Building a Turbo LT1
I wouldnt say you have to have $20k to do a turbo LT1. Im thinking $15k or less. Depends on your rearend you choose. My motor was about $6k alone, hotside was custom at about $1k and turbo $1300. But I wheeled and dealed on a lot of parts. You can save a lot of money by doing things yourself if your competent enough.
Most of the 1000 FWHP builds I have seen around here have 20-30K+ invested....consider yourself skilled at bargain hunting!
I wasn't saying any turbo build would likely cost over 20K....just one that actually makes over 800 RWHP and will stay in one piece doing it for years to come; a top notch built transmission, driveshaft, rear end, dyno tune, suspension adds up. As mentioned, cost usually increases exponentially with HP. How much HP is your's making?
Most of the 1000 FWHP builds I have seen around here have 20-30K+ invested....consider yourself skilled at bargain hunting!
Most of the 1000 FWHP builds I have seen around here have 20-30K+ invested....consider yourself skilled at bargain hunting!
in the 1/8th with a LT1 a couple years back with a F1X pro charger, that must be an amazing feeling to do that with a LT1. And I just wonder how close is he to having a $100k setup? An x275 car has more than 20-30k in his chassis, let alone motor...
Building a 800whp car is a lot different than building a 800whp car that can be raced.
Cheap, fast, reliable. You know the drill.
Building a 800whp car is a lot different than building a 800whp car that can be raced.
Cheap, fast, reliable. You know the drill.
Agreed. Lol. I hope to be 800rwhp. No offense, but if Im gonna be $20k+ in, I'll just go LS (I hate saying that). Cause $ for $ LS would be cheaper in the long run. But like the young man that went 4.77 in the 1/8th with a LT1 a couple years back with a F1X pro charger, that must be an amazing feeling to do that with a LT1. And I just wonder how close is he to having a $100k setup?
in the 1/8th with a LT1 a couple years back with a F1X pro charger, that must be an amazing feeling to do that with a LT1. And I just wonder how close is he to having a $100k setup?Honestly the price gap motor to motor isn't as big once you get into real big power. For bolt-ons or our peasant H/C builds the LS is better dollar for dollar. Once you get into the race motors though the gap closes a lot. We use our factory blocks for 1k hp not only since we have no other choice but luckily it is strong as hell. LS guys swap to aftermarket blocks at the 1k hp mark which is a few grand right there. They have MUCH better native head selection, and we can easily run nasty rolled angle SBC race heads but then need to pay both for a conversion and then for custom pistons ($$$).
No matter what you have it won't be cheap to make that kind of power, but I bet if you price a 1k hp LS and a 1k hp LT1 it won't be as big of a difference as you may expect. If we had that damn aftermarket block we were promised then the gap would be even smaller. 434 LT1 with SB2.2s and custom pistons will make 800 flywheel NA on pump gas lmao.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 23
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So after all the input from everybody on here about the turbo build I really am not looking to spend that kinda money honestly. So I think it's gonna be a Forged 383ci with a Nitrous Outlets Wet Plate Kit with a 200 shot on it. Do u guys think I should buy the internals separately or buy a Eagle Forged Rotating Assembly?
Maybe not exactly $1,500 but over 1k.
Griffin radiator
Dual Deral pusher fans
Custom brackets welded to the radiator to mount the fans
CSR Water pump
Water pump has been milled and welded
Stainless coolant hoses
I would say I've got about $1,200-1,300 in it.
Is that a good enough answer?
Griffin radiator
Dual Deral pusher fans
Custom brackets welded to the radiator to mount the fans
CSR Water pump
Water pump has been milled and welded
Stainless coolant hoses
I would say I've got about $1,200-1,300 in it.
Is that a good enough answer?
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Verdad Gallardo Maybe not exactly $1,500 but over 1k.
Griffin radiator
Dual Deral pusher fans
Custom brackets welded to the radiator to mount the fans
CSR Water pump
Water pump has been milled and welded
Stainless coolant hoses
I would say I've got about $1,200-1,300 in it.
Is that a good enough answer?
Griffin radiator
Dual Deral pusher fans
Custom brackets welded to the radiator to mount the fans
CSR Water pump
Water pump has been milled and welded
Stainless coolant hoses
I would say I've got about $1,200-1,300 in it.
Is that a good enough answer?
You guys make fun but he states how much he had to spend on cooling........................................... .......... and bought the second lowest flowing pump he could find.............................................. .................
I never said it was a good choice, I just said you would be quick to tell him how he did it all wrong.
Leave it 96 to tell every one they are doing something wrong.
Sorry we can't all have your wisdom sir. Guess I'll just have to live with my bad choice that has never gave me any cooling issues what so ever over 7 years.
Sorry we can't all have your wisdom sir. Guess I'll just have to live with my bad choice that has never gave me any cooling issues what so ever over 7 years.
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 415
Likes: 2
I am doing an LT1 turbo. Everything that is stated is true. It ain't cheap. Swamped hit the nail on the head I was going to.
Doing a turbo LT1 from scratch is really silly. In my case I already had a forged motor and very high dollar parts invested in many things I needed, so not as expensive at this point for me. But starting from scratch, there are guys buying the LS 5.3 liter truck engines for $500, then buying cheap turbos like BW that are very cheap but reliable and powerful, then you g cheaper by just turning around the truck manifolds for a lot of the hot side and BAM, 800-1000 RWHP and done for a fraction of the cost an LT1 would take to get there. You still are going to spend in other mods like a fuel system, and other items. But its not going to be $15k-$20k like doing it in the LT1. So, unless you are rich, and just want to prove a point doing it for an LT1, I say go with an LSX for the boost.
Or you can go the cheap fast route and do the nitrous plate like planned.
Doing a turbo LT1 from scratch is really silly. In my case I already had a forged motor and very high dollar parts invested in many things I needed, so not as expensive at this point for me. But starting from scratch, there are guys buying the LS 5.3 liter truck engines for $500, then buying cheap turbos like BW that are very cheap but reliable and powerful, then you g cheaper by just turning around the truck manifolds for a lot of the hot side and BAM, 800-1000 RWHP and done for a fraction of the cost an LT1 would take to get there. You still are going to spend in other mods like a fuel system, and other items. But its not going to be $15k-$20k like doing it in the LT1. So, unless you are rich, and just want to prove a point doing it for an LT1, I say go with an LSX for the boost.
Or you can go the cheap fast route and do the nitrous plate like planned.
I am doing an LT1 turbo. Everything that is stated is true. It ain't cheap. Swamped hit the nail on the head I was going to.
Doing a turbo LT1 from scratch is really silly. In my case I already had a forged motor and very high dollar parts invested in many things I needed, so not as expensive at this point for me. But starting from scratch, there are guys buying the LS 5.3 liter truck engines for $500, then buying cheap turbos like BW that are very cheap but reliable and powerful, then you g cheaper by just turning around the truck manifolds for a lot of the hot side and BAM, 800-1000 RWHP and done for a fraction of the cost an LT1 would take to get there. You still are going to spend in other mods like a fuel system, and other items. But its not going to be $15k-$20k like doing it in the LT1. So, unless you are rich, and just want to prove a point doing it for an LT1, I say go with an LSX for the boost.
Or you can go the cheap fast route and do the nitrous plate like planned.
Doing a turbo LT1 from scratch is really silly. In my case I already had a forged motor and very high dollar parts invested in many things I needed, so not as expensive at this point for me. But starting from scratch, there are guys buying the LS 5.3 liter truck engines for $500, then buying cheap turbos like BW that are very cheap but reliable and powerful, then you g cheaper by just turning around the truck manifolds for a lot of the hot side and BAM, 800-1000 RWHP and done for a fraction of the cost an LT1 would take to get there. You still are going to spend in other mods like a fuel system, and other items. But its not going to be $15k-$20k like doing it in the LT1. So, unless you are rich, and just want to prove a point doing it for an LT1, I say go with an LSX for the boost.
Or you can go the cheap fast route and do the nitrous plate like planned.
Maybe ~500-600rwhp on the "cheap" where you can reuse a lot of parts, but 800+ will cost you no matter what motor you go with.
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 415
Likes: 2
You're not slapping an eBay turbo on a junkyard 5.3 and making 800rwhp like magic. You still need heads, cam, fuel system, tuning, trans to hold that power, rear, etc. Once you get to that point LS vs LT price gap shrinks.
Maybe ~500-600rwhp on the "cheap" where you can reuse a lot of parts, but 800+ will cost you no matter what motor you go with.
Maybe ~500-600rwhp on the "cheap" where you can reuse a lot of parts, but 800+ will cost you no matter what motor you go with.
I know they make good power, but it seems every month or two its another 50-100hp more. Its the most overhyped motor in existence right now...Unicorn status.
The short blocks are damn near bulletproof, which is where the popularity came from...not the heads and cam. Work the heads and stuff a nice cam in there? Then you can get your 800+hp.
Don't forget its a SMALL motor, with heads that are not very impressive as-cast (although they have tons of potential), and a baby cam. You're not magically gaining 500+hp with an ebay turbo and a few lbs of boost on that setup.
I've researched the swap. The first ~600rwhp is easy, much easier and cheaper then an LT1...but after that you're changing enough stuff that the motor you start with isn't a big deal anymore. SBC, LT1, LS1, SBF, etc are all going to cost a lot to make 800-1k rwhp.
LSX turbo is easier, and cheaper.
You can get junkyard manifolds that actually flow and have a cheap *** turbo kit for well under anything remotely decent in LT1 land.
SBE JY stuff is one thing, but lets not forget you can get some nasty displacements in LSX land. Ironically seems to be ~370ci motors that do the most work in LSX lego land.
I would be curious is SBE JY stuff has more or the same level of head clamping as a LT1. I know the 4 bolt stuff has issues with lifting heads from to much cylinder pressure.
Either way, doing it RIGHT, is expensive.
You can get junkyard manifolds that actually flow and have a cheap *** turbo kit for well under anything remotely decent in LT1 land.
SBE JY stuff is one thing, but lets not forget you can get some nasty displacements in LSX land. Ironically seems to be ~370ci motors that do the most work in LSX lego land.
I would be curious is SBE JY stuff has more or the same level of head clamping as a LT1. I know the 4 bolt stuff has issues with lifting heads from to much cylinder pressure.
Either way, doing it RIGHT, is expensive.
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 415
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There are plenty. silver_82 just for example is running a bone stock 5.3. Stock heads and all, and he's pushing over 1,000 RWHP mark and running 8 second quarter mile times. Don't think it's reliable? He races most weekends, and he is not going through blocks.