If I'm going to plan to put a turbo on my slant six eventually, I'd like to do it with headers and not any kind of cast manifolds for better flow performance. I think the Buick 3.8 GN used a T-03, or maybe it was a T-04? Either way, is there any way to get 6 header tubes to come together to spin the turbo? Would they have to be 3 into 1, 3 into 1, then 2 into 1? Building them would be a lot of work, not to mention lining everything up with the turbo ending up somewhere between the steering box and battery area (battery in trunk). I'm sure it can be done, but what about joining up all the pipes?

Why not buy a split inlet turbo and go 3-1 and 3-1 then 2-turbo. With the front three supply one side of the inlet and the back three supplying the other side. Go to turbonetics website and they have a split inlet flange to weld the pipes to. You should be able to end the pipes about level with the pan rail.

just a thought.

Tom

ke4dgi@aol.com

A month or two ago I posted a message about a guy in E. Bridgewater Mass building an Intercooled turbo EFI 6 for his 39 Willy's Pick-up.

Anyway, He fabricated a 6 into 1 header from Stainless Steel tubing to mount the 3.8l buick turbo on. The header collector has a mounting flange that the turbo bolts directly too. The tubes are about the length of the street rod header tubes and the turbo winds up being just below and to the left of a stock intake manifold.

He is in the street rod fabrication business (the Williy's is his own personnel project) and I have been trying to find the time to stop at his place to take some pictures. I am quite sure he will build these if there is enough interest.

The metal fabrication work this guy does is amazing.

Dave Clement

Hot-Rod 6
dave.clement@motorola.com

From everything that I've heard headers = headaches. Unless you're building a racecar I'd stick with the manifold for a turbo. I'm going to take what I think is a fairly simple approach for my first turbo "go-a-round". It's going to be an '84-'85 Buick (T03) "hot air" turbo that mounts directly on the intake manifold. Check out <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/gnowner85/info ... fo.html</A>. (give it some time and then scroll down to the last drawing for the best view). I'll use a "U" pipe up from the stock exhaust manifold flange to the turbo, and another pipe down to the existing exhaust pipe. The throttle body (or side draft carburetor if you don't have EFI) mounts directly on the compressor input. Simple! (I hope). I can also keep all of my other "garbage" and don't even have to move the battery. Of course I realize that an intercooler would be the "trick" thing to have, but then there is always alcohol injection <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/rad87gn/tech/a ... ol.html</A>. What do you think?

Bob D



BBobbias@aol.com

Why not run straight alcohol? Would this not make the most power?

Tom

ke4dgi@aol.com

This is a street car. The injection system I'm referring to uses very little alcohol. It's only injected under boost to prevent detonation by cooling the incoming charge. Interesting GM seriously considered using this in the turbo Regals. In fact some of these cars actually had a "performance injection" light put in the dash. Never happened though.

Bob D


BBobbias@aol.com

bob it sounds good !!!! The one thing that I really like about the draw thru setup is the fact that you do not have to modify the fuel system and you do not have the carb problems once you get into higher boost. You can use a liquid to air intercooler if it is small and is mounted on the intake right above the carb flange with a small bonnet on top. I have been looking into doing this since I want about 15 lbs with the new motor.
Can't wait for see some pics!!!
keep it up!!!! THe boost that is!
andrew wagner

Andrew,

Here are a couple of pictures of the "mock-up" of my "hot air" set-up that I described earlier in this thread. <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/bbbobbias/Turb ... up.html</A>

Bob D



BBobbias@aol.com

Bob the one thing that the slant six hass in this set up is the amount of room on the driver side for the exhaust, You would not have to go over top the of the intake completly. Just stay level with it. I am going to draw a pic and post it today. Tell me what you think!

andrew wagner

What do you think ?
andrew wagner

Interesting Andrew, and thanks for the suggestion. Is there a water-cooled intercooler available that would work in that location or would it have to be fabricated? Do you have an estimate of how much space would be needed above the existing intake, and also how thick the intercooler is by itself? I'm not familiar with water-cooled intercoolers. I assume that they use the engine coolant. Is that correct?
It would seem like a good approach might be to build the intercooler right into the intake manifold plenum! Hey, maybe we have a new product for you here!

Bob D



BBobbias@aol.com

I think it would have to be made and a trans cooler and a small pump to move the water. the space above the intake? I will have to take some measurments.

andrew wagner

What about using the Clifford water-heated intake and running cooling water through it? Or, they have a water jacket 4bbl carb plate that mounts on top of the 4bbl intake.

Keep it blowin',

Lou

madsenl@its.caltech.edu

The intercooler setup looks like stuff that Gale Banks was using in the '70s on his big block boat motors. You could also try using just alcohol injection. It would be a simplier setup.


klesteb@aol.com

I had Big Red (see user profiles) in the local ISCA show this weekend and took the time to examine some of the turbo/supercharging setups as this is the direction I'm currently exploring. Many were sporting Vortech systems and I was impressed by the tidiness and flexibility of their air/water aftercoolers (see URL). The website has good pictures which can serve to trigger your creativity. These after coolers can be used for either turbo or supercharger applications.
As far as the show went, Big Red was as popular as ever (in our 7 car Mopar muscle display) and of course, the only SL6 around!

Vortech's website
ahtoews@shaw.ca