Beau Xavier Anderson’s 2GB (FTW) Talon

16 August 2010 in Featured Comments off

We at Gearbox Magazine cut our teeth on a 2GB Talon, and so Talons will always be special to us. That’s why we’re super excited to share this interview with Beau Anderson of Payette, Idaho. Beau is an iron worker specializing in steel erection and he’s got some pretty straight forward thoughts on building a DSM. Read on. 

What’s your real name?  (What’s your screen name?)
Beau Xavier Anderson, Xavier is what everyone called me growing up so it was natural for a scree name.

What do you do for a living and where do you live?
Ironworker, specializing in Steel Erection. Home is Payette, Idaho, but I currently reside in Moses Lake, WA.

What Mitsubishi(s) do you drive?  How long have you had it/them?
1997 Eagle Talon TSi AWD, 2 years and 2 months. 2Gb FTW!!!!

What’s your build philosophy/goals for your Mitsubishi?
I know the saying “Cheap, fast, reliable… Pick two” is so used and cliche. Well, I have adopted the philosophy of fast and reliable over the time I’ve owned it. Do it right or don’t do it at all. K.I.S.S…  Keep It Simple Stupid.  R.T.F.M… Read The F*cking Manual. Need I go on?

How do you use it?
I drive it of course! I love to find roads that are begging to have inside corners hugged, stretches of asphalt that wish to be visited. Eventually I would like to have a hassle-free AutoX car that I can enjoy driving under any condition.

What originally attracted you to the Mitsubishi?
The People involved. I owned a Mazda Mx-3 before the Mitsu and it was a redheaded stepchild of a car, no aftermarket support, no assistance from others who have been down the path you were/are attempting to go down. With my Mitsubishi there is so much information being handled between individuals and so many people looking to help others.

What keeps you going today?
The community, vehicle ability. Having so many examples of what to look up to is another inspiring aspect. That, and sheer stupidity.

Got a favorite story about your Mitsubishi?
Absolutely countless hours spent behind the wheel with a smile. Cant really choose one, there are far too many of them!

What are your goals for your Mitsubishi and how close are you to achieving them?
A solid AutoX car, running full r-comps, all the while keeping the stock 7-bolt and drivetrain as healthy as possible

What was your favorite modification and why?
K&N FIPK, Made the HTA breathe much better, not to mention the looks I get from onlookers once I get into boost, because it is loud when coupled with the FP 4″ intake.

Your mod list:

Exterior:
“Tarantula” LED Center tail-piece modification

Engine:
Stock 7 bolt, stock head, 272/272 Comp Cams combo

Electronics:
ECMLink V3

Drivetrain:
OE rear LSD swapped in, full Diaqueen fluids flowing through it’s veins

Bolt Ons:
FPRace exhaust manifold, FP 68HTA (ported), FP 4 inch mongoloid intake with K&N oval Filtercharger, Punishment Racing budget FMIC, JoeP boost controller

Engine Dress:
Valve cover powdercoated Starburst Aquarius, Jay Racing plug cover, JMFab small battery kit, EVO OEM oil cap

Suspension:
BC Racing coilovers, RMRacing rear anti-sway bar, Hankook Ventus 112 Evo K110 225/45/17, Enkei RP01 17×7 powdercoated gold vein

Fuel:
Stock, soon to be swapped out for…
PTE 780CC injectors, Aeromotive A100 FPR, Walboro 255

Exhaust:
Stock, soon to be swapped out for HKS Carbon-Ti catback

Clutch:
Stock, soon to be swapped out for Fidanza 4.3 sprung 6 puck

Tell us about something really exciting you’ve done with other Mitsubishi owners.
I have been to almost a dozen DSM meets in major metropolitan cities up and down the west coast, all of them great! Being able to see, in person, these cars you have read and heard about, AZDave, DSMTalonTsiAWD, Dominic, Fuzzydoodles, Joe Cool, Just to name a few, is beyond inspiring when seeing all the love poured into them. A highlight would have to be rolling with the NW DSMers through pouring rain to get to a meet in Seattle, driving through weather that would have made most tuck tail.

Tell us about a time something broke and what it took to fix it.
I’m gonna be honest when I say that nothing has broke. I replaced the rear end and rear wheel bearings when they were on their very last leg. That was fun, breaking into drivetrain bolts that had been  in the same position for over 1/4 of a million miles. The amount of pinion slop in the old rear end was enough to send everyone’s jaw to the floor. My rear end was this close to locking up on me at speed!!

What’s the best part about being a Mitsubishi owner?
Having instant recognition in most circles, whether on the web, on the street, or when you finally meet someone in person, this community is so tight-knit that it is awesome.

The most challenging?
These cars are getting old, even the latest model year is over a decade old now. Things are getting phased out. I would say the most challenging would be OE backing out of their support. NLA and parts deficiencies can make or break a project.

What excites you about the coming year?  (Your Mitsu and your community)
Another year behind the wheel! Meeting more people, and most of all many more hours wielding a wrench getting my car ready for it’s next workout, whether it be at the local AutoX or scouting out the nearest twisty road begging to be driven.

How often do you get together with other Mitsubishi owners in person?
Whenever I get the chance, being on the road for work opens up the chances for that immensely. I have actually made a few really good friends in other states, that I have made plans to visit.

Your thoughts on those who part out otherwise salvageable cars?
When you are sick of something and done with it, and there is no love involved, it is hard to keep going. Making the sacrifices they do to help the rest of the community is something I could never bring myself to do.

What’s next for your Mitsubishi?
Suspension, exhaust, fuel and three hundred thousand miles! [This is beyond badass, Beau. - Ed.]

Who has helped you the most along the way with the car?  Any mentors?
My buddy Brendan Murphy (Slowblackcherry, Loser3000) has been the best example of a mentor. Honorable mention goes out to Eric Stuhrenberg (Randomtuner) and a handful of local guys on the forums.

How have you paid this forward and mentored others?
Just last week I walked a new DSMer, who recently picked up his 1g AWD with a Blown HG, through his HG swap and a few other maintenance items to get the car running tip-top shape.

Is there a particular shop you’d like to recommend?
My buddy’s garage, and I will be taking my car to English Racing, Vancouver, WA, to get the tune buttoned up once the setup is done on the motor, heard nothing but good things come out of that shop.

Do you spend time on any Mitsubishi sites?  Which ones?
Mitsu-Media, DSMTalk, Link Forums.

Are you on Twitter?  Facebook?  Where can people find you online?
No twitting for me! Myspace & Facebook

Thanks, Beau. Appreciate your sharing your stories with the global Mitsubishi community!

Beau said he wants to put 300,000 miles on his Talon, but he also said he has  a quarter-million (250,000) miles on it already. Is he looking to do another 50k or 300k? Either way, it makes us wonder, how many miles does your Mitsubishi have? How many have YOU put on it? How many more are you going to put on it?

Boise, Talon