 Speed Inc upgraded the fuel system with
its billet fuel rails and regulator along with Motron
60-pound injectors. A F.A.S.T. 78mm intake and MTI
75mm polished throttle body are also used to compensate
for the increased airflow; meanwhile the Thunder Racing
coil relocation kit and Katech valve covers are merely
for show. Speed Inc Sportsman 348 short-block, TEA
ported heads, COMP Cams/Speed Inc turbo cam and an
Innovative 76mm turbo are responsible for producing
850 hp at only 17 psi.
 A six-point Wolfe chrome-moly rollcage and
RJS harnesses were a necessity for the 900-plus crank
horsepower SS. Speed Inc. lightweight carpet was also
used to help offset the added weight.
 Ryan’s Camaro was fitted with Nittos to
keep some traction on the street, but after burning
them down to the bare hides for our photo shoot he
soon switched to Mickey Thompsons. Before he takes
it to the track he also said he would be investing
in a much-needed set of M/T drag slicks as well.
 The Innovative Turbo multi-stage boost controller
is part of the reason this combo is so feasible on
the street. It allows the user to dial in the max
boost on-command. Another great feature is that it
allows you to dial back the boost on launch so as
not to overpower the tires or suspension.
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Boost,
Inc.
A Speed-Inc Built, 850-RWHP Street Terminator
By Scott Parker
Photography: Rick Jensen
When Ryan Christensen first
purchased his ’99 Hugger Orange Camaro SS, he had
no idea that he would one day be flirting with 900
hp. Like any good project gone awry, he found himself
at Speed Inc. for a second time after his custom
blower and forged 348ci motor setup left him dissatisfied.
Ryan wanted the ability to set the boost to kill
at a moment’s notice without having to spend time
swapping pulleys, which meant one thing—time for
a turbo.
Since Speed Inc’s turbo kits
feature an Innovative Turbo electronic boost controller
mounted inside the cockpit, all Ryan would have
to do is punch the keypad a few times and it was
go time. Also, central to the design of the kit
is a street-friendly Innovative GTS turbo that,
in his case, measures 76mm. With these two high-tech
gadgets playing in concert, Ryan could plunder his
native Alabama countryside at-will, rowing through
all six gears of the T-56 and turning his LS1 Camaro
into an instrument of war.
Other key components to the
kit include stainless steel turbo headers, a 3.5-inch
downpipe, an Innovative Indy-Gate wastegate and
a front mount air-to-air intercooler made exclusively
for Speed Inc. by Griffin. A custom 3.5-inch single
exhaust was fabricated for the turbo setup and capped
off with a Dynomax Race Magnum muffler. Since the
previously installed blower cam wouldn’t make efficient
use of the exhaust gases, it was swapped for a turbo
cam designed by Speed Inc. measuring 225 degrees/225
degrees duration at .050, .581/.581-inch lift and
113 LSA.
Speed Inc’s Sportsman 348ci
motor was still a relative virgin, so it was otherwise
left untouched. The near-stock displacement, stock
crank motor is a true testament to the strength
and potential of the factory equipment. Using Eagle
forged H-beam rods and Diamond forged pistons with
a 9:1 compression, this combo has proven reliable
at big boost levels. TEA Stage 2 ported LS1 heads
were also recycled to provide enhanced flow via
a 2.02 intake and 1.57 exhaust valves. COMP Cams–hardened
pushrods and stock rocker arms ensure valvetrain
reliability. Topping off the long-block is a F.A.S.T.
78mm intake and an MTI 75mm throttle body.
Even in a stock cube motor,
a 76mm turbo can demand an enormous amount of fuel
at high boost. Speed Inc outfitted Ryan’s F-body
with a modified version of its fuel system kit that
employs two Bosch 420-lph fuel pumps, along with
the boost-ready billet fuel pressure regulator and
fuel rails. Speed Inc. says the use of the two Bosch
pumps allows excellent reliability and a great deal
less heat as opposed to a large single pump. The
fuel pumps and the Motron 60 lb/hr high-impedance
injectors are a large reason why this combo is so
streetable. The custom tune by Jim Morgan of Speed
Inc. has also been a large contributing factor.
By converting to a 3 BAR speed density system he
could avoid any of the potential stumbling blocks
of running high boost with a MAF. With Jim tuning,
the HP Tuners, the turbo LS1 made 638 hp and 631
lb-ft of torque on Speed Inc’s chassis dyno with
pump gas and 10 pounds of boost. C16 race gas and
17 pounds of boost achieved an unbelievable 851
hp and 742 lb-ft at the wheels. Soon Ryan may be
switching to a Big Stuff 3.0L and a 6.0L iron block.
For now though, he fully intends to enjoy all 850
horses on the street and the track. Unfortunately,
health problems have kept the 22-year-old college
student from taking this beast to the track as of
yet, but he expects to be back in the saddle in
October to take the LS1 through its paces.
When Ryan does make it to the
track he will be happy he chose to upgrade to a
McLeod Twin Disc clutch and Speed Inc HD Chromemoly
driveshaft. In combination with a Speed Inc/Dr.
Evil-built T-56 and a Moser 12-bolt stuffed with
33-spline axles, 3.42 gears and a posi he can be
reassured that countless passes on the dragstrip
won’t cost him an inkling of reliability while still
maintaining complete feasibility as a streetcar.
A full BMR suspension and QA1 shocks were also installed
to keep him running straight while shedding a few
pounds in the process.
With the SS now completely overhauled
it appears Ryan finally got what he wanted in the
ultimate street demon, thanks to Speed Inc and a
76mm turbo. “I thought there would be more lag than
the supercharger, but it was just the opposite.
It comes on quicker and lays me back in the seat
so much harder. But I still have my streetcar that
I can cruise at night, take to car shows, and race.”
With the ability to pillage both street and track,
there is just no telling how much destruction could
be caused by the menacing turbo LS1.
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