This is a weekend full of Quick Hits, celebrating Future $500 Race Cars because it was a natural tie-in with the “Cure for Gingervitis” 24-Hours-of-LeMons event running this weekend. Ahhh, the Mitsubishi Mirage, aka the FWD Dodge Colt. Never received any respect when new, even less so when worn out. However, this is your chance to get one ready as a race winning competitor, or at least a participant…

According to another well detailed Craigslist listing:

This is my grandma’s old Dodge Colt (aka Mitsubishi Mirage), and was babied the entire time she owned it. Unfortunately she didn’t change the oil enough because she barely put any miles (64,480) on it, and it developed a bad knock in the bottom end. The car has been sitting for at least two years, battery is completely dead, but it was driveable with the knock when the battery was charged. Interior is very nice, body is straight and rust free, 5 speed manual transmission, everything on the car works. Paint is pretty rough and it was in a front end collision early in it’s life. Car will need to be towed. I believe the title is clean.

I would love for someone to use this car for parts or turn into a Chumpcar/24 hrs of lemons car. I think I’ve seen two of these things ever. Asking $400 or best offer. Shoot me an email and I can set up a time to look at it, thanks.

Well, the asking price is already under the $500 threshold, however, there is that pesky Engine that will need to be replaced. So, lets review the positives first: Interior (easy sell off), 5-speed manual (perfect transmission), No Rust, everything works, 5-door Body (Easy to install a roll cage)… But then we get to that engine… and this car was probably equipped with the 1.6L 4G32 I-4 which produced 72hp. I bet a 4G32T would fit nicely, or any number of later Mitsubishi engines that were used in subsequent Mirage models. Asking price is $400, and when you sell off all that is salvageable, replace the engine, and bribe the judges, you will have a solid Class 3 contender. See the listing here.