Mark
I would not try to put anyone off the IHI conversions, but if your car is your daily driver, and you do more than a few thousand miles a year, have a deep wallet and a spare car.
Mine ran faultlessly for the first 52,000 miles of chipped with bolt ons, and latterly E05 turbo.
Post IHI it ran for 13,000 miles before it threw a rod. In the last 8000 miles its killed 3 turbos, burnt a valve out, and quite a few other problems. It's cost me the best part of £8K in a year and that's not including the price of the IHI kit. The turbos are being worked flat out, which is why they are not lasting, and consequently I have reduced the boost to 1.2bar to try and make the latest one survive. I looked at a bigger turbo (18g, or SR40), but the exhaust manifold design doesn't allow for a larger compressor housing without hitting the mani-head flange. It would need a spacer between the manifold and turbo, along with new oil lines. I didn't have the time this time around, but next time the car can be off the road for as long as it takes
The problem is is that after 1.5 bar, 1.2 bar feels very tame. It's ballistic on the road, and very little other than supercars are a challenge. Straight line it'll outrun my mates 997S. People always witter on about the twisties, but on an A or B road, the quickest car will be the one with the driver who is prepared to take the most risks. Against my mates 997S the twisties are no problem, as he's alway worried about his £65K car.
1/4 mile current best is a
13.6@110mph with a really bad 60ft on a very greasy day at the pod in October. Only been once since IHI, as the cars always been broken when I've planned to go. With a decent start It should do a very low 13. 0-60 should be mid 5's with a ton in 10-11's which is quick enough to dispatch most things.