EDIT

 

guess i was just a few minutes slow to see what your comment about my comment was huh

 

I agree with you FireChicken, and my reply was in no way or means a shot at VRE, i was just saying general with a company bring out a new kit. not saying you thought i was taking a shot at them just clarifying for people.

Also Yes i agree people need to research quite a bit before trying to put a turbo kit on a lt1, as theres also much more needed to do other then just slapping on a kit. but regardless of the research you do or how many pictures you look, you can still run into the age old problem of purchasing a product, you have seen the completed product before buy it open the box and think how the hell do these peices make that?

just some food for thought and not trying to hijack a thread or anything but heres a post that shows what happens when a company sells a turbo kit with no instructions and bad customer service.

https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=530043

 

its all good no worries her man i know it wasnt a shot at anyone and i was by no means taking a shot at you either. in all honesty i think VRE has a reputation that speaks for itself though. yea some people are gonna see a kit and think its gravy and have a problem with "where does this go?" or "why do i have this kit on and this part left over?". i liked the sts instructions they were pretty good and had pics too. instructions could be helpful but at least its not a quadrajunk carb lol.

 

You guys should just contract out RealQuick to produce your LT1 kits. Let him build a couple to get ahead and then start selling them with your superior marketing budget. Maybe hire him an assistant.

He already has a good design and I don't think anyone has had any problems with it.

Shameless plug for you Jon.

 

haha, thanks I have full confidence that VRE could put together a quality kit since they could have a dedicated staff, fixtures and test vehicle. Plus they probably have access to a TIG

 

Another approach that may be profitable to VRE is to design and offer a complete LT1 Turbo system Complete with a Victory Lane longblock built for the boost of the turbo system. And when I say complete, I mean complete... Fuel system through exhaust...

Due to the price tag, I'm sure this would be a very limited volume package, but it might also gain you sales in your high end longblocks... (I'm sure there's some profit there as well)

Some of the biggest problems we all read about forced induction systems include fitment problems, unexpected costs, lack of vendor support, less than desired results, and of course engine failures...

Get some complete packages out there and show the community how to boost it right...

 

We have done Mustangs and SRT4 Neons for now. We built a single turbo kit with a Precision 76GTQ for a customers 1998 Mustang Cobra. Even with the stock cubic inch ,281, at 15 psi the car made over 600rwhp and ran 9.58@151. If we are going to venture into this project we are going to do it right.

VRE Mustang 1

VRE Mustang 2

Vre Mustang 3

 

I honestly doubt you'll have enough BUYERS(not those that are interested, but actual buyers) in the kit to make it worth your time. Not a whole lot of big money lt1 guys out there anymore, and the budget guys will just get RealQuick's setup or build their own.

 

Over on LS1Tech there have been several companies making turbos for LS1's. It seems that alot of people are not pleased with what they get. Then they rant and rave about how the turbo maker screwed them. You guys have such a good reputation for building motors I don't know if it would be in your best business interest.

Granted most of the guys complaining are tools but most of the people who get on the boards do search about a company and make there decision based on that.

I still would love to see you guys make a kit because I know it would be top notch.

 

This is a really good point. Perhaps you guys should build a kit "for free" so to speak. Just enough to cover parts and labor, and then a small cushion to get back development costs. It would put your price point low enough that people would consider going LT1 over LS1 because of the savings.

You would then make money off of added motor, rotating assemblies, and accessory sales. Just a thought, sometimes it's better to sell something really cheap to expand your name in a given market then make up for it in side sales and servicing.

 

Tech is the site I spend most my life on...

No one is having problems with the new companies. I really honestly haven't heard of anyone buying anything from the newer kits available honestly. Lots of talk but no movement.

Now there has been problems with PTK/PTS,,,, but they have been around forever and giving people problems just as long.

 

I was hoping to gather some more attention/input in this thread by sticking it to the top, but it seems to have been ignored somewhat because of that.

I find it funny how people ask over and over for a LT1 turbo kit and when a reputable business steps up and wants to make one, with basically unlimited customer input, there's not that many suggestions.

 

From my personal perspective, a blown "kit", (turbo or Supercharged) should include a piston kit. Trying to convert a stock LT1 into a blown application will result in a >50% probability of a blown piston ring land. Even if every detail of the instructions are followed (right size injectors, timing, fuel pressure, PCM programming ...please no FMU), the interaction of of putting 12, 8, or even 4 PSI into a stock head/piston combo is a breakdown waiting to happen. Add high mileage, a lead foot, and a minor miscalculation or adjustment and it's good-night to a stock LT1. Procharger's claims about their intercoolers saving your chicken's butt is ludicrous as soon as you hit an Arizona summer. Even a Water/Air intercooler setup can be a hose routing nightmare in a 4th gen.

All said and done, having gone the P1SC route, I would've preferred a decent turbo option if price/power were equivalent.

If you can compete in pricing/power with an S-trim or P1SC, then you can develop a marketable product. As mentioned earlier, the LT1 is not manufactured any more and I think most of your competitor's R&D are going into the new product lines. Also, there is the ever present hand of the Law and you need CARB and DOT certs. Need to find away around the FMU/PCM conflict in the eyes of Lord Smog.

 

What VRE has in their farov, is they could probably come up with a good fuel delievry system discounted when you buy a FI kit... maybe the same thing with a shortclock setup.