Powered Superchargers (non-drivetrain)

[Dave Cox]

an interesting question: Is it legal to power a supercharger with a "pony" motor, thus not robbing the drivetrain of the power required to drive said supercharger? Since this "pony" motor does not mechanically couple to the drivetrain, is it not considered as engine displacement?

This is analogous to the chapparral "sucker car" using a snowmobile engine to suck the car to the road. It was initially legal, then declared illegal as it beat everything on the track.

There would be a significant weight penalty, but is it legal?

Dave

[Dynoroom]

Like the sucker Can-Am & F-1 cars of the past they were considered to have 2 power plants which was not legal.

[russ jensen]

Rember when micky thomptson had a funny car that used compressed air bottels to deliver cold air to eng : instead of supercharger? didn't take very long for that one to get outlawed as he was using stored power in form of compressed air. at least that was the reason that I rember ,that was used to shut him out.

[Dynoroom]

Rember when micky thomptson had a funny car that used compressed air bottels to deliver cold air to eng : instead of supercharger? didn't take very long for that one to get outlawed as he was using stored power in form of compressed air. at least that was the reason that I rember ,that was used to shut him out.

I seem to remember that it was the holes in the pistons! Kinda hard to tune.

[desotoman]

Cragar spent alot of money trying to get the compressed air deal to work. Finally gave up.

[JackD]

Art Malone and the Windjammer come to mind.
The pony motor thing has been done before in Streamliner that allows 2 engines. The pony motor was considered towards the total displacement.

[russ jensen]

: out here in the corn fields we have to go by what is published in calif rags& one article I recal was all about how mickeys air bottle fed machine was the best thing since sliced bread = outlawed, apparently some of you all have some firsthand knowledge that this wasn't quite the case, I knew that barny navarone had tried pure oxygen injection on flat head fords with many burned parts {which is understandable} but was under impression the caned air worked:: not so?

[Dave Cox]

I did a little rule book searching, and found the following: "IV-32 Supercharged .....mechanically driven supercharger or exhaust driven turbocharger driven by the primary engine."

Guess that answers my question for SCTA.

How about for BUB?

Dave

[jimmy six]

Dave C. Suprising how much is really in the book. huh!  I used to be baffeled with rules proposals when I went to the meetings. They would read a rule some one wanted and then one of us would read it already in the book. Like Dan says our forefathers had a good handle on it and we just tweek it now and then...Good Luck...J.D.

[Dave Cox]

I'm still doing a little searching in the rulebook. The above statement is in the definitions section, so if the supercharger is not "primary motor driven", is it considered unsupercharged? That'd be even better!

Dave

[JackD]

In Stream liner, two engines are allowed and are considered together as the primary motive power.
Mix power types like Diesel/ Electric, Steam/ Turbine, Turbine / Piston and you have another animal like a Mule.

[Dave Cox]

a turbine blower would sure be easy (airstart cart for a small jet).

You're right, it would be difficult to classify.

Dave