- Location
- West Haven, UT
Have you seen this? Looks like it could be a good deal: https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/74880272
Turbo time!
- Thread starter xjtony
- Start date
TurboMinivan
Still plays with cars
- Location
- Lehi, UT
Be advised: the '84 Shelby Charger had a carbureted (read: not turbocharged) engine.
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
I did see that one. Looks pretty clean.
I did drag another one home. 89 Shelby Z, T Tops, 5 speed, red leather interior... and unfortunately no title.
I'm going to try to recover the title, but for now the block will go into the TC (the kid ran the TC out of oil, threw a rod and toasted the block). The A555 will go in the Laser with the engine I'm building. The car also has rear disks which will go on the Laser. With the red leather the Z is fairly rare, but it's missing too much and is rough enough that it's not a restore to me, however as a RWD, Hemi powered drag car it doesn't need any of that stuff. It'll get put away for a long term project to work on when the others are farther along.
I did drag another one home. 89 Shelby Z, T Tops, 5 speed, red leather interior... and unfortunately no title.
I'm going to try to recover the title, but for now the block will go into the TC (the kid ran the TC out of oil, threw a rod and toasted the block). The A555 will go in the Laser with the engine I'm building. The car also has rear disks which will go on the Laser. With the red leather the Z is fairly rare, but it's missing too much and is rough enough that it's not a restore to me, however as a RWD, Hemi powered drag car it doesn't need any of that stuff. It'll get put away for a long term project to work on when the others are farther along.
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
The damage to the TC 
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
The interior on the TC was a mess, but cleaned up OK for a cruiser.
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
This is the block I'm building for the Laser. 30k rebuild, and it is really clean. I'll dingle ball the cylinders to get a nice cross hatch but the passages and everything are great. I've got to order rings and bearings and it's ready to start putting together.
In keeping with the period correctish theme I found a SPA 3 Stage shift light and tach.
In keeping with the period correctish theme I found a SPA 3 Stage shift light and tach.
TurboMinivan
Still plays with cars
- Location
- Lehi, UT
I found a t-shirt for you.
https://www.boostedgrafix.com/listing/lasered?product=87&variation=2327&size=529
https://www.boostedgrafix.com/listing/lasered?product=87&variation=2327&size=529
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
Holy crap I didn't even see this post until today. I just ordered one 😀
So I haven't updated the thread in a bit, well, because there hasn't been a reason. The car runs great and I've put 16000 miles on it since August. I haven't had time to dig too deep into the turbo cars just because I've had other projects to work on.
Tuesday I had my first breakage on the car.
One of the shift cables broke on my way home from work. Admittedly these were the 525 cables that were in the car, so not correct for the 520 transaxle. They worked for a long time, and I didn't replace them simply because I couldn't find a set of the correct ones.
The difference now is that I have a donor car, the Shelby Z. Shifter and cables went in with no major issues and the shifter is a much better design, and the cables appear to have been replaced fairly recently. It's about an inch shorter and has much less throw.
So I haven't updated the thread in a bit, well, because there hasn't been a reason. The car runs great and I've put 16000 miles on it since August. I haven't had time to dig too deep into the turbo cars just because I've had other projects to work on.
Tuesday I had my first breakage on the car.
One of the shift cables broke on my way home from work. Admittedly these were the 525 cables that were in the car, so not correct for the 520 transaxle. They worked for a long time, and I didn't replace them simply because I couldn't find a set of the correct ones.
The difference now is that I have a donor car, the Shelby Z. Shifter and cables went in with no major issues and the shifter is a much better design, and the cables appear to have been replaced fairly recently. It's about an inch shorter and has much less throw.
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
The one on the right is out of the LeBaron, but it's the same as the one that was in the Shelby. It's about an inch or so shorter than the one that was in the Laser and just beefier all around.
- Location
- Never Far From Nowhere
I love odd ball, unloved cars. This thread makes me so happy to read through.
TurboMinivan
Still plays with cars
- Location
- Lehi, UT
I'm just jealous that Tony is playing with (and driving) his turbo car(s), while mine is just sitting in my garage gathering (more) dust.
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
That's been one of the things I've enjoyed with these. I don't see very many of these little cars on the street, but there is still a comunity around them.
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
You need to get it on the road! 🙃I'm just jealous that Tony is playing with (and driving) his turbo car(s), while mine is just sitting in my garage gathering (more) dust.
I found this one up on Hill last month. It's a nice 87 Shelby Z. He's pulled some parts off of my parts car and I've been helping him chase some issues.
I don't ever see them at any car shows. It'd be kind of fun to get a group together.
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
With the parts car I now have everything I need to do the T1 to T2 swap and intercool the Laser. I am building a good block for this car, but there's no reason I can't upgrade this stuff now. The intercooler will be upgraded with the new block as well, but for now I have a stock one. The new logic module is a Mopar performance stage 2 unit that runs at 14 psi. I also have the Shelby overlay harnesses for the wiring part. 
Fuel rail set up on the T2 manifold.
Fuel rail set up on the T2 manifold.
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
Man this has been a grind. This car has been very easy to work on... up till now. Just about every stud and bolt in the exhaust has been rusted solid. Hours with a torch and PB Blaster, and multiple that had to be cut drilled and tapped. I haven't snapped many pictures just because there has been so much of that stuff.
The new intake manifold, exhaust manifold and turbo are together. I can't put the head back on yet because I need access to a hard line that I can't access after it's back together. The line needs modification and my bender won't be here until tomorrow. I also broke the heater control valve and and waiting on that before she's back on the road. All the wiring is done and the vacuum system has been figured out, so almost there!
I did take a picture of the old intake manifold vs the newer T2 style. The runners are way longer on the newer piece. You can also see in this picture that the older T1 style doesn't have a TB connected to it. They were a draw through set up so the turbo connects directly to the turbo and just bolts to the edge of the manifold. The newer system is blow through, which is much easier to intercool.
Also had this happen yesterday. One very happy 20 year old. 2004 Mach 1
The new intake manifold, exhaust manifold and turbo are together. I can't put the head back on yet because I need access to a hard line that I can't access after it's back together. The line needs modification and my bender won't be here until tomorrow. I also broke the heater control valve and and waiting on that before she's back on the road. All the wiring is done and the vacuum system has been figured out, so almost there!
I did take a picture of the old intake manifold vs the newer T2 style. The runners are way longer on the newer piece. You can also see in this picture that the older T1 style doesn't have a TB connected to it. They were a draw through set up so the turbo connects directly to the turbo and just bolts to the edge of the manifold. The newer system is blow through, which is much easier to intercool.
Also had this happen yesterday. One very happy 20 year old. 2004 Mach 1
xjtony
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Grantsville, Ut
So, the T2 conversion is officially done, but man it was a grind. I spent 2 full days fighting stripped and broken bolts and studs. Nothing else has given me an issue on this car, so the exhaust had to make up for it, I guess. The block looks good, and there is almost zero ring ridge.
The biggest set back I had came after reinstalling the original slider cam head back on to the block. Everything torqued fine and it was looking good until I got impatient and ran the valve cover bolts in using my 20V driver. No issues until the last stud, and then this….
I cracked the head where the stud screws in, so a few days of getting the head all set up and ready to go down the drain.
Luckily, I have been collecting parts so a roller cam head from a Shelby Z came into play. This was always going to be the head I ran on this car, but I was going to wait until the new block was built and ready, but not anymore.
After getting the new head installed and everything hooked up and ready to go, I started to crank the engine to see if it would run so I could time it, and I found a giant puddle of oil under the car. The turbo supply line came apart at the crimp into the rubber part and was gushing oil everywhere. I used some 400 PSI oil line and some EFI clamps to fix it for now. I will replace it with a stainless line in the future.
I got that fixed and got the car fired up and timed, but it would not come down from about 2500 RPM at idle. Turned out to be the IAC being stuck open and letting too much air through. Replaced the IAC and the one single 8-inch vac line that I didn’t already replace (it was plugged of course). And its back on the road and running good. I’ve still got some clean up to do, but I can drive the car again. This week and a half has been the longest the car has been down since I got it back on the road.
The biggest set back I had came after reinstalling the original slider cam head back on to the block. Everything torqued fine and it was looking good until I got impatient and ran the valve cover bolts in using my 20V driver. No issues until the last stud, and then this….
I cracked the head where the stud screws in, so a few days of getting the head all set up and ready to go down the drain.
Luckily, I have been collecting parts so a roller cam head from a Shelby Z came into play. This was always going to be the head I ran on this car, but I was going to wait until the new block was built and ready, but not anymore.
After getting the new head installed and everything hooked up and ready to go, I started to crank the engine to see if it would run so I could time it, and I found a giant puddle of oil under the car. The turbo supply line came apart at the crimp into the rubber part and was gushing oil everywhere. I used some 400 PSI oil line and some EFI clamps to fix it for now. I will replace it with a stainless line in the future.
I got that fixed and got the car fired up and timed, but it would not come down from about 2500 RPM at idle. Turned out to be the IAC being stuck open and letting too much air through. Replaced the IAC and the one single 8-inch vac line that I didn’t already replace (it was plugged of course). And its back on the road and running good. I’ve still got some clean up to do, but I can drive the car again. This week and a half has been the longest the car has been down since I got it back on the road.