A little background: Bought a 1994 from a guy in Raleigh about two years ago. He had turboed it, but parted out the go-fast stuff when bills came due. I flew down to buy it, drove it back to Maine, and have been tinkering with it ever since. The shell is rust free and in overall good mechanical shape, but it's far from a looker. Paint is faded and mis-matched, but it is mechanically sound. The motor is currently torn down for a rods-only rebuild and refresh. I have a 99 head and intake that will go onto the 94 bottom end. PO installed an aluminum Ebay rad, ACT clutch and stripped about 100 lbs out of the shell. It has Sparcos bolted to the floor and no carpet, and for a few extra dollars, I also picked up his Ebay intercooler kit with silicone pipes and clamps, knock-off BOV, and a GM IAT.

For relatively short money, it was a good head start toward turbo. The goal is a safe and reliable 225-260 WHP that will never see the track, because poverty and things. In my future is a MKturbo-spec ebay turbo and DIY downpipe and exhaust, Wideband, DIYPNP, 640cc injectors, etc etc.

This weekend I took the plunge and started on the manifold. Another couple hours welding and it should be done. Also did some seam welding for funzies. Thinking of adding DIY frog arms as I wait for parts and paychecks.


Weld els and an oval-to-round port 1/2 inch could-rolled flange.


First couple cuts.

First 90 deg. elbow in

first complete fit up, before beveling.

Tacked.

Root pass @ 90-100 amps, 3/32 filler, 3/32 thoriated tungsten, AlphaTIG 200.

Broke off the runners after a bit and did root and cover pass on the hard-to-reach parts.
My **** weave.

Almost done.



Everything got a coat of self-etch primer before the trim went back on.



There is a motor in there ... somewhere.