How do i build my own turbo?

[20PSI]

Heys guys! I bought a 78 firebird 3n'1 kit. One of the options is to turn the firebird into a dragster by adding large drag tires and put an high rise intake on the engine. But i want to to something a little bit more stylish and more powerful so I want to do my own twin turbo kit. Only problem: I don't know how to build a turbo. I don't know what materials to use for the turbo plumbing and the turbo itself. Someone can help me? Thanks.

EDIT: By the way, the car is not fuel injected! It uses two carburators, one below each air intake (duh). I dunno how to do the plumbing on carburated engines. Do the both turbos blow into a single tube and then into the carburators?

Edited August 17, 2009 by 20PSI

[diymirage]

well first things first, if you are putting a turbo on a V engine it is probably best to put two turbos on it so that both banks have the same exhaust restriction

now having said that, i think kustommodels has build a few turbos so he might be able to help you better

but i would say, just google turbo and go from there

i think solder would work best

and keep im mind that in order to run, say 20 PSI you need a intercooler in between the turbo and the intake manifold

[20PSI]

well first things first, if you are putting a turbo on a V engine it is probably best to put two turbos on it so that both banks have the same exhaust restriction

now having said that, i think kustommodels has build a few turbos so he might be able to help you better

but i would say, just google turbo and go from there

i think solder would work best

and keep im mind that in order to run, say 20 PSI you need a intercooler in between the turbo and the intake manifold

Thanks man, that helps. I'll ask to him.

[20PSI]

I think i found the perfect setup for my car

http://www.2quicknovas.com/gettingthere3.jpg

http://www.2quicknovas.com/turbocomplete2.jpg

[diymirage]

if you really want to get inspired dig up some info on a car called the "F-bomb"

it is a F body (duh) camaro with two turbos pushing over 1500 horsepower

that is over fifteenhundred horsepower

there is a miposter version of that car in the new F&F movie popping wheelies on the dirt

as for your carb question

i would say give each turbo its own intercooler and then feed the cooled air into a single carb

(so basically set it up as if you have 2 4 bangers)

[Ron L]

Here's what I did, but instead of the EFI plenum you could make it higher to put on top of the carbs.

[george 53]

20, Now THAT'S a magik question. I've asked that myself at least 3 times an I've NEVER gotten an answer. If the guys who can build their own know how, they AIN"t sharein it.It's the ONLY question I've asked that I've never gotten an acceptable answer to. I'm told the same things you'll be told, "Go look at some pictures" I DON'T want to know what they LOOK like, I would LIKE to know HOW TO MAKE THEM! But, those that do know WON'T share that info, must be ona need ta know basis or I'm just not in the clique. Either way, I'd still like to know,so I'll be watchin to see IF ANYONE will share the secret with us. Just don't bet on it! Yeesh, they're only models,it's not like they're givin away state secrets. Oh, there is a guy in Oz who does cast some real nice ones,about 3 different sizes,depending on how much power ya wanna make, but it IS mail order,an I'd like to know how to MAKE them. Just like you. 20, try www.thepartsbox.com he's the guy from Oz who runs his own website,an he's got them,they look real nice too!

Edited August 18, 2009 by george 53

[george 53]

See 20, wad i tell ya? NOBODY KNOWS! It must be a Masonic kinda thing,if you ain't in the clique, they'll NEVER tell ya! or if they do, they'll hafta cut off your head an throw ya in the nearest river! Whats the big deal,yeeesh!

[diymirage]

See 20, wad i tell ya? NOBODY KNOWS! It must be a Masonic kinda thing,if you ain't in the clique, they'll NEVER tell ya! or if they do, they'll hafta cut off your head an throw ya in the nearest river! Whats the big deal,yeeesh!

george im gonna just go ahead and freaking build me a turbo

(ill slap it on my VW bug) and i will take pictures

and i will post them and tell you how to do it

and then there will be no more crying ok ?

(im leaving for iowa first thing in the morning and i dont have the engine yet so dont expect them overnight but ill take care of it)

[20PSI]

Wow I never expected that much help from you but man, Thanks you alot!

[george 53]

THANK YOU Eelco, that would be VERY appericiated, and if I can EVER help you out,please don't hesitate to ask!

[diymirage]

THANK YOU Eelco, that would be VERY appericiated, and if I can EVER help you out,please don't hesitate to ask!

not a problem

i think i could use a turbo on my bug anyway

seeing how it is going to be competing with the big triton V8 and possible V10 diesels

[RodneyBad]

Here's what I did, but instead of the EFI plenum you could make it higher to put on top of the carbs.

Twin Turbo'd Mopar.

I love it.

Turbos look great.

Scratch built intake? Looks good.

Any more pics of the build????

or Car?

I did once see a tutorial of how to build turbos once.

I think it was in On the workbench tho and they were 1:1 awesome..

[george 53]

THANK YOU Mike, I'm gettin a basic idea of how it goes now! I sure do got me some Aluminum toobing an coated wire, so I'll hafta give it a shot! Eelco I'd sure like to see how you do yours,caz to me, ANY help is appericiated!

[ProStr33t]

Wondervalll i will now proceed to turn my S 281 into a T281 saleen

[Foxer]

Just as a note, Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland has a turbo in his recent catalog. Said to be a scale 6" diameter.. a pretty big one. There's was a post in the last day or two here with Norm's latest listing in it. I haven't seen it, but you KNOW it's a good one!

[Ron L]

Any more pics of the build????

or Car?

http://public.fotki.com/lauron/rons/scale-...uth_roadrunner/

Yea the intake and exhaust is all scratchbuilt. All I did was look around the internet for pictures and built them out of what I had on hand. The turbos are resin and I've got hundreds of them in different sizes because I made my own molds. Also don't bother ordering resin turbos overseas, it'll cost less buying a kit that's already turbocharged. I collected my different turbos by searching "turbo" on ebay model cars; most of those models are not very high-demand and can be had cheap. One of the old Camaro kits has a twin turbo setup but it doesn't say on the box, I forgot who makes it though.

[george 53]

Ron, the old Monogram 69 Camaro(the beige one) hag a twin turbo set up, an that's where I got my first set, but even in 24th scale they look too small. The Parts Box, down in OZ makes a coupla different sizes, but if I'm gonna order them, I'd probly go with the ones from Rep.& Miniatures from Norm Vebber. The postage alone would be worth it, plus I've gotten stuff from him before,an his work is impecable!!!

[Ron L]

Ron, the old Monogram 69 Camaro(the beige one) hag a twin turbo set up, an that's where I got my first set, but even in 24th scale they look too small.

That's what I used on the Road Runner I posted. They're small but look OK for a twin setup. For a single you'd most likely have to get something from 1/24 scale. edit - oh the Camaro is already 1/24? Those are tiny turbos then.

It's sort of hard to see here but this turbo is cast from a 1/24 Tamiya race car. I bought it as a parts box for a few bucks since I just wanted the turbo. It didn't even have a body so I'm not sure what car it was. The compressor half is a nice hefty piece with detailed bolts and ribs, and with the Vortech gearbox in the Saleen kit it makes a very nice centrifugal supercharger.

For intercoolers I made a mold from a radiator out of one of my kits. The cast radiators are cut to size, the cores arranged for the application, and square styrene is used for the header tanks. Tubing is 2.5mm aluminum bonsai wire and the couplers are thin-wall high shrink ratio heat shrink tubing, not the cheap thick stuff you get at the local Autozone or RAdioshack. "Clamps" are BMF and the clamp screw is just a piece of wire glued onto the BMF.

Edited August 23, 2009 by Ron L

[diymirage]

i got the engine in the mail today so ill be starting to build the engine here pretty quickly

i found some very nice drawings on the line so i thought i would share them here

[ProStr33t]

I have a few turbo car kits.. Have a turbo Pontiac trans am pace car kit... Dodge stealth twin turbo.... Berreta GTU turbo.... Turbo's look sorta small and they aren't as in your face as these big V8 Turbo's...

[ProStr33t]

What are you guys using for the turbo piping? I know hoe to make the headers and ect.. Know how to make the turbo.. but what are you guys using to make the down pipes and the intake pipes and etc..???

[diymirage]

What are you guys using for the turbo piping? I know hoe to make the headers and ect.. Know how to make the turbo.. but what are you guys using to make the down pipes and the intake pipes and etc..???

im using 3/32 rod for the turbo and he exhaust piping

1/8 tube for the charge pipes

(i started building mine but didnt have a chance to finish or take pictures yet)

[20PSI]

At least does it looks credible?

[ProStr33t]

im using 3/32 rod for the turbo and he exhaust piping

1/8 tube for the charge pipes

(i started building mine but didnt have a chance to finish or take pictures yet)

K, cool...

I can't seem to find either or those sizes.. went to home depot today and they didn't have any 1/8 id pipe or 3/32 id pipe