Sincere opinions and experience needed ......

[tunedin302]

I have spent many hours over many months of the last two years deciding on how to finally complete the motor in my GT. I want a very reliable and very driveable street car that will likely be driven less than 500 miles per year to shows and at the track on occassion. In my head I would like to have ~ 550 rwhp with the potential for more.

Here is what I had planned so far:
Likely a Boss block bored to 331
AFR heads - most likely 185 or possibly 205s
Saleen intake
Custom cam

Here is my dilemna: Turbo or blower???
I currently have a Vortech SC trim and was considering just getting an S trim impeller installed but there is a big part of me that wants to do a turbo setup. The idea of being in boost at around 2500-3K rpm sounds very appealing. Also, I like the turbo because I have never seen a fox car with a turbo at a show - including carlisle; however, I am unsure if the cost and tuning of the turbo is really worth it for my situation. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[amigrad06]

How about a Hellion Turbo Kit?


http://www.hellionpowersystems.com/data.fox.html

 

[tunedin302]

How about a Hellion Turbo Kit?


http://www.hellionpowersystems.com/data.fox.html

I have considered the hellion but I am unsure if it is worth it for my situation to dish out 6K on a turbo when I already have a blower that I could just change the impeller on. :shrug:

 

[Naja]

I have an S Trim pushing 12lbs of boost making 532 rwhp with TFS heads and an Edlebrock Performer intake. Mine's a reliable street car that only gets driven once or twice a week or every two weeks. I've had no problems.

 

[vemom93]

I have spent many hours over many months of the last two years deciding on how to finally complete the motor in my GT. I want a very reliable and very driveable street car that will likely be driven less than 500 miles per year to shows and at the track on occassion. In my head I would like to have ~ 550 rwhp with the potential for more.

Here is what I had planned so far:
Likely a Boss block bored to 331
AFR heads - most likely 185 or possibly 205s
Saleen intake
Custom cam

Here is my dilemna: Turbo or blower???
I currently have a Vortech SC trim and was considering just getting an S trim impeller installed but there is a big part of my that wants to do a turbo setup. The idea of being in boost at around 2500-3K rpm sounds very appealing. Also, I like the turbo because I have never seen a fox car with a turbo at a show - including carlisle; however, I am unsure if the cost and tuning of the turbo is really worth it for my situation. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I would say go turbo, but in my opinion a small blower like a p1sc, or an s-trim is gonna be better for overall ease of maintenance, and ease of use. They can be taken off easily, and you can still drive the car for 1, 2 they can handle your hp goal, but on an s-trim you would be close to maxing it out on a 331. And 3rd they are just easier to get used to driving them, especially if you already have a sc car. If you wanna go turbo your 500 rwhp can be done no problem on a 600 dollar turbo, and you wont have to go nutz on the setup. But the initial investment is gonna hurt... BAD! If you have anymore questions about building the engine for turbos let me know.

 

[MillCreekMafia]

I think you would be more excited about having a turbo car, since i believe i see you already have a blower or have had one. Turbo is going to cost more unless your doing a custom fab. i'd say go with what's going to make you most happy in the end.

 

[19COBRA93]

I vote turbo as well. More power potential and you'll never be the same once you feel that torque come one.

Really though, a centri blower and a 5.0 make a good combo.

I'd weigh all your pros and cons and go from there.

 

[Kevins89notch]

Its a matter of if you want 550rwhp, or 700rwhp. If you want the bigger numbers, go turbo.

 

[vemom93]

Its a matter of if you want 550rwhp, or 700rwhp. If you want the bigger numbers, go turbo.

Thats kinda true...

 

[tunedin302]

I think you would be more excited about having a turbo car

I think MillCreek hit the nail on the head. I would definatley be more excited about a turbo car but my hesitation is what to expect of the build. I did the blower on my GT and it was pretty easy and no probs. I ended up spending some extra cash to get things to work like I wanted them but in the end it was done to my satisfaction in 2 weekends (mainly b/c I had to send the blower back to vortech). However, I have no idea if doing a turbo install is going to turn into "not fun" b/c of potential problems. Also, am I going to be burning through plug wires, have probs tuning, etc b/c of turbo? I just want to make sure it will not turn into a huge headache for a car I drive less than 500 miles a year. Thanks again to all.

 

[stangbear427]

I think it's more likely to be a problem in a car that sees more than 500 miles a year. As long as everything is set up right and well tuned, I don't see a turbo being any more likely to give you problems than a supercharger regardless of the miles. With either of them you have to be a stickler on maintenance, and I've heard some real horror stories about people having KB blowers STB after only a couple thousand miles too... for the cost of that kit you could have a nice turbo. There really is no guaranteed safest route, the decision should be based more on the balance of your honest goals vs. your bottom line checkbook; or which tuner you have better access to. If there aren't any well respected turbo guys near you, I'd probably hesitate to go that route.

 

[19COBRA93]

If you're having problems with a turbo car being unreliable, it's because it wasn't setup right the first time, or corners were cut and time wasn't spent doing it right.

Trust me, I put 80,000 miles on my turbo setup. Sure I had issues at first, but only because I was cheap, or cut corners, or didn't spend the time to make sure things were clear of hot parts, or whatever else. FWIW, I never burned a single plug wire.

From what I've seen, the problems that people are always concerned about with turbo systems, turn out to be internet myths. Well, to an extent. There are so many "home made" turbo cars out there that of course there are going to be stories of problems.

For about a 2 year period, the only time I lifted the hood on my turbo car was to change the oil, or clean the air filter.

 

[buddha93]

I wouldn't sweat any worries with the turbo kit's that are out there now. It's not like some of the kits in the past then involved cutting this or hacking that. I'd say go for it.

As far as the cost, my suggestion would be patient and do some internet shopping on what I call "New, Used Parts". In other words find those guys out there that got in a bind or just plain bored with their project. I found lot's of good stuff that only had a few hundred miles on it, or in some cases never made it to the car and was brand new in the box for considerably less. Why pay full price I say, even if you can afford it.

Here's an example of what I look for, assuming the seller is on the up and up:

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=451362&highlight=hellion+turbo

 

[red95gts]

The problem with turbo kits seems to be finding a supplier that can actually deliver a COMPLETE kit in a timely manner. Seems like Hellion is about the only "big" name that is able to to do it. B&G and Quicktime seem to be doing well and as a previous owner of a B&G kit, I can attest to a good quality product.

Good Luck

 

[johnh]

I have had both and I love the power of the turbo but love the "fun factor" of the blower. When I mean fun factor I mean flowmasters, loud exhaust, and the whine of a blower that makes cruising fun. The turbo is quiet, torquey and barely noticable. People always walk over at the track and say "oh it has a turbo". I would buy a used kit and see if you like it. If not you can always sell it and get your money back.

 

[stangbear427]

When I mean streetability I mean flowmasters, loud exhaust, and the whine of a blower that makes cruising fun.

This has to be the strangest definition of "streetability" I've ever seen. :dw:

 

[johnh]

This has to be the strangest definition of "streetability" I've ever seen. :dw:

Were talking about 500hp street cars not Honda's so the definition slides. Some say 13:1 might be streetable and I don't agree.

 

[stangbear427]

Honda's have nothing to do with it, any more than an obnoxious exhaust and annoying whine from the blower have anything to do with more streetability. That you go on to suggest high compression isn't street able just compounds the duplicity of the statement, as thundering exhausts and a screaming banshee under the hood aren't much more desirable on the street than 13:1 compression is. Streetability isn't a measure of how much enjoyment you get out of driving a car. The more docile and manageable, reliable and easy to live with on a daily basis a car is, the more streetable it is. That's a universally accepted standard, not a matter of perspective. Whether you're talking about a grocery running Honda or a 500hp Mustang, getting every cops attention when you enter a two mile radius, ears ringing from the whine of a blower on the highway or not being able to leave a stoplight without chirping the tires is less streetable than running and driving like stock until it's opened up. If your grandmother wouldn't want to drive it, it isn't very streetable- simple as that.

 

[tunedin302]

Streetability isn't a measure of how much enjoyment you get out of driving a car. The more docile and manageable, reliable and easy to live with on a daily basis a car is, the more streetable it is.

For me, it is a combination of the two. Driving a car that is docile, manageable, reliable, and easy to live with on a daily basis includes my daily driver Nissan. While it is streetable, to me, that is not something that is really fun to just take out for cruising.

I merely want to make my Mustang a high powered car which has a manageable and reliable drivetrain that brings me great enjoyment when driving.

 

[vemom93]

Turbos are way more streetable till you get on em... :banana::banana::banana: