383 SBC Build, Part V: A Prototype Never Produced- Chevrolet’s “Super-Fire V8”
By Ryan Manson * clampdowncomp@gmail.com
Here’s the valve-in-head V8 as only the leader can build it and here are some wonderful things it brings you: 578 horsepower and 620 lb-ft. torque made possible by the employment of an extremely efficient centrifugal supercharger. Exceptionally high horsepower in a brilliant package yields GM’s most potent pound-for-pound power producer to date! Chevrolet’s “Super-Fire V8” delivers phenomenal performance, surprisingly high gas mileage, and extra-long life.
I imagine that’s how the ad would appear if GM built a centrifugally supercharged 283 engine back in the day and I imagine this is how it would have looked as well. I have to admit, it’s pretty cool and I think the numbers speak for themselves. Dressing a modern engine up in vintage clothing is nothing new, but doing so while making serious power is always fun. I’ve built 3×2 combos that look the part but lack in performance, so achieving both is a pretty neat accomplishment.
In the past couple stories, we’ve covered our 383 build from the bottom up. This time, we’re going to wrap things up on the top end, bolting on a TorqStorm centrifugal supercharger.
What happens when you redesign an existing supercharger from the inside out? You end up with a component that is superior in every way. TorqStorm started with a pair of CNC-machined billet aluminum cases, designed to promote efficient bearing control, a problem with similarly configured superchargers in the past. The cases were engineered with a V-band clamp-on scroll for easy adjustment of the blower’s outlet, allowing it to fit a wide range of applications. Hybrid ceramic bearings, designed specifically for the TorqStorm supercharger, tolerate internal speeds upwards of 80,000 rpm. A self-contained oiling system, using proprietary oil, cools and lubricates the internal components, another feature designed specifically for the TorqStorm supercharger. Coupled with the internal gears, which are coated for increased heat control, and the billet impeller, which is machined on a 5-axis CNC machine, the TorqStorm supercharger is capable of handling over 700 horsepower while producing air outlet temps under 200 degrees. That makes it perfect for our application, where the blower is connected directly to the throttle body, without an intercooler or water-meth injection. This keeps the installation simple, affordable, and effective.
In the end, our goal of creating a contemporary power plant with vintage styling has succeeded beyond our imagination. And with dyno numbers that back the impressive performance of a rather simple engine build, anyone with a few hand tools and basic engine building skills can do the same. CC
To further enhance the “period prototype” aspect of our 383 build, I decided to fabricate a carb hat from a stock ’55 Chevy oil bath air cleaner. This required cutting the entire “oil bath” section away from the lower half and modifying the upper snorkel so that it could easily mate to the 4-inch silicone hose provided in our blower kit.
The Proof’s In The Pudding
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