All I want and can afford is around 600rwhp. With that being said I don't want a supercharger upgrade. If I change it up I'm going single turbo with FF turbo headers. I've been thru looking up the tvs blower or the cheaper route and doing nitrous but when I really think about it I've always wanted a single turbo on a modular. I have been wanting a turbo on my 2v from day 1 but wanted a better platform to do it but now that I have a low milage 03 cobra I fell I may hurt the value of the car or tear it up ripping the blower off and swapping the cobra/mach intake and parts. Or down the road regret not keeping the car as stock a possibly besides boltons. Is there still a decent market for selling the eaton swap? I would need to sell the swap to have enought money to pay for all the extras the turbo kit needs plus the cobra/ mach intake,alternator and timing cover. I'm at 480rwhp and 530rwtq with a ported eaton now is going for just 600rwhp worth the hassle for the swap and the money? I also would do a twin disc clutch, input shaft, boost a pump, larger maf also 60lb injectors. I feel even at the lower power range due to not have a better fuel system so I can afford the turbo it would still be a fun street car but is it worth the time hassel and money for only 120 or more rwhp? Let me know what you all think.
Is it worth going turbo if my goals are only 600rwhp??
- Thread starter Esimmons81
- Start date
Uhm.. no. Why don't you buy a used blower and slap that on. You can sell it down the road for almost no money lost if you decide you want to spend the money on a turbo. Based on what you said it is pointless to go turbo.
Before saying you don't want to do a blower swap, try it, it's a straight forward swap and you can run it while your trying to save up the rest of the money for the turbo. But my bet is if you only want 600 out of it, you won't want to spend the extra money to have the same amount of power. You'll either change your mind or want more power and decide to go turbo.
It will be a hell of a lot cheaper, be a blast, and you have nothing to lose.
Just acquiring all the Mach 1 parts your gonna spend around 500-600.
You can get a 2.3 for like 2000-2300. It's your money, but try a blower swap first!!
Before saying you don't want to do a blower swap, try it, it's a straight forward swap and you can run it while your trying to save up the rest of the money for the turbo. But my bet is if you only want 600 out of it, you won't want to spend the extra money to have the same amount of power. You'll either change your mind or want more power and decide to go turbo.
It will be a hell of a lot cheaper, be a blast, and you have nothing to lose.
Just acquiring all the Mach 1 parts your gonna spend around 500-600.
You can get a 2.3 for like 2000-2300. It's your money, but try a blower swap first!!
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Your first problem "all I want and can afford is 600rwhp". Unless you want to spend big bucks stick with a supercharger. I know this because I am just finishing up a single turbo build on my 03 cobra. It has been a royal pain in the ass and at least twice as expensive as I expected and I'm only planning to run it around 650 - 700 rwhp. If I could go back I would have slapped a TVS on it and been done months and months ago. That being said, I am sure I'll think it's worth it when its done. But if cost is an issue, don't go down this road.
TVS is your best bet with what you said. Turbo is great and I prefer it but it will cost significantly more to do RIGHT. Most turbo cobras that go up for sale are hacked together crap that someone got in over their head on because they wanted to spend 4k and make 900rwhp. It would be about twice the cost to go turbo. There is much more "potential" and it's easier on the motor but for what you want I wouldn't bother. Plus, this website has a large number of "purists" who demand that the car has a PD blower and a 6 speed otherwise it sucks and isn't worth anything. However, don't spend money on mods thinking about return because you won't ever get back what you put in mods into a Cobra. The only cars demanding big bucks right now are stock incredibly low mile cars for whatever reason.
FWIW, a buddy of mine bought a used Whipple 2.3, 60lb injectors, and a Fore hat with GT pumps. He's around 580-590rwhp at 14psi. I'd stick with the blower route.
Go the nitrous route....it's the cheapest of the options you listed. Yes you will have to get a MAF, upgraded pumps or BAP and injectors and a tune but you will have to get all that either way you go. A good nitrous kit can be had for less than $1000. You go twin screw or TVS and you're talking $2500 on top of the upgrades to MAF, pumps and injectors.
I ran nitrous for a short time and loved it. I just wanted the power to be there all the time....I have no regrets going with a 2.9L Whipple but I was also in a position to throw all the good parts at it and have WAY more power than I will ever need.
Jr.
I ran nitrous for a short time and loved it. I just wanted the power to be there all the time....I have no regrets going with a 2.9L Whipple but I was also in a position to throw all the good parts at it and have WAY more power than I will ever need.
Jr.
This isn't even a question. Take a turbo build estimate, and multiply it by 2.. thats how much it will actually cost. You can be well over 600 with a TVS.. just go that route.
Until you factor in the bottle refills. Out here it's $40-$60 to fill a 10lb bottle. And it seems like my buddy is always having to fill his bottle. I'd rather spend a little more up front and have the power there all the time.
Yea if I could find a good used tvs for lil over 2k that would definitely be a option! Do you guys prefer the vmp over the whipple or is pretty much the same? What about if I find a 2.9 whipple and just run lower boost? I do have built motor.
I prefer the whipple over the tvs just based on looks, but either are good blowers
The TVS is a much more efficient at your intended power levels with less strain on the crank snout as well.
Youre better off spinning a blower up towards the upper rpm limit than spinning a big blower slowly so for 600rwhp get a 2.3
and to your original question the answer is a huge NOOOOOO---not worth the money or the time
Just because you see On3 turbo kits for crackhead pricing, does not mean it is a good idea if that is what you are looking at.
Like others said. You said you can only afford 600rwhp (whatever that means) it is probably not a good idea to consider a turbo. It will cost more then what you think to do it CORRECTLY. Key word is correctly. You will see a few guys saying they did a kit for $2000 and "everything is fine" The truth is, they are lying.
Then you have to factor in all of the supporting mods on top of it. Put a TVS on it or save your $$$.
How much money were you estimating for you to go turbo?
Like others said. You said you can only afford 600rwhp (whatever that means) it is probably not a good idea to consider a turbo. It will cost more then what you think to do it CORRECTLY. Key word is correctly. You will see a few guys saying they did a kit for $2000 and "everything is fine" The truth is, they are lying.
Then you have to factor in all of the supporting mods on top of it. Put a TVS on it or save your $$$.
How much money were you estimating for you to go turbo?
I was estimating 4k for the kit with the turbo headers ceramic coated then another thousands in the k member and suspension parts. So 5k just for the turbo stuff. I was going to aquire parts over time and maybe have it done in the next year and half to 2 years. Then I also was going to factor in another 1,500$ for the clutch and input shaft. So I was thinking 6500$ in about 2 years. After reading all the good posts I truly feel I need to find a used blower and have it done over the winter. Plus save a ton of money and have it done alot quicker. Nitrous would be really fun but there is more to the nitrous then u want to deal with like bottle temps,remote opener, purge ect. I want to tune the car on 93 octane and just have to fill up and drive it. Spending a lil more on the 2.3 over the nitrous I feel is worth it.
Also the price of the intake, valve cover, alternator and brackets to do the turbo prob cost close to 600$ plus a 500$ tune. So Yea after adding it up I would need 7600$ and that's before having any problems. I definitely appreciate now more than ever when I see a nice put together turbo build... geesh. I can see how to do it right and make good power you need 10k for a turbo swap.
An average price for a stock longblock turbo kit with decent parts doing the work yourself is around 12k all in. If you pay someone 15k+. A TVS setup is slightly more than half that cost.
Exactly our points. You are estimating $7600. It will cost more then that. I would budget atleast $10k-12k. What kit are you looking at and what turbo?
What about fuel system parts, MAF, and boost controller?
Ive been planning a twin turbo build that past couple weeks. Shooting for 1000 whp max and street driven around 600ish. Im at $8300 piecing together QUALITY parts. Thats for the tubos, wastegates, BOV, MM full front suspension, hot and cold side , MAF oil relocation, treadsone intercooler, gas tank, triple fuel hat, iD1000 (i know i need bigger) 3 fuel pumps and FPR. I know theres plenty more need but I just wanted to give you an idea. And this is buying NEW PARTS. I have a stock mach with a forged motor so to go turbo for me its worth it. If i had a Termi Id prolly just get a bigger blower!
I just finished helping my buddy do twins on his cobra, granted it makes more then double your goal I can tell you a few things.
A. At 600 rwhp why go turbo?
B. We took his 2.3 whipple off making 752
C. Do you have the skill to do a turbo install yourself? I can tell you it sucks. A lot.
A. At 600 rwhp why go turbo?
B. We took his 2.3 whipple off making 752
C. Do you have the skill to do a turbo install yourself? I can tell you it sucks. A lot.
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