Does anyone own a Thunder Fabrications intercooler?

[RareT]

I am curious about this intercooler. Who has bought one and how did it fit, how does it perform? Any E.T. or MPH changes at the track after installing it?

Let's keep this discussion on the WWW.ThunderFabrications.com intercooler only...and maybe how it PERFORMED as compared to another intercooler.

If ya wanna talk about service...start your own damn thread!

Ed

 

[Fuzzy]

Recently installed this intercooler in the GN. Unit shipped two days after order per supplier's commitment. It comes complete with new passenger side bracket, 3" hose for up-pipe connection and 2" x 2 1/2" bump hose for compressor discharge to intercooler connection plus four hose clamps. Core is new 20 row unpainted. Tanks and sheet metal shroud are painted flat black. You need to remove the sway bar and install from the bottom up. The fit-up is very good even with fairly tight tolerances. There is between a 1/4" and 3/8" gap between the backside of the intercooler and the fan. The front shroud terminates right under intercooler air dam. The bottom elevation is about 1/2" to 1" below the stock intercooler scoop. The new passenger side bracket bolts to the same location as the stock bracket which I think is better than the DeQuick V4 which is higher and uses a water pump bolt. No new track times yet but the throttle response is better and spool-up quicker. I can't mash the pedal anymore from a stop with 235/60 street tires without broiling the tires.

 

[87ttypeV8]

rare T....
how much are you going to be paying including shipping and where do you get it from

i am wanting to upgrade my intercooler and just wondering


thanks!

 

[Low Budget]

You need to remove the sway bar and install from the bottom up.

Is this due to the shroud protruding towards the front of the car and making it too thick to fit down from the top? Doesn't the shroud come off like the stock intercooler one does? The sway bar goes back on after intercooler is in right?

 

[RareT]

FUZZY...thanks, that's the kind of info I was looking for! Do you run the stock radiator fan or a dual fan set-up? I'm running dual fans and wonder if it will clear them ok.


87TTYPEV8.......Well, the price was somewhere between $650-$680. I just went to view their site again at WWW.thunderfabrications.com and now I get a message saying I'm not "authorized to view the page"? WTF happened?

Ed

 

[turbo]

Does it clear the two braces that make a "V" in the bottom front? Some people have those on their cars. (Kirban's) There's no problem with a stock intercooler. Seems like it might.

 

[Danster]

The intercooler clears the "V" braces. It does not interfere with the stock or Dual air fans.


Dannyo

 

[Two Lane]

THUNDER FAB IC

Upgraded Stock Location Intercooler Intercooler

Core Size 12 X 15,

3” Thick Core,

2.5" inlet/outlet,

20-row core flowing twice the volume,

End-tanks powder-coated black,

Twice the cooling efficiency as stock unit,

Scoop, and required hardware included

 

[turbo]

Danster,

Thanks!

 

[BUICKTR]

IC

I know the guy that builds these IC in San Antonio. He is a good friend of mine. These are great IC if you want to run a stock location. I personally ran 11.12 at 124 mph with a TA62 and this stock location 20 row IC. I just recently step up to a PTE front mount with a PT 70 turbo. I have new goals for my car. Another friend of mine runs the same IC but with a PT52 turbo on his 89 TTA. His best has been an 11.50 at 119 mph. There are about 5 guys here in town that use these IC and they all have been very happy with them.

 

[Fuzzy]

The sway bar actually goes through a penetration in the shroud. The shroud is two pieces which can be removed individually or together. I decided to remove the bottom piece, drop the sway bar, install it from the bottom and then put the sway bar back in followed by the bottom shroud piece. I guess one could take the shroud off, install the intercooler from the top, and put the two shroud pieces back on one at a time. Everything becomes obvious when you see it. My V bar braces barely fit. I wallered out the holes in the braces a little to get more lateral clearance.

 

[Low Budget]

Thanks Fuzzy. Is there any rattle or vibration as a result of the sway bar going through the shroud, or is there enough clearance that this isn't a problem? I know, picky picky. I have enough with the squeaky poly bushings up front already.

 

[Fuzzy]

Plenty of clearance if swaybar is centered. The top of my swaybar is just touching the shroud at that point; no rattles or vibration though. Their web site is back up and noticed that he has a special on for $650. I paid $670 a 6 weeks ago.

 

[Low Budget]

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

 

[turbo]

The $670.00 includes shipping.

 

[jmidolo]

Some good info there. Bare metal fins, and flat black fins...does it look like cheapo Krylon type flat paint or a heat xfer paint, jet hot type coating or what?

 

[Two Lane]

IMAGINE THAT!!

Originally posted by Fuzzy




Unit shipped two days after order per supplier's commitment.

Isn't it WONDERFUL when someone's WORD actually means something?

Service is remembered long after the product is forgotten.

Why do people accept anything less...from ANY one??

 

[Two Lane]

Originally posted by jmidolo


heat xfer paint <-----Very nicely finished overall!

HTH

 

[XLR8]

I bought one in May and it was everything that I hoped for. It fit well and I installed it without removing the swaybar. The the shroud is, I believe, powder coated sheet metal. The core itself is unfinished. My most comparable times would be going from 12.8 @ 108 to 12.2 @ 115 with only the addition of the Thunderfab intercooler AND using 27x10.5 QTPs instead of 275/50 Nittos. That was a 7 MPH increase! Also, the car built boost at the line much faster than with the untouched stock 'cooler. It was also shipped and received on the day promised and comes with all mounting hardware. I would highly reccomend this unit.