Why I traded in my '01(long )

[OC Cruzer]

Hey FLASHBK2,
I think if I had all the problems you had, I'd have driven mine off the nearest cliff ha,ha.
I know you'll like your new GT and there's always those factory upgrades to look forward to

[FLASHBK2]

Not just that either OC ,Phatdad is my buddy so I'll get to ride in Stockum turbo ,also . We only live 7 miles from each other.....so there'll be more gt versus hahn,lol !

[phatdad]

I just took a ride with the flashman in his new 5spd turbo. WOW what a ride it is 1 fast car. I cant wait till I get my car back from turboville.So we can runem and runem hard. Only up to 55 mph. he he ha ha yeah wright . I have been in withdrawl for a long time since I put my car away in the fall. Thanks to the Grand Master Funk of Flash I got a chance to fulfill my need for speeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddd!

[FLASHBK2]

See guys...nice to have a friend like phatdad.....but I think he maybe hedging his bet 'cuz I know a BobS motor with a Hahn setup is gonna be 1 fast car ,too ! Right Powertrip/Ant/and OC ?

[JOEM]

Originally posted by OC Cruzer

That is not really a major issue.
Bob recently finished my engine and even though I live only an hour and a half from him, what we did was purchase a new shortblock and bare head.
Bob did the upgrade on that, while I continued to drive my car.
When he had the new engine finished, I took my car to him and he pulled the existing engine out and installed the new one.
The reason we did it that way was because I needed my car everyday for work.
Everything went PERFECT.
I think Ant did something similar, except he did his own engine installation.

So, if I lived 3000 miles away from Bob, I think what I would do, if he agreed to do my upgrade, is have him purchase a new s. block and bare head, or, send him a used engine if he did not have access to one at the time.

Not to prolong this discussion, but that answer doesn't really answer. You're an hour and a half from Bob, so you don't have this problem. I was talking about getting a good install of the Crane cams, Hahn tubo, etc., and being too far from Bob or R&S to realistically take it to them. What you're proposing would work but it's a huge jump from a cam upgrade.

[OC Cruzer]

Originally posted by JOEM


Not to prolong this discussion, but that answer doesn't really answer. You're an hour and a half from Bob, so you don't have this problem. I was talking about getting a good install of the Crane cams, Hahn tubo, etc., and being too far from Bob or R&S to realistically take it to them. What you're proposing would work but it's a huge jump from a cam upgrade.

Then let me take another whack at it

First, I can't tell you who in your area, or anywhere else for that matter, outside of my own area that is capable of OUTSTANDING mechanical work, or a PRECISION machine shop that does OUTSTANDING machine work.
That's something each person would have to research and make a decision on for themselves.
However,
anyone that is mechanically inclined and can follow directions, can install the Hahn turbo. It's a simple, step by step installation and the manual is well laid out.
If it was not for physical limitations, I would have installed it myself on my car and my mechanical knowledge of cars is from the 60's
I am lost when it comes to todays technology (almost).

So, with the Hahn installed, running 5 - 6 psi boost you get quite an increase in performance and IMHO the PT will run alot of trouble free miles with that mild boost level.
I wanted more, so I went to a junk yard and got an intercooler off a Probe and I installed that.
Then I was able to increase the boost to 8 -9 psi.
Another nice, relatively safe, increase in performance.

The rest of the stuff is way beyond my expertise, so in comes Bob to do the rest of the upgrade.

If Bob lived 3000 miles away and I wanted cams, tensioner, rods, ect. or any combination of those items, I would take the time and make the effort to find a good mechanic in my area to do the work .
Knowing what I know now, I would talk with Bob and try to arrange something, where even for a fee, he would be available for technical advice to my mechanic.
I have a friend that is 15 minutes from me that I would trust to do the work, but Bob has run into the problems, glitches, ect already and seems to have solved them.
Plus, in my case, all my dealings with Bob have left NOTHING to be desired, he did a great job installing the turbo and was always there for advice after the installation. So when it came to the rest of the project, he was the only choice.
I know, that my friend ( mechanic), working with Bob's guidence, as needed, would have been able to get the job done.

Again, I don't see any of this as some kind of insurmountable problem.

Like my boss tells me (over and over)
* it's not a problem, it's an opportunity * -- ha,ha, yea I get sick of that one to.

JOEM, I might be wrong, forgive me if that's the case, but it seems, for various reasons, you just don't like the idea of doing performance modifications on the PT.
It seems you are more inclined and more comfortable doing this type of stuff on older cars, or buying older cars already made fast by the factory.
That's cool, BUT, the idea that you shouldn't, or can't, add higher performance upgrades to the PT is wrong.
It's just more of a challenge, that's all.
As for the PT not being ment to be fast. Mine was fairly fast at 8 - 9 psi boost.
Before my recent engine upgrade, I put 20,000 miles on it with the Hahn turbo running 5 -6 psi boost and the last 10,000 or so was with 8-9 psi boost and the intercooler .
I use my car all day long, 5 days a week for business and fun on weekends.
That included the past summer here with extremely hot temperatures. All kinds of driving.
I never had a speck of trouble, not once, --- ever.

I guess all you need to do is develop a plan of what you want to accomplish.
Make sure the plan is reasonable.
Spend ALOT of time researching, in various ways, who in your area can best help you reach your goal, then go for it.
Bob Stockum, Powertrip, Ant, ect. ect. ect. are a treasure of information.
Again, *USE THEM* and what they have to offer, anyway you can.
Call them, email them, write them, send up smoke signals.
Whatever it takes to get your project accomplished.
I don't think any one of the above mentioned would refuse to help with your project.

[phatdad]

I drove 8 hrs to drop my car off flew home ,will fly back down drive 8 hrs back home . I think Brad drove 12 hrs each way. Bob will ship a motor to u in almost any stage u want.Iam sure your local 5 star dealer is more than qualifed to push and pull a pt motor . Remember Joe most people buy Pts for entry level everday driving. Joe if your car is stock take the hit buy a new turbo . If not do a hahh or whipple something somewhat proven. For what u will spend to make a pt rear drive u might as well buy a used ford lighting pickup with a used gt mustang on a trailor . If u really are serious about rear dr buy the wrecked ford Pantera on Ebay . Make the cruiser a panel van and stick the motor and tranny in the back seat. Hell al its takes is lots of brains and lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[bstockum]

Boy! .... we changed the cams on Powertrips engine while in the car. ...... I don't want that job again!
... not by myself. The tools I use to do it on the engine stand, for the most part, would NOT WORK!! ... I spent most of my time making new stuff to do the job, ... while Brad wore the skin off his knuckels! It is brutally close in there and very hard to feel comfortable with torques and the fit of all the front mounts and bolts, ... you just can't get a good angle of even see them!

It became a joke between us, ... every time he picked up his camera, .... I was making sparks with the grinder!! We had some sweet laughs and a hell of a lot of fun! Brad is a night bird and I'm an early riser, ... so I got a bit testy about 2:00 am and we decided to quit! ..... then the next night till 2:30 and the next to 11:30. .... I don't remember much about monday at work, ... after work, ..... Phatdaddy called me I think!?! ... or was that a dream? ... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz today could be a nice nap too, ... til Nick comes by and we finally pull PD's engine out!!

I'll try to get some pix of this upgrade on things we haven't seen before, ... like the actual things required to do the GT intake up-grade. ... What needs to be drilled, changed, moved around and how the new GT valve cover differs from the stock one.

Since we will be installing two side-draft 40DCOE webber carburtators on this engine, ... I'll show you how to syncronize the throttle plates as well! ... %$@$# ...(HUGH?!)


I guess I need more sleep than I thought! ... right Larry?!

[phatdad]

Bob skip the carbs and go to the big block rr drive. u work so many hrs I figure by 1000 pm u are sleepwalking out in the shop with snap ring plyers in both hands and air ratchet between teeth. u are the true Rambo of motors. Man do I feel the need for speed...................................

[JOEM]

Originally posted by OC Cruzer


JOEM, I might be wrong, forgive me if that's the case, but it seems, for various reasons, you just don't like the idea of doing performance modifications on the PT.
It seems you are more inclined and more comfortable doing this type of stuff on older cars, or buying older cars already made fast by the factory.

Hardly. I have some performance mods on the PT Rod. I was going to go with the Crane cams setup and have Race and Street do the install, but I fortunately connected to Flashback2 and saw the problems he had. I really don't think anyone but someone experienced in this sort of thing should be installing Hahn turbos and Crane cams. Problem is, in my area, after a long search by myself and other Cruiser owners I know, no one has been found with that experience. And that is the problem some folks who want to do the heavy-duty upgrades to the engine face.

Getting a vintage Mopar muscle car to fix up and enjoy was always on my "to-do" list, apart from the Cruiser. Without someone I can actually realistically take the Cruiser to to have the big engine mods done, as I've said, I'll have to settle for cruisin' cool and getting my high performance kicks elsewhere.

Never said the Cruiser wan't meant to be fast. I know from experience what Mopar can do to four-bangers with a judicious
application of turbo power.