In the 1990s, Chrysler and Mitsubishi were in cahoots and that provided the former with a variety of badge-engineered vehicles to sell in the U.S. One such product was the Dodge Stealth, which essentially was a Mitsubishi GTO. This 1991 edition is an unfinished project of the seller’s late husband. While it looks good, the engine has a bad main bearing that will need attending to before it can venture out on the highway. Located in Appleton, Wisconsin, this “Mopar” is available here on Barn Finds Classifieds for a most reasonable $900.
Though Chrysler and Mitsubishi collaborated to build cars at the Diamond-Star plant in Bloomington, Illinois, the Stealth was not one of them. It was produced in Japan alongside the GTO, a front-engine, front-wheel drive grand touring/sports car manufactured by Mitsubishi from 1990 until 2000. You could buy similar cars at both the Dodge and Mitsubishi dealers, where in 1991 the Stealth outsold the GT by 2 to 1. Stealths were powered by a 3.0-liter V6 that produced either 164 hp (SOHC) or 222 hp (DOHC). A 5-speed manual transmission came standard.
We gather the seller’s husband was a tinkerer and this 180,000-mile Dodge was one of his unfinished projects. The car developed a problem internal to the engine and a rod was replaced to correct a knocking sound. However, that did not solve things and it turns out that the main bearing is shot and needs to be swapped out. So, the buyer should buy a crank kit and have it. For now, it runs and moves but can’t do a lot more without risking further damage,
The Stealth was stored in a pole barn for an undetermined period, but that stay doesn’t seem to have caused any issues with the body or paint. From what we can see of the interior, it may be fine, but a detailing inside is needed, and we don’t know what you’ll find under the covers on the front bucket seats. But the seller has priced the machine low, so you can’t expect perfection.
The Mitsubishi version was known as the 3000GT. A friend of mine had one of these back in the day, not a bad ride. Certainly reasonable enough to give it a shot.
The Stealth and the 3000GT were FWD? That’s a surprise to me. For one thing the Stealth was always advertised as AWD and AWS. And one of my closest friends never drives her 3000GT in the winter because according to her “rear wheel drive sucks in snow)
Maybe I am drunk? Maybe she was?
They were available as FWD and AWD and the AWD had the option for 4 wheel steering.
You are correct! I had the Dodge version in Pearl White with turbocharged engine with AWD & AWS…. as a Company Car :)
Both the Stealth R/T Twin-Turbo and the 3000 GT VR4 had 300hp and would get the dub in any short distance race. They were hell to work on because there was precisely zero room under the hood. These, the 300Z, late C4 ‘vette, the TT RX7, and TT Supra….what a heyday for the sport coupes. GLWTS
Oddly, the visible seat material pattern on the back seat looks like its from a 3000gt instead – but you rarely saw a 3000gt with cloth seats, tho.
Instead of 225-55r-16 tires, could be 15″ higher profile tires(std on base SOHC V6 stealth)/smaller wheels fitted on here for less unspung weight, better ride & cheaper to buy tires.
There was actually a turbo front drive 3000gt variant available but only for the Japanese market.
Popup headlites on these are very reliable, compared to other makes back in the day.
Easy car to change the oil – filter & drain plug up front drivers side close to each other – accessible from the front. No shields to remove,
Had a 92 Stealth ES for several years mostly driven by my wife
Now30 yrs on she wants to replace it Having just sold a Lexis 350 ISC convertible
The Stealth still has a soft spot in her hart. Will be looking to fill that void