try not to laugh

[klb76]

Alright... I have always been too embarrassed to ask this, so I figure my best bet is over the internet where nobody actually knows me... haha... so, since I was a little kid I've always dreamed of having a big truck with huge tires, lift kit, redneck looking thing, and a car with one of those cool things coming out of the hood... so I obviously grew out of the truck thing but i never actually figured out what that thing was coming out of the hood of the car in my dreams... so this is my question, i think it is called a blower, I am guessing for a super charger or something!?! but it is the air intake thing or whatever that has three large holes in it... typical on hot rods and such? What exactly is this thing and what is it used for? Has anyone used one on a C3?

klb

 

[BigRed]

Like this?


Thats a blower

A Blower works with a pulley driving air into (Usually) 2 Carb's

A Supercharger also runs off the pulley system however (For sake of argument) Does'nt hook up to the carbs. Typically found in fuel injection systems.

A Turbo runs off exhaust fumes pushing the impeller, in which pumps fresh air back into the motor. Very similar looking to a supercharger. But disadvantages are turbo lag...When you step off the gas the engine doesn't kick out fumes therefore the fresh air is less.

Get it?

BTW the fibreglass bumbs on the hood can just be for fresh air (Or lamens Ram Air) They are called Hood Scoops

 

[klb76]

Well that pic is about exactly what my old hot wheels fantasy car is... it looks good tho... I understand the concept of Ram Air and stuff pretty well... now here is where I am going with this... Is there anyway to use a "blower type" system as Ram Air? I guess what I am asking is can I use the blower without forced air, just as an air cleaner basically? I have a picture in my mind, with just the blower sticking out of the hood, the whole engine is over the top for me but I think it would look pretty trick with a low profile blower serving as an aircleaner on a Holley Projection FI...

klb

Sometimes my mind just wanders but i tell you what, you should see this 76 vette in my head!!

 

[klb76]

I am thinking along the lines of the "shaker" look on the old torino's and such.... (sorry I grew up in a ford family) just with a chromed out blower instead...

klb

 

[Eric]

....I guess what I am asking is can I use the blower without forced air, just as an air cleaner basically? I have a picture in my mind, with just the blower sticking out of the hood, the whole engine is over the top for me but I think it would look pretty trick with a low profile blower serving as an aircleaner on a Holley Projection FI...

klb

Actually that is fairly common. There are a few cars that show up at the local cruise in with the setup you describe. Most of them just have a highrise manifold with dual-quads on top. One of them looks pretty nice as only about an inch or two of the fake blower sticks out.

 

[klb76]

That is exactly what I am talking about... see my problem is I am a hot rodder at heart... haha... but now I am into this vette thing full bore and I am trying to incorporate both... someday I will have both a 5 window hot rod coupe and a vette... I think I am gonna run with this one... seems pretty easy and inexpensive and enjoyable, would compliment my holley fuel injection...

klb

 

[Yoda]

I borrowed these from JHL website.. I don't think he will mind John has a red 81 with an extended type scoop off the carb..

BudD

 

[790racer]

er, I am guessing for a super charger or something!?! but it is the air intake thing or whatever that has three large holes in it... typical on hot rods and such? What exactly is this thing and what is it used for? Has anyone used one on a C3?

klb

Ther air intake thing with three large holes.......
found ontop of blowers, fuel injection manifolds, is called a bird catcher. There are three sizes, bug, bird and buzzard. It's just a throttle plate to control air into the engine. I use a bird catcher on top a tunnelram intake, fitted with mechanical fuel injection on a 355in genI engine. great things to dream about.

 

[Evolution1980]

OK..since we're throwing out questions regarding the blowers, intakes, whatever...

When you have the air coming in like that, where's the air-cleaner? I can't imagine pulling outside air straight in, yet I've never seen any filter elements...

 

[DDLS3]

Mr. Gasket makes a scoop with the air cleaner inside as well as Holley. Both are pictured in the Summit Racing Catalog. I'm guessing that you can find them online too at www.summitracing.com or at www.jegs.com

 

[klb76]

In all the models I have looked at the air cleaner sits in the housing of the whole thing, right behind the butterfly throttle things... I have seen a couple different variations of the shape and size... I wonder how the engine could possibly get enough air out from three holes?

klb

 

[Eric]

Most of the one's I've seen don't have the butterflies when attached to a non-blower motor. I guess that kinds means kind-weather only.

- Eric

 

[790racer]

You use a blower hat, or "bug catcher" with mechanical fuel injection. It can be used on top a blower, and is being used a lot on top of tunnelram bases. It controls airflow and is hooked to a barrel valve that controls fuel flow to the injecters. Drag race only, no filters. It can supply air for 2500 HP. I have seen people put them ontop of carb/filter to simulate a performance look, poor taste imo. Remember, it's only ugly if it's slow.

 

[Mad-Mic]

there are 2 kinds of superchargers a roots style blower dating back to the 1920's which works great and a centrifigul superchargers which is more for street use.

here is a typical centrifigul supercharger found on most street cars because you can hide it under the hood without cutting your hood up.

on non drag racing applications the air cleaners are small and fit inside the bug catcher 1 each over top each carburator. like the one on BigReds picture. this is the same style blower but smaller. i'm sure it's a 6:71 blower setup for street.

injected cars for street use the blower or supercharger as they are more commonly known as are in front of the injection system just not what you would expect not like a roots style blower.

here is a pic of my uncles top alcohol dragster and you can see on this application (which is the biggest blower you can buy for about 20 grand or so) there is no air cleaners. this is a 14:71 PSI blower. the 2 little holes you see in the flaps are breather holes so the car can idle.

hope this answers your Questions!

Evo just informed me the pics arent coming up of my uncles car. if you can't see the pics of my uncles car the site is down for maintenance give it a lil bit it was up when i posted them


Last edited by 71Shark at 8:26pm on Oct. 14, 2002

 

[JHL]

Hi,

When I did mine I went through the whole range of ideas, from a blower to tunnel rams and scoops. I did initially want a 6-71 blower but you just can`t see where you are going and I am already at a disadvantage here - wrong side of the road and wrong side of the car - the same with the tunnel ram. There are several scoops to choose from if you pick up a SUMMIT catalogue they are all in it. I had a look at the ones with the three butterfly`s made by Mr Gasket, a linkage hoos up to your carb and the flaps open on acceleration, but eventually chose the classic Hilborn style which I liked the look of. I almost bought a twin 4 barrel one which was about seven inches longer. Originally I had a very thin filter under the hood but on the dyno it was loosing 20hp against no filter hence the decision to go with a scoop of sorts.

CLEAN COOL AIR = HORSEPOWER !!!

I have a K&N filter inside mine and most have provision to use a filter inside them. The main problem is if it rains, a little water does no harm but I found in heavy rain water was getting onto the HEI and it spluttered a bit but got me home. One thing you should be aware of is that the engine in a Vette is off-set in the chassis by about 2" to the passenger side to clear the steering and I almost cut my hood right in the middle which could have been an expensive mistake. If I was doing it again I would go for Edelbrock`s low rise 2 x 4 barrels which would look excellent at the show and shine and I would still be able to see where I was going.

Cheers
J.

Last edited by 71Shark at 8:29pm on Oct. 14, 2002

 

[klb76]

Well I sure have came along way from thinking it looked cool on a hot wheels car huh? What I have learned has been invaluable information.... It is interesting you say the engine isn't centered, does that mean your scoop is actually off center on your hood? If anyone has a pic of the hood from center or above that would be great... by the way sharp looking car you have there!

klb

 

[Ken]

:eek Geez Mike, could you reduce it a little? :L

_ken

Thanks Mike. :cool

 

[JHL]

Unfortunately all the pictures are taken from a slight angle so it is difficult to show it properly. I had the hood off the car and never really noticed how much off it was. It was only when I had it at my friends garage to cut it that he asked me if I was sure at which point I went back and checked it out.

Here is a link to a short m-peg so you can see it from the drivers seat. There are several others on my site.

on the road

J.

 

[klb76]

I don't know how you manage to drive on the other side of the road, I feel uncomfortable just watching the video!! This is the pic I was looking for, I got it off of your site.... Thanks
klb

http://www.genuine-chevrolet.com/My_81_4spd_Pictures_B.html

 

[JHL]

Forgot about that picture, it`s a while since I updated or checked my site. Driving on the wrong side of the car is not so bad. I`ve had numerous left hookers over the years. The thing that get most people is the stick shift. Mostly all American cars that end up over here are automatics so fairly easy to drive. As I have said before it can be a bit scary for passengers especially when you have to overtake into oncoming traffic. They can see what`s happening way before I do.

I have driven a lot in Europe and the US so I can crash on any side of the road !!!

J.