Tyler Tanaka talks about the new Turbonetics Forged Billet Compressor Wheels

1. Billet aluminum wheels are much stronger than cast aluminum wheels for a couple of reasons. The first is that there are no porosity issues to have to worry about. This means that there is no chance of minute air bubbles being in the metal. Turbonetics uses a special process called HIP’ing. Hot Isostatic Processing that virtually eliminates porosity in its cast wheels but because the wheel is cast and the metal is still smushed together (laymans terms) the hotter the wheel gets, the faster it spins and the greater the pressure ratio conditions it runs at the greater the chance of metal fatigue, blade straightening or in the worst case bursting. The second is the metal material that can be selected to be used is a much stronger grade than the same cast material. This is where Turbonetics forged billet compressor wheels shine. They are even stronger than standard billet wheels because the grains of metal have been moved in such a way as to align in a specific direction. See article here on forging (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forging)

Turbonetics Forged Billet Comp Wheel

2. Because Turbonetics uses  Forged Billet to machine the compressor wheel on a 5-Axis mill, the nose and hub of the compressor wheel can be made significantly smaller to allow for a greater blade diameter for a givine inducer size. The nose is where the compressor nut gets fastened down and the hub is the area around the bore of the wheel that the impeller blades are attacheed to. A cast wheel has to have a certain size nose and hub to allow the wheel to be cast number one and secondly it has to be able to be pulled from the mold itself. So simply stated a 61mm Forged Billet turbo will flow more air and have the opportunity to make more power than the same 61mm turbo with a cast compressor wheel.

3. The specific metal material used in Turbonetics forged wheels also gives the wheel tremendous blade strength and lowers the chance of the blades straightening at high speeds (ie. high boost pressures). When the boost pressure is raised many things occur including causing increased friction with the air and thus increasing temperatures, the pressure the wheel is under and finally the great centrifugal force the blades are under spinning at such high speeds. These three factors can cause the blades to contact the compressor housing causing serious damage to the turbocharger and could possibly lead to immediate destruction or greatly decrease the life span of the turbocharger.

122mm Pro Stock Forged Billet Turbo

4. With forged billet impellers the blades of the wheel can be machined much thinner because they are so much stronger. This allows the wheel to have a greater efficiency range becuase their is less blade thickness to contact the air and heat it up. It also means that with less blade thickness and lower hub area that there is a greater area in-between the blades to squeeze more air and build boost pressure. The more efficient a wheel is the lower the intake temps and everyone knows the cooler the air going into the engine the more horsepower you can make.

5. Being a 5-axis machined part means that this wheel is not cheap as it takes a long time to machine these wheels and it is expensive to program the mill. Hence the increased price of the TNX line of Turboentics turbos but being a machined part allows Turbonetics to continually make improvements in a quicker manner and lower cost method than creating very costly tools and molds for casting compressor wheels. This gives us an advantage in that we can make small changes to the comp wheel and continually improve the airflow and efficiency of the turbo for specific types of applications.

Keep It In Boost,
TurboT2

Turbonetics Forged Billet Compressor Wheel

Fear has reared its ugly face more frequently than we all would like in recent months and we have seen both of the results mentioned above in the auto industry over the past 18 months and some companies like Ford have proven themselves worthy of their heritage. I think that Henry Ford would be proud about what his namesake has acomplished in the past 18 months. The brand continues to surge forward step by step making incremental improvemtents along the way, most importantly to its product offerings. Others have resorted to makeshift budget cuts, leadership changes, M&A attempts and silly sales promos to bolster sales and if it wasn’t for the Great American Gov’t Waste of Taxpayers Money Cash For Clunkers program they would be in even worse shape than they are in now. Mostly because they continue to ignore a very basic principle, to build quality cars that people actually want to own and drive. The 2008-09 decline of the Detroit big three and other world auto powers has obviously hit the aftermarket parts manufactures hard but as I prepare for the arduous task of working the IMIS (Int’l Motorsports Industry Show) here in Indianapolis for the next few days I am perplexed to understand how the aftermarket and it’s companies are making business decisions in the current economic conditions.

Turbonetics IMIS booth in Indy

I know it is not a simple matter to make good decisions when the future is about as clear as mud but c’mon already people! Stop basing everything you do on the sole fact that since your competitor decided to do something you better do it as well. “Keeping up with the Jones” or “So and so is doing it” were never more widely used than they are now albeit for different reasons. Instead of spending, it is reducing and cutting back or choosing to do something because you are more afraid to not participate than you are confident to attend.  The common theme that I keep hearing about this show is that “we waited as long as we could to not attend but too many other people were coming” or how about I am only exhibiting cause my enemies are here”. Well much like the strength of the economy, trade shows are built on confidence, for both the exhibitors who choose to attend and the attendees who register to be there. Here at the IMIS show I am caught with the normal butterflies I get before the  floor opens to the attendees. Will it be a successful show for us, will it be a successful show period, how many leads will I be able to gather, will I be wasting my time and my companies money by attending.   But unlike MANY of those exhibiting here did I decide to be here because my competitor was attending. Sure we looked at the exhibitor list but it certainly didn’t dictate whether to be here or not. I have confidence in the fact that we attended IMIS because the investment was worth the reward and risk of traveling to Indy.

Two quotes stick out in my mind as I think about our plans for next yeaer and how 2010 will take shape. First and most importantly is echoed in what Chet Atkins said “Everything I have ever done was out of fear of being mediocre”. I hope that I have the foresight and good sense to continue to drive forward to be excellent. The second is directed at my fellow industry associates to get some chutzpah and stop worrying about what others are doing, just focus on making good products and providing good service. After those two things are worked out the other decisions get a whole lot easier.

As H. Jackson Browne said “Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb, that is where the fruit is” and I couldn’t agree more.

Keep it in boost,
TurboT2

First I want to start off by saying that being on the show floor and getting our booth ready to open the show allows me to hear and participate in all kinds of conversations. I like to equate these verbal encounters to playing the game “pitching pennies”. You know where you are flipping coins against a wall to see who can get closer or better yet stand the coin up against the wall vertically. For three days everyone is guessing and “flipping quarters” out there as to how disastrous the show will be this year. For the past three years now all anyone wants to do is talk doom and gloom leading up to the shows opening and I am frankly getting kind of sick of it. The first thing out of everyone’s mouth is that there are less exhibitors this year or that there are a bunch of open spaces, and so-and-so dropped out and you know who didn’t come… GOOD! The automotive industry needed a good thorough shakeup to sort out the winners and all the others because when Tuesday morning came and the show began Turbonetics was off to a fantastic and very successful SEMA show.

Turbonetics SEMA 2009 Booth

As the SEMA Street Performance Councils Chair Elect  (find out more about the SPC here) I firmly believe in the good that the SEMA organization has to offer its member companies but it’s like going to church; until you get involved in a deeper more personal level and jump into the programs behind the sermons you will never get the full value of the church body just by showing up on Sundays. All too often people become disenchanted and feeling as if they are not getting something meaningful because they are just going through the motions. There is a tremendous push going on inside SEMA to really deliver valuable returns on the membership dues and for buyers and exhibitors alike, to have a successful show. The education and business programs that have been initiated in the past 18 months have been a long time coming and I am proud to say that the groups that Turbonetics and I are involved with are leading the way forward. But I digress so back to my original point, while I am not happy that the economy has struck a particularly mighty blow to many automotive companies and SEMA and CONVEXX won’t necessarily appreciate my opinion, I know that the org’s coffers don’t, but I am glad that there are less exhibitors and here’s why;

1. Dilution:
   1. Prior to the 2008 show the rate of growth was phenomenal. Truly staggering in my opinion. The parking lots were filled with tents and cars and the registration area for crying out loud was what seemed a city block away. There were chotski vendors and cheap overseas knock-offs, some of which splashed castings of my own parts and some potentially questionable booths that could be argued did not belong at the show.
2. Inflated Attendance:
   1. While I still think that the shows attendance gets a boost in some areas, the sheer number of people at the show was growing and growing year after year. Combined with the number of booths out there it made it increasingly difficult for people to get to my booth and then to conduct good meaningful, full value conversations once they arrived because I had a line of people waiting to talk to me about sponsoring their 1972 Gremlin… “it’s gonna be an insane project maaaan” 
3. Quality vs. Quantity:
   1. The same serious buyers are going to be at the show year in and year out because SEMA remains a wonderful place to do business. It is also the single greatest place to debut new products each year because the volume of purchasing decision makers present and press coverage is second to none. With less booths for them to be distracted by or in some cases not there at all the greater the opportunity I have to meet new people, open new opportunities and most importantly close new sales.
4. Return on Investment:
   1. With the general climate of shrinking marketing dollars and being forced to do more with less, a concentrated SEMA means that I get more out of the show. Our dollars are hard earned and I expect to get maximum value from them. With the SEMA show the current size or even 10-15% still smaller, it makes spending the massive dollars involved with exhibiting at the show an easier decision to make.

Here’s the thing about being an exhibitor at shows like SEMA and PRI and any other large trade gathering for that matter. You get what you put into it! Anyone that thinks they can just show up and they will automatically make rain is sorely mistaken. It is a combined effort for our engineering, quality, production, sales and marketing team to drive success to our business. You make your own traffic at shows sometimes, whether through revolutionary new products, sales promotions or fantastic PR and communications. If you are reading this and you are a buyer or shop owner, did you fly in on Monday to take advantage of the Internet Marketing classes? Did you attend any one of the myriad business seminars during the week? How about listen to the panels of speakers giving their advice and real world experiences that were making them successful in the current economic climate? As an exhibitor did you do everything in your power to make it a successful show? I know I didn’t and we had still had a great show, that’s why I am so excited to do an even better job next year. See you in Vegas in 2010 for what I hope is an even better and stronger auto industry and SEMA show.

Keep It In Boost,
TurboT2

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Jessica Barton

We have actually been trying to work some modeling gigs out with her for quite some time, ever since she helped us to develop the turbocharger that carries her signature. The “Jessica” Mid-Frame is absolutlely rocking the 1000+ hp street turbo scene and has won multiple races on Supras and other vehicles that need big power in a standard size to fit under the hood.

The "Jessica" Mid-Frame Turbo

We are at KAR Studios in Camarillo, CA working with the incredibly talented Kyle Richardson, known in the industry for his fantastic work with Modified Magazine and their ”After Hours” features. If you have seen any of Turbonetics posters in the past (see here for all the pics, there are multiple albums so cruise around) you know that we take pride on coming up with very creative and unique photo shoots. This year is no different and we are introducing the brand new TN Series of turbos and the Hurricane Series of turbos at SEMA.

Here are some behind the scenes pics of the the photo shoot so far. Make sure to stop by the Turbonetics SEMA booth # 22767 for a signed copy or hit us up after the show to order one. Enjoy!

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If any company (not blessed by the good grace of subsidizing) was run the way that Detroit auto divisions are they would cease to exist. The direction the US Govt. looks to be headed with the domestic auto sector makes me shake in my boots and Heaven help us when they move on to the next socialist agenda item. Ralph Schoeder of the AAE Group sent out a very good summary of quick and simple math calculations based on the official C4C numbers released. If you were responsible for making a company decision to spend 750% more dollars in charitable contributions than sales would you still have your job? Here is what Ralph had to say.

“Are these numbers correct?

A vehicle at 15 mpg and 12,000 miles per year uses 800 gallons a year of gasoline.

A vehicle at 25 mpg and 12,000 miles per year uses 480 gallons a year.

So, the average clunker transaction will reduce US gasoline consumption by 320 gallons per year.

They claim 700,000 vehicles CLUNKED – so that’s 224 million gallons / year.

That equates to 5.33 million barrels of oil.

5.33 million barrels of oil is about ¼ of one day’s US consumption.

And, 5.33 million barrels of oil costs about $400 million dollars at $75/bbl.

So, we all contributed to spending $3+ billion to save $400 million.

If these numbers are close, what economic strategy was really being employed by our government?

I have friends who own dealerships and they stated the “program” provided a needed injection of new business, given the alternative of the past months.

Not all of them have been paid (yet).

However, is this sound business strategy or simply throwing money at a problem, in the hopes it will provide the solution.

Look out public health care…”

Excerpt from Ralph Schroeder, President - AAE Group

Keep it in boost,
TurboT2

How about rusty hoods? I know this might not be news to some of you hipsters out there but there has been a growing trend of sporting rusty hoods on otherwise perfect cars. It seems to have originated with VW owners and it has in fact been going on for quite a while now. I have included a collection of pics for you to sample and try your best to comprehend. My brain actually absorbs quantum physics and the theories of absolute zero more than this trend but hey I like to play golf too. No matter how popular that game is, it is still ridiculous to chase a stupid white ball around whacking it with metal sticks.

But perhaps I have sparked something in you from reading this post and you now can’t wait to transform your rice or kraut mobile… well here is the link that you will need to git ‘er done. How to turn you cars hood into a rusty piece of junk art.

Personally, I think it is about as cool as a cat playing a keyboard. Perversely funny and unique in a very strange way!

Keep it in boost,
TurboT2

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1. Possibly the single greatest scam of this whole program is that it is for the environment. The impact and costs to the environment to build new vehicles far outweighs getting cars that have a marginally higher mpg rating on the road in place of others. Absolute craziness.
2. The Go’vt  decides to change the mileage ratings on vehicles the night before the program starts disqualifying many potential vehicles from being traded in. People ready to trade their cars in the next day are now out of luck.
3. Aftermarket companies, enthusiasts and organizations fight against the program to begin with. Viable cars ripe for performance aftermarket parts and accessories are taken off the road and crushed. Charities are going to lose one of the largest and easiest ways to exist and there are many that rely solely on vehicle donations.
4. Entire industries and companies exist to make replacement parts for vehicles to extend their life and provide longer service. They can now kiss any fourth quarter and future sales goodbye.
5. Salvage, scrapyard and metal recyclers are getting the shaft right now but who cares right? Oh and by the way, just wait til you try and find a used part for that Ford Expedition you have next year.
6. 690,114 Roadworthy low cost vehicles are removed from chances of being able to given, donated to charity, or sold at fair market value to people who are in desperate need of a car. My own family members could use a shot at owning one of those 690K+ cars and now all that will happen is the prices of decent shape, decent running and perfectly good older used cars will increase. And how many first cars just got sent to their death. I had a 1969 VW Bug as my first car and was glad for it. There are a lot of good vehicles now gone that could have been someones first car just like my bug.
7. How did the program help the economically challenged and lower middle class? The prices of a new vehicles even with the rebate is not low enough for most low income Americans. See above
8. Zero sustainability. Notta, zip, zilch! It is a one time 3 billion dollar hit to the deficit and ONLY promotes a very short term sales push for new vehicles.
9. Dealers got burned. A recent (admittedly unscientific) survey conducted by Automotive News shows that 44% of the 800 dealers polled wouldn’t want C4C to be extended again, even if the program was modified. Only 3% felt that the program should have been extended without being modified. The biggest issue dealers have with C4C is, unsurprisingly, its lack of timely payment. Some multi-store dealers have millions invested in the program, while little or no money has come in yet. An alarming 23% of dealers say they have had to borrow money to cover the cash crunch left in the wake of the Clunkers program, while an additional 10% say the program has actually sucked enough cash from the coffers that it has put the dealership at risk
10. Consumers got burned. See a handful of comments for people that wanted to participate and buy cars. Some poor people have had deposits sitting since the program began and still have not received their cars.

J says:

August 26, 2009 at 8:40 pm

Here’s the gig. dealer has a $500.00 down payment, the title to my clunker and the new car sitting on his lot and I still have my clunker. You know – Per my dealer “I’m not releasing the new car until I’m paid by the Gov’t.” It’s been since 07/30/09.
Us consumers are getting no help from anywhere. Here’s the real joke. I have emailed and written to the below entities and have received no response except the automated responses. Now I’m looking for a lawyer that will start a class action suit because I know I’m not alone.

Jackie says:

August 26, 2009 at 8:28 pm

I have had signed paperwork since 8/6/09 and still no car. My dealer is awaiting for approval he says not payment, meanwhile I am still driving my clunker. Frustrating that each dealer seems to handle it in a different way. I have no way to proove that he did sumbit paperwork- now that it’s closed I could be out of luck Does anyone know how I can check to see if they even submitted my paperworK?

Rich says:

August 24, 2009 at 7:00 pm

I tried to trade in a car that got 19mpg for one that got 33mpg. I didn’t qaulify. Other people were buying cars and trucks that got 10mpg less than the one I was going to buy. I was also told by car dealers I know that only upper middle class and wealthy people had the money to buy ‘new cars” as ore-owned cars with great mpg did not qualify. Another giveaway to the rich,as it didn’t help poor people or lower middle class folks who are hoping to have a job at the end of the year.

In all, 84% of participating customers traded in pickup trucks, and 59% ended up with passenger cars. The other 41% was split up among crossovers, SUVs and new pickups. The Transportation Department says the program resulted in a 58% improvement in fuel economy for the new vehicles, as the outgoing models averaged 15.8 mpg while the new models averaged 24.9 mpg.

Top 10 new vehicles purchased

1. Toyota Corolla
2. Honda Civic
3. Toyota Camry
4. Ford Focus FWD
5. Hyundai Elantra
6. Nissan Versa
7. Toyota Prius
8. Honda Accord
9. Honda Fit
10. Ford Escape FWD

Top 10 trade-in vehicles

1. Ford Explorer 4WD
2. Ford F150 Pickup 2WD
3. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD
4. Ford Explorer 2WD
5. Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan 2WD
6. Jeep Cherokee 4WD
7. Chevrolet Blazer 4WD
8. Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2WD
9. Ford F150 Pickup 4WD
10. Ford Windstar FWD Van

Keep it in boost,
TurboT2

Cash for Clunkers

A 350+mph pass on the flats

There were 560 Entries:  381 cars and 179 bikes including 56 Class Changes for a total 504 vehicles.  There were 3,108 timed runs over the 3 courses and sometimes no matter what you do there is still this dude named Murphy that really wants to stick it you. And this time he stuck his business right into the teams rear end. Literally. Four rear ends were lost from the tremendous amount of torque generated by the Turbonetics TNX-115mm turbocharged, Duttweiler tuned and built engine. The team was unable to use all of the cars power in the low gears and had a difficult time getting the car to reach its full speed potential. On Thursday August 13th, 2009 the team got a final clean pass in for the week and the read end lived to go 401 mph exit speed from the course.

Besides the big record there was the matter of Speedweek bragging rights and the HOT ROD trophy was at stake. The trophy has been awarded since the first Bonneville Nationals in ‘49 and was originally visualized by Wally Parks as the honor for the fastest one-way time at Speed Week.  Winning this perennial bronze has remained the crowning achievement to land speeders at the Bonneville Salt Flats. And this year it went to Ron Main, George Poteet and the entire Speed Demon crew for their amazing 400+mph pass.

We can’t wait to see what this team is going to do when they can actually use all of the potential in this incredible machine at the FIA meet in September and gun for that “World’s fastest piston driven car” record that looms just in front of them. Good luck Ron, George and the rest of the team.

Keep it in boost,
TurboT2

Poteet & Main's Speed Demon Booneville Streamliner

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When I first got a phone call last summer from a magazine guy trying to give me the “pitch” about some car that I just had to be involved with I was more than a little skeptical. You the type right, “Of this thing is gonna be awesome, it will be on the cover, blah, blah blah. You see, we get numerous sponsorship proposals every day. Some are not yet ready for corporate support, others have potential if the money doesn’t run out and some have true ROI. Rarely do I get no-brainers, sure fire winners for the company. In fact I can count the number of times that I have been lucky enough to get something special across my desk.

If I ever get another proposal from the Top Tuner Team north of the border then I can most certainly chalk up another success. Now I know what you are thinking… Canadians really… Canadians? Let me just say these Canucks are for real and no joke! For anyone that has seen the vehicles they build in magazines, video or in person can attest, they are STUNNING.

The team consists of an eclectic group of guys that epitomize professionalism, expertise and enthusiasm for the automotive industry. Headed up by Tajai Das and flanked by Edmund Manasan, Serge Leger and Chris Nankoo this crew combines a hard to find combination of extremely talented and motivated people. The Top Tuner Team of Canada continues to build the most impressive import lifestyle/show vehicles today and absolutely set the standard that all other teams are trying to reach.So congratulations to the gang for just winning the HIN Boston Ultimate Best in Show.

Top Tuner TV Pilot Episode – embed code no worky, sorry.

Hey Top Tuner’s, I am patiently waiting to add another project to that list of “can’t lose” marketing offers. You got my address! In the meantime, while I wait to be blessed to work with these guys again. Check out the images and videos of the latest Top Tuner creation. A sick widebody Cadillac CTS powered by twin Turbonetics turbos, Spearco FMIC, RG-45 wastegates, and Godzilla BOV’s. Enjoy.

Keep it in boost,
TurboT2

Team Top Tuner Twin Turbo Cadillac CTS

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I gotta hand it to the guys over at Nelson Racing though, they always deliver some sick machinery no matter what it is. My eyes still can’t believe the sight of this little Rx-7 laying down all that rubber. It is powered by twin Turbonetics Ceramic Ball Bearing turbos with all the trick Nelson Racing stuff to go along with them.
Check out the video below and make sure to stop by the Nelson site to see any other goodies they got laying around. http://www.nelsonracingengines.com/

Keep it in boost,
TurboT2

Nelson Racing Engines