Technical Old time centrifugal superchargers

Looking for info pics on old time stuff, I want to see how they were made, how intricate in design.Thanks.

 

Basicaly a turbocharger compressor stage driven at high speed via a gearbox. In the case of Mcculloughs it was a variable speed drive, quite advanced for the period.

 

gearbox in Mcculloughs was ball bearings

 

The aviation industry pioneered them prior to and during WWII, primarily to give better engine performance at altitude. After the war, the automotive industry downsized the superchargers for use on much smaller motors.

Merlin V12 2 stage and Intercooled centrifugal supercharger, driven directly off the crankshaft.



Cutaway of a Modern centrifugal supercharger. Very similar to a McCulloch.

 

Neat but not a centrifugal supercharger. Those were around from 1935 onward, well before WW2.

 

The Novi's used a large centrifugal blower. I believe it was rear mounted because the original application was front wheel drive. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1771503356285576

 

Centrifugal superchargers were pretty much a “must have” in racing by the 1920’s where the class allowed them. Here’s a 1925 photo of Harry Hartz getting ready to install his supercharger.

 

I didn't state quite what I was thinking of: by intricate was how much shape or contour the vanes of the rotor had. I know I have seen some that were quite plain [straight vanes] but don't remember how big they were for the size of the engine. It came to me that Graham had one so.... and

 

Here's some info on Harry Miller's centrifugal superchargers.

 

This is a link to the history page of the old vs57 site. The history and details are interesting, but I’ve no idea how accurate they are. Some of the pictures have disappeared and some links don’t work, but it’s worth poking around in. Some of the passing comments on Robert Paxton McCulloch and his various business are interesting.

http://vs57.y-block.info/index30s.htm

 

Miker98038 and Fordors thank you thats the direction I was looking for! A little surprised at size and thinness of the blades .

 

Zenas Weisel and his brother John were instrumental in bringing the intercooler to auto racing.

 

Wow I had no idea very interesting, Thank you again! I will read during supper!!

 

Hello,

In 1958, Steve Pick and Joe Koenig showed up at Lion’s Dragstrip with the most unusual race car. It looked like the normal FED class race car, but it was only evident the trick was the chassis and suspension. The anticipated sound that came from the first run was music to everyone’s ears. Powerful and loud was the best description… that came from an unusual set up of a Hemi motor.

The crew at Reath Automotive had a hand in this powerful, unusual build. The trailer was a single, side wheel style, rail trailer, so common among the local So Cal racers at the time.

This FED is one of the wildest early racers that we saw in person at Lions Dragstrip and Riverside Raceway in So Cal back in 1959-60. Looking at the race car, it looks simple enough, aluminum body, yellow tubular frame, Hemi motor. But, the first thing anyone notices, is the huge centrifugal supercharger. It looks like it was taken from an aircraft motor and adapted for drag racing use. While most of the other race cars used Potvin styled 671 superchargers or the 671 on top, or plain Hilborn Injectors, this one was a big centrifugal blower*****ing in air in front of the motor.

This yellow FED was owned by Steve Pick and Joe Koenig out of Long Beach, CA. It was a regular attraction at Lions during those early days. It was an experimental idea in play as the suspension created the uplift when accelerating. The idea was to shove the power from the motor back to the rear wheels by shifting weight without lifting the front wheels off of the ground. This car moved down the strip with the front end still high up in the air, but wheels firmly on the ground.

It was a “one of a kind” idea that did well in those days. Sometimes, the tremendous power from the Hemi motor did lift the wheels off of the ground. But, the weight transfer was already started and continued all the way down to the end. (not like those fake "up in the air" sedans and coupes in the very late 60s for the fading Gas Coupe and Sedan Classes)

This had it all, but for the two things that made it stand out were the hydraulic front end and the huge centrifugal supercharger.


about the 1/8 mile marker… "power" with still the front end lift and weight transfer to the rear.

Jnaki

After many months of tuning, racing, and changing the centrifugal supercharger specs, the team finally went to the standard tried and true 671 supercharger with a two hole, Hilborn Injector System as most FED racers had at the time. In 1960, the Hilborn two hole injectors almost became the standard set up for the top racers in the USA.

The first "The Bounty Hunter" 1960 Steve Pick/Joe Koenig from Long Beach

The 671 on top, plus the Hilborn Injectors created top performance from a new look Steve Pick and Joe Koenig camp. It was the last step in improving his original FED creation.

Note:
But, in 1959,there was no doubt as to the power of the set up in this unusual FED race car.

“This is Steve Pick in the Koenig and Pick car, running a centrifugal blower and homemade injection through a Crower U-Fab manifold. The car made Hot Rod Magazine, which referred to it as the Rickshaw, because of its stance and unusual front end. However Steve could not make it competitive with the centrifugal blower, and later adopted a more conventional 6-71-Hilborn setup.”

April 1959


Joe Koenig-Steve Pick-Reath Automotive FED

 

Here's an article on one, it must be a later version of the one jnaki posted.

 

Thanks Jnaki and Fordor, more nice reads. The cut away pic shows diffuser area which I didn't realize was part of construction/shape of housing. A bunch of years ago I started following https://turbostude.wordpress.com/chapter-25-10-02-building-a-belt-drive-turbo/ I know there was some pics of what he started to put together but I can't find them right now, I should have picked up couple of those turbos when I found a couple at the scrap yard. I'll look more later, Dentist a waits.

 

My 1937 McCulloch (an off the shelf accessory made for the 1936 Ford Flathead) with the top popped off. Getting new bearings, seals and gaskets.

 

Here is the McCulloch putting in an honest day's work.

 

Cool thanks for pic. Always liked the Mac and the Frenzel.

 

Seb, in the early 1960's 2 brothers, Bill and Al Dahms owned New trend Machine, first in Rocky Hill, then in Glastonbury. They designed and built "Eliminator" centrifugal superchargers. They ran a front engine "W" engine dragster. Bill is gone, and Al may be by now. I worked part time for them at one time or another. The dragster was sold and sat outside on a knoll on Hebron Avenue in Glastonbury .for a long time. There has to be someone in the area that could provide more info if you are willing to chase it down.

 

Here is my 1937 McCulloch super charger. Now on my 37 Flathead . Gary

 

I've lived in Rocky Hill all my life and never heard of the Dahms bros or eliminator superchargers they are probably 10 yrs older than me which makes a big difference! I can think of a couple [3] of older than me guys that might remember something, Pete Bozzo, Augie Reel and Herb Caso. Come to think of it my brother is 84 so I'll ask him too. Thanks for posting.

 

Seb, you are welcome.. nick

 

Seb, someone you should contact. Mark Shepard in Bozrah, Connecticut. 860-84-6833. For a while Mark was selling and re-building McCollough snail type superchargers. He is an excellent craftsman, and very knowledgeable. If you contact Mark, tell him I referred you to him.

 

Nick, I need one more number; before or after the "84" Thanks.

 

Seb, it should be 884.

 

Thanks,