80 Malibu 540 Twin Turbo build.

r_d_3

Amateur Racer
Feb 25, 2020
121
67
28
27
New Jersey
This car may also try its luck at some radial racing. I considered an LS power plant. Too rich for my blood. You can do some fairly reliable hp numbers at 1k-1200hp. Above that it gets really expensive. My choice of the BBC was cost based. Due to machine shop wait times, I stayed away from nitrous. Turbos being a little easier on parts. I'd like to hear about your build as it comes along. What part of the country?
I'm in south jersey, I have a thread going for my build on here also. I had a turbo 5.3 third gen that I sold, that's mostly why I'm going carb and nitrous, I like the idea of the simplicity, although I'm sure its never as simple as it sounds haha
 

CosmoZL1

Daily Driver
Thread starter
May 29, 2018
47
41
18
San Antonio
I'm in south jersey, I have a thread going for my build on here also. I had a turbo 5.3 third gen that I sold, that's mostly why I'm going carb and nitrous, I like the idea of the simplicity, although I'm sure its never as simple as it sounds haha
Cool, yeah, my experience with nitrous? Any lean condition caused by any part of the fuel system? Burnt pistons, valves, cylinders, heads... then it's back to the machine shop. If you have one to turn around quick? Awesome. It's not so much the parts as the wait. Nitrous vs turbo? Lol long arguments for both sides. How much do you plan on spraying? 1 kit? 2 kits? Lol more?
 

r_d_3

Amateur Racer
Feb 25, 2020
121
67
28
27
New Jersey
Cool, yeah, my experience with nitrous? Any lean condition caused by any part of the fuel system? Burnt pistons, valves, cylinders, heads... then it's back to the machine shop. If you have one to turn around quick? Awesome. It's not so much the parts as the wait. Nitrous vs turbo? Lol long arguments for both sides. How much do you plan on spraying? 1 kit? 2 kits? Lol more?
Probably will work my way up to a 200 shot and see how that goes, my first time playing with spray tbh
 

CosmoZL1

Daily Driver
Thread starter
May 29, 2018
47
41
18
San Antonio
Probably will work my way up to a 200 shot and see how that goes, my first time playing with spray tbh
Just make sure your fuel system is top notch. Make sure you have an AFR related cut off system.The Maximizer 5 is one of the better controllers with these options. The safeties are just as important as any other part of it. Best of luck.
 
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r_d_3

Amateur Racer
Feb 25, 2020
121
67
28
27
New Jersey
Just make sure your fuel system is top notch. Make sure you have an AFR related cut off system.The Maximizer 5 is one of the better controllers with these options. The safeties are just as important as any other part of it. Best of luck.
yeah i'm still pretty far out from all that, but i definitely want to look into some nicer controllers when the time comes
 
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malibu81

Daily Driver
Jan 15, 2004
40
2
8
Colorado Springs, CO
I'm interested as well. What are you doing for your suspension? How much power are you planning on making?

I'm doing a small block with nitrous, stock suspension on a 275. I think there is a lot of things you can do to try and help a nitrous motor live. I'm going to soften the chambers in my heads and I'm thinking about water injection.
 

CosmoZL1

Daily Driver
Thread starter
May 29, 2018
47
41
18
San Antonio
I'm interested as well. What are you doing for your suspension? How much power are you planning on making?

I'm doing a small block with nitrous, stock suspension on a 275. I think there is a lot of things you can do to try and help a nitrous motor live. I'm going to soften the chambers in my heads and I'm thinking about water injection.
My front suspension is tubular uppers and lowers with viking double adj., Rear suspension, wow, I have Merrilat upper torque boxes with cm adjustable bars and solid bushings, bottom is again adjustable bars with boxes welded and stiffened. S&W anti roll bar. Strange double adjustable coilovers. As I can afford it, I'll sell this rear end and go to a 4 link rear
 

CosmoZL1

Daily Driver
Thread starter
May 29, 2018
47
41
18
San Antonio
My front suspension is tubular uppers and lowers with viking double adj., Rear suspension, wow, I have Merrilat upper torque boxes with cm adjustable bars and solid bushings, bottom is again adjustable bars with boxes welded and stiffened. S&W anti roll bar. Strange double adjustable coilovers. As I can afford it, I'll sell this rear end and go to a 4 link rear
The nitrous stuff I'm not a huge expert. I'd talk to your machinist about your motor combination. Maybe meth injection over water alone
 

malibu81

Daily Driver
Jan 15, 2004
40
2
8
Colorado Springs, CO
I've talked with my guy about it, he says for nitrous it just water. It just if I have the $$ with everything else I am doing.

Sounds like a good suspension. When I didn't mine the biggest improvement I had was going to a real good shock. It really kept my front end under control.

What kind of rear is it? I've got an 8.5 inch 10 bolt and am thinking of upgrading.
 

shoedoos

Amateur Racer
Jan 10, 2008
156
12
18
apologies for the hijack, malibu81 is there a reason your go to says water over meth injection? Did he tell you specifics of where to inject it, under what conditions and size of jet etc etc?
 

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