Best Blower set up for me

[leroy454]

I am writing from New South Wales Australia and am currently fitting a 502ci Chev into a 19 vee bottom Stephens hull.
I'd like to supercharge the motor in the near future and am coming over to the States this year so I'd like to do a shopping trip if I could but I am completely at a loss as to what blower set up to run. I'm only looking at social skiing with an occasional blast up the river.
Any help that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[gnarley]

Lots of choices, Lots of money and Lots of weight to take back on the plane for luggage. How much do you want to pay for the additional weight the airlines charge you?
The sky's the limit on what you can do, what are your expectations? And can you give more info on the boat & drive?

[Infomaniac]

Originally posted by leroy454
I am writing from New South Wales Australia and am currently fitting a 502ci Chev into a 19 vee bottom Stephens hull.
I'd like to supercharge the motor in the near future and am coming over to the States this year so I'd like to do a shopping trip if I could but I am completely at a loss as to what blower set up to run. I'm only looking at social skiing with an occasional blast up the river.
Any help that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
What states are you visiting?

[superdave013]

BDS has an 8-71 complete kit for 2595.00. It includes blower, drive snout, intake, belt, top and bottom pulleys of your choice, crank hub, one v groove pulley and all the gaskets. Even has the top for the carbs.
I think it would be hard to beat for a brand new set up. Would work very well with a 502" big block chevy.
Jim @ Good Vibrations motor sports sells it.
Check it out at www.DragParts.com or call 562 945-7669

[leroy454]

The motor is a 450hp 502 with 8.75:1 compression, 4 bolt mains, steel crank, H/Duty conrods and rod bolts, forged pistons, rectangle port heads with H/Duty pushrods. The boat is a 19' Stephens vee bottom hull running through a soft clutch setup to an 18% step up v-drive. (Haynes & Hellyer brand). The motor will be running with through transom water cooled manifolds as I have a young family.
I've spoken to a couple of motor importers and they have told me it's a 5% levy on all parts brought back into Australia.
My plan was to buy the blower kit, carbs & scoop all in one hit whilst I'm in the U.S and then freight it home the best value for money way that I can.
The best deal going here at the moment is a Childs & Albert kit (8-71 I think) for $7500- AUD which would be about $5800- USD.
I plan to travel from California (L.A. & San Francisco) to Vegas, then across to Washington D.C., New York and up to Reading in PA for the NHRA meeting.
I am mainly going for wow factor as most boats where we ski are centre mount wake board boats so great gobs of performance is not the main aim here.
I want to be able to tow my son on a kneeboard and teach some learners also.
Some guys over here have suggested I underdrive the blower to make it more useable so any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers

[Infomaniac]

What octane of gasoline is readily available?
On the way to the water and on the water.

[leroy454]

Thanks for the reply.
The best fuel where we ski is called Optimax by Shell which I think is 98 Ron.

[Infomaniac]

I guess it is not RON+MON/2?
The research octane number is generally a bit higher than the motor octane number. That is why they are averaged.
I would underdrive an 8-71 blower and run no more than 4 - 6 lbs of boost.
That will wake it up quite a bit.
Do not see any reason to intercool it at a low boost like that.
Just my opinion. I am sure there are a few more.

[Rexone]

G'day mate,
Leroy not sure where Goulburn is but I have a good friend in the biz in NSW that might be a local source for you. Phil Kall at Argo Race Products. He builds lots of motors and is very sharp. If you need his contact info just PM me and I'll get it for ya.

[leroy454]

Thanks for the replies so far Guys.
Yeah Mike, Phil Kall is a well known name here in Oz but last I heard he was tied up in a retractable needle/syringe set up and was busy trying to get patents and sell these to the U.S.
When the guys who are building my boat tried to get a v-drive for it they went to Phil first and he told them he was basically getting out of all things marine.
If this is true it would be a pity as he is well known as a class act.
Infomaniac, I'm not sure about the Mon stuff but the V8 Supercars out here are running 5.0 litre small blocks at about 650 hp (flywheel) on Optimax so if I can get the same kind of power out of mine I'll be happy.
When you guys speak of under or over drive I'm guessing this is the pulley size am I right?

[Rexone]

Originally posted by leroy454
Thanks for the replies so far Guys.
Yeah Mike, Phil Kall is a well known name here in Oz but last I heard he was tied up in a retractable needle/syringe set up and was busy trying to get patents and sell these to the U.S.
When the guys who are building my boat tried to get a v-drive for it they went to Phil first and he told them he was basically getting out of all things marine.
I had dinner with him about 3 weeks ago (here) and nothing was mentioned about that. I'd contact him and recheck. He's been ordering Marine parts so....? I know he got out of the Argo vdrive biz for a bit due to a conflict of some kind with his brother but is getting back in possibly.

[burbanite]

I assume you have talked to Ken Lowe up in Qld.?
Still, at the prices you are being quoted you may as well tie it in to your vacation here and ship a setup back, even with the 4% you are quids in...the one superdave mentioned is a good deal.