turbo or no turbo

i own a 94 3000GT SL and i want to make it a showcar but want it still be fast in case i do race but turbos are too expensive what are some other upgrades i can do that are a good bang for the buck please help thanks

You want it to be a show car, but turbos are too expencive? Ill I can say is WOW.

U can find turbos for cheap anymore - alot of people have them i have 2 spare turbos of my own, I just keep them as back ups- If your serious looking to have a show car - an turbos are too exspensive then you might wana think about waiting till you have more loot- cause turbos will not be the most expensive thing you need to make your car show...
u should just save up a lil while eh?

www.ebay.com

In my opinion, Turbo and Show Car dont mix. In fact, I absolutely HATE cars (or owners of cars, rather) that have alot of engine work done but never see the road. Maybe show the car, earn some money, then turbo it the right way and drive it like it was meant to be.

Im not a big racer so turbos are not really necessary for me. As long as i kill the majority of the cars i race its good enough for me.(mainly the punks in the GTPs and camaros :) And turbos are not expensive but the conversion can be costly depending on who does the labor and how good of deals you get. Showing cars on the other hand I love to do, and is also costly. Ive had my car at 10 shows already and ive only owned it for a little over a month. Everyone appreciates a nicely detailed engine compartment :sunglasse For upgrading your NA i suggest looking into the upgrade bible- http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=85924
Only major thing its missing is the long headers I think. That will give you a good idea of how much you want to spend on power, :grinyes: And how much you want to spend on detailing. As for me I would detail my whole car before i would put turbos/supercharger in. But thats just me.
gl with the choices.

Im not a big racer so turbos are not really necessary for me. As long as i kill the majority of the cars i race its good enough for me. (mainly the punks in the GTPs and camaros :) And turbos are not expensive but the conversion can be costly depending on who does the labor and how good of deals you get. Showing cars on the other hand I love to do, and is also costly. Ive had my car at 10 shows already and ive only owned it for a little over a month. Everyone appreciates a nicely detailed engine compartment :sunglasse For upgrading your NA i suggest looking into the upgrade bible- http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=85924
Only major thing its missing is the long headers I think. That will give you a good idea of how much you want to spend on power, :grinyes: And how much you want to spend on detailing. As for me I would detail my whole car before i would put turbos/supercharger in. But thats just me.
gl with the choices.

You kidding about beating GTP's and camaros with your car right?

First thing... you cant just bolt up turbos onto a SL engine... the compression its different than the vr4... if you put turbos on a stock SL engine you will ambey make it a mile down the road and it will throw a rod or detinate and blow a hole in your piston. Used tubors are really cheap. you can go to DSMtrader.com and find some 13bs or 14b for like a $100 bucks a peice... but seince your a SL this is what will be involved to comvert it to turbo.
First off your compression needs to be lowered... that is something you cant really do your self... so you would have to have it built to 8:1 compression. then once you have that done you will have to then but new exauhst manifolds that will allow the turbos to bolt up. new downpipe, intercooler/s, and new intake lines, and then once you have that done you will have to get it tuned with a piggy back MAPing system (MAP-ECU) because it will have to be running just right not to destory the engine. all in all i mean thats about a $7000 - $10,000 conversion (the right way) and if you where geting new turbos then it would be alot more ALOT. and thats just to get it running... to get it running like a vr4 you would have to get alot of stuff... the SL throttle body is much smaller than a vr4s and the intakes is smaller too... i mean once you get into it... it is a very pricey thing to do... i can go on forever. you would be better off going and buying a vr4 or a JDM vr4 engine and drop it in.

um no im not kidding...are you?

um no im not kidding...are you?

wow~
well how many horse an how much torque u running ? cause my fiance has a 99 gtp an it by all means not slow its got a sc/3.8 thats a big six cylndr these days, camaro's i could see u beating atleast off the line because of the fact they might have poor traction. Also what kinda mod do you have ?

cause you only have a k&n kit as your mods - would mean you have like 230hp max

Im not saying GTP is slow, its quite fast for a large car. pre 97 was rated at 240hp i believe and the latter was rated at 260. Im just saying I havent been beat by one yet. Camaros on the other hand anything 6 cyl is very slow. 305 and 350s are funner to race. Horsepower isnt everything. Especially rated hp :)

92vr4red, Im putting a 10:1 motor in my TT stealth. It will be just fine.

well i never heard of a turbo car running 10:1 compression and run properly... you must not be boosting over 10 lbs.

Im not saying GTP is slow, its quite fast for a large car. pre 97 was rated at 240hp i believe and the latter was rated at 260. Im just saying I havent been beat by one yet. Camaros on the other hand anything 6 cyl is very slow. 305 and 350s are funner to race. Horsepower isnt everything. Especially rated hp :)

nobody ever said hp is everything, u didnt say that it was the 6cyl camaros - they suck an run horrible i again my friend erich had a berlinetta - he very quickly put a 305tpi in it - an i have raced my friend kennys completely stock R/T an inihalated it with my fiance's stock gtp. so the people you race must not be that great at driving cause kenny was pushing his r/t to the max, ya the late 90-04 gtps rock the 240hp 05's ones are a bit more.

I duno man i just find it hard to believe how a car that runs 0-60: 7.1 1/4 Mile: 15.6

against a gtp car that runs 0-60: 6.6
1/4 Mile: 15 @ 92 mph

and the camaro runs a 15.2 305 the 6cyl. runs 17

ziess where do u live bro?

Im not racing pro drivers by any means for one thing. And the races vary from 0-60 to 40-100 etc. even up to 150 mph thats when you start loosing them :D haha. Im not racing at a strip or anything just a few jaunts here and there. The GTPs i have had "run-ins" with were not impressive, probably stock. 305 camaros are less impressive then the GTPs I have raced. Even worn 350s can get beat, not like ls1 material but you know the older style. Like I said though depending on the race, from a highway or stoplight it differs. I live in MN, you?

a stock vr4 can beat a stock tansam or ss-z28 camaro to tell you the truth... ive raced a 02 transam and beat it many times and the 2002 trans ams are the ones that came with the aluminum block and heads its the same ls1 they put in the z06s. ive beat a z28 camaro easy and a single cab SRT-10 with ease... this was back when i only had exhaust BOV and boost controller. the transam has full exuahst and headers. the z28 was the same as trans am. and the SRT-10 just had full exhaust. but now i woulndt be abel to test this theory because im far away from being stock now...

zeiss could have himself a factory ringer, but it just seems a little wierd that you're beating those gtps, but more power to ya.

92vr4red, hes non turbo.......

Ive seen the times for GTPs you guys listed but I dont know that just seems hard to believe from the few I have raced. I havent raced a full quartermile like from a stop just like I said so maybe its true :). Just highway races with them or smaller jaunts. And yes i have raced LS1 trans ams, they are beasts. Btw do you guys know what GTPs are governed at or top speed?

oh didnt know that... then hes lieing no non-turbo could beat v8 camaros

uh yeah right i owned a 92 camaro 305 and it sucked balls, I hope your not serious. even the 3rd gen 350s are not that great. Maybe you should clarify V8 :) please remember im not racing proffesionals on a closed course. Little jaunts where I can choose my gear ;)
Why do people think na are so slow? And "no non turbo can beat a v8 camaro" please :rolleyes:

First thing... you cant just bolt up turbos onto a SL engine... the compression its different than the vr4... if you put turbos on a stock SL engine you will ambey make it a mile down the road and it will throw a rod or detinate and blow a hole in your piston. Used tubors are really cheap. you can go to DSMtrader.com and find some 13bs or 14b for like a $100 bucks a peice... but seince your a SL this is what will be involved to comvert it to turbo.
First off your compression needs to be lowered... that is something you cant really do your self... so you would have to have it built to 8:1 compression. then once you have that done you will have to then but new exauhst manifolds that will allow the turbos to bolt up. new downpipe, intercooler/s, and new intake lines, and then once you have that done you will have to get it tuned with a piggy back MAPing system (MAP-ECU) because it will have to be running just right not to destory the engine. all in all i mean thats about a $7000 - $10,000 conversion (the right way) and if you where geting new turbos then it would be alot more ALOT. and thats just to get it running... to get it running like a vr4 you would have to get alot of stuff... the SL throttle body is much smaller than a vr4s and the intakes is smaller too... i mean once you get into it... it is a very pricey thing to do... i can go on forever. you would be better off going and buying a vr4 or a JDM vr4 engine and drop it in.

Lets see here. There are multiple, many, many, many 10:1 conversions running around on 8psi plus. 8psi on There are several running above 10 psi as well. The turbos you mentioned will not bolt up to stock VR4 manifolds. You would either have to get TD-05 adapter plates or TD-05 headers. You can use the stock TT wiring harness and ECU with the addition of an SAFC and the car will be fine. The DOHC TB's are ALL 60mm. NA and TT have the exact same size ones, only difference that I know of is the TT one has a dashpot. Jeremy C over on 3si did the 10:1 conversion for just under $2000 if I recall right and his car has been running fine for the last 2 years.

zeiss could have himself a factory ringer, but it just seems a little wierd that you're beating those gtps, but more power to ya.
GTP's arent all that great. I ran a 97(?) at the track and the best it could pull was 15.5. If they add a pulley and chip it then its of course going to be faster.

13b's are bolt up, 13b's off DSM are very close to bolt up.

13b's are bolt up, 13b's off DSM are very close to bolt up.
Do you mean 13g's?? Because ya I know they are.

Lets see here. There are multiple, many, many, many 10:1 conversions running around on 8psi plus. 8psi on There are several running above 10 psi as well. The turbos you mentioned will not bolt up to stock VR4 manifolds. You would either have to get TD-05 adapter plates or TD-05 headers. You can use the stock TT wiring harness and ECU with the addition of an SAFC and the car will be fine. The DOHC TB's are ALL 60mm. NA and TT have the exact same size ones, only difference that I know of is the TT one has a dashpot. Jeremy C over on 3si did the 10:1 conversion for just under $2000 if I recall right and his car has been running fine for the last 2 years.

i did say you had to get new exhaust manifolds didnt i? never said they would just bolt up.

Just as an FYI my tt conversion is running great as a 10:1, I run 10psi daily, and can turn it up to 12 if I feel like goin to the track.

thats just my point though... i said you wont be able to run more than 10 psi... i can run well over 20 on my car when it was stock and had no problem with it. if you cranked it up to 20 you will mess things up.

thats just my point though... i said you wont be able to run more than 10 psi... i can run well over 20 on my car when it was stock and had no problem with it. if you cranked it up to 20 you will mess things up.


might not be able to run 20 on pump gas, but from as much as i have run on pump gas before, i should be able to run that on race gas. And even if not, it still doesnt matter, IPO ran mid 11's at 10-12 PSI on his single big turbo back when he was 10:1 and it was just SL-T

thats just my point though... i said you wont be able to run more than 10 psi... i can run well over 20 on my car when it was stock and had no problem with it. if you cranked it up to 20 you will mess things up.

Actually im only limited to 10 or 12 due to the stock injectors, and the 9b's. There are several 10:1 cars running at 17/18 psi daily. Just got to have the fuel to support it, and a really good tune. Im not saying that the 10:1 will hold as much boost as an 8:1. We all know that is not the case. I just read your original post as saying that you could not rund turbos on the 10:1 is all. Many have and are doing it wih great success.

One thing to keep in mind is with the 10:1 compression 12 psi netted me almost a 108 trap speed in the 1/4 not to shabby for a FWD ATX. The conversion isnt really that hard. I went the VR4 donor car route to make sure we had all the parts we needed. Plus I was able to part out the donor car to make back some of my cash.

The conversions "as a rule" run rich, and an SAFC is pretty much a necessity, however many people do use the TT ECU. If you are frugal in searching for the parts or can get a deal on a good donor car the conversion can be done for $5,000 correctly. Sell off the [arts you dont need from the donor and make some money back. When all was said and done my conversion total cost was $1000. And that includes the new motor mounts and ATX tranny upgrades. Keep in mind I got alot of help from the 3SI community to make this happen.

Will the car have the power to match the looks with a tt conversion "10:1" runnning 10psi? YES!

Will it give a stock VR4 a run for its money in the 1/4? YES! "Will beat it sometimes"

Will it be reliable if done correct and tuned prperly? YES!

Will it launch like a VR4? NO!

Will it handle like a VR4? NO!

I love VR4s' and will own one one day. But I do love my TT ATX.

might not be able to run 20 on pump gas, but from as much as i have run on pump gas before, i should be able to run that on race gas. And even if not, it still doesnt matter, IPO ran mid 11's at 10-12 PSI on his single big turbo back when he was 10:1 and it was just SL-T

Hehe I knew it wouldnt take you long to respond in this thread. :)

BTW, Hotshot8792's car is my cars hero! :smokin::pimp:

thats just my point though... i said you wont be able to run more than 10 psi... i can run well over 20 on my car when it was stock and had no problem with it. if you cranked it up to 20 you will mess things up.
What you are not realizing is that 10 psi on 10:1 equals around 15 psi on 8:1. And already mentioned if the fuel and tune is there 10:1 can run whatever boost it wants. Also there is no way you ran 20 psi when stock because 1) 360 injectors wont handle 20psi and 2) 9bs max at 15psi with the possibility of a spike to 17psi.

5 grand to do a full TT conversion on a non turbo car? Shit, Im going to have less than 5 grand into my car and Ill be AWD, TT, 10:1, 450cc injectors, 6 speed w/JDM gears, and blow throught with a MAFT. Right now Im sitting at about 3200-3300 total invested. I could put it together and have it run right now, but I want the 6 speed, so Im waiting to find one of those.