I wasn't entirely sure whether I wanted to post this update considering how many 'ups' and 'downs' its had and with how many times I have changed my plans.
I could just post a load of lies and excuses but I'm going to be completely open and honest - I'm not going ahead with the supercharger but instead going back to a turbocharger like I originally wanted.
Yes this is another change and it seems like this 'project' will never get completed - but it will!
Let me explain the reasons behind all this...
I wanted to do a turbocharger right from the start. I spent many, many hours reading through Errolls budget turbocharger project, learning about all the parts I needed and how the setup needs to be put together.
Despite me having most of the parts for the conversion, a large stumbling block for me was not having the resources, capacity or the knowledge to do any fabrication work so I tried to get as many parts 'ready made' as I could - even though the word 'budget' would then probably get blown out of the water!
The biggest pit-fall for me was the oil return. I had several people telling me I needed a special high temperature pipe for the return. While looking on eBay I found several OEM oil returns that 'looked like' they were mostly made from a piece of rubber pipe with metal ends. After many hours of research I couldn't find anything that would 100% tell me what I could make the return from. In the end this was the reason I decided a supercharger would be more 'straight forward'.
Now, lets move forward several months.
The supercharger does not fit as 'straight forward' as I initially (and probably stupidly) hoped, which was based on pictures and offering it up on my spare engine.
I've got to know a guy who lives 4 houses away from me who is a welder fabricator and has his own welding equipment. We made an arrangement that I would do the electrical system on a custom motorcycle for him and in return he would do any welding/fabricating I needed on the car.
I also found a reconditioned Saab turbocharger for a very good price compared to most second hand items I found. I sold the supercharger and put those funds back in to pay for the turbocharger (plus a small amount from my pocket).
I have all the specific parts I originally bought for the turbocharger conversion (and one I'm waiting to be delivered) so the plan is:
1. Get my spare engine from my garage to my house and use it to mock up the turbocharger location.
2. Remove tubular manifold from the car and cut off the downpipe - car then becomes unusable/off the road.
3. Put manifold on spare engine and work out placement for turbocharger.
4. Weld turbocharger mounting plate to manifold and attach turbocharger.
5. Make oil return with metal pipe, drill and attach to sump.
6. Remove sump from spare engine and fit on car replacing the original.
7. Fit manifold along with turbocharger (and oil return) back on to car.
8. Make and fit exhaust downpipe from turbo.
9. Fit turbo oil feed.
10. Make cold air feed from Filter (and MAF) to turbocharger.
11. Fit pipework from intercooler to throttle body (already made)
12. Fit pipework from turbocharger to intercooler.
After that I need to decide what I am doing with the exhaust. From the turbo the downpipe will be 3" so I will need to decide whether I will buy stainless pipe and have the rest of the exhaust re-made at home as 3" or take the car somewhere and have it done 'professionally'.
