Turbo Money...too low?
Turbo Money...too low? Hey guys, I have been reading for a while now, and I have seen a few threads on this, but maybe you can all help me with my certain situation. I have found a car cheap enough so that if I purchase it, I will be able to have about 11k left over for mods to the car. If all of that 11k were to go into building up the 346, Turbo hot/cold parts, and fuel system, would that be close to around where the $ would be? I know there is always that "unknown" (i.e. miscellanous parts throughout project) and I would consider that as well, but if you guys can give me a general estimate on what your projects have cost you in the past years, I would really appriciate it. 
Tim.
Tim.
Last edited by Dunn; Jul 19, 2006 at 10:13 PM.
Hmmm you would be close... IMHO you need a min of 6-8k for turbo parts alone... that dosent include the driveline setup... clutch/Trans... etc. Add 3-5k for a good motor, heads etc... you could minimize that by going with 6.0l heads and just a forged stock block... that would put you around 4k
So if you really pinched penny's and didnt care if you could put it to the ground worth a ****... then maybe... just maybe you could do it for that.
So if you really pinched penny's and didnt care if you could put it to the ground worth a ****... then maybe... just maybe you could do it for that.
Thats the catch, I would love to get a good rear under there, but that would be another big chunk of change that I might not be able to spend. There are suspension pieces to it, but the rear is a big factor to which i would have to shoot for AFTER the turbo build up is complete.
Its a 6spd, I would love it for a fast street car, I would certainly be a track goer, but would love to have it as a true street car...A/C is a luxury I can live without, if its to gain more power, or save money.
I am still in the air about fabbing a kit, or buying a kit from a company, im sure a company kit is much easier, but would it really be the way to go, if I was to keep it under my 11k mark?
Its a 6spd, I would love it for a fast street car, I would certainly be a track goer, but would love to have it as a true street car...A/C is a luxury I can live without, if its to gain more power, or save money.
I am still in the air about fabbing a kit, or buying a kit from a company, im sure a company kit is much easier, but would it really be the way to go, if I was to keep it under my 11k mark?
Nothing wrong with building it in steps...as you go. I don't really get where all these guys think you have to do it all at once.
I've built my car up in steps because its a DD and I have other things to spend my money on.
For the money, and looking to go fast from the get go, get a SDCE ATI procharger kit.
You can go decently fast with an auto, stall, stock rear/tranny with 10psi and a stock block with a great tune with good reliability.
J
I've built my car up in steps because its a DD and I have other things to spend my money on.
For the money, and looking to go fast from the get go, get a SDCE ATI procharger kit.
You can go decently fast with an auto, stall, stock rear/tranny with 10psi and a stock block with a great tune with good reliability.
J
If you're sure you want turbo, do a "Phase 1."
Leave your drivetrain for now, just stick to mediocre street tires. You did not specify what year LS1 or even if it's an F-body, but if it's a more recent one, you'll have the LS6/Z06 clutch with a six-speed. Now, get your hot/cold parts, turbo, FMIC, fuel, gauges, tune (6-8 psi), and you're done. Relax, enjoy your car a bit.
Later, you can do all your suspension/drivetrain: SFC's, PH rod, TQ Arm, springs/shocks, LCA's, clutch, rear end, and tires. ("Phase 2")
Lastly, if your pistons have not fried yet, you redo the fuel (rails, more pump, etc.), work your motor/buy a shortblock, get a cam/heads (assuming you have an LS6 intake manifold), etc. ("Phase 3," though it TRULY never ends!)
This is how I've done everything.
Initially, go BIG... Your first injectors, your first turbo, etc. That way, with each step, you're some moves ahead of the game (saving $$$). Frcefed98 is right. There's no reason to make one huge step... Take it slow... I could have never done this in one step... I'm a broke ****, teaching highschool brats English, and have to make very careful choices like alot of working class people. Do it in phases.
Leave your drivetrain for now, just stick to mediocre street tires. You did not specify what year LS1 or even if it's an F-body, but if it's a more recent one, you'll have the LS6/Z06 clutch with a six-speed. Now, get your hot/cold parts, turbo, FMIC, fuel, gauges, tune (6-8 psi), and you're done. Relax, enjoy your car a bit.
Later, you can do all your suspension/drivetrain: SFC's, PH rod, TQ Arm, springs/shocks, LCA's, clutch, rear end, and tires. ("Phase 2")
Lastly, if your pistons have not fried yet, you redo the fuel (rails, more pump, etc.), work your motor/buy a shortblock, get a cam/heads (assuming you have an LS6 intake manifold), etc. ("Phase 3," though it TRULY never ends!)
This is how I've done everything.
Initially, go BIG... Your first injectors, your first turbo, etc. That way, with each step, you're some moves ahead of the game (saving $$$). Frcefed98 is right. There's no reason to make one huge step... Take it slow... I could have never done this in one step... I'm a broke ****, teaching highschool brats English, and have to make very careful choices like alot of working class people. Do it in phases.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo i agree on the procharger. Just watch the hard launches on the rear and really do so if youve got a sticky tire. Let your 6spd do its thing till your pushin 600+rwhp then start lookin for a rebuild.
Maybe youd be interested in sts as well for ease of install.
Maybe youd be interested in sts as well for ease of install.
im building the hi-flo kit and so far im at im at 8600 dollars exactly and that includes wideband 02, gauges, lq9 heads, dual valve springs, clutch, ZO6 cam and fueling................. so id figure another 4800 for installation of a build 346................
.... sorry had to 
Glad to see you're finally posting over here Dunn 
I think your budget is about where it should be. Of course there are always variables, but for ~11k, I think you can build a stout FI setup.
At the next meeting, we need to talk to bounce some idea's off each other
I think your budget is about where it should be. Of course there are always variables, but for ~11k, I think you can build a stout FI setup.
At the next meeting, we need to talk to bounce some idea's off each other
This is just my opinion but I would do the opposite route. Do the drivetrain for your future hp goals first. This way you can still enjoy the car, you can beat the snot out of it and race every weekend without worrying about it so much. It would suck to drop all your cash on big horsepower and the first time the car wheelhops it destroys your 10-bolt, now the car sits until you get some cash. So then you save up some money and stick in a good rear. Next your clutch goes and now your saving up again to fix it, all the while the car is down AGAIN. And so on.....