az55

I am considering options for a dedicated track car. With newer technology why wouldn't supercharging be an option? The boat I had was running a 525 Supercharged Chevy from Mercury Marine and I could run WOT(5800 rpm) all day long. I never had any reliability problems. There would be no lag like a turbo so power delivery would be smooth on corner exit. When I see how much money is spent on NA motors, it makes me wonder if a well sorted, low boost motor might be a possible alternative. Any successful examples out there? What do you think?
Cheers,
CV

AU N EGL

one word, HEAT.

Most supercharged cars on road courses have serious heat issues. 20-30 seems to be too much for big V8 super charged cars.

Then brakes, when they do run for short periods of time, ppl dont put on serious brakes to stop the car.

heavychevy

Not a good idea. You will spend a lot on radiator, oil cooler etc, and still may have cooling issues, in fact it's likely you will still have them.


You can try it, but be prepared for lots of work, if you are going to run big power, you might as well forget it, heat and belt issues will plague you, and if you are going to run medium power, just go NA and save yourself the trouble.

Cobra4B

Snitz has done it, but he has a tigershark facia to let in more air, an ACP hood to let it out, a larger radiator, and a seperate stand alone oil cooler. With that stuff it works fine

95jersey

For the $5-6k dollars you will spend on the supercharger, you can get a G5X3 cam, get another 75rhwp, and spend the remaining $3-4k on suspension or brakes.

You will be faster around a road course in a 450hp car with suspension and brakes, than a 600hp with nothing else...I know it doesn't make sense, but it will once you get out there.

Mojave

As said above, getting it to stay cool will be a major challenge.

L98Terror

As said above, a boat has an endless supply of cool water, not the case with a car

folsomlarry

The abiltiy to get out of the corner faster and carry your speed later into the braking area are more important than getting the last few horsepower out of the engine. I would actually start off working on the brakes and the suspension and then worry about finding more horsepower.

Larry

Cobra4B

If I had to do it all over again my first mods would be:

1. Racing seat done right w/ harnesses
2. Quality BBK (stopetech
3. Wheels/tires
4. Allignment

That's it... my cam etc is fun on the street, but really not needed on track.

bowmanized

Yeah all good comments above. Basically it can be done but to support it will cost you. Radiator and external air to oil cooler is at least $1500. Then you'll need huge brakes to stop you from ridiculous straightaway speeds. Brakes are at least 5k all the way around. Plus you'll need a separate set of brake pads. The heat extractor hoods are bank.

Carrying speed is the most important part of lapping so I'd get coilovers, sways, and a quality big brake kit first. Of course wheels and tires.

I have a supercharger on my car that I do hot laps with and the callaway eibach coilovers are a better use of money than the supercharger. The hardbar Penske setup looks awesome and I was so close to getting those. I'd seriously consider adjustable remote resevoirs, they are so cool and not as hard to set up as a lot of people say.

I'd say do all the other things first and then maybe get a supercharger if you need one. Plus NA tends to be more reliable.

I had a supercharged C6 with stock brakes, race pads and mild suspension and it didn't work as well as I thought. I'd really dial in suspension and brakes first. Otherwise you'll be so fast down the straight and then people will be stacking up behind you in the corners. The guys with cars dialed in will be carrying so much more speed through the corners that 500rwhp isn't enough to catch them before the corner unless you want to dive bomb which is frowned upon in HPDE or even time trials really.

First do everything you can to carry speed.
Then work on stopping so good you'll never think twice about brake fade.
Finally work toward more power along with cooling. Don't skimp on brakes, suspension and cooling otherwise you'll be doing it twice. Hope this helps. Trust me when I first got my C6 I wanted a 1000hp twin turbo setup, but it just doesn't work. Plus over 600rwhp you can't even put the power to the ground anyway. It sure is fun having a supercharger though. Blowing by people is good times.

95jersey

Bottom line, you'll be pissed when you spent $6k+ on a procharger to only be passed by stock powered C5 with all the suspension/brake goodies. And not only will he pass you, but after a couple laps you won't see him anymore, until an ultra set up miata comes in your rear view

Cobra4B

snitz

All the guys who tell you to stay away from SC are 100% correct. I've made my set up work this summer, but I'm building a track only car this winter and it's NA.

Agree with folks who suggest you focus on some brake and suspension upgrades, not to mention some good tires (r compound might be a good ticket). A cam upgrade as the post above can get you a little addl hp, but in the end, your driving technique will make the difference in lap time not putting a blower on the car.

Good luck.

69427

Nonsense. While my experience is with a turbo (versus a belt driven supercharger), it works quite well if you do it right. It's nice having the extra horsepower to get around the car ahead of you, which would otherwise be a moving chicane you have to continually deal with. While the extra horsepower is nice, it's still important, as has been mentioned above, to have a decent suspension so you don't annoy the guy you just passed by holding him up through the next corner.
Horsepower means heat. Nothing new. Put a decent radiator (and EOC) in it, and you'll be fine. (If you're scared of heat, stay with a poochier motor.) Get some good brakes, too. Just because you can go 20% faster down the straight doesn't mean that you can go through the corner at that same higher speed.
(A correction for the anti-turbo crowd: Lag is a non-issue on a road course in a Corvette. The speed, and specifically the RPM, is high enough that the turbo is spooled up practically from the moment you leave the pits. Additionally, a turbo is more efficient at making boost than a mechanically driven supercharger.)

heavychevy

The best turbo application is on cars designed for turbos. You'll be faster in a non designed turbo car with equal and even quite a bit less NA hp.

I agree with the lag issue, but if you are going to add power for the road course NA power will get you faster, better. Show me a TT corvette being pushed 10/10ths running 20 minute sessions straight on a twisty circuit with small straights. There arent many.

az55

I appreciate all your comments. In fact, I am already running equal or better times than guys with 100 more horsepower!( I'm totally stock except for suspension, cooling, brakes and alignment).
I am talking about adding horsepower to a well set up car. Of course I'll add appropriate braking and suspension mods if needed.
I will probably go the NA route, but I'm never afraid to try something new if technology produces a better alternative.
I asked the question partly because of the new ZR1 which reportedly will be supercharged. Will GM race it? If so then there must be technology to support reliabilty(cooling, etc.). They ain't usin' no ProCharger folks!

Cheers,
CV

heavychevy

The ZR-1 is a consumer car, they will never race a SC car.

You can try the SC or TT route, but it would be much easier to make an NA car. (And I have a Porsche TT and a TT corvette)..

AU N EGL

The next corvette race car will be a modified Z51. Semi stock LS2 motor to around 525 bhp. or the SCCA T1 06 Z51 vettes with the stock LS3 motor.

Super chargers and turbo charges are not allowed on engines over 4 liters for most sports car racing.

az55

Yes, and that may be why so many C5 T1 cars are for sale on the forum right now.

However, in NASA Time Trials the TTU class is very liberal(I hope it's ok to use the L word on this forum )
You can run just about any Frankenstein Monster that passes tech! It only has to stay together for a few laps to take top time!
Heck, maybe I need two cars: one for lots of seat time and one that blows up after posting fastest time!

Cheers,
CV

95jersey

I can't disagree with your logic of wanting to add HP to a well set up car, but I am thinking for the money, a nice 402 with lots of bottom torque will be more rewarding on the track for the money. I went from a fully cammed LS6 to a bone stock LS7 and the difference on the track was amazing. I shift 1/2 as much as I use to with the LS6 and the car gets up and goes in any gear at any time. The car just pulls everywhere, all the time. I can miss a gear take a corner in 4th and still pull from most cars on the track. While the extra power is good, the extra torque of a big block makes life at the track much simpler...gas and go!