- Builder Jake Plender turned his daily-driven Mitsubishi Mighty Max into a nearly 500-horsepower hot rod.
- The engine is a modified version of the 4G63T found in many Mitsubishi models.
- Plender’s goal is a quarter-mile run in the ten-second range, which would be a 100 percent improvement over the truck’s original time.
Mitsubishi needs a redemption arc here in the US. The once performance-minded automaker now basically builds five variations of the same crossover. There was a time, however, when Mitsubishi made exciting machines.
Jake Plender remembers those days. In fact, he has a daily reminder of the good ol’ times that were possible at Diamond Star Motors. You see, Plender took an old Mighty Max pickup truck and has turned it into a fire-breathing example of past Mitsubishi glory, making nearly 500 horsepower.
We were curious about the project—after all, who builds a rocket ship like this out of Mitsubishi’s compact pickup truck? So we reached out to Jake to see what it was all about.
Mitsubishi Mighty Max Evo
Photo by: Jake Plender
The Build Process
Plender might not go so far as to call this a Mighty Max Evo, but we’re happy to do so. That’s because the 4G family engine under the hood is shared with a host of great hits from Mitsubishi history. The list includes the Galant, the Starion, Eclipse, Montero, Pajero, FTO, and yes, the Lancer Evolution.
This Extra Mighty Max uses a built bottom end from a 1991 Eagle Talon, an HX35 turbocharger from a diesel-powered Dodge, and the DOHC head from a 4G63. On pump gas, Jake says the truck delivers around 420 hp, but can crank out almost 500 hp on E85.
“When I acquired the Mighty Max in 2015, a hot rod build wasn’t the original goal. I simply needed a reliable runabout while my daily driver was down, so I found this 1989 2WD Texas truck on Craigslist with 75k miles for $1,500,” says Plender.
“The truck was temperamental and frequently left me stranded. While researching the original engine, I discovered it was part of the same “Sirius” engine family as the 4G63T found in the Eagle Talon and Mitsubishi Eclipse. The ‘aha’ moment came when I realized I could bolt a DOHC 4G63 head onto the original block. Having seen what those engines could do in my friends’ Evo 8s, the idea of putting that power into a lightweight mini truck became an obsession. I eventually sold my other vehicle, and the Mighty Max became my primary project.”
Photo by: Jake Plender
There’s a lot more going on here than a simple engine swap, too. The gearbox comes from a Toyota Supra, which required quite a bit more cabin clearance to fit. There’s a Ford 8.8-inch limited-slip rear end, Sparco seats inside, and a sleeper-style roll cage fabbed in place.
Jake uses an AEM ECU and digital dash spliced into the engine harness from the Eagle Talon donor car.
‘This was a budget-conscious, ‘all go, no show’ build, so most parts were sourced second-hand over time.’
What’s Next For This Mighty Max?
Like any proper project car, this one is still a work in progress. Since getting the truck rolling, Jake says he’s upgraded the intake manifold, fitted a larger throttle body, and added more under-hood heat management.
Next up for Plender and his wicked Mighty Max Evo? Faster passes at the drag strip. His current goal is to run the quarter-mile in ten seconds. Considering the Mighty Max was originally capable of doing that run in 20 seconds, that’s an impressive improvement over the stock performance.
“As long as I’m banging gears and making passes with a smile on my face, that is the most important metric to me.”
Mitsubishi could learn a lot from that last bit about putting smiles on people’s faces. With the pending arrival of a new Montero, and even more in the works, hopefully that’s exactly what it has planned.
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