01 - Project Eleanor — Corey.Sawtell

Do you ever just get the urge to do something that is a little unusual, moderately more difficult than it should be and infinitely more rewarding than expected? No? Then clearly you’ve never tried to build a 90’s Mitsubishi Pajero into an epic adventure machine.

To understand how I ended up here, we must go back to my first experience trekking directly into the middle of Australia to look at a rock. Ayers Rock to be specific (Uluru). Armed with only a Hyundai Trajet, Pillows and an esky full of snacks, we headed out as a family to see this fantastic wonder in the middle-of-nowhere.

From that trip things escalated very quickly. We bought our first 4x4 after months of rigorous testing. A 1994 Mitsubishi Pajero, later named “Penny”. With only 120,000 kilometers on the little 3.0L V6 engine, our little adventure wagon became a gateway to the rest of Australia for us. Moving on a couple of years and some driving lessons later, Penny donned the bright yellow and black Learners plates and at that point I fell in love. I had spent days, if not months, watching dad drive this mainly stock off roader into places that many bigger, newer, and technologically advanced vehicles had been able to explore but now it was my turn. Unfortunately, the little engine that could soon became the little engine that could not as our needs changed, and the trips became longer. My parents opted for the larger and stronger NM Pajero, with it’s 3.2L Diesel engine and monocoque chassis, leaving me with the option to purchase Penny from them as my first car. I could not say no.

Fast forward again to now, and she is still a part of our mechanical family. Perhaps a little tired, dirty, and neglected, Penny managed to teach me not only how to drive, but how to explore. Whether it be camping with friends along the beach or in the Flinders Ranges, the little Paj kept on pushing.

Early in 2019 I began the hunt for another off roader, a choice purely driven by the hunt for a little more power and the sheer age of Penny (and related costs). I had the chance to test multiple fantastic vehicles with equally fantastic reputations on and off road. Vehicles like the Holden Colorado, Hummer H3, Toyota Prado and Nissan Patrol. But none really felt like an upgrade from what I was already driving. So, I decided to look closer to home. Something familiar, but still an improvement on what I had. I settled on a late 90’s Pajero. As a perfectionist at heart, I could not just pick any late Pajero. It had to be something unique. Something special. For the Australian market Mitsubishi produced a couple of models that mirrored the JDM range, with the pinnacle being the “Exceed” model. Boasting Leather Seats, Integrated Side steps, Blister Fenders, a rear air conditioner and that polarising woodgrain interior, the NL Exceed became my dream car (albeit not a Pajero Evolution).

September 2019 is when I got the first chance to meet the Pajero that would soon become my off road chariot. After finding an ad online and convincing my dad to join me on a trip to have a look, I was transferring the money and driving Ella home two weeks later. Was she perfect? Of course not! With roof paint peeling from constant sun trauma, a dent in the driver-side fender, multiple little trim blemishes, and tyres similarly slick to that found on a Formula 1 car, I had a solid base to build from. However, within a week, my new toy required a tow truck and potentially a new engine. This earnt her the name “Eleanor” (or Ella for short) from my friends, who are massive fans of “Gone in 60 Seconds” starring Nicolas Cage. Anyone familiar with the movie will understand the love/hate relationship Memphis Raines and a particular GT500, but now I had the chance to live it out for myself.

As of today, Ella is running like a dream after receiving a full engine reseal and service. Something I should have done immediately with a vehicle of that age but that is a lesson learnt the hard way. I have a rough idea of what I require from an adventure ready build but who knows where this will end. I need it to be efficient, reliable, and organized. I will be drawing on my experiences with the Australian Air Force Cadets, My work as a Parts Interpreter and A huge community of passionate Pajero owners to create something special. Please join me while I learn (probably the hard way) and update this blog to record the journey I have been dreaming of taking for a very long time.