. Particularly in black or silver.
Lot's of '80s automotive goodness here.
As for '80s music...all I have to say is that my favorite bands were formed in the '80s...and the members weren't wearing no parachute pants or Z-cavarici's. Metallica, MegadetH, Slayer, Queensryche... 
As sad as it was to see the General kill it for taking to long to get it right, don't forget the Fiero.
I wince whenever I think I could have had a Starion about 5 years ago for $250. It was donated to the tech school I was working at so I felt it would have been unethical to have taken it for such a price. Dumbass!
Depeche Mode, OMD, The Cure, New Order, Vince Clarke with anyone...
And I like skinny ties. Still have a few.
Love your trifecta, but should be at least two more cars for the eighties--C4, 2nd gen RX7.
In reply to Jay: Hint hint. http://starion.turbomirage.com/plan.html
those pics make the front of my pants tight
Vigo wrote:So, I used to work for Mitsubishi and was told a story about the Starion . Someone asked, "So how did the Starion get it's name?" Answer: (In a Japanese accent) "Oh, you know, big horse"....dont get it .
You should watch this and think very hard about the word stallion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh_9QhRzJEs
Lot's of great looking cars came out of the '80's!
In my stable: 
on my must have list: 
others: Omni GLH, Fiero, fox bodys, Celica/supra, G-Bodies, CRX, DA Integra, turbo colt/mirage, E30, Z-cars...too many to list
You'll need to log in to post.
