can someone please give me suggestions on the best suited (easiest install - best power gain) turbo to suit an A15 engine in a 1200 ute?

uh oh...

my $0.02
*best suited: T25 (road use) I've driven one on an A12 engine, and it wasn't laggy at all.
*easiet install: draw thru, on J pipe to turbo, then a pipe into standard inlet manifold. Better off getting some manifolds made though. And when making them, leave some room or provision for injectors in case you decide to upgrade to EFI later.
*best power gain: ? there can't be a single answer to that question. if its a street driven car, you don't want to compromise driveability too much.

anyway, if you do a search on this site, you'll find so much info your head will hurt

A t25 from a s13-s15 would be pretty well suited. It might be slightly laggy but it would work. places like grandautowreckers sell them in SA (I think).

There is also all the fabrication of piping and a blowthrough or drawthrough carby setup to consider as well.

the sheer cost of replacement and second hand nissan turbos is enough to put me off.

look towards the subaru WRX parts bin, the later models (MY97 and onwards) have a smaller exhaust housing that is perfectly suited for a worked 1.5L. people are constantly swapping these later TD04s for the earlier (and larger) TD05s.

otherwise, if you're looking new, the VF22 STi turbo is one to get.

FWIW, this is my experience, not my opinion.

yeah, I've seen good results from the suby turbo on a 1.4l engine. check if you can carbon seal them if you plan on running the simpler draw through setup though.

Man I have a T25 I just pulled off my ute. Its just been rebuilt about 2 months ago. It has about 3000km's on it and never ran over 10psi. It has absolutely no shaft play at all and is as new. let me know 250-300... Its awesome and a good small turbo for an A15 set up...

Oh and if you're questioning me taking it off it was for a turbo upgrade not due to fault...

i think any turbo rebuilder can fit up a carbon seal, they are a very common turbo core being a TD series and all - i think the old VR4s and the new WRX share the same turbo...?

I was told by a guy from turbo techniques UK that Garrat / air research turbos are carbon sealed as standard. He seemed to know what he was on about, he reckoned he used to work as a mechanic for an F1 team. He said that he had never had any probs with the seals when drawthroughing thoses turbos.
I reckon a mitzi turbo would need carbon sealing, the way they burn oil I doubt weather the factory seals are even oil resistant. lol