Twin Turbo Thunderbird?

motocross_masta

Registered User
I just got this crazy idea... well, i read a post about a guy selling his LX and it actually mentioned it but now its my idea too... if that makes sense... anyways!! What do you guys think it would run me to put a twin turbo system on a Thinderbird LX? (most likely a 3.8.... maybe a 5.0...) I was thinking that it would be kinda cool.... I could change the stock ground effects on the LX (they're sooo bad) and replace them w/ SC ones but instead of "Thunderbird SC" I could have it changed to "Thunderbird TT." Then i'd have a good excuse for owning two of the same car... one's twin turbo, one's supercharged!
 
... thanks for narrowing it down... any one wanna take a stab in the dark so i have some kind of idea? I see all these little ricers running around w/ turbos and ur telling me that i won't be able to even think about it?
 
If you can weld and have a decent amount of time, about 1500-2000 (for turbos, intercoolers, piping, BOV's, mufflers). If you have a shop do it, expect 4000-5000.

Anything is possible with enough cash.
 
There would be so much custom fabraction that it is hard to put a money figure on it. Also, what size of turbos do you want to run? Will it be innercooled also? Why kind of IC? Air to Air, Air to Water? You will also have to rebuild your bottom end so you can run the turbos at enough boost to make them worthwhile. A complete intake and fuel system upgrade/change would also be needed. Basicly you would start by throwing away everything but the block of the 3.8L NA engine and then throw the internals of the stock AOD as far as possible. Can it be done, yes. Can it be done easily and cheaply, no way. Just one turbo will cost you anyway from $700-$1200 for a good, ball bearing unit. Anyway, that is a start.

Thomas
 
A junkyard turbo kit pushing 11psi through intercoolers shouldn't cost more than 2000-2500 for a reliable setup with all the welding done by him. Two T3's would be enough for a decent setup.

Going all out for the best of the best, I could easily see about 5000-6000.
 
go for it

a while back mm&ff (Ithink 1997) ran an article about a 5.0 mustang running two turbo coup garret turbos anyway the set up put out lots of pony's,padon the pun, and cost under $1000.go to mm&ff magazine and see if you can get aback issue its a good read if nothing else!
 
You can get garrett t-25's online at ebay for as low as 150$ now thats a stock mitsu eclipse turbo but you can get them pretty cheap if you look in the right place.
 
you could run one big single turbo like many supra owners do. they usualy make more power. it wouldnt be that bad to set up an SC engine for turbo i wouldnt think. just fab up a custom top manifold and run the same IC pipes to meet up with it and get a custom turbo manifolds made. plus you could sell your old parts for money to pay for new ones. if i had the money i might try it.
 
I'd say you would want something more like a bigger T-4 turbo and a little T-5. Have the T-5 spool up for low rpm boost and have the bigger one there to provide the air for the top end. That would be about $2,000 for them. Then say another $1250 for all other stuff associated with turbos. The tubing and exhaust manifolds are the big expense, pain depending on if you do it yourself or have someone do it. Then like has already been said you need to build everything else to go along with the engine; fuel system, suspension, chassis, tranny... It's all the other stuff that ends up costing you money. If you were to say just screw it and rip everything out and put in a C-4 and get rid of the computer all together then you could probably save some money but I don't know what smog is like where you're at.

P.S. Oh Canada, you don't have smog probs do you?
 
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No we don't have smog problems... well, there not that bad here anyways.... but, what if i dropped an old turbo coupe engine in it? Do they have IC's and everything? Then i'd just have to add a second turbo and exhaust and away i go? maybe? I'm new to this kinda stuff. Thanks for all the replies!
 
It would work but I would think about what you really want. If you want a fast turbo car then find and old beater with a straight body and put a fast engine in it. It will be a lot cheaper. If I had any money I would look at an old Maverick. It has a C-4 in it, plenty of room for a good powerplant and you can build the existing rear end. Man you can really get one of those going. I actually had a Vega that had a 3.8 in it but ran out of money so I parted it out and got rid of it. I would love to have that car again and put a turbo setup on it and I could be running 10's for under $5k easy. I only paid $300 for car and it had engine, tranny which I would have to change, and a posi set up with ladder bars. All I needed to do is rebuild engine with lower compression and buy an old buick turbo kit for a couple of grand. Imagine what 400 hp would do with a 2500lb car that hooked up. It would have been fun and it would run fast all day without a problem. Put a full cage in it and a big turbo kit and you're in 9's. Fun stuff without to much money.
 
motocross_masta said:
but, what if i dropped an old turbo coupe engine in it? Do they have IC's and everything? Then i'd just have to add a second turbo and exhaust and away i go? maybe? I'm new to this kinda stuff. Thanks for all the replies!

Old turbo coupes only had a 2.3L. The 87-88's had an IC but not much of one. Not sure about the older models. I don't know what size of turbo they used but you could probably get a couple of them pretty cheaply.

Check out this link http://www.toohighpsi.com/
The guy did it really cheap, but all the work himself. And there is more room in a Fox body.

Don't TT a 2.3. Do at least a 3.8 or 5.0. For all the work you might as start with some displacement.

A side note, I used to have an 88 TC. It isn't even in the same league as an SC stock anyway.

-Julian
 
It's been done.

You know that Wayne Ing has a 351W with a single turbo (intercooled)

There is a guy that lives next to me that has a 351 with a dual turbo in his SC........well, I guess he lives next to Wayne also:)
 
Even my girlfriend doesn't understand why I "need to own two of the same cars." and why I refuse to sell one or the other one.

I told her "honey, if you have to ask, you will never understand it"

The SC engine would be a better bottom end to use for a twin turbo project. Go to supersix motorsports and order the forged 4.2L short block and then put some steg heads on it w/ a good cam, and two t3/t4 hybrids, custom manifolds and a stand alone computer.... not a bad way to spend $10,000.00 lol.
 
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ok, ok I'll tell ya,

I have been looking for a miata body for my SC engine. I called them some time ago about a twin turbo stage II for a Big Block (427/460) for my SC or maybe a stage II twin turbo 4.6L. I think the cost for the 4.6 was way to high, but I could sell my Honda Prelude for the TT system on a big block. :D
 
Well.. I'm in the process of building a 351W TT setup... pricing is roughly this..

- motor/turbo/IC, etc.. ~8k (and I'm getting an awesome deal to boot, considering I know the guy building the motor)
- tranny ~4k, then about a 1k to get it modified to fit properly
- suspension ~1.5-2k
- brake upgrades ~1.5-2k
I still have to determine pricing on the following..

- roll cage
- front and rear bracing
-sub-frames (Trust me.. you WANT all this bracing..)
-rear end (Diff, half shafts, driveshaft)

It might end up costing less, but I'm planning for the worst..

And then there's the pretty stuff.. like paint, rims, tires, interior etc..

Gonna take some time, but the end result is going to be INSANE :D As an aquaintance told me yesterday.. "Holy *****, you're building a supercar!". If you go by the specs I want to achieve, I am.. just w/ a SC body..
 
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