Bob & Brad - What would you do

[PT Drummer]

to your cruisers if you didn't or couldn't super charge or turbo charge them. No, seriously. The reason I ask is I've decided not to trade my cruiser in on a new GT and I don't think, when the time comes, I'll have or want to spend the money for a turbo kit.(more like my wife won't let me.) Sooooo, I thought I would ask the "doctors" for a "power prescription" for a non turboed PT - cams, chips, headers etc. Which are good manufacturers and some good combinations. What do ya think guys?

[FLASHBK2]

I'm not either but here's my .02! I was like you and didn't want to turbo/sc so I have crane cam pn -10 actually complete kit from race and street which was cams and valve springs. I also installed crane ignition,wire ,trigger. Now not knowing your money situation. here's my recommendation: the biggest bang for buck is the cams, you don't need complete kit if money is a problem, just the cams. But word of caution...if you install cams get camshaft tensioner upgrade ( from Bstockum) installed with cams it'll save headaches later. Next it's personal taste what to add see my signature..... but be aware if you have to pay someone to do the work it adds to cost just as fyi stuff in my signature pertaining to engine totaled $3000.00 including labor. Saying ,that a turbo or sc is comparable in cost also long as you don't go much over 200 horse if you do then you need to upgrade internals to handle boost etc. That is gonna run you around $900-1000 for parts. I'm not trying to scare you.....I'm very happy with my setup and still run regular gas which I couldn't do with sc or turbo. I'm sure both Bob and Brad will post,also!

[bstockum]

You can spend a lot of money on "feels good", "seems to pull harder", "I think it starts and runs a little better", "... boy, it almost sloshed my coffee out of my 7-11 cup!"

** PHEWY !!! ** ...

I actually had a guy tell me he had .... 230 "bench horse power" !! I had to think on that one for a few..... PowerTrip was standing right there and heard it too. We had to just smile and walk away....
The only thing we could come up with is if the guy, ... added up all the HP claims that every doo-dadd he had on his car, ... MIGHT have given him, ... to the base HP of the car, ... he might come up to something, ... n-e-a-r ... that figure! add a little power to the equation as well.

#10 Crane cams
Adjustable cam gears and have the cam timing set correctly.
Header JBA
2.5" CAT
2.5" exhaust, all the way back, (not loud, just big)
56 mm throttle body
coldest air you can get
KB Optomiser

You're almost 1/2 way to a turbo and REAL power there.

Later, Bob

[Powertrip]

I'd do things a little differently in my N/A setup.


Keep factory air-box, but install drop-in K&N
and Remove restrictors in pipe. Also open up intake hole as large as possible.

Machine your TB to 55mm, courtesy of Bob Stockum.

Crane #12 cams (more duration/lift than #10's) and our Hydraulic tensioner upgrade package.

Crane adjustable timing gears for above.

Borla stainless header, wrapped with Thermo-Tec or simmilar wrap. (Don't wrap the JBA, it will disintegrate)

Borla 2.5" single exit exhaust or simmilar - low restriction.

AFX underdrive pulley kit.



That should make quite a rev-happy setup that would be fun to drive aggressively on the street. Most power gains would be from 2000 RPM and up, where you are diriving the most. I would figure a setup like this should dyno in around 155-160 wheel HP.

Future upgrades would include Crane Ignition and Wires, and a nice Dry NOS kit

Brad

[PTGT Redman]

You guys are amazing
I'll bring my car to you guys to get tweaked anyday.

[Ant]

Originally posted by Powertrip
I'd do things a little differently in my N/A setup.


Keep factory air-box, but install drop-in K&N
and Remove restrictors in pipe. Also open up intake hole as large as possible.

Machine your TB to 55mm, courtesy of Bob Stockum.

Crane #12 cams (more duration/lift than #10's) and our Hydraulic tensioner upgrade package.

Crane adjustable timing gears for above.

Borla stainless header, wrapped with Thermo-Tec or simmilar wrap. (Don't wrap the JBA, it will disintegrate)

Borla 2.5" single exit exhaust or simmilar - low restriction.

AFX underdrive pulley kit.



That should make quite a rev-happy setup that would be fun to drive aggressively on the street. Most power gains would be from 2000 RPM and up, where you are diriving the most. I would figure a setup like this should dyno in around 155-160 wheel HP.

Future upgrades would include Crane Ignition and Wires, and a nice Dry NOS kit

Brad

I would probably do a similar set-up on an N/A engine if I went that route, but when you actually put prices to the parts & labor it is hard to justify not going forced induction. I did a little math.

$40- drop-in K&N
.
$150 (w/shipping and all)-Machine your TB to 55mm, courtesy of Bob Stockum.

$399-Crane #12 cams
$200- (?)Hydraulic tensioner upgrade package

$300-Crane adjustable timing gears

$250-Borla stainless headerBorla 2.5" single exit exhaust or simmilar - low restriction.

$175-AFX underdrive pulley kit.

$500- labor (since most people won't attempt to tackle some of these jobs themselves.)

$2000 total!
If you think you would be happy with the above mentioned HP than this would be a good route. Definitely would be be a FUN car to drive. You can add things on slowly as you get the funds. There is really not much more you can go from there without getting inside (10.5:1 Wisecos and "Stockum Special" headwork).

However, if you feel you are 1 of those people with the disease for speed, and are never satisfied for very long with the progress, than consider saving for forced induction (turbo or SC). It is more upgradeable, if you plan on getting progressively faster.

[Powertrip]

Originally posted by Ant

I would probably do a similar set-up on an N/A engine if I went that route, but when you actually put prices to the parts & labor it is hard to justify not going forced induction. I did a little math.

$40- drop-in K&N
.
$150 (w/shipping and all)-Machine your TB to 55mm, courtesy of Bob Stockum.

$399-Crane #12 cams
$200- (?)Hydraulic tensioner upgrade package

$300-Crane adjustable timing gears

$250-Borla stainless headerBorla 2.5" single exit exhaust or simmilar - low restriction.

$175-AFX underdrive pulley kit.

$500- labor (since most people won't attempt to tackle some of these jobs themselves.)

$2000 total!
If you think you would be happy with the above mentioned HP than this would be a good route. Definitely would be be a FUN car to drive. You can add things on slowly as you get the funds. There is really not much more you can go from there without getting inside (10.5:1 Wisecos and "Stockum Special" headwork).

However, if you feel you are 1 of those people with the disease for speed, and are never satisfied for very long with the progress, than consider saving for forced induction (turbo or SC). It is more upgradeable, if you plan on getting progressively faster.

Yes, but the difference is that this setup can be broke down into stages, like what Flaskbk2 is doing. It is $2k, but you can get there $500 at a time, unlike the Turbo, which is a $2500-all-at-once kind of deal. Not everyone can afford that route!

Brad

[PT Drummer]

Thanks for the input guys. I figured you might be laughing to hard to reply when I mentioned no turbo.

I do like the $500 at a time Idea. I should have known cams and header would be a must.

[GR8FLPT]

Same here. It also can be broken down into even smaller chunks than $500 a time.

$40 filter
$150 TB
$300 headers
etc. etc. etc.

Thats how I have to do it. If I had the money up front I'd have a turbo now.

Two simple mods I like were the AirAid intake kit ($150) and the PowerAid Throttle Body Spacer ($95). I don't know what the dyno would show (can't justify dyno runs), but I like the sound upgrade, mileage is up in the mid 23's most of the time (21-22 before) and to quote Bob "It feels better" . I think it responds better in the mid range.
Bob S. & PowerTrip know a GREAT deal about Cruisers (both have awesome looking cars)., so I would go with what they say.

I may do a header & exhaust at some point, plugs, ignition, maybe a chip upgrade, but the turbo is just not in the cards for me either.

My $.02.