A exceptionally rare alternative to the iconic Defender, this first offering of the Shogun from Mitsubishi was equally legendary, being placed in the market squarely between the Defender and Range Rover, offering superb off-road capability but much more refinement over the Defender. This example comes in its original red paint, white steel wheels and beautifully kept interior, with a real blast from the past feel.
Having had a recent overhaul mechanically to make the vehicle road ready, low miles given it’s age and the last owner having kept the vehicle for a whopping 20 years, this is a bit of a rare machine and with little in the way of bodywork needed, could be driven as it is or simply polished up to take years off its appearance.nSkWKCBjVrrkcAYFwi1fqCFzEm7FVC1wTS02NX6p.jpeg539.45 KB
The History and Paperwork
Original booklets
Mechanical overhaul in 2021
Previous owner of 20 years
With this fabulous Shogun we have a good handful of books and papers to back up some of its history. The service book has several historic stamps but nothing after 1995, perhaps indicating self maintenance or perhaps the book was not present in the vehicle at the time of service. More recently, the vehicle was put in for an overhaul, and a substantial receipt to back this up is present.
A V5 document comes with the car showing 4 previous owners, the previous owning it from 2001. The current vendor purchased it about 1 year ago and put it into the garage for the overhaul to make it roadworthy with a MOT test.wCrHnbpMZqKy3QaxKZH78oxjNj1VqkPKWEeCBo4Z.jpeg568.96 KB
The Interior
Nearly completely original
Clean and tidy throughout
Time warp feel
Presented here we have a charming and classy interior that certainly does not feel its 35 years! With the exception of a few marks and fading and one little cigarette burn on the passenger seat, this interior is compelling and delightful. What really amazes us is how original it is, with all the trim and materials appearing to be completely authentic.
The ample boot space that can be enhanced by folding the rear seats will accommodate most needs. Otherwise it will carry four passengers in relative comfort and space, especially with those large rear arm rests!
A simple, thorough clean would give this interior that extra little something and bring it up a notch as there is a normal amount of dirt build up in the tighter areas and some light staining, but nothing abnormal whatsoever.
The whole interior has an airy and uncluttered feel and is easy on the eye with neutral colours and finishing. In the front the orange dials are clear, showing just 106,000 miles on the clock and the switchgear and high contact areas are pleasingly unworn and aren’t plagued with easily worn coatings like modern plastics. Original stickers still reside, particularly of note the off-roading instructions on the driver's door panel - a detail often seen on early Japanese cars. L0Rd7LLvpVVIWWJNpujYh3XDjsNj7Or64FiQgRHR.jpeg424.2 KB
The Exterior
Original red paint and white wheels
Trims and lamps all present and tidy
Original and matching windscreen and windows
It’s fair to say this is not a concours exterior, but doesn’t it look good? We thought so! Just a glance down the lines show very straight panels with surprisingly few car park dings, the only one of note is on the passenger door below the handle.
A few patches of corrosion have crept through over the years, the usual suspect being above the rear bumper and the bottom of the doors, none of this seems to affect any structure and could be simply treated and left, or fully repaired relatively easily for peace of mind. Likewise the bumpers have their scars on the plastics and surface corrosion on the metal surfaces. All of these are superficial and don’t affect performance or strength in any way.
Again the wheels sport their original white paint finish and mostly this still remains, just some light surface corrosion from stone chips and tyre fitting but no real damage that affects them and ultimately they absolutely suit the vehicle.
All in all a well preserved and maintained exterior that could be left as it is to tell a story or restored with relative ease.
Having recently undergone a mechanical overhaul, this car is ready for the road and could be driven away. Some of the work recently done includes:
- Multiple brake hoses
- Rear brake cylinders
- Brake calliper
- Spark plugs
- Mechanically locking hubs
Speaking to the vendor, although this is road ready, it is to be noted it doesn’t idle 100% perfectly. However, while the idle is a little lumpy, once underway the vehicle is said to run with no issues whatsoever.
Underneath is a well treated chassis - we noticed a couple of well done patches of welding on the chassis, but nothing that appeared significant.
Torsion bar suspension up front and leaf springs to the rear gives a firm but extremely capable ride, especially as a towing vehicle. These look in good order, with light surface corrosion on the rear leafs as is perfectly normal.
We didn’t seen any dampness on the rear differential, transmission or underside of the engine and, although it can’t be guaranteed, these looked exceptionally dry which is good to see on an older vehicle. Under the wheel arches was beautifully clean, the thinner metal sheet that normally is affected by rust was superbly solid and well treated.
Under the bonnet things were in keeping with the rest of the vehicle, very clean and dry with the usual light surface corrosion on the unpainted surfaces from a lack of use - clearly this vehicle has not seen a hard life. Everything was in its place and neatly presented, the perfect engine for a home mechanic and easily maintained with plenty of space to work.
Firstly, when did you last see one of these? This Mk1 Shogun is a very rare 4x4 and is still exceptionally capable. With appealing simplicity whether you're looking at the driving experience or the mechanical side, this is the perfect opportunity to own a very rare but still usable off-roader. With a fetching patina it could just as easily be left as is or restored. And with an interior not needing much more that a light clean, this Shogun just needs to be used and enjoyed.
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