The REAL cost of Forced Induction -- NOT for the faint of heart

[Fastbird]

Admittedly, this is an all out build, but I just want to show how quickly this stuff can add up. If you'll notice, items on this sheet date back to 2005, as that's when I initially started mapping out and creating the build that's finally moving towards it's end. I'm not rich by any means, hence why it took so damn long to get as far as I have. Anywho......just have a look and notice how fast it added up, and realize that I've got another pretty hefty amount to invest still (at least $3K).

Anywho, here's where I'm at and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i177/Fastbird93/Purple%20Car/PurpleList.jpg

[unfaded]

ouch that shortblock dinged you good. im scared to add up my bill.

[Fastbird]

That $9k was the short and rotating assembly and a whole host ot other stuff too. It wasn't just the shortblock and assembly. Other included stuff was the ATI Superdampner, Fast Track XFI harness, Morel Lifters, copper head gaskets, o-ringing of the block, oil pump, Milodon Pan, ect.

[popo8]

Yours is much more extensive, but I feel ya man!

[dsmawd350]

Yours is much more extensive, but I feel ya man!

No his is called done right. sure you can get it done cheaper but they have a saying. cheap, reliable, and fast. you can only have 2

my build is up around the exact area $ wise

[AChotrod]

Ouch.... I dont want to know how much Ive spent but its up there.

[KissMyWhtSS]

You can't call all of that forced induction though. EGR/Airblockoff's went on my Header Install Spread Sheet.

Only things I'd consider "forced induction" is the lower end (forged internals, low compression pistons, etc.) and anything related to the forced induction (tubro, bov, downpipe, intercooler, alcohol injection, etc.)

[RealQuick]

I had ~20k into my project (turbo 383ci 95z28) before I sold it due to divorce.

[Z28pr0jekt]

My budget build is somewhere around 15,000

[1toofastlt1]

wow. im real basic. my engine is all stock so im only about $2500-$3000

[Fastbird]

You can't call all of that forced induction though. EGR/Airblockoff's went on my Header Install Spread Sheet.

Only things I'd consider "forced induction" is the lower end (forged internals, low compression pistons, etc.) and anything related to the forced induction (tubro, bov, downpipe, intercooler, alcohol injection, etc.)

But if you don't have those things and it's part of the build. Nuff said.

Wife knows, is aware, and lets me be thankfully. She also knows that last year alone over 10K went into the Vette and another 5K into the Celica.

[popo8]

No his is called done right. sure you can get it done cheaper but they have a saying. cheap, reliable, and fast. you can only have 2

my build is up around the exact area $ wise


Cool, so with that "no" as a response to my comment are you saying mine is not right?

[BLK95-Z]

Jeez...thats alot. You could be driving around a z06. I just started on mine and Im keepin track. $2900 so far lol

I got lucky I bought my car from a stupid rich kid, he had about $11k in it. He missed a gear spun a bearing and said the hell with it. Best 2 grand I ever spent.

[KissMyWhtSS]

But if you don't have those things and it's part of the build. Nuff said.
Sure... but once you get that kind of mentality then you can say... "for the blow off valve i need the turbo for which i need the forged 383 for which i need the car for which i need the garage for which i need the house for which I need a family."

Your $200 BOV just costed you $400k.

I guess I like to see upgrades in small packages rather than look at the overall cost of the car, which seems to be what your spreadsheet is. Which would lead me to my next question, why isn't your car added to that.

FWIW, I've spent 10% of that in modifications and maintenance to my car, and my car is practically stock. This isn't counting any registration/renewal or gas costs. I also probably lost a few receipts along the way.



I hear what you mean though... The average consumer probably thinks... "$3.5k for a D1SC... not bad" *order* then they pay for installation, then the engine goes out, etc. etc.

[Fastbird]

Jeez...thats alot. You could be driving around a z06.

Does a 760 RWHP TT C5 Vette work?? :D


Sure... but once you get that kind of mentality then you can say... "for the blow off valve i need the turbo for which i need the forged 383 for which i need the car for which i need the garage for which i need the house for which I need a family."

Your $200 BOV just costed you $400k.

I guess I like to see upgrades in small packages rather than look at the overall cost of the car, which seems to be what your spreadsheet is. Which would lead me to my next question, why isn't your car added to that.

FWIW, I've spent 10% of that in modifications and maintenance to my car, and my car is practically stock. This isn't counting any registration/renewal or gas costs. I also probably lost a few receipts along the way.



I hear what you mean though... The average consumer probably thinks... "$3.5k for a D1SC... not bad" *order* then they pay for installation, then the engine goes out, etc. etc.

And I see what you're saying. But take it like this too: I was running ASM emissions headers o the car, so everything was hooked up. I NEEDED the block off plates because the turbo kit doesn't have provisions for the EGR/AIR. Thus, they were a necessary cost in the build. If I had done them at some other point, they woudn't be listed. I never said it was an all inclusive list, but a real world cost for myself, ymmv. I could have gotten by without a LOT of the stuff on the list, but this was a carefully planned and meticulously executed build that is attempting to take into account all facets possible.

[BLK95-Z]

Does a 760 RWHP TT C5 Vette work?? :D

even better lol damn dude

[KissMyWhtSS]

And I see what you're saying. But take it like this too: I was running ASM emissions headers o the car, so everything was hooked up. I NEEDED the block off plates because the turbo kit doesn't have provisions for the EGR/AIR. Thus, they were a necessary cost in the build. If I had done them at some other point, they woudn't be listed. I never said it was an all inclusive list, but a real world cost for myself, ymmv. I could have gotten by without a LOT of the stuff on the list, but this was a carefully planned and meticulously executed build that is attempting to take into account all facets possible.
Fair enough. I just found that (emission blockoffs) as one of the easiest things to consider non "force induction" dependent, but if they were required when switching from your previous exhaust setup to your turbo headers they should be factored in.

The way I mod is with a set goal... though that goal may change some I have a good idea where I'm going. For example. Few bolt-ons --> Full Exhaust / Intake --> Heads/Cam Swap --> Built bottom end --> etc.

Luckily for me, school is expensive so I haven't invested too much into my car. Part of me is unsure if I should as I'm not really sure if I want to keep it for a LONG time or if I'll end up buying something new once I graduate.

[Fastbird]

Admittedly this is pretty much an all at once build. The Strange 12 bolt is about the only part that has already been on the car, but it was bought with intent for the build and just happened upon at the right time for the right price. This could have easily been broken up into stages, being the Turbo part, then the shortblock, then the nice valvetrain/heads, ect, but I find it more gratifying to do it all at once.

[Jay_rich]

Built motor used-2500 (rebuild after 2 years 1000)
Turbo-400
BOV-100
synapse wastegate-120
hot/cold/header piping-400
V-bands-100
snow performance meth kit-220
turbo cam-350
AFR 190s ported-1200
turbo blanket-175
Megasquirt-350
custom 3in driveshft 550
9inch rear-2000
Built TH400-600
Convertor-700
single plane-350
fasy 4bb throttle body-600
extreme velocity hat-190
60# inj-300
fuel rails-100
twin 255 pumps-250
mallory 685-175
summit stars 15x10,15x3.-550
165r front tires-200
275/50 MT et radials-200
Cage-250
griffin rad-250
darale 4000cfm fans-300
SCE head gaskets-100
random gaskets-100

sorry for the shit layout i was just doing a quick reply hahah

I would add around an addition 1000 for all the other stuff i did/need welder paint, fittings, etc

Jay

[black hawk]

i guess if your building a race car it will cost an arm and a leg... dang, my leg is just now starting to grow back! and it's my weekend worrier/DD

[DopdBrd]

I don't even want to add up the money I have into my car. Luckily I bought it already modified. I had a stock Formula and planned a LE2 kit but then sold it and bought the current Formula that already had all that on it. That was nice because I only spent an extra 1400 on swapping cars and got a LE2 motor with all the supporting mods. I always like to keep a stash hidden away for when great deals come along. Hell, I have right around 2000 tied up in my 383. Sold my LE2 setup and bought the basic 383 for a killer deal.

Even with that being said, I'm almost positive I have around 20K if not more tied up in my car. But that includes the cost of the car itself.

Don't ever let anyone tell you being fast is cheap LOL

[skinnies]

Don't ever let anyone tell you being fast is cheap LOLIt can be cheap, just have to know how to do it. Is $6500 for a car that runs 9's cheap enough? Or how about $4500 for one that runs 10.2's. Not just a single pass either, been taking a beating for a year. I got very little into my firebird also, I could easily put it into the 10's for less than $2k with a nitrous setup again. Again, not talking about a wonder one time pass, I'm talking about something you can take out and race for a season without doing anything.

I've spent lots of money going fast before, then got smarter about it and found ways to go fast for a lot cheaper. Anything we can build ourselves we do and I buy as little as I can new. :devil:

[CALL911]

I stopped keeping an accurate account of how much I have dumped into my Z28 LTX in my sig after about $65,000

Keep in mind that I am including previous work done on the factory LT1, then the N/A 383 setup, then also the 383 FI build.

It really does add up.

There are plenty that can do it for cheep, but 99% of the time, reliability goes out the window at that point. For me, if I am going to go through the trouble of spending thousands, and go through the pain, blood, sweat, and tears it takes to get an FI car together and run properly, you'd better bet I am going to only go through it once and build it so I know it will be reliable. No way would I build something and save $8,000 just to have it run until it needs its first oil change and then go "boom" and have to start the whole process over again, usually cositng me even more to rebuild it, than it would have if you just build it right the first time.

It costs money to go the FI route. Thats why you don't see very many FI guys running around. It's not because they don't want the power. It's because they usually can't afford it.

"First you get the money, then you get the power"
http://i43.tinypic.com/11hh3s5.jpg

("then you get the women")

[popo8]

I stopped keeping an accurate account of how much I have dumped into my Z28 LTX in my sig after about $65,000

Keep in mind that I am including previous work done on the factory LT1, then the N/A 383 setup, then also the 383 FI build.

It really does add up.

There are plenty that can do it for cheep, but 99% of the time, reliability goes out the window at that point. For me, if I am going to go through the trouble of spending thousands, and go through the pain, blood, sweat, and tears it takes to get an FI car together and run properly, you'd better bet I am going to only go through it once and build it so I know it will be reliable. No way would I build something and save $8,000 just to have it run until it needs its first oil change and then go "boom" and have to start the whole process over again, usually cositng me even more to rebuild it, than it would have if you just build it right the first time.

It costs money to go the FI route. Thats why you don't see very many FI guys running around. It's not because they don't want the power. It's because they usually can't afford it.

"First you get the money, then you get the power"
http://i43.tinypic.com/11hh3s5.jpg

("then you get the women")


Well said, I DID the TRY TO DO IT CHEAP ROUTE, and ERIC PARISH taught me one hell of a lesson!!!!

[dsmawd350]

HOLY SHIT 65K on lt1 z28! do you ever think you could probably own a new ZR1 right now?:drool:

[SGT_WRIGHT]

I agree with the thread. A buddy of mine has a Silverado, and has spent upwards of $80K (including cost of the vehicle) with heads, cams, different suspension parts, single turbo, and now twin turbos...Yea it adds up quick.

My NA setup, with repairs to broken and worn parts and sensors, as well as cost of the vehicle with performance parts has brought me close to $20K.

[CALL911]

HOLY SHIT 65K on lt1 z28! do you ever think you could probably own a new ZR1 right now?:drool:

First off, I didn't just have $65,000 sitting in an account and decided to spend it all at once. Like Fastbird, it was spent over a period of time that lasted over a decade, and just kept adding up to where it is now.

Second, there was a time when I was around the $45,000 mark that I would have easily traded the car for just the money I had in it. But after time I realized what sentamental value the car had on me. It was the first car I ever bought, the frist stick I learned to drive, it became known as "CALL911" very early on and later identified who I was as a person (sounds wierd, but it has). I wouldn't trade my old LT1 for anything! :D ESPECIALLY a ZR1!!

There are plenty of other cars out there I would like to have, and many of them would turn more heads and in some cases even be faster than my Z. But I really don't look at my investment as something that was foolishly spent, or something I could trade as if it were part of the stock market.

I'll be rockin' out my LTX Z28 till the day I die! :devil:

[The SRZ]

Ben aka CALL911 is telling the truth. I've got a 6" thick binder w/ every reciept since inception dating back to 97. I'm close to 100K including the cost of the car (paid 12K for it back then. 13 yrs in the making and I too had multiple engines, 355, ground up 396 and now the 388 from the ground up. Engine, fuel system, ECU and blower/IC system set me back 30K easy. Funny thing about all of this is, I've still got a stk rear! LOL! It's the only thing stk but when it goes a 12 bolt will go in. Like CALL911, the car will go to the grave w/ me as I've got too much blood, sweat, tears and foul words in it. I'm still not done but eventually the car will be complete and god knows how much more money that'll cost me in the end, but knowing me...a good 20K. It takes years if not a decade or two to build what you see out there.

Now if I can just find me a nice C5 Z. :hmm:

[Fastbird]

Silas, you should be able to find a C5Z EASILY anymore. I've seen a lot of examples going for at or below $20K anymore.

[The SRZ]

Silas, you should be able to find a C5Z EASILY anymore. I've seen a lot of examples going for at or below $20K anymore.

Sean...yeah, I know. I'm looking at a 99 white FRC right now w/ CCW's going for 15.5K. 117K miles w/ exhaust but basically bone stock. GAWD, it's so tempting!

[RatedZ]

First off, I didn't just have $65,000 sitting in an account and decided to spend it all at once. Like Fastbird, it was spent over a period of time that lasted over a decade, and just kept adding up to where it is now.

Second, there was a time when I was around the $45,000 mark that I would have easily traded the car for just the money I had in it. But after time I realized what sentamental value the car had on me. It was the first car I ever bought, the frist stick I learned to drive, it became known as "CALL911" very early on and later identified who I was as a person (sounds wierd, but it has). I wouldn't trade my old LT1 for anything! :D ESPECIALLY a ZR1!!

There are plenty of other cars out there I would like to have, and many of them would turn more heads and in some cases even be faster than my Z. But I really don't look at my investment as something that was foolishly spent, or something I could trade as if it were part of the stock market.

I'll be rockin' out my LTX Z28 till the day I die! :devil:

I've owned my 1994 B4C since 1996. I probably have about $45,000 tied up in mine, too, and it's a pile of shit with nothing but problems, but I can't get rid of it due to sentimental value. Not to mention, after putting up with so much shit with this car, I still question every day whether to carry on, or toss in the towel and sell it for the $3500 I'd probably get for it.

Honestly, if this car didn't have any sentimental value to me, I would have ditched it a long time ago. I'm not so much sick of the car as I am the idiots who aren't competent to work on an LT1 for some reason. NOBODY seems to know how to work on this car for some reason, and somehow, every time I have somebody work on it, highly recommended or not, I get dicked up the ass.

[1badz]

Sheesh! There is about 18k in my car, minus cost of car. MOST of it is in misc. things (not just performance). It's funny how the little things add up. I stopped recently though. Need to focus on finishing school. Grad school will be 'spensive, so the Camaro jumped the gun on hibernating. :(

[QC97Z]

I'm at $35,000 right now, including the cost of the car...and I'm still playing with it here and there.

[killerz28]

Im at 4k and im about to pull the motor because of a rod bearing so ill probably put another 4k into it here in a month.

[LT1UltraZ]

reading all this makes me feel better :) good to know i am not the only one out there wit the same problem :secret:

[QC97Z]

I think it's pretty safe to say we all have the same problem....just some of us have a bit more extra coin than others.

[bigtoyz]

I have 15.5k into the build I have now. Basically motor all redone with the best of the best parts 383 stroker, could still do custom intake ( but has been ported) and ecm, but that is stock for now. Tranny has been redone with all upgradable parts with 3200 stall. The 15.5k is ALL parts I did the whole build myself engine and tranny and the machining also. I used my uncles machineshop to do boring of cylinders, line bored the mains, converted to 4 bolt mains, and groved the block for firewire for high boost levels. Everything else is stock of as to date. But looking to upgrade that in the future.

[popo8]

I couldve sworn I answered this... It may have been on the OTHER site... but Im around the 30-35k mark as of now......

[BIG CAT]

I couldve sworn I answered this... It may have been on the OTHER site... but Im around the 30-35k mark as of now......

lol i would probably hang my self if i added up all the receipts. :doh:

[CamaroZGuy]

right know im at about $10k for just my motor.

[popo8]

right know im at about $10k for just my motor.

THAT includes the blower as well right?

Visit us @ LTXtech.com
Larry (Popo8) Co-owner

[CamaroZGuy]

Yes. From oil pan to intake

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[popo8]

Yes. From oil pan to intake

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Ok... I. Right there with u...

Visit us @ LTXtech.com
Larry (Popo8) Co-owner

[CamaroZGuy]

including rear end, trans, suspension, gauges, new harness, and mis. others ill be in the $20k-$25k range

[popo8]

including rear end, trans, suspension, gauges, new harness, and mis. others ill be in the $20k-$25k range

I hope so.....lol.

I was once at that^^^ range.

Visit us @ LTXtech.com
Larry (Popo8) Co-owner

[Camaro96]

It dose not seem like it takes long to add up as you go along. I'm at 13,500 in mine as it sitting. With a budget 383. Gathering parts for forced induction build. Working on forced induction build collecting Parts at this point. I can agree with most of you I will take this car to the Grave with me.

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