Typhoon Clone

[Osmosis]

I"m currently trying to sell my car so I can purchase a typhoon. I have been thinking of purchasing a 93 s10 blazer or s15jimmy and making a typhoon clone. I have a dual Garett T3 turbo set with 9lb waste gates.

If I go "clone", What all has to be done?
1 I'm thinking of finding a 1993 GMC blazer/jimmy with excellent interior and a straigt body.
2 Get all I need for the turbo, headers and piping, intercooler 3 bar map. I have the ostrich so I"m good for chip stuff.
3 Then I need to find body cladding, paint it and wheels/tires.
4 What about the AWD? Can I use the 4x4 in place of the AWD? OR would it be better to some how convert the clone to AWD?

Any pointers where to find body cladding? Is there anything I'm missing here? If I do end up making a clone, I will anticipate rebuilding the engine and tranny and transfer case. I really hope I can get my car sold so I can get a real typhoon!

Thank you for the help!

 

[MikeRenz]

Re: Typhoon Clone

making a clone will probably cost you more than just buying a typhoon.

 

[Osmosis]

Re: Typhoon Clone

Well, The way I see it does not look all that difficult to do myself. I have 2 turbos, 2 waste gates, I can easily make my own headers or buy the turbo headers and intercooler. I may not have an exact clone as I will opt for a non stock style intercooler, maybe from ATI? That's not going to set me back too much. I have all the chip tuning equipment and have used it to tune my supercharged car. The only real expense I can see is the cladding, Body/Paint ( which I will do), Wheels and tires, and AWD.

Just looking for some direction on this.

Don't get me wrong, IF my car sells for close to what I'm asking, I do plan on purchasing a typhoon. This is plan B

 

[MikeRenz]

Re: Typhoon Clone

some rough 'decent' prices...meaning you can find things for these prices if you search/are patient. Some things may cost more/less depending on who is selling what at that time.

$300.00 awd tcase
$150.00 rear driveshaft
$150.00 front propshaft
$600.00 decent working correct tranny
$400.00 decent syty rims
------------
$1600.00 just for the drivetrain


a full set of cladding and mounting hardware is going to cost you at least $2k, but thats only if you find someone w/ a full set they're willing to part with. Otherwise, pieceing it together will cost $$. That brings you to at least $3600.00.

$300.00 stock exhaust manifolds (building headers would cost more)
$500.00 syty intake manifolds
$300.00 stock turbo
$50.00 turbo plumbing, prolly more $ really
-----------
$1150.00


so that brings you to $4750.00 and you don't have a syty gauge cluster, leather seats, tires, plus you have to install everything - and hanging the cladding correctly on a clone is going to take some time, as well as swapping everything else over.

Meanwhile, in todays market you can find a decent Ty for $6-8k, and have a real truck w/ all the features, and it'll actually be worth something. If you make a clone, and then end up dumping a bunch of money into it....you'll be stuck w/ just another modded blazer.

Personally, unless you are super patient and are willing to shop around for best prices on everything, i'd just save up and buy a real typhoon and eliminate half the headaches to begin with.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Typhoon Clone

Renz is being generous with the pricing as well, Ty cladding is going to cost more than 2K unless your piecing it together from a wreck. He is also missing the wiring harness, the suspension mods, (so it doesn't look like a 4x4.) and those little odds and end pieces. The only cost effective way to do a clone is to buy a wrecked Ty, even with that route usually to get your money back you need ot part out the clone.

 

[Osmosis]

Re: Typhoon Clone

Wow, 2 large for the cladding! I was going to use the stock wiring harness, hoping to find a ECM that is MAP sensor instead of MAF as I'm used to the MAP tuning software on Tuner Cat and Tuner Pro RT. Suspension stuff....Hmmm. I could lower it, that's not too hard. I do have an extra 700r4 that is built with torrington bearings in my garage. As far as the headers go, I built my buddy's turbo headers for his camaro for about 300 bucks for the set. I can fabricate the turbo piping myself.

I can clearly see my best option is going to be purchasing a non cloned typhoon! But, like I said, just looking into plan B...... I reallyl hope my car sells so I can get a typhoon! I've wanted one for a long LONG TIME!

By the way, thank you guys for the help!

 

[phoonTy]

Re: Typhoon Clone

some rough 'decent' prices...meaning you can find things for these prices if you search/are patient. Some things may cost more/less depending on who is selling what at that time.

$300.00 awd tcase
$150.00 rear driveshaft
$150.00 front propshaft
$600.00 decent working correct tranny
$400.00 decent syty rims
------------
$1600.00 just for the drivetrain


a full set of cladding and mounting hardware is going to cost you at least $2k, but thats only if you find someone w/ a full set they're willing to part with. Otherwise, pieceing it together will cost $$. That brings you to at least $3600.00.

$300.00 stock exhaust manifolds (building headers would cost more)
$500.00 syty intake manifolds
$300.00 stock turbo
$50.00 turbo plumbing, prolly more $ really
-----------
$1150.00


so that brings you to $4750.00 and you don't have a syty gauge cluster, leather seats, tires, plus you have to install everything - and hanging the cladding correctly on a clone is going to take some time, as well as swapping everything else over.

Meanwhile, in todays market you can find a decent Ty for $6-8k, and have a real truck w/ all the features, and it'll actually be worth something. If you make a clone, and then end up dumping a bunch of money into it....you'll be stuck w/ just another modded blazer.

Personally, unless you are super patient and are willing to shop around for best prices on everything, i'd just save up and buy a real typhoon and eliminate half the headaches to begin with.

Might ought to sticky this list at the top of the conversions forum. We could update the list as prices change. It might help alleviate a lot of the "I want to make a clone" threads when they see a price breakdown. :tup:

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Typhoon Clone

Wow, 2 large for the cladding! I was going to use the stock wiring harness, hoping to find a ECM that is MAP sensor instead of MAF as I'm used to the MAP tuning software on Tuner Cat and Tuner Pro RT. Suspension stuff....

Hmmm. I could lower it, that's not too hard. From there, what other suspension stuff is needed?

Its just lowering springs, pork chops and different shocks. Not a lot of money but just another addtion to the long list. If I was converting, I would want the 749 ECM and harness so you could use code $59. IMO Its far superior than any other ODBI GM ecm and its actually meant to run in boost.

 

[Osmosis]

Re: Typhoon Clone

Its just lowering springs, pork chops and different shocks. Not a lot of money but just another addtion to the long list. If I was converting, I would want the 749 ECM and harness so you could use code $59. IMO Its far superior than any other ODBI GM ecm and its actually meant to run in boost.

Yea, I'm familiar with the 7749 ecm. I was going to re-pin my 7730 ecm, but I just tuned my car with the one bar map and wide band kit. I also have an msd boost retard incase of bad fuel. The 749 is by far a better ecm for reading boost.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Typhoon Clone

Yea, I'm familiar with the 7749 ecm. I was going to re-pin my 7730 ecm, but I just tuned my car with the one bar map and wide band kit.

That will work as well. Know how to tune and how the ECM operates will help you alot in owning a Ty.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Typhoon Clone

Might ought to sticky this list at the top of the conversions forum. We could update the list as prices change. It might help alleviate a lot of the "I want to make a clone" threads when they see a price breakdown. :tup:

I kind of like that idea, it might be fun to do anyways for the SyTy specific parts.

 

[Osmosis]

Re: Typhoon Clone

I have found a few S10 blazers and Jimmy's that have been lowered, front ground effect, roll pan and a custom hood that look really nice. All are about 5G. I figure, if I can't find a typhoon when I"m in the market, I can get a set of turbo headers, intercooler and exhaust, then put my turbo on. I will also weld in a bung for my wide band O2 sensor so I can tune the car. I'm not sure which EM the 91-93 jimmy's and blazers use. I need to find this out and see if my ostrich will be compatible.

My only concern if...IF I were to do this is the AWD. I wonder if the 4WD can be used inplace of AWD? I'm not sure if the 4WD can handle the HP and 100mph + trap speeds?

I got a quote on the cladding for the typhoons........almost 6000$! WOW!

Hope my car sells so I can get a TY! :lol:

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Typhoon Clone

My only concern if...IF I were to do this is the AWD. I wonder if the 4WD can be used inplace of AWD? I'm not sure if the 4WD can handle the HP and 100mph + trap speeds?

I supose you could use it at the track, but you should drive around on dry pavement with a 4x4 transfer case. It would be like driveng around with spool in the rear end. The tires will squeal going around eery corner, I would imagine it will eventually break from 4x4 driving alone.

 

[Osmosis]

Re: Typhoon Clone

That was my thinking too.