Monty,

Expensive isn't the word! I'm considering buying a TIG & a chop saw, and going into the Turbo business - looks like it pays MUCH better than computers or engineering.

Too bad you didn't start this a few years ago - I was living over on Laurel Ave in DesPlaines, and had extra space in my garage - plenty of room for a welding rig.

But seriously, what little welding I needed when I was out there I took to the little speed shop in the plaza across from the DP drug store. They had a TIG and did nice work cheap. However, I wasn't building anything as extraordinary as your shark, it's a beauty.

Good luck

drj

 

Hey Monty,

Have you cheked with ANS?

or even Hahn Racecraft in Oswego?

 

Beleive me, I have considered buying a nice tig rig and saws and doing it myself. I'm no accomplished welder, but consdiering the money, it's tmepting to give it a try. While I'm sure I could come up with some decent results, I know it would take me forever to do it. It's alot easier and faster to just pay the pro's in this case.

Jeff,

No I ahven't contacted ANS or Hahn, but I will today. Thanks for recommendations.

HAve you, or anyone else, ever heard of Charged Air Systems up in Greyslake. A guy from there sent me an email, I guess he saw my post here or on another forum, and siad they do forced induction systems. He said they usually charge about $10K for what I'm looking for. I'm gonna go up there tomorrow during my lubch break and check their shop out. They say they're doing a '69 Camaro right now, twin turbos on a 418ci LS1 engine. Sounds cool. But they wouldn't be able to do mine till Feb. I'm trying to get it all done so I can show in the MArch Chevy Vettefest.

 

No I have not heard of them...

You may want to post on the MFBA board.. I bet since they have a Caramo there now somebody may know them..

Good Luck...

 

Jeff,

Thanks alot for the recommendation of ANS and Hahn Racecraft. I just got off the phone with ANS and they were very helpful, and their price was about half of what I'm getting from some other places. I know ANS is very popular with the Turbo Buick crowd around here. I'm gonna go down and check out their shop and the cars they're working on. Obviously, Melrose Park is alot closer as well. They siad they have a late model Camaro getting a twin turbo setup in there now. They're using the same turbos and wastegates I am using too.

I've been playing phone tag with Hahn. I hcecked out their website at http://www.turbosystem.com. They seem to do alot of import stuff, and offer kits for domestics as well.

 

COOL!!!!

Keep me posted!!!

 

I agree, that's too rich for my blood too. But a lot of people have money to burn and don't think twice about that. My suggestion is to do it yourself. I plan on doing something like that myself too. I was going to twin turbo an IROC-Z Camaro, but there is very little exhaust space. Just putting headers on one is a major headache. Probably will end up building something like a twin turbo 377 with an LT-1 fuelie setup in something like a '73 Vette. Then I may drive it for awhile and sell it.

By the way, what kind of turbos did you get?

 

(2) Precision PT-52's with custom turbine housing, and (2) HKS wastegates.

The PT-52's have a .60 A/R compressor side, and .85 A/R turbine side. They are the same one's John Meaney used on his 1300+hp C4 in the months Popular Hot Rodding, except for the upgraded turbine side.

 

Monty,

I don't want this to sound preachy, BUT... 1300+ horsepower is not streetable. Man, you make my L88 look like a "grocery getter" in comparison! I don't believe you can get all that power to the ground in any reasonable street configuration. Any tires that can handle that power will render the car worthless in a corner. If straight line is all you are after, why build up a Vette?

Look what has happened with Merlin's project. His growing power addiction overwhelmed his original goals. As intrigued as I was of his original plans, his current development is no longer anything I would even remotely care to own or drive. Even young Bence has gone over the top from his original goal of a modestly built big block to something that will probably never be finished.

In my opinion, you would have more fun completing the awesome 650-700hp streetable engine and investing several thousand dollars in yourself with some extensive driving courses. A more powerful engine can usually be bettered by a better driver! A good driver with nearly 700 horse power would be an extremely rare and potent combination indeed!

Chuck

 

Chuck, I hear what you're saying. I drove my car with the 650hp 427 for about a month and it was plenty powerful, but I've always wanted to do the twin tubro thing and I figured now is the time. My wife and friends always say that they think I prefer to work in the car or build an engine more than I like driving it. Sometimes I think they are right.

I am certainly no better driver than the average Joe. But I really don't care to be - I don't road race or even drag race, except a couple times a year. Mostly I just cruise aorund my community and go to a local cruise in every friday evening. My town is very conservative, with strictly enforced speed limits - so I'm not street racing too often either.

But I know of a few people who do drive cars like this on the street. There's a guy I know with a twin turbo Mustang, making about 1100hp, he drives it all over, basically a daily driver. The thing about turbo engines, is they aren't always making boost. Until it starts making boost, it should be a very mild engine - with only 8.5CR and a much milder cam than I'm running now. Although it should make around 1200-1300hp or so, that's maximum power with 20+ lbs of boost. I won't be running that much boost while I'm cruising down the street, probably not even half that.

I'm keeping road race style tires on it. I care more about handling than 1/4 performance, hence the investment in the VB Performance Plus suspension and HAL/QA1 shocks.

I appreciate your comments, and I also understand what you're saying about Merlin and Bence. Although most of us would admit that we'll never be completely done with our cars, I actually finished my SBC 427 project and drove it. It's not like I'm changing direction mid-stream.

 

I'll admit to that, and mine's my daily driver! :D :crazy:

 

Chuck Harmon - Don't count me out, my man. The car WILL be finished & when it is done I'm going to build another one that is even scarier. Oh thee of little faith!! :)

 

Merlin,

I will be waiting very patiently :yesnod: By the way, how is your BMW hotrod doing? A warmed up 850 sounds exactly like what you had first planned for your Vette. How many Ferraris does it eat for breakfast? That 12 must sound awful sweet!

Chuck


[Modified by Chuck Harmon, 11:14 PM 12/20/2001]

 

"since that article was written, that car has run numerous 1/4 passes in the 10.2 -10.4 range, with trap speeds of over 164 mph. 0 to 164 mph in less than a 1/4 mile is no joke. Even more significant is the fact that the car runs the last 1/8 mile in the 3.0 flat range, which is Pro Mod territory."

...yessir, I think I could dig that! I know that car is plenty capable, and there are times when too much power is just right!

I'm really hoping that you bring this project to completion. I have an excessive combo going together right now: a 468 with a ProCharger D2R centrifugal supercharger. My plan is to do a staged buildup; complete it now with a modest boost level for ~ 800 hp, then to maybe start upping the hardware and boost level.

For all of you who accurately portray anything beyond 600 hp on the street as being overkill...you are right...but until you have experienced massive top end acceleration you will never understand why someone would want that much power.

Thomas

 

Thomas,

Thanks for the encouragement.

I just dropped off a deposit yesterday at the racecar chassis shop that is building my headers, intercooler, and exhaust. They are coming to pick the car up January 5, and will have it for about a month. Once they are done, all I have to do is pull the motor out, replace the pistons and cam, o-ring the block, and rebalance the rotating assembly. I can pull the engine out in half a day, and the machine shop knows it's coming, and he said he can have everything done within a month - including a weekend of dyno testing and tuning.

As long as there are no major problems it should be done by mid-March. I've told everyone involved that I want the car ready by March 15 for the Chevy Vettefest here in Chicago, and they all said they would accomodate me.

Is that 468 you're putting together a big block or small block - may seem like a dumb question, but you never know these days. Either way it should be a potent combination with that D2R. Intercooled too I'll bet.

What are you doing for the drivetrain? I put a Tremec TKO 5 speed in last year, but I'm strongly considering going with a 4L80, full electronic control. Speedpro/FAST makes an electronic controller, T-COM, which is fully programmable for shift point and shift firmness, via a laptop like my SpeedPro/FAST SEFI. I think that would be pretty trick, and a properly built 4L80 is practically bulletproof, capable of handling 1000+ lb ft.

 

The Green Rocket,

Is your 3 second 1/8 mile time correct? I would think it would take significantly less time to cover the 2nd 1/8 mile than the first. Didn't you say it did the 1/4 in 10.2 (very impressive!) seconds?

Chuck


[Modified by Chuck Harmon, 3:53 PM 12/22/2001]

 

Monty,

In case you didn't know.. for Vettefest.. if your trailer the car there you will have to drive the car itself to its show spot.. FYI

 

Monty, the 468 is a big block. This will be a carbed combo initially, no intercooler is used when boost levels are low the fuel acts like a mini intercooler as it is blown through the carb and into the manifold. The D-2R is potent, can flow 1,900 cfm and support up to ~ 1,600 hp of airflow.

Depending on how things go, next year may see an intercooler and programmable EFI.

Your TKO will blow up with your new combo. Either a TH400 or 4L80E would be a good choice. Or a race Powerglide if you could put your car on a diet.

Chuck, that quote was not about my car, it is John Meaney's Vette that Monty was previously talking about.

 

I'm looking into putting a 4L80E transmission in. I could probably get the TKO to live if I took it real easy, but what fun would that be? A modded 4L80 can take over 1000lb ft, and I can use a Speedpro/FAST T-COM box to control the shift points and shift firmness, calibrating it via laptop just like my SpeedPro/FAST SEFI unit. That should be pretty trick.

I am concerned about it fitting, sicne the 4L80 is larger than a 700R4, but the owner of BowTie Overdrives tell me they put them in C3 Corvettes. I want to find a collaborating source first, but that seems like the way to go. Plus, turbo engines perform better with auto rather than manuals, but I do rpefer to shift myself. Oh well.

That sounds like a cool project you've got going. Keep us posted. Pictures would be cool too!

 

Monty, the 4L80E will fit. Don't ask me where - but I'm sure that I have read somewhere that the swap has already been done in a C4. Yes, your turbos will like life better with an automatic than with a stick. What's that TKO rated for ~ 500 ft lbs or so?

I just got my first digital camera, so pictures will be no problem. I expect the engine to be complete and on the dyno for tuning either at the end of January or the beginning of February. Wait until you see the dog pile of a car that the engine is going into!

Thomas