Diamond Star Generations: A Father and Son Evo Tandem
Admittedly, it is a bit late for father’s day to do a father-and-son feature; just a bit over a month late to be exact. I’m sure you can easily forgive the delay though, especially when this father and son duo drive a pair of well-sorted Lancer Evolutions.
This is Dr. Ruben Uy’s silver Evolution 9 MR and Dr. Alain Uy’s red Evolution 8 GSR.
Both being licensed doctors currently practicing dentistry, the Uys run a family dentist clinic in Manila and have been doing so for a good number of years. The connection between the two doesn’t just stop with them being dentists; Ruben and his son Alain share a big passion for cars which manifests themselves through their CT9A Evos.
Though it may look like any other late-model Evo on the road, those astute with Evos would point out that Dr. Ruben’s Evolution 9 is in MR trim, making it one of the rarest Evos in the country. Supposedly this is only one of five or six Evolution 9 MRs officially sold by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines. The majority of the other Evolution 9 models sold here were the RS-spec which featured black door handles and side mirrors.
Keen-eyed Evo fans will notice that this is a USDM-spec Evolution 9, and they’re right. The reason behind this is that the MR was only ever offered in Japan and the US. While there were a limited number of MRs offered in Europe, where the local Evo 9 RS variants were sourced from, the local dealers may have sourced LHD Evo 9 MRs from the US instead. Still skeptic about this car’s origins? Then check out the original conduction sticker it proudly wears to this day.
Despite its rarity, Dr. Ruben’s Evo didn’t stay stock. It features a bunch of tasteful upgrades inside, outside, and under the hood. That said, this Evo 9 MR is pretty much what most cars spec’d in 2008 would look like. No wide aero, just simple stock body Evo pieces and accents while riding on a set of Volk Rays RE30 Formula Editions.
Possibly one of the best but subtle changes made to this Evo 9 would be the JDM rear bumper. The USDM rear looks bland in comparison as it is simply an Evo 8 bumper. The JDM one comes with an integrated diffuser which supposedly helps airflow. More importantly, this makes the car look loads better from the back. My favorite exterior piece on this Evo would be the Carbon fiber Ganador mirrors with LED signals - these cost an arm and a leg these days considering they’ve been discontinued.
Inside, it’s nothing too fancy since it is usually rarely driven by Alain’s dad. There’s a Ralliart cluster and Ralliart carbon fiber shift knob to spice up the cabin. Meanwhile, a set of Defi BF gauges gives a proper readout of various engine parameters. Wondering how the interior and Recaros have remained this fresh after more than a decade? We were told that this car has only done 6,000 miles in its life and is usually kept in the garage.
Although the exterior and interior might look simple, the engine bay has been fiddled with a bit more. There are a few Carbing pieces here and there, upgraded hoses for reliability and an Okada Projects coil pack. Even though Invidia ram horn headers have installed, it still runs the stock Evo 9 turbo - which is plenty enough to get this hauling. The Evo 9 turbo is often used as an upgrade for older 4G63s afterall.
While Dr. Ruben’s might look like a time capsule from the past decade, Dr. Alain’s Evo 8 has a lot more goodies installed.
On the outside, his Evo 8 has been fitted with full Evo 9 parts – from the bumpers to the correct USDM spec headlights and taillights – mixed with a bit of Ralliart goodies. Over the years, it has had various wheels fitted but his most recent set are these 18-inch Bronze CE28 Ns with iconic JDM Project Mu brakes peeking behind the spokes. Just like his dad, he also has a set of carbon fiber Ganador mirrors. While the Ganadors are no doubt rare, it’s the ARC winglets that take the cake.
With the winglet giving a hint, all other parts under the hood like the ARC plate and exposed ARC intercooler all hint towards a certain theme to Alain’s build. As far as the engine bay is concerned, he has nearly completed all of the ARC parts available for the CT9A Evo. From the strut bar to the heatshield, even the airbox and oil cap, nearly all of ARC parts for the Evo can be found in this engine bay. Alain did say that the only part missing to complete the ARC catalog is the upper pipe. So if you happen to have one lying around at home gathering dust, do send him a message.
Inside, the subtle Ralliart exterior theme continues with a Ralliart cluster and din gauge. Though it looks just like any other carbon fiber center console, I was told this was also a Ralliart item that matches the carbon fiber steering wheel garnish. A Recaro SPG3 and a 4-point Takata harness keep him secured when hitting the local circuits.
Dr. Alain has been active in the car scene for many years now. His choice of career in dentistry and passion for cars was very likely to have come from his dad, Dr. Ruben. Now that he himself is a father, it would not be surprising if his kids grew up following in their footsteps, too. The question now is will Alain’s kid get another Evo for his kid or pass the Evo 8 on.
Words by Jose Altoveros
Photos by Jose Altoveros
D r. Ruben’s USDM Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9 MR
Exterior
- OEM Evo 9 JDM rear bumper
- DTM Carbon Fiber Bonnet/Hood
- DTM Carbon Fiber vortex generator
- Carbon fiber side spats
- Ralliart Hood Fins
- Ralliart carbon fiber lip
- Ralliart antenna
- Voltex carbon exhaust heat shield
- Ganador carbon side mirrors with led signal lights
- OEM Mitsubishi rain door visors
Engine and Driveline
- Mivec 4G63T 2.0 AWD
- Factory 6-speed manual
- Carbing Aluminum strut bar
- Carbing carbon radiator shroud
- TEIN hood dampers
- Okada Projects Plasma Quad Coil Packs
- Silk Road engine damper
- Apexi intake
- Cusco turbo intake pipe
- HKS SQV BOV - HKS oil cap
- HKS radiator cap
- Samco intercooler hose kit
- Samco radiator hoses
- Invidia ram horn headers
- Apexi downpipe
- Mine’s test pipe
- 5Zigen Pro Racer catback exhaust
Wheels, Brakes, and Suspension
- Volk Racing RE30 Formula Edition 18 x 9.0 +35
- Michelin Pilot Sport4 245/40/18
- Cusco front member brace
- Cusco full under chassis brace
- Project MU SCR Slotted Rotors front and rear
- Project MU HC-Titan brake pads
- Wedsport stainless steel brake lines
Interior
- Ralliart S3 gauge cluster
- Ralliart carbon fiber shift knob
- Defi BF gauges (boost, oil temp and oil press)
- Defi Racer white light tachometer
- Defi Racer white light volt meter
Dr. Alain’s USDM Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 GSR
Exterior
- OEM Evo 9 front bumper
- OEM Evo 9 JDM rear bumper
- OEM Evo 9 headlights
- OEM Evo 9 tail lights
- OEM Mitsubishi vortex generator
- OEM Mitsubishi rain door visors
- ARC winglets
- Ralliart hood fin
- Ralliart carbon lip
- Ralliart Antenna
- Ralliart gas cap cover
- Ganador Carbon side mirrors
- Varis carbon fiber door trims
- Carbon fiber side spats
Engine and Driveline
- 2.0L 4G63 Turbo
- Tomei Titanium catback exhaust
- Greddy stainless steel outlet pipe
- DC sports ss downpipe with testpipe
- NRG engine damper
- Tein hood dampers
- Okada projects plasma direct coilpacks
- Ralliart plug wires
- Ralliart full intercooler piping kit
- Ralliart turbo intake pipe
- Ralliart grounding kit
- ARC Titanium Strut Tower Bar
- ARC wide core intercooler
- ARC intake box
- ARC aluminum radiator
- ARC radiator cap
- ARC oil cap
- ARC oil catch can
- ARC exhaust manifold cover
- ARC titanium plug cover (Rainbow)
- ARC titanium radiator shroud
- ARC radiator hose
- Project MU aluminum brake fluid cap
- Project MU tank covers
- Chasing J’s Titanium Valve cover heat shield
- Chasing J’s Titanium radiator stays
Wheels, Brakes, and Suspension
- Volk Racing CE28 Bronze 18x8.5 +30 spec
- GT Radial SX2 245/40/18 Tires
- Dynamics coilovers 10/8 spring rates
- Project MU 6pot FS6 Calipers with 355mm SCR Pro Rotors
- Project MU stainless steel brake lines
- Dixcel slotted rotors rear
- Dixcel brake pads rear
- Grimmspeed brake cylinder stopper
Interior
- Recaro SPG3 full bucket seat
- Takata 4 point Drift3 harness
- Pivot dual gauge boost temp volt meter
- Pivot Racing Monitor with shift light
- Pivot turbo timer
- AEM fail safe wide band gauge
- OEM EVO SSL Full Leather rear seat with headrests
- OEM Evo SSL Leather armrest
- OEM Evo MR carbon dash trim
- OEM Evo MR carbon hand brake handle
- OEM Evo MR floor mats
- ARC titanium shift knob
- Ralliart carbon rear mirror cover
- Ralliart S3 gauge cluster
- Ralliart DIN gauge
- Ralliart carbon shifter console
- Ralliart carbon steering wheel garnish
- Ralliart titanium pedals
