Little background: (feel free to skip 1st paragraph)

I am selling my current car because I drive too many miles a week to be doing it in an f-body. Also, saving for a turbo setup will take a while under my current situation (college student) :/). So I figure I will kill 2 birds with 1 stone: sell the car, buy a cheap beater, and the lack of payments/full converage insurance will allow me to be running a snail sometime next spring/summer. I really like planning things out way ahead of time so there are as few suprises as possible, which is why I am starting this thread now. I know there are always kinks in a FI build, so I'd like to limit them by getting my info and parts list together now.


Anyways, I've been looking around for the past few weeks here reading countless threads, looking at dyno sheets, track times, going to sponsor sites, etc. I finally convinced myself it was a good plan (1st para) and decided to go for it. I started putting together a list of things I would need...and yes, I've read the stickies many times over. Today though, I found a nice little thread that made things a bit harder: https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...o-hotside.html

After just a little bit of thinking on it, I realized it was most likely the best route. I have always told myself I would like for VA Speed to be a part of my turbo build, and that kit looks top notch. I decided that since I am pretty much an all out turbo noob, this would be the best route. It would avoid the usual truck manifold fabbing questions, which would most likely end up running me a pretty penny since I can't do much, if anything, on my own.

Keep my goals in mind:
~My next car will no doubt be the same as the current, LS1 6 speed, only not a daily driver that time around.
-Stock bottom end until I can get a built motor a year or so after turbo install.
-Anywhere from 500-600rwhp will be sufficient, 550 would be ideal.
-Track just closed around here (Gateway) so 1/4 won't be a big deal.
-Basically a mean street car.

So here goes a preliminary list, I'm sure I'll miss plenty of things:
IN KIT= headers, crossover, downpipe, turbo, [Tial] wastegate (per that thread)
Coldside=If VA speed adds it to the kit, that is answered. If not, this wouldn't be too hard to finish up or have fabbed.
Intercooler= A lot of guys running ebay stuff. Just wondering the viability of that.
Fuel= Suggestions wanted here. I saw a few guys run twin intank 255's, and would 60lb'ers be enough for the power level goal? E85 could be a real possibility as well, so maybe 80lbs?
BOV= Open to suggestions.


Random ****:
-Tubular K member
-boost controller (eboost2)
-wideband
-LS6 intake enough to feed up to 600rwhp?
-Probably go with some cleaned up 317s with a usual cam kit & ARP rod bolts
**My friend mentioned that I could sell the LS1 out of the car, recoup some cash and just buy a LQ4/9 for cheap at a junkyard.
-Clutch/ Tick master
-Drag radials, duh


Another big question would be what turbo. The kit apparently comes with a Precision 76mm. I knnow this will be good enough to reach my current goals, but I would eventually like to get some higher #s from a built motor. Probably talking 700+ at that point later down the road, so that led me more towards a TC78. I figured that would give me a little more power in the small frame. I was thinking an 88 wuold be overkill since it wuoldn't be close to being used efficiently at 600rwhp, but I thought I would mention that.

The all important tune would be up for grabs, but I would definitely not try to penny pinch here. I would have to get a mail order tune, and drive the car to one of the big guys for the full tune. I'm in the middle of the country, yet not any good tuners immeadiately around me. I guess anything within a 15ish hour drive would suffice. That puts a lot of Southern & Eastern guys into the mix. Like I said, not willing to cheap out on a tune on a SBE turbo car.


I know there is a whole lot of jumbled (probably some misguided) info in here, but I tried to organize it as good as I could. Any and all help is appreciated. I know there are a ton of questions/ideas in here, so feel free to criticize any and all of them.

 

If you're going E85, I'd say go bigger than 80lb'ers to be safe.

Don't run an Ebay intercooler unless you like heatsoak, I'd go with a Precision core, personally.

Tial 50mm BOV's are great and you can pick one up for around 200 new.

Innovate Lc-1 widebands are GREAT, and you can get em for around 200 new if you look hard enough. Don't get the AEM, they're notorious for doing funky ****.

Thats all I got for ya.

 

Precision 76GTS will make more power than any TC76-78. A methanol kit may be a good idea to keeping the stock bottom end alive.

 

Thanks man. I'll look into those intercoolers. It's a kind of a budget build, which is why I mentioned the ebay ones. I have just been leaning towards doing it right the first time (aside frmo the motor) than doing it twice. What about the fuel pumps? Would twin Walbro 255s be enough?

After all that searching, I'm not sure about my need for meth. If I go with E85, I doubt I would need it at such low power levels and low boost (probably wouldn't need more than 10lbs for my goal).

As for the turbo, as long as the one you mentioned will fit, I can throw it in the ring of discussion.

 

to the op, I'm in the same boat as you. I'm not sure what you budget constraints are, but if I'm not mistaken one PT76GTS cost as much as two TC78s. The TC78 should/will suffice for you goals. Look up TallyTransAm, his build is similar to what your planning.

Edit - The LS6 intake should be fine

And fwiw, Nitroused383 is right, a 76GTS will make oodles of power

 

You should have no problems with dual walbros

 

In you original post you state "a mean street car", I guess you and I have a different idea of a street car. I like to keep the A/C in street car on those hot sweaty days. The kit from Shawn from VAspeed requires you to do 3 things, k member(most people do this anyway) remove A/C, and stand the radiator up. To me that's not a street car anymore. Its 50/50 on the k member but the other 2 put it out of the street car realm for me.

That kit is more of a race kit to me. You don't need that kit to obtain the power goals you want. I would talk to Josh at KYturbo and he can get you a whole kit that retains A/C for between 4-5 grand. My friend bought one from him awhile back for 4500 and only on 5psi made 470 rwhp.

 

a street car is in the eye of the beholder. some people say as long as its titled/has plates then its a street car but imo its whatever the owner is willing to deal with on the street. I have 2 cars so if i want A/C ill just hop in the car with a/c, if i wanna go fast then i know which car to hop in.


to OP, i second a kit from josh at kyturbo. Start talking to him and tell him what you want. he can make it work, his customer support seems to be top notch too.

 

I hear ya on the street car thing. I had a friend with a 14.5:1 632ci BBC with plates and title and he called a street car! LOL! As for me I kept both I have a fast car with A/C.

OP, as Ryan and I have stated, give Josh a call.

 

I'll have to check into that 76GTS. I have seen a lot of Tally's threads and build, and it is definitely right along my lines, minus the 9".

Good to know. I figured 1 wouldn't be enough.

I've looked into KYTurbo before, and the only thing that I see is that this kit seems like it would make power (bigger headers) and install a little easier. I could be wrong though. I just like the idea that the VA Speed kit would allow me room to grow easier. I've seen the big power from the truck manifold kit though, so I know it is there. I will look into it more and get in touch with both shops. With the options I would be need for the KYturbo kit, it would run pretty close in price, within $1,000 it looks like. Once again, could be wrong.

I have a/c in my car now, and maybe used it 5 times all summer, and we had a record this year for number of days over 90* & 100* if that tells you anything. I am just a windows/t-tops down guy. K-member & radiator aren't a big deal too me.

Agreed, a/c isn't a big concern for me, going or staying. Like I said, I'll check into both shops.

 

If the K-member and Radiator are not a concern and you dont want the A/C that even better. Makes more room for the DP to be routed on the passenger side.

At the end of the day it boils down to what you want to do. I have street cars running mid 7's with the capability of keeping the A/C intact. I have street cars rinning large frame Thumper Turbo's. I will step out on a ledge and say that I probably have more KY-Turbo Inc built turbo setup on more 4th Gen F-Bodies that any other shop on here, except for those **** box STS deals.

That alone Should tell you all you need to know.
Walk Softly, Carry a Big Stick.

 

I hope you make good money as far as students go lol

 

Thanks. I was hoping a big shot would chime in. You will be recieving a PM from me here in a little while.

Well, as of right now I don't make enough to have a turbo anytime soon. Selling this car and saving up for a year or so should give me all that I need and more (as is needed with a FI build). Long story short, to get more hours at work, I need less days at school so I am cramming my sched down to 2 days a week, trying to work 5 days (easy work @ $12/hr).

I'm shooting for $8,000 to get it close to running and hoping I can stay under $10,000 total. I am kind of on a budget, but I also want a solid setup that is built to last.

 

How much would the 88 be overkill on a stock 346? Would it just be too inefficient to even bother with as I thought? I saw a couple guys doing it, one went out on a stock 6.0 (with some ARP & VS) and trapped a high 12x I believe. Only reason I ask is because that would setup me up perfect for what I'd I like to do down the road.

From more searching, it seems the general consensus on the TC's (76/78) seems to be they can run out up top with such a small exhaust side, but are perfect for quick spools and size-limited people. I would rather have a big top end, but I also don't want an anchor in front that costs me an arm and a leg.

 

I went 10's with a bone stock LQ9 (including the cam) and a PT88 in a 3800# car. Personally, I'd think that the PT88 would go perfect with a 347. It's a little undersized for a properly setup 370 IMO. It wont start spool until 4000+RPM though so it will feel laggy with a stick shift car. With an auto and a nice converter, it would move out nicely.

If you are dead set on the stick option, I'd go alot smaller. Your goals aren't difficult to achieve. The problem is that once you achieve that goal, you'll want more.

 

^^^ Take some advice from this guy. He has been thru all the questions you are asking. He tunes the full weight formula that runs 7.90's that ls2formula on here owns.

 

You are the man I was talking about. Followed your builds for a while now. Honestly, a quick spool isn't a big deal for me. Around town, the torque of a V8 is enough, even if it is a lower compression motor. Racing is all 4000+, so that works for me. If I need to get into boost, I downshift. I've driven a big cam around before, and while I know it isn't the same as a big turbo car, I think it would share a similiarity. All the power is up top, and doesn't feel so strong down low, but that doesn't really bother me.

As for the last comment, yes I know I will want more. That's really why I like the idea of an 88. I would love to step up the motor a year after the turbo goes in, and I don't want to be underpowered and have to buy a second turbo. I just wanted to see if an 88 would be overkill for the smaller motor. While I like top end, I don't want to wait until 5500 for it to spool.

 

Thanks man, as I said in the above post, I've followed his threads for a while now.

 

NicD has a PT76GTS on his 346 and he makes 800 rwhp / 800 tq on 15 lbs of boost. His car runs well into the 9's @ 140+ mph. A good 80mm turbo will spool quicker than a PT88 and still have enough room to run in the 150 + mph range.

 

i agree

i wouldnt run a pt88 on a stock displacement manual, it will make great power up high but spool would suffer too much for me. for the level im at (roughly 575ish rwhp a 11#s) the TC76 work great, especially for the price. spools pretty much instantly and maintains good power.

im hoping it will support 700+ rwhp with a larger exhaust housing as that is my goal, but if not i will looking into to something else, but i think it will do fine.

the PT76GTS would be a great choice for your current and future goal if you can swing the change.