Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

[ShuggsRR]

Here is the brief version...

I have always wanted a Syclone or a Typhoon but never loved the reliability. I have always loved V8 S10s but loved the SyTy launch. I have a family now and it would be nice to have a backseat. I decided I wanted a V8 "Typhoon"

July 2006 - I picked up an unfinished project Tyclone... 85 2 dr Jimmy with typhoon AWD, LT1 ported polished etc... but needed interior, suspension and body finished.
I wanted a nicer interior than 85 tan vinyl so I searched for a project truck

Aug 2006 - I picked up a 89 2dr blazer and stripped it. I sold the shell and drivetrain, kept some body, all glass, and ALL interior including dash.

Oct 2006 - I picked up a wrecked 92 Typhoon that had a front end hit and GREAT interior. The notor and turbo were both rebuilt within thge last 7 months and the transmission was rebuilt the day it wrecked!
My Tyclone was going to get a full Typhoon interior! Yet I still had the whole drivetrain leftover that I was to sell off and try and recoup some of my money.

I decided I wanted another cheap daily driver until the Tyclone is done.
Nov 2006 - I picked up a good shape 94 4dr 4x4 Jimmy for pennies that needed a few things I have in the garage. It also needs an exhaust leak fixed and the fuel injection spider whatever it is. lol

Well I realized that the Typhoon drivetrain would happily bolt right into the Jimmy daily driver and make an AWESOME 4dr sleeper! To do this I needed to not spend much money on it as my real project is the Tyclone. So to do this I needed to tear the wrecked stuff off the typhoon and figure out what is wrong with it.
We tore it down and started the typhoon. It sounded GREAT!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93_NXD_8OI

BUT it needs....
- water pump and fan (Jimmy has these)
- power steering pump (Jimmy has this)
- alternator/power steering bracket (Jimmy has this)
- radiator (Jimmy has this)
- remote oil filter (Jimmy has this)
- airbox
- lower intercooler lines
- gauges
- turbo inpeller not spinning (looks like housing was pushed into impeller
- exhaust from Typhoon lengthened to fit 4dr

So the big issue is the turbo. The turbo could cost me $1000+ or for a rebuild $500-$700.
i was offered a stock one for sale at $125. then add in shippiung and rebuild, im at $500+ anyway.

So the decisions that I cant come up with answers yet
Option A
- Drop money into the Tyclone project and have my dream vehicle
- Part out complete Typhoon and try and get some of my Tyclone money back
- Fix the daily driver for under $500 and drive it daily.
Option B
- Drop money into the Tyclone project and have my dream vehicle
- Swap the complete Typhoon drivetrain to the 94 Jimmy 4dr and kiss away any recouping my money BUT have a WICKED daily drive 4dr unreliable rebuilt Typhoon. and drop in ANOTHER few grand or two... (anyone have a turbo for cheap? lol)
Option C
- Drop money into the Tyclone project and have my dream vehicle
- Keep asking my friends here and you guys online what the heck I should do with the wrecked Typhoon sitting in the garage and broke Jimmy on the driveway.

 

[Sy-1177]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Personally i'd sell the Ty stuff and finish the clone project. Although the 4 dr would be kickass with the 4.3 turbo, you intended on it being a good reliable daily driver, and after you start tearing into it and do the swap, that would definately take away the reliability factor. Looks like you have some fun stuff ahead of you either way though! Keep us up to date on how the clone is comming along! Any idea on a color yet? You gonna swap the cladding to the clone?

 

[BigBadSmoosh]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

you have a three car garage, keep everything, you have plenty of room...

no idea why you bought the jimmy though.. your pickup has enough of a backseat for the little kids as long as they are young..

or, give me the wrecked ty.

 

[ShuggsRR]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

you have a three car garage, keep everything, you have plenty of room...

no idea why you bought the jimmy though.. your pickup has enough of a backseat for the little kids as long as they are young..

or, give me the wrecked ty.

3rd car convered into office...

4 people, 2 drivers... one Silverado.. lol I wanted my own car again!

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

If the turbo in your truck is freshly rebuilt, just swap the bushings over to the one that needs rebuilt :2cents: .... that'll save you a bunch on that... and the Typhoon motor can be perfectly reliable if you don't do anything but reliability mods.
Also, another secret.... the Typhoon had a 2.5" cat on it anyways... so just use the 2.5" system the jimmy came with ... my Ty had a 2.5 on it for years without troubles

In case you can't tell I'm all about projects :tup:

 

[BigBadSmoosh]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

3rd car convered into office...

4 people, 2 drivers... one Silverado.. lol I wanted my own car again!

let the wife drive the blazer as is

spider injector is a fairly easy job and fairly inexpensive.

 

[SEL777]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Fix the four door and let her drive that and sell the Ty parts you do not plan to use. Motor and tran alone = a few thousand bucks closer toward the completion of your frame up Tyclone rebuild. Good luck.

You can use a Ty as a DD as mentioned above. I have for the last two years.

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Fix the four door and let her drive that and sell the Ty parts you do not plan to use. Motor and tran alone = a few thousand bucks closer toward the completion of your frame up Tyclone rebuild. Good luck.

You can use a Ty as a DD as mentioned above. I have for the last two years.

My truck was a DD for 10 years / nearly 150k .... in that time it had a bad alternator, cap/rotor/wires/plugs, and at one point (about 2k before I got it) the trans case cracked ... nothing big driveline related

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

I would do

D. Forget the Tyclone (just finish it as Blazer), repair the Typhoon (its probably needs a frame swap), do the easy repairs to the 94 and use it as a driver/sell it.

That is just me, not neccessarily what works best for you.

The Typhoon will be worth more money than the other two combined even with the Typhoon parts. One thing I notice you have talked about price (turbo), a SyTy powered vehicle is usually not for light wallet. Transmission can be problematic until upgrades/beefied up, plan on spending $2k+ unless your tranmission was built right (and that is rare). Maybe somebody should give you a boosted launch, so you judgement will be clouded. You will end up addicted and waste vast amount of money like the rest of us

One thing is be wary of the rebuilt driveline part on the Typhoon, often the regular 4.3 transmission is used and the engine has the wrong pistons/main caps. You should be able to pick up a working stock turbo for $250-300.

 

[midnightbluS10]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

The Typhoon will be worth more money than the other two combined even with the Typhoon parts. One thing I notice you have talked about price (turbo), a SyTy powered vehicle is usually not for light wallet. Transmission can be problematic until upgrades/beefied up, plan on spending $2k+ unless your tranmission was built right (and that is rare). Maybe somebody should give you a boosted launch, so you judgement will be clouded. You will end up addicted and waste vast amount of money like the rest of us

One thing is be wary of the rebuilt driveline part on the Typhoon, often the regular 4.3 transmission is used and the engine has the wrong pistons/main caps. You should be able to pick up a working stock turbo for $250-300.

I think he's been into syty's for longer than most. Hell, he's driven a Marlboro Syclone. How many people here can say that?

Not me.

http://www.syty.net/forums/showpost.php?p=420246&postcount=11

Uhhh... No I want a V8 powered AWD truck... I love the turbo boost, but I want another V8 S10.

So do I need to post a resume just to show you guys that I WANT what I'm building? When Im done I will have more into it than a Typhoon because that is what I WANT.

I have driven many many SyTys... I have test driven more than I can count as I used to run the SyTy classifieds site back in the late 90s... . I have driven a Marlboro Sy, been in a few proto trucks, I have lived to tell the tale of riding in Jason Leach's Stokes Syclone back at his place...

I started, organized and hosted the Great Lakes Gatherings (GLG) for a few years then shared and handed the torch over to Marty... the 1st one was my my house in Chicagoland, the 2nd you will see my name listed at the top... http://www.sportmachines.com/events/glgbbq98.php

- Merk and I documented this test Syclone http://www.sportmachines.com/gallery/ProtoSy015
- Merk and I documented this 1990 Syclone http://www.sportmachines.com/history/pc-18.php
- Merk and I documented this PPG Syclone http://www.sportmachines.com/history/ppg.php

If all that doesnt prove that I know what a SyTy is and what it feels like... i dont know what will.

Figured you guys would relate to the feeling of an AWD launch, didnt know i would get the reaction I did.... ack

 

[ShuggsRR]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Ok Im going to change my signature to reflect the condition of the Typhoon so there is no more confusion about me fixing it as is.

 

[Jimmy]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Part the Ty,finish the Clone,fix the Jimmy.

 

[warmpancakes]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

sell it all and buy a mustang or vette

 

[the baPhoon]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

dibs on the rear window of the TY with the defroster connections from the struts! lol

 

[ShuggsRR]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Ok i have decided. Im buying the needed CPI spider injector setup for the 94 Jimmy and just driving it. maybe taking some Ty suspension parts to freshen it up a bit and the Boyds wheel MAYBE...

Parting out the Ty besides the interior of course.

Im gonna dump my efforts into the Tyclone because that is what i really want.

Thanks for the advice to those of you who gave it!

 

[scrape]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

strip what you need off the typhoon to use on the tyclone. fix the jimmy for a daily driver. yeah it would be nice with a awd turbo drivetrain, but the more projects the more headaches. especially if youre planning on using one for a daily driver and want reliability and dont like thumbing it when it breaks down. then figure out if you can make more money by selling the ty as is or parting it out. then take that money and put the tyclone (what you truly want, from what i can gather) closer to being a reality. :tup: :2cents:

 

[scrape]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Ok i have decided. Im buying the needed CPI spider injector setup for the 94 Jimmy and just driving it. maybe taking some Ty suspension parts to freshen it up a bit and the Boyds wheel MAYBE...

Parting out the Ty besides the interior of course.

Im gonna dump my efforts into the Tyclone because that is what i really want.

Thanks for the advice to those of you who gave it!

strip what you need off the typhoon to use on the tyclone. fix the jimmy for a daily driver. yeah it would be nice with a awd turbo drivetrain, but the more projects the more headaches. especially if youre planning on using one for a daily driver and want reliability and dont like thumbing it when it breaks down. then figure out if you can make more money by selling the ty as is or parting it out. then take that money and put the tyclone (what you truly want, from what i can gather) closer to being a reality.

great minds think alike :rotf:

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Ok i have decided. Im buying the needed CPI spider injector setup for the 94 Jimmy and just driving it. maybe taking some Ty suspension parts to freshen it up a bit and the Boyds wheel MAYBE...

Parting out the Ty besides the interior of course.

Im gonna dump my efforts into the Tyclone because that is what i really want.

Thanks for the advice to those of you who gave it!

Too bad I just bought a motor for my sonoma or I'd buy this one :lol:

 

[SY2455]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Ok i have decided. Im buying the needed CPI spider injector setup for the 94 Jimmy and just driving it. maybe taking some Ty suspension parts to freshen it up a bit and the Boyds wheel MAYBE...

Parting out the Ty besides the interior of course.

Im gonna dump my efforts into the Tyclone because that is what i really want.

Thanks for the advice to those of you who gave it!

:rant: HEY YOU CAN"T DO THAT, it's not fair I tell you as I was at work so I couldn't put my :2cents: in.

Option B
- Drop money into the Tyclone project and have my dream vehicle
- Swap the complete Typhoon drivetrain to the 94 Jimmy 4dr and kiss away any recouping my money BUT have a WICKED daily drive 4dr unreliable rebuilt Typhoon. and drop in ANOTHER few grand or two... (anyone have a turbo for cheap? lol)


And by the way what does this mean, I don't understand.

**TOTALLED meaning not repairable... Buckled and crumpled frame, crumpled and mushed cab that needed prybars to even get the doors open again...**
Can you make it clearer for us.

 

[vinnieTy]

Re: Need Some Opinions: Project issues and piles of trucks...

Ok i have decided. Im buying the needed CPI spider injector setup for the 94 Jimmy and just driving it. maybe taking some Ty suspension parts to freshen it up a bit and the Boyds wheel MAYBE...

Parting out the Ty besides the interior of course.

Im gonna dump my efforts into the Tyclone because that is what i really want.

Thanks for the advice to those of you who gave it!

Good choice i would continue the tyclone and finish it so you can enjoy it. I got one question i have a 92 chevy s10 4.3 and i am in need of the spider injector set up and a fule regulator under the plenum. Where are you going to puchase this? It seems that i cant find them under 300 dollars. I cant wait to see that tyclone. What color are you painting it?