Hi all, Im new to this board and to the whole mighty straight 6. What I have(will have) is a 292 straight 6 that will be put in a 1950 chevrolet pickup. I could go the usual route of dropping in a small block and calling it done, but Im ready to be different. I want to turbo the 292, which is fairly common I think? I've read these fourms and done searches for maybe 8-10hrs so far, and I've come up with alot of good information, and questions. I'll try to keep this organized so that hopefully I can be helped...
My goal- I have no hp or tq goal in mind, instead I want an engine with very good power, and can be coupled to a 4 speed manual. I hope to run around 8 psi, but have alot of head room to be able to really pour it on when Im ready.
Confusion starts now...
1.) I want to run a carb. This is set in stone. The truck will be very old school "rat roddish", so no efi. I've read that running air/fuel mixtures through the turbo and innercooler is bad, so that means I need a special carb that can handle boost...what carb(s) can do this?
2.) I see that their is an exhaust manifold made that has the special provisions for a turbo and wastegate, but its really $$ and I know I can make one myself if I know what to build it out of. I was thinking getting a steel tube header...cutting it down and modifing it so that the runners are super short into a piece of box tube that connects them all. The turbo would bolt to the box tube. Since it would all be steel I figure I could have it jet hot coated and call it day. But would this work? How thick of tubing would I need?
3.)From what I've seen you either need a blow off valve on the intake or a wastegate on the exhaust. I'd rather have a blow off on the intake for the loud noice it makes(call me dumb), whats the downside to running a BOV on the intake and nothing on the exhaust? I could see overspooling the turbo, but if I select the proper turbo this should never be a problem, correct?
4.) I guess I'd just run a 4 barrel intake manifold. Clifford is $$, so maybe an offy?
5.) Want internals would HAVE to get changed to run 8psi? Im not worried about getting all the power I can possible get out of the boost, not from the get go, so if I just do a fresh rebuild with stronger valve springs, minor head work, and a new cam will I be alright? I understand the stock compresison ratio to be low, so that should be no problem, correct?
I will say thanks to anyone and everyone that can lend a hand. As I said Im very new. I've been around cars my whole life, but 6 cylinders are new to me. So any help is appreciated...thanks.
