In this story, we took two S197 Mustangs that were essentially stock and decided to add a turbo system to one car and a supercharger to the other one. In just a few short days each of these systems were installed. The supercharger was installed at Turbo People in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, while the turbo was installed in the owner's garage (complete with lift, Sirius satellite radio, and heat). We then spent the day on the chassis dyno at Crazy Horse Racing in South Amboy, New Jersey, where Job Spetter Jr. of Turbo People tuned the computer systems and we recorded the output of each Mustang. Crazy Horse had just updated its Dynojet with boost graphing software, helping us log the boost curve on each car. It conveniently plotted a graph with the sensor readings on the bottom of the dyno sheet for reference, much like the air/fuel table.
Both companies did an admirable job in designing each system, as Ford didn't make it easy for these types of changes to be accom-plished. Cramming a head unit in there and then routing tubes to a front mount intercooler and then back up the throttle body is quite a task. Despite the tight space, the tubes and associated hardware in these systems worked flawlessly, and the end results were great power numbers and quicker performances.
The BeltDriven Way
The NOVI 2200 is rated up...
The NOVI 2200 is rated up to 1,000 hp and also carries a CARB exemption number, keeping it 50-state legal.
There are a variety of superchargers (or blowers) in the marketplace, namely centrifugal and positive-displacement blowers. Centrifugal blowers are commonly referred to as beltdriven compressors-Paxton, ProCharger, Vortech, and Powerdyne are the more popular manufacturers. The centrifugal blower on the outside is similar looking to a turbocharger, except it uses a belt to drive the unit. The serpentine belt (usually six- or eight-rib style) is connected to the crankshaft pulley. As the engine speed increases, so does the blower impeller speed, and airflow goes up accordingly. The boost curve for a centrifugal blower is linear.
A drive pulley is used to...
A drive pulley is used to spin the centrifugal blower input shaft and ultimately spin the impeller. It is through this pulley that the blower is connected to the engine and driven by the crankshaft.
A positive-displacement Roots-style blower is found on the '03-'04 Cobras along with Gen 2 Lightnings and '07 Shelby GT500s. Another example of a positive-displacement blower is the type on Top Fuel engines. Positive-displacement blowers range from under-the-hood units to the large-sized blowers that stick through the hood. They come in all shapes and sizes, but the basic concept is still intact between each system.
Our test subject is an '06 Mustang GT (owned by John Franco) that we dragstrip tested in naturally aspirated form in our October '06 issue ("12s or Bust," p. 194). In that story, we bolted on an array of parts and pieces and ultimately got the car to run mid-12s. This time around, we wanted to add a Paxton High Output supercharger system. The kit features a Novi 2200 head unit and an air-to-air intercooler to chill the boosted air.
The centrifugal supercharger is a fairly basic design that has been installed on Mustangs since the '60s when Carroll Shelby used a Paxton supercharger in one of his special-edition Mustangs. For over 40 years, the technology has evolved, from low boost output (about 4-5 psi) up to centrifugal units that are capable of producing well in excess of 1,000 hp in street applications. Certain racing superchargers have eclipsed the 2,000hp level and continue to climb way north of that number.
 Here is a close-up view of...  Here is a close-up view of the impeller which sucks in the air, packs it into the scroll, and launches it out the discharge tube and into the engine. Impeller design is critical in power production and efficiency of the blower. |  The intake manifold was removed...  The intake manifold was removed because a few vital systems needed to be massaged or modified in order to make room for the blower system. |  The water neck was removed...  The water neck was removed and modified to reroute the water exit on the driver's side. This was so the radiator hose could snake around the supercharger. |