Hi, Looking for help and parts for a VS-57 McCulloch supercharger for a SBC. Today I've been trying to figure a way to connect the supercharger outlet of 2-3/4" to my 5 1/8" carb neck and hoping that someone here has been down this road. I'm thinking of this for the carb connection and has the right look. This aluminum carburetor air horn from Offenhauser is built for 4-7/32" carb neck like the 1950's vintage 4GC, WCFB etc. This air horn has 2-5/8" hose inlet OD. Air inlet for low hood clearance Originally for early OHV V-8 conversion tight engine bays Fits 4-7/32" carb neck In order to mount this I'd need an adapter to my Edelbrock 5-1/8" neck. This adapter could be used if welded to the below adapter Not sure yet what pieces I'll need to go from the 2-3/4" supercharger outlet to the Offy hood with a 2-5/8" hose connection OD. I also posted a "wanted" post for a SBC McCulloch mounting bracket, CH-101 or ACH-1000 B the aluminum version. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/mcculloch-sbc-bracket-ch101-etc.1251038/ Glenn
I think Frank Rice still has the reproduction 57 ford bonnet, which will fit a modern Holley (modified for blow thru). I think the link under “new and repro parts” is still good. These were designed for the teapot Holley, so they might be too tall for you. Some of the other links are still good. Old, no longer maintained site. Here’s the one I used on the bird. http://vs57.y-block.info/
Thank you Mike! I just sent an email to Frank at PegLegRice@aol.com but it bounced. I also found that he hasn't posted here for 10 years. I'll try to text him and then call later and hope for the best. Well 574-848-1103 didn't work either :-( Glenn
Another setup issue I'm working on is how much the idler arm pulley and spring should be deflected to have the proper load on the belt? If the load is too small, the belt won't be pushed down into the solenoid actuated supercharger head unit. The pulley there has a solenoid operated system that increase the gap and thus the effective pulley diameter, to speed the head unit RPM up for boost. If the load is too high, it will force open the head unit pulleys and always run in boost. If anyone here has a VS57 could you please tell me what the pin to pin dimension is compressed on a functioning installation please? This will help me in setup and belt length.
This link is Frank’s current contact info http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/Topic159219.aspx The other place you might try is Myers Studebaker. They were quite helpful to me when I did the SN setup on the bird. There were probably more VS57’s run on Studebaker’s than anything else. http://www.myersstudebaker.com/ While most of the focus is on the VR57 F code motors and clones, there are some guys running the VS units over at yblocksforever. Don’t tell them it’s a sbc, but you might get an answer there. I’ve got the brackets, etc to do a VS on the Yblock, but I didn’t use them, so I don’t know what the tension should be on the idler. Over the years those units have been set up many different ways. Higher boost at low rpm, boost cut back at higher rpm, etc. Many have been set up as “fixed”. The later SN series were fixed speed, and got rid of the problems with the clutch. Mine had the extended pulley which allowed a short nose to fit the VS brackets and line the belt up. It’s also pretty easy to turn them a bit high for more boost, and greatly shorten the life. There’s some guys who have fixes for that, too. Lots of info out there, but a short number of people who still have it.
Hi, I just want to update this thread to say that I have now successfully finished my install. Lots of work with very tight clearance issues on my SBC and much fiddling with my modified Holley 4150 for blow through (https://www.theturboforums.com/threads/need-help-on-initial-pvcr-sizing.387868). The boost is wonderful!!
@glennpm That looks awesome and please share the details. I have a few of the vs57 and want to put one on a 283 sbc . I know the brackets are hard to come by. I found a bracket but it’s for a hemi and have another for a kaiser.
This is a list of things to watch out for, etc. Great site but has missing pictures in spots: http://vs57.y-block.info/index.htm - The Corvette McCulloch bracket (ACO-1000 or ACO-1000 B – 1955 to 1957 Corvette) will work with a Model A without a hood. This bracket hangs more to the side to get under the Vette hood. Vette has good engine bay width. - For a tighter in mount, you need a CH-101 bracket used on 55-57 Chevy or fab your own. - Try to have an alternator mount that mounts off of a Chevy Ram's Horn exhaust manifold. I couldn't do this due to clearances and had to modify the McCulloch idler arm and my new alternator bracket as you can see in some of my pictures. Best objective is to keep the idler arm pulley high so you don't have fan/alternator belt clearance issues. - Watch out where the thermostat housing is on the manifold. I ended up buying three different outlets before I found one that I could modify to fit under the s/c case - You'll need a distributor that you can re-work to control maximum advance. This needs to be decreased to prevent detonation - You'll need an electric pump feeding the mechanical or two electric pumps if not - You'll need a boost referenced fuel pressure regulator for the electric pumps, or a boost referenced mechanical. I'd also install an electric pump off of the gas tank feeding this mechanical and to avoid vapor lock. - Belts, belts, belts will give you a headache. I bought four alternator belts and two McC belts in addition to one from a Kaiser before I got them to work All of this took me many days to figure out. This is not a simple process. Glenn
Glenn thanks for the info and and have checked out vs57 yblock website and great information. Do you have any other pictures of the install. I got a air box and carburetor off the Kaiser that had this supercharger on . So my idea was to pressurize the carb in the box like originally and plumb it. What’s interesting is I can’t find the bracket listed I have
Hi John, What are you going to put the SBC into? If you have an early car and run without a hood, then the bracket for the Corvette would work. If you have limited engine bay width in front than you would need to look into another bracket or fab your own. The complication is possible interference between the idler arm and your fan/alternator/generator belt which I have with the Tri-year Chevy Ch-101 aluminum bracket. This is the whole file from the VS57 site. The link at the top of the file gets you to the technical page where you can then see the link to the brackets. http://vs57.y-block.info/indextech.htm
Here are pictures I had and gathered together this morning. All are fro a SBC. If you can't get a Chevy or Corvette bracket you would have to make your own or modify one of the other McCulloch brackets. The Kaiser one looked like it had good possibilities to me. My Brackets
Ideas for the Corvette 55-57 Bracket This is Metalshapes, member on the HAMB, car and pics ... Thanks Alex
DIY Brackets I thought about using 5/16" aluminum plate but probably would have gone with 1/4" CS with gussets. I'd also orientate the idler arm post such that the s/c and fan belts don't crossover.
Hey Glenn! Great to be reading all this info. I have an SN60 that I am probably going to fit to a 265 for a '55 Chev. Am looking for info about the right SBC bracket to use and leads on who might have one for sale. Any info you could shed would be welcome. And specs to re-build the engine to make it suitable would be great – pretty much pre-67 treatment. (Not doing a box for it ... just a bonnet, btw.)
Hi John, I don't have any leads on brackets for the SN60. I would search on Studebaker sites where the SN60 was used. The SN has a fixed rate and is not as deep as the VS models so both of these characteristics should make it easier to install. With the fixed rate the belt idler arm would just put a constant load on the belt and not have to move as much as the variable pulleys on the VS models. These pictures show a DIY bracket on a SBC and a DIY idler arm bracket which looks like 1" square tubing on a Ford Flathead. Glenn
Thanks, Glenn. Good to see the DIY options – might be a way to go on this. And the info re fit is useful. To this, are the SBC brackets for SN60 and later VS models the same, or interchangeable ... of would I have to look at a specific part number for what I have. (I guess the answer has more to do with housing connection points than anything else.) And if you happen to have any information on the Bandimere 55 and the blower Paxton fitted to that I would like to see it – even though the set-up put to it looked very elaborate (not 'street'). Cheers John
In Glenn’s pictures above, you can see the extended pulley on the lower photo of the “short nose” unit. That allows an SN to line up with the VS 57 brackets. Just expands your choices if you find an early bracket and an extended pulley. In its day, most of the kits were made to go on a mostly stock motor. Boost was limited to 7lbs or so, at whatever engine rpm was considered maximum. This doesn’t mean guys (or McCulloch) didn’t modify things. Rumors vary, but somewhere around 8-10lbs boost the failure rate goes up. Some guys figured out ways around that, but not on a stock unit. The first one I set up came from Craig Conley at Paradise Wheels. It made 5lbs at 5000 rpm, and just over 1lb at 3000. Stock 292 Y block, nos parts, including pulley diameters. I’ve got pictures of a stock y block Thunderbird bracket and the one I made. Not applicable to your sbc, but may give you some ideas. Pretty much done with a band saw and a welder, no fancy machining. You’ll need to boost reference the fuel pressure at the pump. Edelbrock Carter clones will go the 8-10lbs with just the “marine” accelerator pump seal. They’re great fun, but not like dropping a 4-71 on. PM me if you’ve got questions.
Agree, the McCulloch/Paxtons were designed for small displacement restricted head flow stock engines. On those, they might make 5# on a good day. As the displacement, head flow, cam timing, RPM increase, the little guys just can't keep up. Another bit of trivia, Paxton sold a competition supercharger with tighter impeller clearances, larger diameter drive pulley and absolutely no warranty. jack vines
"And the info re fit is useful. To this, are the SBC brackets for SN60 and later VS models the same, or interchangeable ... of would I have to look at a specific part number for what I have. (I guess the answer has more to do with housing connection points than anything else.)" Yes, as Miker also mentions they have the same bolt pattern so this opens up options for you. One thing you should do is look at the idler pulley/arm on the SN60. Since the SN60 has a fixed rate, the swing on the idler pulley will be much less than the VS models. You may even be able to get away with a slotted mount like for an alternator I think so check this out. "What do I think about the VS57", great!
"I’ve got pictures of a stock y block Thunderbird bracket and the one I made. Not applicable to your sbc, but may give you some ideas. Pretty much done with a band saw and a welder, no fancy machining." Like to see these brackets Mike.
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