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small block chevy turbo any good.

4K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  Studebaker 
#1 ·
Hi guys I got a chance to pick up this sbc 350 and I do not know much about turbo on them. I would want to use it in a 1970 or older car. What are the pros and cons. Add reads ( Freshly Built SBC Turbo Engine All Internals r new along with bolts studs and ext.. the Turbo set up is a Martin with no shaft play in the turbo comes with all u need brand new MSD distributor MSD boost timing controller and MSD ignition Box all u need is the coil blaster and a carb and u ready to rock exhaust manifolds and pipe come with produce 8 to 10 PSI )
 

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#4 ·
it has a mechanical fuel pump? weird aluminum manifold? Im guessing its cheap? you get what you pay for,

if you have no experience with turbos and or high performance engines then it will cost you more than someone else. Help costs money.
a 1000 hp street able twin turbo setup is going to cost 25k (cheaper if you can do it yourself)
then you need a car to bolt all this power into it.

what are you working with?
 
#8 ·
its a draw through, the carb mounts in "near" the stock location. It could be made to "work" but leaves a LOT to be desired.for a low rpm E85 street build it might be okay, for anything more I'd follow the more "traditional" methods of flipped shorty headers and a blow through carb- or better yet EFI.
 
#10 ·
If you wanted to play with forced induction for the first tine, to wet the feet. Get a dual overhead cam 5 speed Saturn, focus, civic, neon, etc and install a ebay kit. For about $300 you get everything and weld the turbo flange to the base of the factory header. You can keep it simple , or get intelligent fast.

My brothers Saturn 1.9 twin cam was $1000 has a close ratio trans to help keep in boost, and the engine block is griddled.

Replacement parts are cheap.

There is very little to break.

Very Much Fun.
 
#11 ·
Well let's not get to hasty here, if its cheap, real cheap, and comes with turbo's, and you know your going to spend some money it might not be to bad. If you dissamble and find forged internals in good shape, a couple decent turbos's you can always switch intakes and go blow through.
How much?
 
#16 · (Edited)
Turbocharger design

The Martin / Roto-master you have pictured is a draw through system, very simple. But yes, they did not work as well as a blow through Carburator or a blow through EFI. The Martin designed draw through set-ups are from the late 70's and early 80's. They do work and they are simple. That being said, they did OK for the technology of the day. Cold climate drivability suffers and they do not respond well to radical cams with long duration, The key with a draw through is a mild camshaft with wide LSA and not much duration. Need near a stock designed cam with 112 or 114 LSA. If you can get it complete for a reasonable price it is definetly worth it. Buick used the draw through on their early 78-80 231 V6 turbo regal coupes before going to EFI. . . Good luck on you project.
 
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