The drop in pressure across an intercooler is a GOOD thing...in some cases, may even create "less" backpressure on the turbo than if it wasn't there. I can definitely see the point as far as saving money goes, considering the low goals you set for that particular setup (boos pressure wise)...but for any serious reliable power, you've gotta have that intercooler(s). The resistance it adds in the intake piping is negligible next to the fact that the air is denser. True, on a very small turbocharger where you only intend to run a very small amount of boost then the gains are not so great, but when you are talking about any serious kind of power (in my opinion, why even go through the hassle to only add 30-50hp?) the cooling drastically outweighs any restriction it could provide.
I make no exaggeration of my goals for this car: 500awhp and/or 11s as cheaply as I can manage. I will certainly report the number of miles I get on that setup, whether it be less than 1 or more than 10,000. Damn, I'm getting excited about this, wish I didn't have to wait until mid January to pick up the car.