Slo_crx1

iTrader: (9)

I'm pretty much maxed out on my semi-stock turbo with pretty much every bolt-on and tuning I could do with it, and I'd like to upgrade to a Garrett turbo in the near future. My goals aren't large, but then again neither is my budget so I don't want to hear about gt30's and 35r's or FP Greens. Basically I'm looking for a journal bearing hybrid with a .63 a/r exhaust housing to try and keep my spool time as close to stock as possible and maybe a nice low 400hp range, maybe 425 at most with a max of 25psi. I don't care too much about top-end drop off as this is pretty much my every day driver and never sees a track. I'm wondering maybe what a nice 57 trim would put out or even a 60 trim, and I'm open to other similar sized turbo suggestions such as IHI, Borg Warner, Precision, Holset, etc. More than likely I'm going to blow the dust off my welders and tig up my own stainless manifold, probably something with a little custom twist to it. I'm just looking for ideas and input on a nice streetable setup from people that might have similar types of setups.

hokiruu

iTrader: (19)

Edit: saw that you mentioned other turbo brands later.
What kind of gas do you want to use?
You could reach those numbers with the tried and true 50 trim. Anything bigger is not going to spool anything near like stock, and does become more top-end oriented. Than again, you could also get what you are after with a Green, which I know you "don't want to hear about", but I have to ask you:

What makes you think that building your own T3 Garrett setup from scratch, including the manifold, is going to be significantly less expensive or more worthwhile than the $1800 for a Green? With the cost of a Garrett turbo, wastegate, materials, possibly a different DP, and all the tons of work, it starts to make sense why people opt for a Green for goals like yours.

Slo_crx1

iTrader: (9)

I plan to stick to strictly pump 93 and the occasional race gas run here and there with map switching to accommodate both fuel/timing tunes via Tephra's mod patch and the ICS sprayer switch.
As far as the cost being much less than the Green's $1800 price tag, I look at it this way: for the green to reach the goal I want I have to run high boost + meth with a lot of heat coming off that turbo. I don't want to have to deal with the maintenance and refilling involved with meth/water just in case I forget. At least with a decent sized Garrett journal bearing turbo I can pick one up for under $700 brand new and still construct my manifold for less than $300 for all the flanges and thick walled stainless. Add in the wastegate price and I'm still at least $500 less than the Green. Granted it's a lot more work than a Green, but to me the savings could be put towards something else.

hokiruu

iTrader: (19)

I see. You sound like you may be proficient enough at fabrication, and wouldn't mind a fun DIY project. I'm all in favor of bang for buck, so I respect that. A journal bearing turbo might spool a little bit slower than a DBB, but it's probably a difference of only a few hundred RPM.