Supercharger

[sscam69]

Has anybody tried to install a supercharger on their carburated vette. I know that you need to install a serptine system but I am curious to find out if anybody has tried.

I have been looking at the systems and I want to know how difficult it is to do it.

How about good literature on doing an LS1 swap?

sscam69

 

[sscam69]

I guess nobody has tried?

Has anybody tried to do this on a v-belt system. Or do you have to have a serpintine system.

sscam69

 

[mgms_1968]

Hi

I have a 1968 vette with a 350 gm creat motor with a 144 B&M supercharger (about 375 hp).

The hood is a modified L88 hood, this allows me to close the hood and not have anything sticking out.

The engine and supercharger is feed via a edelbrok 700 cfm carb.

The exahust is stock and the distributer is stock except for an MSD 6 box.

Future plans are a set of headers and a complete MSD ignition system (distibutor & coil) along with a new Spark box with a rev control and boost retard system. That should give my about 25-40 hp increase.

As for the belt etc..

The blower is driven by a serptine belt system. the belt is drien by a addition pulley on the crank, and it clears everthing else. It might require a diffeferent upper rad hose, I was able to use a factory hose but needed to twist it slightly to clear the alternator v-belt.

Hope it helps.

Matt

 

[sscam69]

Yeah it helps,

thanx for the info

sscam69

 

[Tom Bryant]

Here's a system I have been looking at for the '69 pickup. It is designed for carbed older cars. It uses a pressure box on top of the carb and a belt driven centrifugal supercharger. Of course they also do systems for about anything else too. It is the Pro Charger from accessible Technologies, Inc. You can get a free catalog and brochure mailed to you from their web site.

Tom

 

[Bullitt]

Car Craft has an article this month on superchargers. They cover the basics of the Rotor, Twin -Screw and the Centrifugal types. Vortech released a carb enclosure system for small block Chevys. It's another system that's out there, but I think that Procharger probably is more experienced. So Tom, what do those systems cost?

--Bullitt

 

[Tom Bryant]

. So Tom, what do those systems cost?

--Bullitt

Anywhere from about $1996. to $4396. depending on application and supercharger size. Plus they have many options for specific applications such as A/C equiped cars ect. Also can get polished units and other goodies.

Tom

 

[sscam69]

See thats what brought up the question about the serpintine belt system. So according to the website (Vortech) you can buy a adapter for it with a new crank pulley built by them. So how much is that going to cost me?

Second How am I going to move the alternator to the inside. Am I going to have to buy special brackets for it? How much?

Will it clear the crossmember infront of the pulley?

Those are the little details that get you in the end.

sscam69

 

[Tom Bryant]

Get on the Pro Charger site and order their info package. Free if I remember right. Mine came in just a few days. They list all sorts of pulley and bracket options for A/C and alternator ect. You should be able to figure out what you will need from the catalog. I'm sure they can also tell you what you need for your application.

Tom

 

[69MyWay]

Prior to launching the big block, I combed the net, magazines, etc. etc. for supercharger info to install on a C3. It can be done as evidenced by the pic that Rare 81 popped into a thread here a while back of one of his club members that has a 1990 or so Tuned Port Injection Vette motor in an 81 with a side mount supercharger and the reverse mount alternator.

At least as of a year ago, when I contacted Vortec, Whipple, Procharger, etc. etc. they did not have a bolt on C3 kit. It looked more and more to me as if the inner fender, hood, etc. would need some sort of creative restructure to squeeze it in.

Beleive me, I love mods. However, until I saw that pic that Bud posted, I would not have believed a side mount could have been done.

So, don't be surprised when you get that silence on the other end of the phone from the super charger companies. You will have to blaze your own trail on this one.

On the other hand, do like MGM 1968 and get a reliable proven been there done it top mount blower unit and have fun. Those are also less expensive, and much more simple to tune. I helped a buddy put one on a V8 S10 we built. Man was that a cool site when the hood came up!

 

[Tom Bryant]

I was just looking through the Pro Charger stuff again and they have mounts for A/C and power steering to retain all of your accessories. Looks to me like the problem would be fenderwell clearance. Might not be much of an issue on a small block. They have kits for C4 and C5 Corvettes and they show a picture of a '67 with a D series competition unit. Wish they would have shown an under hood shot instead of it coming off the line with the front wheel in the air.

I have read several articles on the B&M unit that Mark used. The price isn't bad on these and they really do make a big difference. Like the Wipple, they can be installed on an otherwise stock engine.

Tom

 

[sscam69]

The whipple set starts at $3550 thats a bit beyond my budget.

sscam69

 

[mgms_1968]

sscam69

The supercharger that I am using (144 powercharger from Holley use to be B&M) cost about 1700.00 from summit.

If I had to guess for the cost of the hood would be about 300-500. I think Ecklers has a L88 hood with different cowl heights, you should be able to find one that will be the right match.

When I hit the throttle wide open and I start generating boost, about 5-6 psi, I deffently can hear the distinct blower scream.

The small blower is easier to install and if you do back fire you do not damage anything.

I think you might want to consider this blower. I know that with a set of headers, good flowing heads and a matched cam I can see 500 hp (need to change pistons to forged). All this and in a reliable engine format.

mgms_1968

 

[sscam69]

How much trouble was it to install. Especially with the pulleys.

Frank

 

[mgms_1968]

Well when working on the vette my self-nothing every seems to be as easy as it should be know what I mean......



I bought the car in is current state, but I have removed the blower a few time to replace the intake gasket and also the blower gasket itself.

If the engine is out of the car then it is very easy.

If not then it is just a tight job. It could be done in a weekend if you have everything you need (doubtful - just my experience).

You will have to pull the fan out of the way so you can access the crank pulley. The pulley for the blower bolts on the front of the exiting pulley. Just remove the existing bolts, line up the new pulley and install with new bolts.

I would contact Holley and ask them for more technical info.

I really like to small blower nothing needs to be changed except for the hood. I am still using the stock distributor.

By the way summit magazine says that a properly set up SB with the 144 blower can easy see 500 hp on pump gas (I use 92/91 octane).

Needless to say I am very happy with the current setup. I am generating torque through out the rpm range from off idle to 4000+. So cursing on the street and I hit the gas she just halls-a**.

Currently I am working on upgrading the brakes, what a headache but that is another story.

Matt

p.s. if you like I can e-mail you my copy of the owners manual for the blower. There is alot of info in those pages.