And so it begins...

[RustBucket]

I finally managed to get time to drop my turbo block off at the machine shop Tuesday afternoon. It's a new shop in town and I've been waiting to hear about the work they do. Everything I've heard up to this point has been good so I figured I'd give them a shot. Come to find out, these guys do a bunch of work for the mini stock crowd so they're no strangers to 2.3s and as we talked, they basically finished my sentences or answered my questions half-way through asking them. I felt pretty good about it to say the least.

I dropped it off yesterday afternoon and they called me today right before I left work to tell me he'd already roughed in the bores and that they couldn't clean up the rust at .020(it was a junkyard block that had seen some weather) so the bores will end up .030. Now I can get the pistons ordered and on their way while they do the crank and the rest of the work on the block.

Another turboford is conceived.

 

[Shinlee]

yay!

 

[stykthyn]

I hate you. I am so jealous. I wish I could actually find a turbo block here. oh well. let us know how it comes out.

 

[RustBucket]

Don't hate me until it runs.

Pistons were ordered this morning. They should be here by the middle of next week since they had them on the shelf. Now I need to get rings, gaskets, timing belt, oil pump and pickup and a couple of other small things and that should get the shortblock built. After I recover financially from that, I can get started on the head.

 

[4stanger]

Do I detect a little excitement here
sounds great. Please keep us up to date. As your project comes to life some of us are still dreaming. But the day will come no doubt about that

 

[RustBucket]

Just a little excitement.

 

[BELL]

I hate you. I am so jealous. I wish I could actually find a turbo block here. oh well. let us know how it comes out.

if you where in CA I'd give you one...

 

[stykthyn]

if you where in CA I'd give you one...

I appreciate the thought

 

[Shinlee]

i'll drive out there for a free block! ><

 

[Biffmeistro]

Have you checked around your nearby junkyards for one? I was able to find a few turbocoupes in the nearby junkyards. Now it's only a matter of getting the equipment to pull it out, and a vehicle to carry it in, and a garage to work on it in....
Bah, I'm just dreaming...

 

[Shinlee]

i live close to the capitol of texas, and no junkyards i know carry them ><

 

[RustBucket]

UPDATE:

The pistons are here, the rods are here. The block is done. Line honed, Deck cleaned up, Crank chamfered and polished, bored and finsh-honed with a torque plate. and new aux shaft bearings installed.

Now I need to order bearings, rings and gaskets, (next payday), so I can get the shortblock built.

Anyone looking to buy Crower Sportsman rods for their 2.3T build should check out Scoggin-Dickey Performance Centers. After shipping and handling, they're a few bucks cheaper than anyone else.

w/ S&H to Orlando, FL. $358.74

That's less than Summit and Crower themselves want for the rods before shipping.

I'll take some pictures when I get it all unwrapped, washed and sitting on the stand.

 

[Shawneebear93]

Congrats, can't wait for the pictures!

 

[stykthyn]

sweet