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when did blowers show up on hot rods?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by devinshaw, Oct 14, 2007.

  1. Very cool history and article...thanks for posting.
     
  2. Hollywood-East
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 2,132

    Hollywood-East
    Member

    Thanx for sharing that!
    Great read... Legend
     
  3. Deuce Daddy Don
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,597

    Deuce Daddy Don
    Member

    At the dry lakes.
     
  4. '29 Gizmo
    Joined: Nov 6, 2022
    Posts: 1,157

    '29 Gizmo
    Member
    from UK

    Mercedes SSK from 1928 300hp (100hp over factory) 1930-08-16_Image_12024-1024x701.jpg
     
  5. Marty Strode
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 9,671

    Marty Strode
    Member

    You are correct, they didn't get on the salt until 1948.
     
    Greenblade and rod1 like this.
  6. moparboy440
    Joined: Sep 30, 2011
    Posts: 1,129

    moparboy440
    Member
    from Finland

    The first recorded use of one on a hot rod was by Bill and Tom Spalding who fitted a Mercedes unit to a Riley ohv Ford V-8 in 1938. With a homemade intake and two Stromberg carbs, the Spaulding’s Modified ran about 120mph. The supercharger apparently cost $100 from a foreign car wrecking yard in Los Angles. It possibly came from a Mercedes 500K (K for kompressor) that had been introduced in 1934 at the Berlin Motor Show.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    You can see it in action this movie:
     
    jet996, Paul, 51 mercules and 4 others like this.
  7. this thread is so old, its not even necroposting, its archeoloposting! :D

    but you wanna know something even funnier, 2007 was forever ago to me, but there are people who posted in this thread, that still are active on the HAMB. To many members, it might not feel like that long ago.
     
    lothiandon1940 and camelspit like this.
  8. vtx1800
    Joined: Oct 4, 2009
    Posts: 1,894

    vtx1800
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The addition of super chargers must have been somewhat "mainstream" by the mid 50's. My father in law (RIP) put a
    McCulloch on his 53 Flathead Ford, took it off when he sold the car to buy a new 57 Ford and then put the blower on the 57. He gave me these scanned articles a number of years ago. Sorry they are a little difficult to read. Maxs Supercharger 2.JPG Maxs Supercharger.JPG
     
  9. Speed Gems
    Joined: Jul 17, 2012
    Posts: 6,919

    Speed Gems
    Member

  10. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 22,086

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    We should thank @BJR for resuscitating it too.
    And the post from @moparboy440 may be the definitive, that thing is so cool.
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2023
    The_Cat_Of_Ages and BJR like this.
  11. AccurateMike
    Joined: Sep 14, 2020
    Posts: 771

    AccurateMike
    Member

    Depends where you were. 1944 ?
    1 Supercharged-A7-1944-Lower-Res.jpg
    2 Supercharged-A7-Special-Car.jpg
    Mike
     
    GuyW likes this.
  12. hemihotrod66
    Joined: May 5, 2019
    Posts: 968

    hemihotrod66
    Member

    Showed up on mine around 2005....LOL...
     
  13. ALLDONE
    Joined: May 16, 2023
    Posts: 3,693

    ALLDONE
    Member

    interesting ....................
     
    Sharpone likes this.
  14. ClayMart
    Joined: Oct 26, 2007
    Posts: 7,744

    ClayMart
    Member

    The Roots style blower was developed in Connersville, Indiana in the 1860s by the Roots brothers. Original uses included ventilation for mines and in foundry blast furnaces to help melt iron. They preceded hot rods by nearly 100 years.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_Blower_Company
    :D
     
    Sharpone likes this.
  15. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 3,748

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    I posted this on another Thread in
    Of Top ,
    Looks to be Gm 71 series on street driven H-R
    Dual Tires rear for drag or Timing Association, But maybe Competing for king of the street title ?
    Food / Rent !
    IMG_3893.png
     
    Sharpone likes this.
  16. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 3,748

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    Pic I posted is pre 56
    By vehicles in the background.
    By thread Title Hot Rod
    Means Street Driven ,
    Not Race Car .
     
    silent rick and LOU WELLS like this.
  17. LOU WELLS
    Joined: Jan 24, 2010
    Posts: 3,409

    LOU WELLS
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from IDAHO

  18. willys36
    Joined: May 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,106

    willys36
    Member

    As soon as GIs got back and recovered from WWII! They mechanic'd on GM diesels and it dawned on them a '71 GM diesel scavenger pump would make a derned fine air pump on a V8.
     
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  19. Kevin Pharis
    Joined: Aug 22, 2020
    Posts: 695

    Kevin Pharis
    Member
    from Califunny

    Here’s a T race car in the late 20’s… wonder how the carb got all the way over there…?! Blowers were a thing since very early on. They just weren’t affordable or reliable till after the war

    IMG_1874.png
     
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  20. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 3,748

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    The one's that may not know of Daytona
    Racing , land speed on beach before 1935 , There was some Amazing things going on , People coming from over sea's to Test Pushing Limits on Monster Experiments Be for Hot Rod's
     
    Sharpone likes this.
  21. swade41
    Joined: Apr 6, 2004
    Posts: 14,315

    swade41
    Member
    from Buffalo,NY

  22. Oneball
    Joined: Jul 30, 2023
    Posts: 1,577

    Oneball
    Member

    Malcolm Campbell broke the LSR multiple times at Pendine Sands (UK) and then at Daytona Beach but on this day in 1935 he upped it again to over 300mph at Bonneville, engine was a blown Rolls Royce V12
    IMG_9064.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2025
    Sharpone likes this.
  23. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 3,748

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    @Oneball
    Never been to S -Flats
    Wonder , between the two type of
    Surface are they Equal in density,?
    If not witch with less wheel drag?
     
    Sharpone likes this.
  24. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 11,231

    jnaki

    upload_2025-9-7_4-24-11.png

    Hello,

    My brother and I were all caught up in the Hemi motors with 671 superchargers on top, huffing loud sounds and blasting by at speed, when we went to Lion’s Dragstrip. My brother and I instantly liked the set up and power developed by those builds. The history of Hemi motors goes back beyond our days and as teenagers, we liked that they were being used for something as cool as real drag racing.
    upload_2025-9-7_4-25-10.png
    The Summer of 1959 was a good year for us in drag racing. We saw the developments taking place right down the street in our own Westside of Long Beach neighborhood. Then when we saw the race car at the dragstrip, it was a wonderful sight and “sound.” The Sidewinder: Hemi 671 sound from 1959.


    Jnaki

    But, as we lived near the Long Beach/Los Angeles Harbor facilities, we saw plenty of large semi trucks hauling “stuff” from the harbors and heading to the Los Angeles area. Those diesel trucks were heard as well as taking up many lanes on the local streets and freeway when it was built. They still do that today.

    So, when it came time to continue our hot rod/drag racing build of a motor for racing in the Gas Coupe/Sedan Classes, we knew the first edition 283 SBC with carburetors would be good for both street and the drags on the weekends. But, then some of the top racers had the supercharged motors that made more power and were definitely faster.

    We visited several neighboring shops near our house. There were a ton of shops catering to the diesel truck drivers for parts, service and new builds. It was a highly competitive business and the shops had tons of customers driving those huge trucks on the streets heading to and from the harbor areas.

    Now, we had our choice of any new 671 superchargers. All of the shops had them in stock. My brother did not want a used 671 for obvious reasons. A new one, then race car prepped by Reath Automotive was the preferred way to go at the time. So, we were ready to buy a new, out of the box 671 supercharger. But, the salesman remembered us from another visit and said he had the right (new) supercharger for us. He pointed out a natural finish 671 on a floor model diesel motor.

    He said he had another new 671 supercharger and it was getting polished to mount on the floor display motor. That way, it could be seen from the street and showroom walk-in customers. But, since he had the new display supercharger on the motor, it would take a few minutes to disassemble it that day.

    So, we walked out of the shop with a new 671 supercharger at the price of a used one, although ours was brand new, never run… YRMV

    Reath Automotive was surprised that we walked in with a new 671 supercharger. They took it apart, and started the rebuild with race spec assembly. We already had the new Isky-Gilmer Belt drive kit with the Edlebrock manifold waiting at home on the workbench.
    upload_2025-9-7_4-31-24.png
    Kit #2 A 671 for the SBC motors…

     

    Attached Files:

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  25. Kevin Pharis
    Joined: Aug 22, 2020
    Posts: 695

    Kevin Pharis
    Member
    from Califunny

    Another example of a blower during the T era. This one built by Green Engineering

    IMG_0095.jpeg
     
    GuyW likes this.
  26. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 3,748

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    OP title

    WHEN DID BLOWERS SHOW UP ON HOT RODS?

    Maybe I am thinking to Specific ?

    Then In Op first post , the Op also asked Race car ,
    So Two Questions ,

    Race car I would think by Mid 1920s ,
    Maybe 1900 ,
    Because there a thread here about race cars I believe like 1880s to 1930 ? Title
    The Year , I am sure we will Never Know the First person , Racer who did So !
    But maybe close to a Year ..
    Now other Question Op asked ,

    Hot Rod / Go Bug /jalopy to me meaning
    Street Driven & Tagged .
    Not a race Car Nor Supper Charger / Blower Cars /vehicles in production .
    Am I
    thinking to deep upon?
    My Question are we seeking a Supper charger , Blower or
    A GM series 6-71 Or
    Any GM 71 series
    Blower / Supper Charger,
    Not in a Kit form set up sold threw a company / person .
    @gassergarage says father had / used 6:71 in 1948 .
    The One I posted Looks
    1950 , Tag shown so We see it was street driven , Not a 6:71 but Looks like
    a GM 71 series size ?
    I do not know the years of
    All vehicles in background .
    I am sure There was
    Gm 71 series before 1950
    But was OP asking
    Any blower / Supercharger specifically on Hot Rod ,,
    thread close to 20 years Old
     
  27. Kevin Pharis
    Joined: Aug 22, 2020
    Posts: 695

    Kevin Pharis
    Member
    from Califunny

    Before the term “hot rod” was commonplace, folks built racers from stock cars, and drove them to (and hopefully from) the track. Superchargers have always been there, rare at first, and have grown in popularity as cost/availability/reliability have improved
     
    rod1 likes this.
  28. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 22,086

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    The "Roots" Of Supercharging

    A Bit Of Blower Background

    HOT ROD StaffWriterSep 20, 2005

    upload_2025-9-10_8-54-55.jpeg

    "The period between the two World Wars was the heyday of supercharging. Not only did the major racecars of the time run blowers but, as you might expect, so did several of the more racy production models, both here and in Europe. However, the economic Depression and then WW II finally put an end to supercharged luxury sports cars and, shortly after war's end, the changing of rules put a stop to the supercharger's advantage in racing. Consequently, after the 1940s, superchargers virtually disappeared from the automotive scene."

    From
    Here:
    https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/0510sc-principles
     
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  29. willys36
    Joined: May 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,106

    willys36
    Member

    Yep. The old 71s (371, 471, 671, 871) GM Roots air pumps were designed to blow exhaust out of the cylinder with fresh air before the down-stroking piston shoved diesel and air in the cylinder in industrial 2-stroke engines. Not very sexy but once they migrated to sit on top of hemi engines, the rest is history.
    The pump was designed by Francis and Philander Roots of Indiana in the 1850s to pump water, but soon it was recognized they pump gasses very efficiently too. The 71 stands for the displacement of one cylinder, all the engines in the series have the same bore and stroke. Thus a 671 was designed for a 6x71= 426cuin engine and is best suited for the typical V8 engine.
     
    jnaki likes this.
  30. Paul
    Joined: Aug 29, 2002
    Posts: 16,936

    Paul
    Editor

    thanks for bringing this back up
     

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