Need help on prices

[The S is Silent]

ok ya'll...I need some help. I'm moving this summer to Corpus Cristie, TX...so I need to finish my two projects. I'm also using this opportunity to practice my budgeting skills...I'm also using student loans to finish the projects, so I need to know how much to get. I need to know how much some of these things cost. Please give me your input on how much ya'll have spent on some of this.

This is the list of what needs to get done on both cars...but is not an all inclusive list...add suggestions of things that I need to do to finish them

Charger - mostly done...need to finish my TII conversion
-Modifications to get the cable shifter to work with the stock interior (welding costs)
-Intercooler, one of the ones Dave got for $200...they sound good
-24mm Master Cylinder...I have no idea what these cost new
-Intercooler piping...how much have ya'll spent?

Van - The 88 TII is working well, but I want to put the 2.5 with the hybrid in it
-Intercooler, Spearco to compliment the rest of the high-flow goodies to replaces the Large NPR...do you think this is necessary?
-I want to freshen the 2.5 shortblock. I have oil pump, waiting on a pickup from TU, What else should I try to freshen up? The 2.5 has 40k on it and looks great, so I don't want to mess with rings or bearings. Crank scrapers, baffled oil pan...are there vendors that sell these?
-Wiring for air temp sensor to upgrade the 89 TI wiring - $20
-2 Piece fuel rail - $245 from TU
-I have a menegon head, a TU stainless steel header, a T3/T4 50 trim, and a ported 2 piece...what's it gonna cost to put all this together and into the car.
-What else should I replace on the van while doing this?

Ok...I need to go get tires for the van now. I'll be back. What all do I need to get these projects running. Shoot me some ideas.

[turbovanman²]

Hard to say, are you willing to pay a shop or backyarder?

[The S is Silent]

Hard to say, are you willing to pay a shop or backyarder?

I'm going to do all the work myself...I just need to get everything together, and I just don't know how much everything costs.

The only thing I can't do is the welding.

[turbovanman²]

Van - The 88 TII is working well, but I want to put the 2.5 with the hybrid in it
-Intercooler, Spearco to compliment the rest of the high-flow goodies to replaces the Large NPR...do you think this is necessary?
-I want to freshen the 2.5 shortblock. I have oil pump, waiting on a pickup from TU, What else should I try to freshen up? The 2.5 has 40k on it and looks great, so I don't want to mess with rings or bearings. Crank scrapers, baffled oil pan...are there vendors that sell these?
-Wiring for air temp sensor to upgrade the 89 TI wiring - $20
-2 Piece fuel rail - $245 from TU
-I have a menegon head, a TU stainless steel header, a T3/T4 50 trim, and a ported 2 piece...what's it gonna cost to put all this together and into the car.
-What else should I replace on the van while doing this?

Well, for freshening up your engine, hard to say, whats the compression? burn any oil? I would check and replace the bearings as necessary, maybe check and Lap the valves, run PT lifters.
Kevin Johhson on Turbododge.com sells drop in windage trays and crank scrapers.
Are you getting a custom cal to run the CAT sensor?
To put the turbo and head on the car, you need the gaskets, some lines or reuse the stockers but they will need modifying, intake filter, intercooler piping. To do the above, figure $3-600 bucks-it adds up fast.
What else should you do, use a braided kit to install the turbo, check the brakes and repair as necessary, replace all the coolant lines, waterpump fan belts, timing belt if not new. Is the rad ok?

[GLHS592]

Let me preface this with my opinion. I would never borrow money to modify a car. Heck, I'd try really hard not to borrow money for education. I'd really think long and hard about what you want to do here. Car stuff can wait until you are on a better financial standing.


-Modifications to get the cable shifter to work with the stock interior (welding costs)

You could do what I did with the shifter. Then, you could drive the car to a shop and have them weld tabs on the shifter base to screw down the cover. Do you have the rear bobble strut mount for the transaxle? You'll have to have something welded onto the k-frame for this. Surely you could get all that done under $25. I'd think no more than $50.


-Intercooler, one of the ones Dave got for $200...they sound good

I'd check around for real world experience with this intercooler. You can get a proven intercooler like your NPR for a reasonable price. Shop around for a Spearco. I got mine for around $450 shipped.


-24mm Master Cylinder...I have no idea what these cost new

I bought a brand new one and turned in a core at Advance Auto. I think the grand total was $35. Have you done the minivan calipers? You can also turn in your cores for some rebuilds. I think I have about $50 in my pair. You can use your stock L-body rotors and save a few bucks.


-Intercooler piping...how much have ya'll spent?

I bought some 2.5" mandrel bends from JC Whitney. I bought more than I needed just incase. I spent around $90 for 4 90's and 3 45's. You will also want to budget around $5-$6 for some T-bar clamps. I'll never use worm gear clamps again. You can get a foot or so of 2.5" truck radiator hose for under $15 at NAPA to connect your piping.




Van - The 88 TII is working well, but I want to put the 2.5 with the hybrid in it

Why mess with it right now when you have the other project? Use this as your driver until later.

I'm not too educated on the hyrbrid swap, so I'm unsure about the rest.



-Intercooler, Spearco to compliment the rest of the high-flow goodies to replaces the Large NPR...do you think this is necessary?
-I want to freshen the 2.5 shortblock. I have oil pump, waiting on a pickup from TU, What else should I try to freshen up? The 2.5 has 40k on it and looks great, so I don't want to mess with rings or bearings. Crank scrapers, baffled oil pan...are there vendors that sell these?
-Wiring for air temp sensor to upgrade the 89 TI wiring - $20
-2 Piece fuel rail - $245 from TU


-I have a menegon head, a TU stainless steel header, a T3/T4 50 trim, and a ported 2 piece...what's it gonna cost to put all this together and into the car.

I'm confused why you had this listed with the van stuff. This is for the Charger, right?

It sounds like you already have some good stuff there. Do you have injectors, down pipe, exhaust, turbo oil/water lines, etc.? Give us a little more information here.

[Clay]

The only thing I know to tell you on a lot of the stuff you listed is its all nickel and dime stuff. You have most of the major money spend, but its the little things you need that you just dont know until you get there what they will be and how much they will cost.

as for freshening the engine, if it only has 40K miles, runs good, and doesnt leak/burn oil, then it doesnt sound like it needs any freshening.

Typically though I would make sure it has good compression (typ ring dependant), and replace the front and rear main seals as they are the most prone to leak.

clay

[The S is Silent]

Thanks for the preface Kevin...and I've taken it to heart. I wiped out all of my savings avoiding debt so far, and I'm into my 5th (and last) year of school. At this point, it's unavoidable. I could easily sell all of my TD stuff to make the money that I need, but I have so much invested already, and I can't walk away...it would just be added to the list of things that I've half-assed in my rather short lifetime. I'm in no way taking this lightly, but having a job already after school helps things.

Thanks guys. I need to get it straight in my head what I need to do on the two vehicles I have in the next 6 months...that's pretty much the point of this thread. What better place to do this than online with a bunch of other gearheads. :)

Right now, I have 2 avenues I can travel...keep the van as is (2.2 TII) and put everything I've got into the charger...making it a 2.5 with the TU header, T3/T4, menegon head, full 3" exhaust, etc.

Or finish the charger by just polishing the TII a555 conversion I started so many months ago, and put all the go-fast goodies into the vehicle they were planned for...the van.

Actually...forget the van. I can't rip it apart after finally getting it running well...it would break my heart. Lets concentrate on the charger. This is what I have "lying around"...

2.5 shortblock with 40k on it. Good compression, good bearings. w/ new oil pump and pickup.
menegon ported G-head
ported 2 piece intake minus the fuel rail
TU SS Header
T3/T4 50 trim turbo
a555 T2/T3 clutch/PP
2.5 SMEC to match the above list.
The car already has minivan calipers and stainless break lines.

What I need to do to finish the charger...
-Convert the interior for cable shifter
-cut and re-weld dogbone bracket (thanks...I forgot that one)
-?a555 3rd gear plate? We're talking destruction if we leave this one out on this setup, right? Is the T2/T3 combo strong enough for 275-300ish hp? Is 275-300 hp even a realistic estimate for this combo at 14 psi?
-convert to SMEC wiring to use the custom cal
-fuel rail for 2 piece intake
-intercooler and piping
-crank scraper and windage tray
-24mm master cylinder

I have +40's, a downpipe, turbo lines, new mounts all the way around. I have so much crap lying in my garage right now. I stepped back and looked, and I have a lot invested into this hobby. There is no way I'm going to just sell everything and walk away...I need to finish something, and the van has given me the confidence and the desire to finish my charger.

[GLHS592]

Thanks for the preface Kevin...and I've taken it to heart. I wiped out all of my savings avoiding debt so far, and I'm into my 5th (and last) year of school. At this point, it's unavoidable. I could easily sell all of my TD stuff to make the money that I need, but I have so much invested already, and I can't walk away...it would just be added to the list of things that I've half-assed in my rather short lifetime. I'm in no way taking this lightly, but having a job already after school helps things.

Well, it looks like you took my advice the right way. :thumb: I didn't start on restoring my car until summer of 2003 and that was about 7 years after college.

It sounds like your van is running good enough for you to get around. You just gotta ask yourself if you really need the Charger right now. I sure would hate to pay back money with interest on something I really didn't need.


Right now, I have 2 avenues I can travel...keep the van as is (2.2 TII) and put everything I've got into the charger...making it a 2.5 with the TU header, T3/T4, menegon head, full 3" exhaust, etc.

DO THIS OPTION! One project is enough to make you crazy. I can't imagine more than one.


Actually...forget the van. I can't rip it apart after finally getting it running well...it would break my heart. Lets concentrate on the charger. This is what I have "lying around"...

Good.


2.5 shortblock with 40k on it. Good compression, good bearings. w/ new oil pump and pickup.
menegon ported G-head
ported 2 piece intake minus the fuel rail
TU SS Header
T3/T4 50 trim turbo
a555 T2/T3 clutch/PP
2.5 SMEC to match the above list.
The car already has minivan calipers and stainless break lines.

What I need to do to finish the charger...
-Convert the interior for cable shifter
-cut and re-weld dogbone bracket (thanks...I forgot that one)
-?a555 3rd gear plate? We're talking destruction if we leave this one out on this setup, right? Is the T2/T3 combo strong enough for 275-300ish hp? Is 275-300 hp even a realistic estimate for this combo at 14 psi?
-convert to SMEC wiring to use the custom cal
-fuel rail for 2 piece intake
-intercooler and piping
-crank scraper and windage tray
-24mm master cylinder

I have +40's, a downpipe, turbo lines, new mounts all the way around. I have so much crap lying in my garage right now. I stepped back and looked, and I have a lot invested into this hobby. There is no way I'm going to just sell everything and walk away...I need to finish something, and the van has given me the confidence and the desire to finish my charger.

It looks like you have most of what you need. Of course, I know that the little stuff will nickle and dime you to death. Gaskets, nuts, bolts, washers, hoses, belts, etc. are things like that.