Jason Kenton 2006 Lancer Evolution IX
The lancer evolution to me was a way to have a 4dr that was AWD and had good power. seeing one on fast and the furious showed me the potential, and it looked great right out of the box, but I have never been one to keep my car looking like others so what I have is over 13yrs of slow work overtime
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Jason Kenton
2006 Lancer Evolution IX
Instagram: @stpkenton
Photographer: @trey.coleman.photos
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I am retired military. I did 20yrs in the navy on submarines, most of which was on Oahu, Hawaii which is where I got my love for imports from. also, Japan where I fell in love with the lancer evolution V which was unobtainium at the time. I currently reside in Louisville, Kentucky and manage properties for my parents(property manager). I really only do 2 hobbies, retro video games and import cars and I tend to keep these hobbies for very long periods of time.
I started with a 1989 Honda CRX which was hunter green and my wife had a 1995 Acura Integra GSR 4dr......unfortunately when I moved to California for 3yrs in San Diego someone else wanted those more than we did. both were never recovered, so I tried to love the 2003 Honda civic SI that I had bought as a replacement, but seeing the 2003 lancer evolution 8 and along with a trip to japan seeing the lancer evolution V really changed my heart. it would take till 2006 for me to be able to afford my own.
As for retro games, I really love street fighter 2 champion edition and mortal kombat 2 and play arcade 1up machines with my kids when time allows.
What or who got you into cars?
When I was in Hawaii, everyone was street racing honda civics. I really was not into the racing aspect but I really liked the meets and hangouts with other people. I really liked the meets and car shows that would pop up, so I got a Honda CRX and started modifying it. I really started to drift toward the lancer evolution when my family situation changed. I was married and looking at having children. The lancer evolution to me was a way to have a 4dr that was AWD and had good power. seeing one on fast and the furious showed me the potential, and it looked great right out of the box, but I have never been one to keep my car looking like others so what I have is over 13yrs of slow work overtime
Why this car?
when you are on submarines you get a lot of time to think about things like this, there are 5 cars that I wanted in life. the lancer evolution, the WRX STI, the NSX, FD RX7, and the R33 Skyline GTR. in 2006 I had made E-6(first-class petty officer) which was a pretty good jump in pay, I was married and looking at children one day, so only the lancer evolution and WRX STI where viable options for me. I chose the Lancer evolution IX because there was a graphite grey one on the dealer lot. That dealer would take me for a ride with an $8000 markup which I had to pay because there was only one Mitsubishi dealer on the island of OAHU. $40000 later and I finally owned my own lancer evolution. I always justified my buying of the car by keeping it for so long. Currently, I have owned the car for close to 15yrs. Later my wife would pick up a 2006 WRX STI because she fell in love with the boxer engine...she has a 2011 WRX now, but maybe that car is another story altogether?
Why did you build this car?
I started to build my car for speed, but when I almost wrecked the car at over 130mph going against a Yamaha R1 motorcycle, I went home and re-evaluated my priorities. The stance scene and Illest/HellaFlush was really starting to come into style at the time, so I changed my objective to more of a low and slow life. with my car about 1 inch off the ground it made it really hard to go fast and not break expensive parts. so I bought my 1st set of wheels and dropped the car on stance gr+ coilovers. The car has changed a few times, but the objective changed to an OEM+ look that is low with aggressive wheels.
What does it feel like owning this car?
I have always been a firm believer in" if you do not turn around and look at your car when you get out of it, then sell the car" I also used to just sit down and drink a cold beer and just reflect on what I can do to make the car look better and be more enjoyable driving.
I don't win car shows usually because I did not build the car for it, but it's ok. I built this car for myself and when I look at it I am happy. I enjoy driving the car and I make all the right noises(turbo spool, blow off valve, exhaust). When it's parked I look back and almost always smile. I really wish some other people would do the same. you go to car shows and there is a lot of the same and no imagination in a lot of the builds. just enjoy your car, you don't live forever.
What makes it unique?
My Evo is really about the details. I made it that way because that is what I like to do. admire details of something. If you look at my wheels, I have done things to make it just not another set of TE-37sl's. like open-ended titanium lug nuts, titanium hub centric rings and titanium hub nut and lock washer. When you look at the fender I have added a titanium Varis badge to the carbon vent and secured the carbon vent with titanium cap head screws. When you look closely at the front of the car I have a very rare ARC titanium Mitsubishi emblem, and behind that, I have secured the ETS intercooler with titanium hardware as well that was fire burned to specific colours by me. When you look at the steering wheel inside it kind of looks stock until you look closer and notice the wheel has been rewrapped and painted to match the rest of the interior. Also, titanium hardware is on the steering wheel as well. There are others, but these are all little details over the years. Maybe the next car show just looks a little harder and you will see stuff I have not even mentioned. This is only a few.
Spec List
Engine:
- Stock block, Manifold, Turbo.
- ETS titanium intercooler short route kit for Evo 9.
- ETS mini battery kit.
- RK titanium intake fitted to the stock airbox with a generic carbon fibre top and works drop-in filter.
- Generic carbon fibre radiator cooling panel.
- Yperion titanium brake reservoir cap.
- Frontline fabrication billet valve cover,
- Cam angle sensor covers, and oil dipstick.
- Cusco titanium front tower bar.
- JD Customs AC titanium purge/fill cap covers,
- Brake master cylinder bolt kit, and Coilover bolt kit.
- Zeklee clear cam cover.
- Monster titanium turbo manifold heat shield.
- RK titanium cam sensor heat shield.
- Radium engineering dual catch can kit.
- Koyorad radiator.
- Samco silicone hose kit.
- most visible hardware has been replaced with titanium which has been fire burned to my choice colours.
Exterior:
- Voltex Evo 9 wagon front urethane lip.
- ARC titanium Mitsubishi emblem.
- Limited run Rexpeed 1x1 carbon fibre side sills and rear extensions.
- Varis front fenders
- Carbon fibre diversion plate with WC lathe werks titanium Varis emblem.
- JDM rear bumper with after-hours automotive rear crash beam and custom lower windage tray.
- Titanium rear Mitsubishi emblem.
- Mazterpiece automotive titanium antennae.
Interior:
- Redline goods steering wheel wrap,
- Shift boot and e-brake boot kits.
- Steering wheel and centre console painted by Aaronboost.
- Rexpeed limited run dry 2x2 carbon dash overlay and armrest cover.
- RK titanium gauge cluster overlay and badge.
- Works grab shift knob, works floor mats and trunk mat.
- JVC kameleon head unit.
- Camberwell airlift controller cigarette lighter holder.
- Airlift 3-gallon tank in the trunk with grunion customs mounts.
- RK titanium air block plate.
- Raised floor trunk that retains spare and tools made by myself.
Wheels:
- 18x10.5+22 Volk Racing TE-37sl black edition.
- 10mm project kic spacer in the front.
- Yperion titanium hub centric rings, valve stems, valve stem caps and locking lug nuts.
- TWM performance titanium lugnuts fire burned by myself.
- 255/35-18 Nankang NS-25 tires
Suspension and Brakes:
- Works croxx plate, Beatrush under trey.
- Airlift 3p air suspension dual compressor kit.
- Girodisc magic pads refinished Brembo brakes.
Who did the work?
most work has been done by myself. Believe it or not, this car has been in 3 rear-end accidents and always been professionally restored by body shops. OKA's auto body out of Oahu Hawaii did the custom fender work in the rear for the wheels to fit and have an OEM look. I also have shattered 3 Voltex lips when in Hawaii on the great H1 freeway. If you live on Oahu you know what I am talking about. except for the bodywork and clutches, I have done all the work myself with help of some friends.
If you enjoyed this Car why not read this ONE HERE
Future Plans
next up is to refinish the brakes. I already have Yperion titanium brake shims, titanium brake bleed screws and caps. I will try for a gradient titanium look, if that does not work out or does not look good they will be changed to a black colour to better match the car. other than that, the car has 100k miles so I will most likely rebuild the engine at some point in the future as well.
Advice/Tips
The lancer evolution is not a cheap car. you may find it cheap for sale, but you will pay for it. shop around and pay a little extra for good condition. I learned the hard way to shop around for getting a clutch done. if they do not have experience with the 4g63 motor and transmission it will most likely get installed incorrectly. make sure you get a good catch can set up or your turbo will not last because of the blow-by oil from the PCV system. When something breaks, upgrade the components. When my clutch failed the 2nd time I got a clutch fork stop, when it failed the 3rd I got an ACT monoloc, then I found the previous 2 failed because they were installed wrong. The lancer evolution 8 or 9 is a reliable platform, but if you go the route of a built motor the motor is less reliable in my opinion. evolutionm.net is a good source of information and troubleshooting.
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Groups/Clubs
big shout out to @shadetreemotorsports for getting me good deals on parts from anywhere in the world, @rk_titanium for custom one-off pieces and dedication to the Evo platform, @yperiontitanium for doing unique custom titanium pieces when my mind went wild. @frontlinefab for making billet greatness for the 4g63, and my friends @mr_infek, @issa_sil80, @zheitz413 and my wife Stephanie and kids for dealing with the constant titanium hobby
I have met a lot of friends that drive all kinds of different cars. I have also got lots of ideas from other kinds of cars for my car for modifying. this is a hobby and I try to keep it as such with having a family
Dream Car
If I really had the funds and capability, I would like to get a 2008 Ralliart Sportback and do a Varis widebody kit and air ride suspension, this is really the only car I can see selling my car for. unrealistic cars like Lamborghinis and Ferrari.
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