stock intercooler or upgrade?

[canadian turbo t]

Is it worthwhile to upgrade a intercooler to a stretched stock location in my situation ? or just keep what i got, and if so when would one need a larger intercooler ?
3.8
cam, ported heads & intake ( cleaned up port match) LT1 springs, ta-49, #50, converter. hot wire, walbro pump
motor is fresh 0 km


PS everything else is one stock, any other recommendation s ?
Thanks guys 

[Scoobum]

After already going down this road, I'd just grab a Dutt neck from Kirbans and weld it on your stocker.

[canadian turbo t]

ill look into it, thanks for the advice.

[TexasT]

How fast are you going at the track? Is your goal to go fast at the track or have the coolest stuff at a show? I think those slic stretch intercoolers a nifty but they do hang down. You have to watch those parking bumpers and other stuff so you don't damage it or its scoop. If you are patient a used stocker with the neck already on might turn up. That said I have a slic that someone added more to but haven't put it on yet.

[daveismissing]

If you have weighed the risk/maintenance/reward aspects and choose to go with alcohol injection that probably dwarfs any modest intercooler upgrade one might consider.

[Steve Wood]

If you have weighed the risk/maintenance/reward aspects and choose to go with alcohol injection that probably dwarfs any modest intercooler upgrade one might consider.

That was what I was thinking as well

Once into the elevens a bit, a larger turbo will help a larger intercooler take a major step as you have ported heads

[canadian turbo t]

My plan is a solid 11.00 reliable street car, that i can go anywhere with the kids and have some fun at the track. I just bought the car from the original owner with a hurt motor (thats where the fresh build comes in) oil sprayed yearly and never winter driven, pretty well pristine otherwise. its my first buick and i dont know a whole lot about the "do's & donts" if you guys hear of a used stock cooler with necks on them , let me know id really appreciate it.  I may consider the alky  kit for next season .

[Steve Wood]

To run 11.0, you need a big turbo, bigger injectors (size will depend on if you are using alky or race gas), a good converter that matches the turbo, and a bigger than stock intercooler..p lus you need boost which requires either race gas, or alky.

It takes a combination of matched parts so you probably need to stop and understand what you will need before buying any single part.

[Scoobum]

Running 11 flat is easier said than done. One of the young locals was out last year with me...and he has a ton of money into his engine. He ran a 13.3. He came back to my trailer dejected. I watched a half dozen of the locals last year at my home track. Two of them squeaked into the 11's...and the rest were 12's and 13's. You'll need all the parts Steve has alluded too. You'll need some serious money thrown at that transmission to keep it alive for that HP level and be able to launch the car in the 1.5's. If you don't know how to tune...then you'll have to learn. Steve and I aren't trying to rain on your parade...we're just trying to relate what it takes to do it. It's not easy...or cheap. I'm in Cobourg Ontario...and race at SMP most weekends. If you wanna come out on a race day...let me know. I'm outta here...loading the car up and heading for Armdrop.

[nocooler]

It takes a combination of matched parts

This is the best advice you will ever get.

[Just a Six?]

Go to the tech section & start reading thru Steve's site vortexbuicks-etc as well as search the original Turbo Buick guide gnttype.org
These two sites are a must if you plan on keeping the car together while having some fun on the weekends at the track. Especially if you plan on driving it back home!

[canadian turbo t]

Guys thanks for all the advise, believe me i know it takes time & $$$ & the right combo. I m a fish out water with turbos. Ran a best 7.80 @ 181 -1.28 60'  . buts that's when "ihadav8"

[Just a Six?]

Now that's Haulin the Mail! 

[Steve Wood]

You can look at Brad's combo and see what it takes...at least one way to do it...I cannot stress how important a quality converter is in all this.

[canadian turbo t]

Who's Brad ? I dont really know anybody by name just their profile name.