Twin Sticked: 1980 Dodge Colt

The Dodge Colt (technically an imported Mitsubishi Mirage with a Dodge emblem) is either a cool/interesting cheap classic if you never had to rely on one for daily driving use or a total pile of garbage if you needed drive one for many miles back in the day.  Personally I have no idea if the Colt is cool or crap, but I'd love to take the little "twin-stick" (it is a 4-speed gearbox with a 2-speed transfer case controlled by that dainty lever to the left of the stick) for a spin.  Find this 1980 Dodge Colt offered for $5100 in Prescott, AZ via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Some Assembly Required: 1974 Manta Mirage

If you've always wanted to build a 70s kit car, the opportunities are limited these days.  It isn't just that lawyers and politicians want you to be safe, but also that most of the businesses making kits are long gone, so you'll need to find an unfinished project, like this 1974 Manta Mirage offered for $5500 in Dublin, CA via craigslist. Tip from RockOn!

Is That Stock? 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage

The Chevrolet Monza was released for the 1975 model year on a chassis shared with the tiny Vega, but it was designed to have power from an exotic rotary GM-Wankel engine.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) the rotary was scrapped after GM engineers couldn't figure out that wankels are total piles of junk, so GM shoved a V8 inside and called it a day...except for the versions that were sent to Michigan Auto Techniques for the "Mirage" treatment.  Find this 1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage offered for $13,000 in McHenry, IL via craigslist.  Tip from Rock On!

Down The Hatch: 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo

The 3rd generation Mitsubishi Mirage was sold in North America starting in the 1989 model year at Mitsubishi dealers, but you could also get the same exact car (albeit with different badges) from Dodge/Plymouth dealers as the Colt, and over at Eagle as the Summit.  They should have imported the top of the line JDM version that was called the Cyborg, but at least you could get the hatchback version with a turbocharged engine.  Find this 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo offered for $3,800 in Moreno Valley, CA via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck. 

'Merican Caterham: 1977 Manta Mirage

The Manta Mirage was a crazy Can-Am inspired mid-engined road car built out of a garage in Costa Mesa by brothers Brad and Tim LoVette in the late 1970s.  The basic recipe was a steel space frame with a Chevy V8 mounted in the middle connected to a Corvair transaxle, all wrapped up in a hand-laid fiberglass body.  Find this 1977 Manta Mirage offered for $10,800 near Cincinnati, OH.  Tip from FuelTruck.

Put Your Money Where Your Plymouth Is: 1992 Plymouth Colt

The 1989-92 Plymouth Colt, Dodge Colt, and Eagle Summit were captive imports riding on a sixth generation Mitsubishi Mirage/Lancer platform.  It was badge engineering at its finest, where the only difference between the Mitsubishi and the Dodge was a vinyl applique.  Even the steering wheel and gauges were free from identifying marks, so the minimum effort was expended in creating the different versions.  Thankfully, Most of these cars have met their demise at the jaws of the crusher, but the few that remain make for an interesting choice for a daily driver/beater.  Like this 1992 Plymouth Colt offered for $3,700 in Hollywood, CA via craigslist.

2k: Rust, White, and Blue: 1977 Chevy Monza Mirage

Named after an Italian town and originally intended to bear a Wankel rotary by NSU, a German company, the Chevrolet Monza isn't the American car you expect to see in an Evel Knievel jumpsuit. Yet here it is adorned in stickers and polyurethane aero bits comprising the rare (and very American-themed) Mirage appearance package. Built during a time when it wasn't in vogue to sport the typically American formula of "big engine in front, big smokey burnout in the back," celebrating the Monza Mirage today is paradoxically patriotic. Find this 1977 Chevy Monza Mirage for sale in Oconomowoc, WI for $1,900 via craigslist.

10k: EvolovE: 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage, Evo IV clone

Maybe because it's Friday and the meds have worn off (or finally kicked in? Who knows) but this Evo IV clone has my attention. Evos I-IX were 4G63-powered rally rockets offering varying degrees of wing size (just kidding - they're all enormous) prohibited from American showrooms until number eight. Meanwhile, thumbstick jockeys got to experience them in Gran Turismo-style racing games. The creation of this clone follows the formulaic boy meets girl/boy can't buy girl due to pessimistic market predictions/boy assembles girl from overnight parts from Japan love story. Find this 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage Evo IV clone for sale in Sacramento, CA for $10,000 via craigslist.

5k: Some Assy Required: 1975 Manta Mirage

 The Manta Mirage was a futuristic low volume car kit car built starting in 1974 out of a small garage in Costa Mesa, CA.  Production of the McLaren M8 CanAm race car styled beast ended in 1986, but if you want one for the street in California, you'll want a smog free pre-75 example.  This next Manta was never completed by the original owner, and will need a considerable bit of fabrication to get it on the road.  Find this  1975 Manta Mirage here on eBay currently bidding for $3,100 reserve-not-met with a $6,500 buy-it-now located in Huntertown, IN.

3k: Albecroquette: 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo

In the past year, you've been unwillingly introduced to almost every oddball member of the DSM compact-car family. Almost. Besides the responsible matron with a crippling meth addiction (Hyundai Elantra, 4G63-powered), the androgynous middle child (Mitsubishi Mirage, also 4G63-powered), and the estranged uncle (Eagle Summit with slicks, side-exit exhaust, and yes, a 4G63), there's the square-jawed all-state sports prodigy who showed promise at a young age (winning Car & Driver's 10 Best award in 1989), but nevertheless succumbed to Hollywood pressure and went under the knife. Now with 300 horsepower, this tater tot has all of the beef and none of the filler expected in a modern hot hatch. It also sports a 26-year-old engine with 150,000 miles running 24 psi. And it's less than the price of a high-end refrigerator. Find this 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo for sale in Albuquerque, NM for $2,900 via craigslist.

15k: McLaren M8 Replica: 1985 Manta Mirage

 The Manta Mirage was a strange low volume car kit car built from 1974-1986 out of a small garage in Costa Mesa, CA.  It was styled to look like a McLaren M8 CanAm race car and was featured prominently in low budget Hollywood films in the day, first as one of the 48 cars stolen in HB Halicki's 1974 Gone in 60 Seconds and later in the 1975 Death Race 2000.  Recently we searched for one for Chuck, who seems to be the only surviving actual McLaren M8 racer still on the planet, but wouldn't you know that one would show up on eBay a few weeks later.  Find this 1985 Manta Mirage here on eBay currently bidding for $17,700 reserve-not-met with about a day to go, located in Alpharetta, GA.

Mid Week Match-Up: Help Find A Manta Mirage

It is the Wednesday, so that means it's time for another edition of Daily Turismo's weekly game of oil stain bingo also known as Mid Week Match-Up!  Last week we found the a Chinook camper for Laura, and had many good suggestions from readers.  Today, we hunt for another specific car, this time a Manta Mirage like the one featured here in Jan of 2014, for Chuck a former McLaren M8E racer.

2k: Modified What? 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage 4G63 Turbo

The Mitsubishi Mirage has all the presence of a raw potato. It's a forgettable car. But when life hands you lemons, you turbocharge the crap out of it and hoon it until it dies. Find this 4G63-swapped 1996 Mitsubishi Mirage for $2,000 in Los Angeles, CA. Words and tip from DT commenter & contributor  slowcarSLOW-MPGlol. 

15k: Cool Kitten: 1977 Manta Mirage

The Manta Mirage was a low volume car built in Costa Mesa, CA from 1974-1986 in the style of a McLaren M8 CanAm race car.  The Mirage was featured prominently in low budget Hollywood films in the day, first as one of the 48 cars stolen in HB Halicki's 1974 Gone in 60 Seconds and went by the code name Annie and later in the 1975 Death Race 2000.  Find this 1977 Manta Mirage for sale in Santa Monica, CA currently bidding for $10,200 reserve-not-met with 3 days to go.