thatv35guy's 2021 PowerLab Upgrade
 

Quick update for the new year... After nearly eleven years of owning my PowerLab turbo kit, I've decided to make a substantial upgrade to the system. A few months ago I purchased a brand new GEN2 Precision 6870 turbo with an S compressor cover and a 0.96 stainless v-band in/out exhaust housing. And after a few weeks of collecting all the necessary parts to upgrade the turbo, I finally dropped the car off at my local fabrication shop (Wild Child Innovations) for a new up-pipe and a 3.5" down-pipe.

I'm upgrading from a Garret GT35R/Pure 6266 hybrid turbo with a 3" down-pipe. The car was previously make just over 650whp at 20 psi. Looking to turn the car up to 750whp with the stock camshafts/valvetrain for now.

PTE 6870

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....f7232bda58.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....b24c9886e6.jpg

Vibrant 3.5" U-J bend & race muffler

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....eb64c8dcaf.jpg

PTE/Vibrant v-band assemblies and bellow

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....160f539036.jpg

Torn down and headed to fab shop

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....53c53d010f.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....3e8b3438ab.jpg

In...

Love the plates too!

Dun Dun Dunnn. When I read 11 years.. that put a smile on my face. I am glad you still have it. I remember the original build a long time ago. Good stuff!

Ohhhh man! Love where this is going.

Nice looking car, the Weld wheels go great.....

17's up front?

Gonna have to replace the 6266 or sandbag after the 6870's in.

Yeah, I've had the car since '08 and my brother-in-law was actually the original owner of the car.

Thanks! I waited a long time to pick up the Welds, they're actually 18x9.5's up front (MKIV Supra fitment)

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....fa108acb27.jpg

Looks Great!
Had it at the Dragstrip yet?

Thanks!
Haven't taken it to the drag strip making anywhere near the power it is now, hopefully have it out this fall after I have the car sorted out.

New up pipe's completed and turbo's mounted

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....c95b0ad43e.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....ceee9e40f0.jpg

Well guys, I got completely hosed by the fabrication shop (Nick Gross @ Wild Child Innovations in Tempe, AZ)... the work was completely unacceptable and unfinished, this is just the tip of the ice burg...

This is the v-band assembly he added to the crossover pipe feeding the turbo:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....1c6315f3f9.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....327363476c.jpg

were those mig'd?

that sucks ... did you tell him youre unhappy with the work?

what's the next step forward?

If you want welding like that send it to me...I can do that with my 0 experience and a stick welder.

Real talk though, that is super shitty of the dude. Like can the dude not TIG or did he just take the easy way out and MIG without back filling?

especially a piece that is gonna be seen by EVERYONE when the hot side is off!

any of that **** gets through your turbo & IC it's bad news...

Yep, his work was pretty reprehensible... This is the downpipe he built with the Vibrant/Precision materials I provided...

He didn't back purge the welds on the downpipe

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....c516e45f6c.jpg

He built the downpipe in one piece without securing the header to the car so when we went test fit it with the header in place it didn't work, it was impossible to secure the header to the head, the downpipe needs to be built in two pieces. I provided him with pictures and videos of how it needed to be routed which he just didn't look at.

He tried to attach a v-band which he couldn't get to work, he had me buy a slip joint which he also couldn't get to work, so I got back a dented up downpipe that was literally just cut in half (and he tried to charge $2,200 for these two pipe (materials I provided), that don't fit and aren't even back purged):

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....b66c465fd5.jpg

More pictures of the sugaring/welds not back purged correctly:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....57dbbfb6f8.jpg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z....5cd68d5b71.jpg

That sucks so bad man. What is the plans now?

Looking for a new fabricator, might've found the one I'm going to use too but I want him to come out next week to take a look at the job so there's no surprises, etc.

Thats the best way to do it.

:lurk: