Best Bang for the Buck for Your Turbo Regal....A Poll

[buickturboman]

Slicks Is my opinion. I had drag radials and best 60 foot times was 1.9 since I was not hooking up. I used Blue Gas at 21-22 lbs fuel pressure and ran 12.1 2 passes. With Slicks, well figure I would have gained 03 to have been 11.7's I guess. 5 gal of race gas and swapping o2 sensor was a cheap way to run all out without fear of detonation than to drop about $550 for an Alky system. I want to get one for sure once I get a stalling problem fixed I am having. I obviously did a few other mods but like a previous posting said, if you ain't hooking up then the extra HP isn't helping. I had BF Goodrich Drag radials at around 6 lbs of boost (I think since it has been quite a few yrs ago) and lowered tire pressure with air bags set right and the home video on a few runs shown I wasn't hooking, more like ass end going a bit sideways so slicks baby!!

 

[turbo39151]

Quick6'n'-K.C.: I think you have taken my post out of context. I am in no way pointing fingers or being unfriendly. That is the last thing I'd want to do.
If it was read as an attack or insult please accept my apology. I'm not an expert nor do I claim to be. In fact you have helped me out of a few jams in the past right here on this board...

The question presented in the poll was asking for a friendly discussion premised on my past experiences, hence my opinion.

Well, it is my opinion that there are a lot of TR racers. Is it a fact? I don't know. It just seems like that to me. So my opinion stems from that observation. I have never gone down the track as I cannot afford to break things. Besides, it never seemed to me to be a true measure of what the car can do on the street- a car that is race prepped may be running slicks with low air pressure, race fuel, and higher boost. These are not the average conditions or set-ups for a street car. Thus, if "challenged" at a stop light, a street driven car probably will not have race fuel or slicks. Therefore, those items are irrelevant to me. (On the track it's a different story)

Secondly, basic mods were posted in the beginning of the thread and Valve springs and injectors were a poll option. I merely added that a timing chain would be a good idea as My stocker was stretched and causing issues and when I replaced both the springs and t-chain the car came alive. That is why those were my bang for the buck selections.

Additionally, I realize that many people have probably done the valve springs and t-chain so I added that alky was the other item that realy helped my car come to life. And it didn't cost an arm and a leg.

My comment about people slapping on a big FMIC and upping the boost comes from my dealings with some turbo car owners who had that very mentality. Sure they were significantly quicker but at what cost?

You stated that you disagreed with most of what I said in the post. Do you really disagree that a strong foundation is essential to making RELIABLE power? It seems to me that you're taking a big chance not addressing ALL the basics (including the valve springs and t-chain) before really cranking the boost and hitting the track.

Again, I'm not trying to be a smart a$$ I just want to see where you're coming from.

I hope that this post clarified my previous position. It was not intended to flame...

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

I have too much going on now, i will post tomorrow.


BW

 

[Razor]

I have a bias, my own personal opinion is actually 3 not two.

Tires are number 1. While slicks are great for the track.. they dont do much for a street car. A set of sticky drag radials gets the job done.. like the Mickey Thompson, Goodyear, etc.

Alcohol Injection will allow higher boost on the same gas. Making it an instant power adder using what resources you have available. And it works with race gas.. turning that stock IC or small turbo heat issues.. into a non-issue.

A chip made to match your combination and boost being run is 3. Without proper tuning.. cant ever reach the engines goals.

If the above were strickly a street car.. I would say alcohol and chip. As drag radials and slicks dont work in the rain. And from a 55 mph roll.. tires dont play as much a role on a mild combo.

 

[Jerryl]

The goal is a quicker ET. You caught me in a clear case of prejudice....:redface:....I was thinking Intercooled, and I added that caveat. Thanks for pointing that out

Notes in your posts about necessary suspension modifications would be helpful to new owners too.

Ok, here is what I think ............. :biggrin:
Let me explain my understanding of the post.
"Quicker = less time" as opposed to "faster = MPH".

If the goal is "Quicker ET's", and, it is a HA, the IC is out.
For a HA, one of the main limiting factors is the stock turbo. Sure you can crank the boost, but if you can not push more "gr/sec", it won’t be as effective.
The Alky system is an awesome upgrade, but, I can only select 2 options :tongue: (For increased boost I can run racegas)

With a goal of "Quicker ET's", based on the max of 2 of the listed options, I would therefore suggest the following for a HA:
1. Turbo/chip/injectors
2. Tires

Edit:
Guess I needed to re-think.
"Quicker" as compared to ???? stock?

 

[RatFink]

All of the choices are great and work well. For me the cheapest, quickest in and out of the shop mod and the most effective mod was what I did when I first started messing with the car in 1991-92. Had the local muffler shop cut a hole in the stock downpipe about 2 and half or so ft. from the turbine housing, about right at the point it turned. $20 bucks, the muffler shop guy's dad had a GN and I went to high school him with did it for $20!! Ok, so today most people would rip you for about $60 for the same mod. But for the money I said damn, hey I got some race gas and went from 13.40 to 12.90. EL CHEAPO!:smile:

 

[Jerryl]

TTT
Good thread.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

they should open the poll again

 

[t-typex1]

they should open the poll again

X2, I dont know why I didnt see it when it was active

 

[BlackBandit]

You didn't see it when it was active because it closed over a year ago.