FTO in America? Who?

I saw the post asking how do you get an FTO in America and someone else stated that there are companies that do it.

Who?

NHTA doesn't have a clue and I sure as heck don't and I've been interested in getting one and Veilsiding it for quite some time.

Everyone keeps saying that they're comparitive to the Eclipse, but the Eclipse is made in Illinois, so that can't be true.

Someone enlighten me to the reality here.

as far as i know you can import FTO's into the us but they have to be able to come into compliance with emmisions and crash tests if you want it to be a daily driver. As far as sites go for importing them, search the web for japanese car exporters. I found one site that charges roughly around $900 to import the car into the US. The emissions part shouldn't be a problem with the engine being the same one as used in the 3000gt (121 cubic inch). I myself have been looking into importing one but have yet to aquire crash test info for the customs agency. Just some things to think about.

Bustin

3000gt has 181 cubic inch motor. ITs classified the 6g72. Not the same motor. You are looking at possibly over $10,000 in legalizing a FTO in the US. Thats just fees. It could come out to be A LOT more.

it would be cheaper to emigrate

I was doing research and the American Eclipse chassis has the same specs as the FTO.

Now I'm wondering if the MiVec would fit in the engine compartment. Do some body work and viola, a cheap-o RS becomes a cool legal American car. :evillol:

They are based on the same chassis yes. They are no where near being the same car. Hell a 3000gt is based on the same chassis as a Eclipse. They will never be the same car. An Eclipse looks nothing like a FTO.

I think with body panels and patience I could make it work.

I think it would be cool! I could get the Veilside kit for other parts.

The glass isn't the same, and without an FTO unibody, you are stuck with the eclipse glass.

Just like I stated, they are "based" on the same chassis. Its not the same chassis though. In the Mitsu line up the Galant, Eclipse/Talon/Laser, FTO, 3000gt/Stealth, Avenger, Stratus, Breeze, are all based on the same chassis. Yet look at a 3000 compared to a Eclipse. The 3000 is several inches longer and wider. Just because you get some body banels doesnt mean you can turn a Eclipse into a 3000.

Have you taken one apart before and measured the unibody?

The 3000GT unibody is not close dimensionally to the Eclipse, while the FTO is exact from what I've gathered from the factory specs.

Being a body work guy there are allot of vehicles that share the same stamping procedure, just like they reuse blocks and heads.

They usually don't do much to the computer program since they're assembled by machines. They just use the exact same procedure. It would stand to reason that when they changed over to the '95 Eclipse they used that same Unibody program and changed the glass and space frame top, then covered it in different panels to get a better shape.

I'm just looking for way it WILL work, not ways it won't. I need to hear people who have actually taken the vehicle apart and know from experience and I don't think I'm going to get that. I'm just hearing people guess and guessing in automotive is asking for trouble.

You're not understanding. Its a fact that the Eclipse and 3000gt share the same basic chassis. Mitsubishi built a bunch of cars on one platform much like how Chrysler did with the K cars of the 80's. It was a money saving procedure. In order to "convert" to a FTO body you are going to need the chassis.

Good post.

I'll see what i can do.

The FTO shares the same chasis as the Galant and also quite a few parts, IIRC the Eclipse and GTO/3000GT are a lot wider

They are still based on the same chassis.

They are still based on the same chassis.
NOI mate but how can the FTO share the same Chassis as the 3000GT the FTO is FWD and the GT is 4WD

They are BASED on the same chassis. How hard is that to understand?

They are BASED on the same chassis. How hard is that to understand?
Very hard

Read my post a few paosts up. Its just like the K cars of the 80's. Chrysler built a certain platform and even though the chassis differed they were still all based on one chassis. Same thing here with Mitsubishi. The Galant platform fathered alot of other ones. There are a number of cars BASED on that chassis. "Based on" does not mean the same.

fair enough, but the guy who started this thread was talking about buying all the FTO pannels and putting them on an eclipse chassis, which just isn't possible

Right which I already stated. They are totally different cars even though they are based on the same chassis. Its not like a Eclipse and a Talon where the parts are totally interchangable.

Right which I already stated. They are totally different cars even though they are based on the same chassis. Its not like a Eclipse and a Talon where the parts are totally interchangable.

I'm sorry but I use an FTO on a race track in Europe and can categorically state the FTO chassis is not based on the chassis of either the Mitsubishi GTO or 3000GT or the Eclipse, it is however very similar to the Galant in design.
The only things the FTO chassis has in common with the Mitsubishi GTO / 3000GT or Eclipse chassis is they are all made by Mitsubishi.

Sorry but you are wrong. It is common knowledge that the Eclipse, 3000gt, and several other cars are based on the Galant chassis.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/consumer/autos/mareview/mauto499.htm
http://www.allpar.com/reviews/2002/galant.html
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/debertin/ownerse6.htm

Heres a few links just to show what I am saying is true. I am not trying to be an ass in any way. I know my stuff about cars, I have known about the chassis sharing in Mitsubishi for a long time.

Unless a Mitsubishi Galant is different in the US to the European version, the Mitsubishi GTO/3000GT chassis is NOT even remotely close. The GTO/3000GT is four wheel drive the EU Galant/FTO is not, The GTO/3000GT is deep tunnel design the Galant/FTO is not, The chassis side rails of the Galant/FTO are narrow box the GTO/3000GT is not, The chassis suspension mount points and general suspension turret configurations are totally different, The Track widths are totally different, The wheel base's are totally different and the fuel tank wells are located in different places.
Now if you mean the similarity extends to that they are not ladder type, they are both made of metal and designed to have a wheel at each corner then yes I will agree. But otherwise no. Don’t believe everything you read on the Net.


P.S.When did you last work on the GTO and a FTO?

It is not even debatable. Did you even read the links I posted??? It is a known FACT that the Galant chassis is the basis of many many Mitsubishu and Dodge cars. Avenger, Sebring, Breeze, Eclipse/Talon/Laser, 3000gt/Stealth/GTO, and others. Its not hearsay, its fact. I never said the chassis were the same. I said they were all based on the Galant chassis. I have read this many times in manuals and other articles too.

I think what Stealthee is saying is the chassis of a majority of Mitsubishi's vehicles are based off of the chassis used on the mitsubishi galant. But after alteration and modification, the result is two different chassis. A square after much alteration can be made to look like an oval, but the end result is nothing alike.
Anyways, Brookland Racing made an arguement two posts up that The GTO/3000GT is four wheel drive and the European Galant/FTO is not in an effort to disprove a similar chassis between the two cars. I'd just like to say that even with different drivetrains, that a car can have the same chassis. A couple examples would be the Eclipse GS-T(FWD) versus the Eclipse GSX(AWD), the 3000gt sl (FWD) versus the 3000gt VR-4(AWD), and the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart(FWD) and the Lancer EVO 8(AWD).

Thank you zero. That is exactly what I was trying to convey.

Have you taken one apart before and measured the unibody?

The 3000GT unibody is not close dimensionally to the Eclipse, while the FTO is exact from what I've gathered from the factory specs.

Being a body work guy there are allot of vehicles that share the same stamping procedure, just like they reuse blocks and heads.

They usually don't do much to the computer program since they're assembled by machines. They just use the exact same procedure. It would stand to reason that when they changed over to the '95 Eclipse they used that same Unibody program and changed the glass and space frame top, then covered it in different panels to get a better shape.

I'm just looking for way it WILL work, not ways it won't. I need to hear people who have actually taken the vehicle apart and know from experience and I don't think I'm going to get that. I'm just hearing people guess and guessing in automotive is asking for trouble.

I have to agree with you.. I myself am also a bodyman and i do understand the concepts behind the frame measurements, and i have also been searching and searching for the FTO frame specs. to compare them to the eclipse/galant/ or any of the others listed to have the same base frame. What most people dont understand is that if the cars DO and i repeat IF THEY DO. then importing it is easier than hell, it would be just like importing a 3000gt from japan. If you still have the site where you got those frame specs i would really appreciate it if you could post that so we can finally end this debate where half informed people jump in.

Half informed? You cant even legally import a GTO(3000gt in Japan) to drive in the US. It it the exact same car other than RHD and LHD. It doesnt matter if its the same chassis.

Branching off chassis from a parent chassis, instead of desining a new one for every new model saves car companies billions of dollars every product launch cycle... as they do with their corporate engines (EG 4G64 = 2G Eclipse Spyder GS, 99 shape Galant i-4, 3G Eclipse NT, Pajero turbo-diesel (South East Asia only))

actually it is legal to import GTO's into the US because they HAVE THE SAME FRAME EXECPT FOR THE FIRE WALL which means the car will pass all US DOT crash specs said and done. Secondly most people dont import them because they can buy a 3000 gt and do the same thing. Thirdly if what your saying is true then how in the hell are Skylines imported through Motor X who has the crash specs which are the key to importing ANY car into the US. As far as everything else with getting the car into the USA you have to make it conform to certain emission standards which the FTO engine has not been tested for.

WRONG!!!!! You cannot legalize a GTO in the US. There are a few in the states but NONE are legal to drive. There is one that shows up on ebay once in a while and it wont sell because the guy wants too much and it says right in the ad that the car cant be legalized.

Motor X went through alot of hassle to even begin bringing Skylines into the states. They paid millions of dollars to get the "privelidge" of importing and legalizing Skylines. They are actually in alot of trouble right now for not following a bunch of guidelines. No J-spec car can be legalized in the US other than Skylines at this time from what I have read.

basically, what motorex did is turn nissan skylines into Motorex Skylines and got the Motorex Skylines and that is what the car is certified as. Nissan Skylines aren't legal, but "motorex" skylines are. Someone would have to do the same thing with the FTO, granted, it may be cheaper as the FTO may require less work to pass, but you would still have to prove that it does and then become a car producer as something like "FTOWorld" and sell FTOWorld FTO's. Also, I don't think that Motorex is in trouble, I just think that they're in debt and have pending lawsuits against them.

And like I said Motorex paid MILLIONS to get the priviledge to bring in Skylines. This is why it costs so much to get one from them. I dont think someone is going to be spending millions just so they can get the priviledge to bring in FTO's which dont have near the following of Skylines.

motor x can legally bring in skylines cause they paid lots of money to bring in skylines, convert them to u.s. standards, and then crash test all of them. they had to bring in about 8 skylines just to do the tests. and you CANNOT import the gto here even though its the same. if you want the list of cars you can import, they have a website or you can email me at brandoncutlip@yahoo.com. only 2 kinds of galant and a pajero can be brought over here.