Lsx direct bolt on turbo kit

[sp690]

So I recently started working on my truck. I was just going to build my 5.3 with a nice cam and nice sounding exhaust but plans change when you start googling. And now IM interested in doing a turbo build. I know a lot of guys are just making their own manifolds and welding most of the piping since you really can't get a direct bolt on kit since there are tons of different setups you can make. I don't have a welder and im by no means a fabricator. (Sorry for the long story) I found a direct bolt on kit for a ls1 camaro and I wounder if anybody has tried using them, the turbo is mounted in the lower front part of the engine and all the piping is tucked in around the engine pretty tightly. I'm using dirty dingos sliding engine mounts so I can move it rearward some. I can't paste the link but it's on eBay ( yes I read all the topics about the "ebay" kits) just search ls1 turbo kit. I know I will probably have to pay to get some things fitted but I'm trying to not pay too much, thanks again for any help

[GMC-YA68]

Probably going to be hard to find a direct "bolt in" kit that is going to be headache free. What kind of truck is it going in?

[sp690]

I'm working on a 68 c-10. My problem is that I don't have my front clip on so I'm really not to sure how much room I'll have between the engine and the radiator. I was thinking that with an ls1 camaro turbo kit I would have to make the least modifications to the piping.

[aknovaman]

Look at the Huron speed truck kits. Camaro kits will hit the truck power steering pump and bracket. We did a 85 Chevy truck using the Camaro kit and it would have been easier to build one from scratch than modify the Camaro kit.

[sp690]

I forgot to mention I have 5.3 but I'll be using all the ls1 accesories.

[BR3W CITY]

The answer is no. There is no bolt on kit that will work. If you want bolt on no-worry performance, buy a P1sc or D1sc. It'll fit right, be easy to have a tuner setup for you, and won't require any real fab (depending what you choose for cooling).

Even with a bolt-on kit from a different car, you'll end up needing to make changes. Things like blowoff and wastegate locations and tubing is different on every truck, even two virtually identical '68s with a 5.3 will wind up with variations of the same setup.

[tinydb84]

Here is a thread that discussed it a bit: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=653977

Turbos can be done fairly cheap if you can weld/fab but if you cant it will be pretty costly. Br3w suggestion makes a lot of sense if you cant fab (the costs will be kinda similar). Remember you will need to factor in the costs of upgrading your fuel system, redoing your tune, etc.

[sp690]

I think your right, best bet for me would be to go with a sc. Or just go with a big cam.

[aknovaman]

There is plenty of room in a 68 for a turbo. The eBay turbo Camaro kit is what we used. The only part was the drivers manifold issue as I stated above.

[sp690]

Yea but my deal is I don't have the tools or probably skills to fab it all and if I pay for someone to fab then it will get real expensive real quick

[aknovaman]

Understood. Find some street rod car buddies they are excellent fab guys and usually help each other out for cheap.

[Crash'd Artwerks]

Originally Posted by sp690

Yea but my deal is I don't have the tools or probably skills to fab it all and if I pay for someone to fab then it will get real expensive real quick

Too bad you're south of Ft. Worth. I'm in McKinney and could help fab it up if you were closer.

[Pillow]

Get that suspension right first. These old girls can get squirrelly under NA power much less FI power!

[Jon01]

Cheap does not go with any kind of forced induction build. Especially if you can't fabricate.

Build a nasty h/c motor and enjoy it. They work just fine.

[aknovaman]

Know josey with the 280z or his buddy with the red rx7? Both are turbo lsx and very affordable. You can build a turbo setup on the cheap for close to the heads and cam setup and get an easy 500hp or more, Plus its more streetable. Cnc heads are expensive.

[Jon01]

Know of them, don't know either of them directly but from what I've heard they built their own kits...something this guy admits he can't do.
You won't find someone to fab a functional system up for 2k which is about what he'd have in a cam and set of CNC'd 243/799 heads if bought right.

Fab work is the tip of the iceberg to do it right - big fuel system will set you back a grand + (really big for corn), good converter another 12-1500, good trans that will take it over and over, 4-5k, good diff before you blow up stock posi is another 500, better get axles while you're at it, there's another 3-400. Good driveshaft another 3-400 on the low end.
I'm at 8k and haven't even put a turbo in there.
Also going to want decent suspension, there's another 3-4k.
Sure, you can do it cheaper with a stock 80e and HD2 but it'll be broke/blown up/on borrowed time and likely to break at the least opportune time.

[aknovaman]

I believe you are over exagerating on your prices but thats ok. You dont need a 1200 dollar fuel system for 500hp turbo setup. My buddy bought a turbo 2002 silverado used for less than 10k.

To each their own.

[tinydb84]

You dont even need to know how to fab! Look at the sloppy mechanics stuff.You can get away with a Walbro 400 for 500whp. Get a junk yard Impala rear when/if you blow yours.

I think heads and cam are a great idea and you can still go turbo later if you plan your cam right.

You have tons of options. Just spend time here and the LS1tech forums before you make any decisions.

[Jon01]

Hell, my injectors were $900.
Like I said, you can do it cheaper but it's cobbled IMO. Do it right, spend the $ so when you want to turn it up you can.

500hp? Why bother putting a turbo on it? Cam and spray and roll out.

[slotard]

Originally Posted by Jon01

Cheap does not go with any kind of forced induction build. Especially if you can't fabricate.

Build a nasty h/c motor and enjoy it. They work just fine.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cult...hevy-colorado/ it can...

he posts on another forum I'm on, he's with sloppymechanics that someone else mentioned

[aknovaman]

He uses good parts but horrible fab quality skills used. Dangerous but screaming fast and powerful

[slotard]

I was under the impression that he tends to use cheap parts, and the fab quality on this one doesn't seem to be quite as bad as some of the others.

[aknovaman]

See his trans crossmember? Scarey weak welds. He did not fab the hot sude. The ones he fab up welds are terrible. He is even proud of it.

[tinydb84]

Originally Posted by slotard

I was under the impression that he tends to use cheap parts, and the fab quality on this one doesn't seem to be quite as bad as some of the others.

He does use cheap parts. He has links to all of them in a long thread on ls1tech.

Originally Posted by Jon01

Hell, my injectors were $900.
Like I said, you can do it cheaper but it's cobbled IMO. Do it right, spend the $ so when you want to turn it up you can.

500hp? Why bother putting a turbo on it? Cam and spray and roll out.

Running a lot of e85? You can get 80lbs injectors for $300. I don't see a problem doing some fab work for a reliable 500lbs that is always on.

Originally Posted by aknovaman

See his trans crossmember? Scarey weak welds. He did not fab the hot sude. The ones he fab up welds are terrible. He is even proud of it.

I agree with you on that. I would be embarrassed to run any of his fab work on my truck but he made it clear you can go really fast for cheap.

Side note-Anyone see the thread on weldingweb where the guy buys thousands in tools and spends two years learning to tig weld to build his own turbo hotside? I will try to find the link when I have some more time.

[aknovaman]

Hey, that sounds like my tool buying process / philosophy. ;-)