[gtofiend]

I'm starting to build a 400ci thats eventually going in a '69 GTO and I would like to turn it into a turbo build. My only problem is that I want to be able to drive this car on the street, not just the strip and I'm not sure if a turbo'd 400 is really streetable? Also what power output should I be looking at getting when its all over? I'm also changing the car the EFI so pricing out parts like injectors and a throttle body is hard when I dont really know what to expect for power. Thanks for any help. -Bill

[cgeise]

I am doing research on this very thing right now. The power level is basicly dictated by your wallet --- however you can make a very streetable setup if you keep things within reason -- get together with a good turbo guy in you area so he can give you some basic's to start with. If you need a recomendation on a good shop -- let me know.

[gtofiend]

Yeah I really dont know anywhere to go around me. I live in Mass. I go to school at Worcester Polytech and there are lots of guys on campus with turbo experiance, but its all on imports so no one can really help nail down a realistic power goal. Is there anywhere I can go to help me figure some of this out. Oh and the other thing is I want to do almost all my own work on this. Money is an issue so anything I can do I will be doing. -Bill

[cgeise]

Call the tech line at Turbonetics --

[gtofiend]

Is there anybody who already runs a turbo setup on a 400 that could tell me what their HP and Torque numbers are so I could get a reasonable referance?

[JSAauto]

Usually turbo cars are much more streetable than their normally aspirated counterparts at the same power level. I can tell you 600-800HP is a walk in the park with the correct Turbo and intercooler set up. 1000 Hp isn't hard either, but would recommend some good lower end parts to keep it alive (i.e. crank, rods, block). As far as the Fuel Injection is concerned, look into DFI Gen 7 (digital fuel injection) or Motec. The harness and box will run anywhere from $3000-$8000. Now this doesn't include the fuel system, intercooler (if you're going to run one) throttle body, F.I. manifold, injectors, turbo headers, ducting, and the knowledge ness to program the system. Certainly not for the amateur, but is do-able if you've got someone helping you.

[GTOGEORGE]

($3,000 - $8,000) ................. Pretty expensive walk in the park!

[gtofiend]

As for EFI I'm most likley going with Megasquirt because of the cost and because I like the idea of doing all the work myself. Plus I have some Electrical and Computer Engineers to help me should I really run into problems assembling it. Now as to the power goals you said to get to around 1000hp I'd need better lower end parts, specifically a block. I can see all the other internals being needed but do I truly need a new block to run that much power? If so thats definitly going to be a limiting factor in my decision as I dont think theres anyway i could afford that on top of everything else.

[azbirds]

Save time and a boat load of money. Do twin turbos through a blow through carb. I cant remember the magazine or month, but there was a camaro using this setup to run in the 8's on the track. It was reletively cheap and he drives it on the street...alot. This car drives by my house quit a bit so I know his setup is streetable. I'm sure someone hear remembers the article and will chime in.

[455Turbo]

A 1000 hp street turbocharged Pontiac is possible but expect to spend $20K even if you do all the work yourself.

Streetable is in the eye of the beholder. I drive my 9 second Twin Turbo 455 Trans Am about 3,000 miles a year, mostly to car shows and cruise nights. The car drives and sounds like a 12 second street car, it's a little loud, and a little obnoxious, but not too bad. It can sit in traffic in 95 degree heat without any trouble.

Keep in mind that you need a drivetrain and chassis that can handle 1,000 hp too. Just about everything will have to be custom fabricated. You'll need a custom torque converter, well built TH400, heavy duty rear end, roll cage, etc.

If you want to see how it's done I'll be at the East Coast Camaro Club's all vehicle show Sunday in Nashua, NH. It's only about an hour from Worcester, MA.

[v869tr6]

The Camaro was in the Sept issue of Car Craft.
I have my car only weeks away from running and will be able to answer some of your questions soon. I sure hope this stuff works

[gtofiend]

Where in Nashua is that show? I live in Tyngsboro when I'm not at school which is about 5 min from Nashua, and I'm gonna be home for the weekend so if I could stop by that would be awesome.

[455Turbo]

The show is at the NH Technical Community College. Take exit 8 off Everett Highway and go right on Amherst St. Gates open at 8 am.

My car is a 1980 Turbo Trans Am, black and gold.

See you there.

[gtofiend]

Awesome! I'll definitly try and make it. My names Bill by the way. I'll be the kid with longish hair drooling over teh cars..haha

[Tom Vaught]

Except for the expense, the turbos will make a lot of power and you don't have to worry about the durability of the turbo parts as it is proven technology on millions of trucks.

Tom V.

[LouisianaGuy]

What tome Said....There are quite a few members on the boards going the way of the Turbo...I know of at least 3 and 2 of them I sold turbos to LOL and counting my self and 455 that makes 5 and I know there are more closet turbo guys out there heheh.
Its a pain in the potatoes to fabricate the manifolds....let me tell you what I did....Begged 455turbo for his designs then questioned him under a heat lamp for a few hours for fine details then whent and did it my way and threw in a bunch of his design heheh...turns out last monday when I went to bolt the new manifolds up which are not all the way done btw, I find out that only 4 of the 6 bolt holes line up...im at a loss till I flip em over and see that my welder has welded my fittings on upside down OUCH so he is redoing them now LOL but its coming...I say another month and we will have another Turbo poncho on the road....All my friends are saying im going to blow the bottom end out of it LOL....btw my turbos came off of a Big diesel Generator :P
Mike

[gtofiend]

I've been looking at the new e-brock EFI manifolds since i have very little experiance with fabrication so without some serious guidance a converting a manifold is out of the question. I mean I've welded before but not to the point where im comfortable welding out a band new mani. Also what are you turbo guys running for throttle bodies?

[v869tr6]

I am going to give the blow-thru carb a try.
I had CSU carbs work their magic on a 850 Holley, and I have a LM1 wideband to tune with.
I believe LouisianaGuy was talking about the lack of exhaust manifolds for turbo Pontiacs. Most of the people have built their own.

[gtofiend]

Ah see that makes more sense. Dont mind me I'm just the stupid newbie

[Gas455]

Do a search for Turbos on the board...and then do plenty of reading...and ask plenty of questions...

Yes...there are plenty of closet Pontiac Turbo lovers out there around the world.