How hard is it? Is it worth it? I'm too broke to get a TII hood for my swap. My other options are to buy two and weld them together, and to find some other FM (ie NPR or whatever).

 

Mounting a stock intercooler in the front is not worth it in my opinion. Sure, the performance/efficicency will be better, but it is too much hasle to do it.
If you are going to the trouble of doing a FMIC (not too much trouble at all realy) then actually make it worth your while.
Pick up a decent used OEM intercooler from a car such as the starion/conquest intercooler. Sure it's not an Apex or Spearco unit, but it will be damn well better than stock, and be enough so that if you do some upgrades still, it will be sufficient.

Spend the $100 for the 'new' IC and it is WELL worth it.
Don't waste your time with stock FMIC.

 

two stock ones welded together make a pretty good ic for the money

 

can't you add a water to air addon to the TMIC ? That would be just as good.

 

Getting the ic off the top of the motor is one of the best things you can do imo. Im going to be doing a front end project much like the one on 1300cc.com

 

Does anyone know what is the hp gain in welding 2 frount mount intercooler together?

 

The stock ic's cant cool at all past 10-13psi. I wouldnt even waste the time welding them together. Just go find the ic off a starion or some volvo.

 

The point is that it can't be top mounted, since there is no turbo hood, heh. It's looking like i'll have a Volvo intercooler. Mwaha. Volvo Powuh.

That said, i've heard that Starion cores suck. This from the japanese OEM I/C comparison webpage.

 

I have two cores welded together, and front mounted directly in front of the rad.
Does it work? Yes.
I can boost 13 psi for a nice pull, stop, pop the hood, and feel the difference in temp between the IC input and output pipes. It's substantial. The output pipe is always cool.

Moving the rad back and mounting the IC there also allows for nice short IC piping.
BTW, that's the only place you would be able to mount the volvo one anyways!
It's so easy to move the rad back, but trim the battery tray a bit, buy some long bolts and a few feet of 3/4" pipe. Just cut the pipe and use them on the longer bolts as spacers in between the rad and frame.

 

You can just buy a piece of aluminum and make brackets to hold the rad further back (looks better than bolts). I was going to do this (had a little model drawn out :P) but I forgot about my damn ac condenser Totally in the way.