I’m collecting parts for my roadster build. Picked up this 8BA flathead and a blower. It doesn’t look like other 4-71 blower I’ve seen. Anyone know what this blower is?
It’s a GMC 4-53, one thing that differs from the 71 Series is the 53’s don’t have bearings, the shafts ride on precision sized holes bores in the end plates.
Fordors hit the nail square on it's head. Not much support for those, so you'll need to adapt a drive for it and plumb engine oil to and from each end plate, as well as change the seals. Some folks have made those 53 series blower's work OK.
Don't think so. Completely different blower. You need to be handy with a milling machine or know a buddy who is, to make an adapter for the carbs, another to mount it to your intake manifold and then a way to drive it.
They also have straight rotors rather than helical like the 71s, makes them scream like crazy! Wonder if you could put bearings in the endplates? Make new endplates to accommodate bearings?
The stock end plates do not have enough meat in the shaft locations to fit even the smallest bearings, but if you have the equipment or the coin, it's certainly possible to make better end plates. There was guy in Australia a couple of years back, "Joe Blo" (I think), that was machining new end plates with sealed bearings in back and front plates with bearings running in oil, for the 4-53 and 6V53 blowers. But, I'm not sure they are still available. A Canadian member on here, "Wuga", has a very nice 6V53 setup, with a set of those Aussie end plates, on a 215 Buick motor in his Model A sedan. He has a build thread on here somewhere with some details on the blower intake, drive and carb adapter. You can get a better idea of what's involved to get a 53 series blower to work as a supercharger by checking it out. For what it's worth, the largest of the 53 series blowers, an 8V53 blower (like the one in my avatar), does have bearings in the end plates and has twisted 3 lobe rotors as well, like 71 series blowers. But the 8V53 cases and matching end plates are larger than the 4-53 and 6V53 blowers, so parts are not interchangeable.
Yep, 6V53. Looks like a long bore....about 13" between ends plates. Displaces 209 cubic inches/revolution. There are also short bore 6V53's that measures 10.9" between end plates.
Good luck with it. I'm looking forward to seeing your pics when you get it set up. A 53 series blower just seems to look good on and fit a flatty well, like your mock up pic, even though they were not traditionally used back in the day. But, they have been around since 1957.
I happened to find this 4-53 posted by "acme30" on a flathead thread on here. Looks very similar to what you're after. I don't know how to do links, but here's what he had to say about it. "Blower is a GM453, manifold is a 2 carb Luberg (Australian) machined flat with a custom plate to the blower - BDS blow off valve fitted to front of adaptor and pressure relief valve fitted to snout. Carb adaptors - custom machined as is the rear cover plate. Carbs are blower referenced 94's Blower snout is a modified M90 from a V6 Commadore. Oiling of blower is via main oil feed from block (oil feed and return lines not run yet - oil goes in the side of the blower and drains back to block via internal lines in adaptor plate -then back into block in front of oil breather). Custom pullies - tension on belt is via alternator - hoping to get away with 1 v belt but if it slips will chnge to 2 belts."
What do you think on pullies? Do I need to go with a truck style double or can I get away with single? I’m not worried about making a ton of boost just stock motor with a cam. Also what diameter shaft would be sufficient?
If you're asking me, I would run a 4-53 straight off the crank with at least 2-3 belts and drive your water pumps and generator off another pulley entirely. Even though a 4-53 is a relatively small blower by normal standards, when it's trying to pump some air into your flatty, even at lower boost levels, it just takes more to drive that compressor than what a single V belt can provide. I'm not sure how it worked out for "acme30" (maybe he'll chime in), but his single belt setup seems like it could be problematic and puts way more side load thru that little alternator than was ever intended.
"acefab", if you haven't seen it, check out the "Lets see some blown/supercharged flatheads" thread on here. There's more info from "acme30", after he got it running, and other setups to study as well.
Now there is something that I did not know. Thanks. I was going to say that it looked like a pruned GMC but I did not recognize the front plate.
I'm doing some research and playing around with a 4/53 I purchased recently to fit to my 91a flatty. Shaved the horizontal fin from the case and rough cut the sandwich plate and carb plate today. I plan to run bearings.
I used the 6/53 in my build. Here is a link to my build thread. I would highly recommend a different blower unless you are into masochism. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/reliving-my-youth.984769/ Warren
Yes I plan to use the intake, I have the top and also plan to use it for a while on my project until the supercharger is sorted out.
Yes. I got sealed end plates from Joe Blo in Australia. Made for an expensive build. These blowers are used quite extensively in Europe and Australia. Warren
Ordering parts from overseas is what we have to do to build a hot rod here in Australia. There's no real choice! What did the sealed end plates cost if you don't mind me asking?
If I remember, about $800. Joe Blo went out of business for a while, but I think they have reopened. Warren
Just talked to Joe Blo, they do not make 53 parts any more, just 71. No demand. In it's present form, that 4/53 needs an oil line from the engine. Warren
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