The next step down is the Novi 1200 non-intercooled. If it was me I would still go with the Novi 2200 HO intercooled. The intercooler alone is worth the extra time and $. Superchargers produce enough heat anyways so the intercooler is a like an insurance policy agaist detonation. Plus if you want to increase power your just a pulley away instead of another add on install.

 

JonCo, I have spoken with Brenspeed about the non-intercooled Paxton. They have a great deal on the polished Paxton that I'm 99% sure I'll be ordering. My 07 is a daily driver so I'll have the tune written very conservatively to keep detonation in check at the expense of maximizing horsepower. They claim about 420-430 rwhp (500 hp at the crank) with this 8 psi centrifugal blower, but if they dumb it down for me to about 400 rwhp, I'd still be happy and not worry about daily driving. I could always add an intercooler later if I ever felt the need to turn up the wick, but for now that's plenty of power for a daily driver.

I did some math, and at 400 rwhp, and 3700 lbs (with me in the car), this combo should be good for 1/4 mile trap speeds of 116 mph, which would translate to 11.80's or better if it hooks up off the line. I consistently post 60' times in the 1.80's now with the big converter and 4.10 gears on drag radials, so high 11's is likely possible with this Vortech blower.

 

You will need another 50 RWHP to achieve that trap speed:
At 3700 pounds it requires 450.7 RWHP to achieve a 116 MPH trap speed.

 

That's odd, as the formula I've used for 20+ years that's been very accurate against countless hundreds of timeslips tells me I need 397.6 rwhp to trap 116 mph with a 3,700 lb race weight.

My same formula says stock 07/08 GT500 that typically traps at 115 mph, and weighs 4,100 lbs (with driver) makes 429 rwhp. Assuming the typical 15% drivetrain loss for a manual trans, and that about 504 hp at the crank (SAE rated at 500 hp). Stock GT500's have run as well as 12.25 in the 1/4 mile (Evan Smith of MM&FF magazine) on stock tires. Evan said that car would run high 11's with traction.

So, I have traction, and at 400 rwhp being just 29 rwhp short of a GT500, but my car weighing a full 400 lbs less than a GT500, I believe high 11's at 116 is reasonable.

 

The drivetrain loss is actually a bit less than 15% for the manual gearbox. Heck, with the 4R70W and a locked TC, the loss in 3rd gear is still less than 15%.

Stock S197 GTs seem to trap about 102-103 MPH in the 1/4 mile.

 

I worked with Brenspeed last year developing the tune for this kit- my car was used for the install of the first non-cooled Vortech system that they sold; it is the car shown in the pix on their website.

My car with delete plates, offroad midpipe, Borla mufflers, and 4.10 gears put down 439 rwhp with the factory wheels/tires. My highest trap speed was 116 I believe, but most of the time it was 114.

Later I added a Paxton intercooler and changed pullies from the 3.8 to a 3.33 and put down 469 rwhp and was trapping 118. I now have the Saleen system (kinda like their Stage 3, but with additional modifications; more like a Stage 3.5 hahaha) and it makes 450/450 hp/tq. It makes more HP than the Vortech up to 6000rpm and I've raced it only twice so far, with traps at 119. Race weight is 3880 with me in it.

 

Good info - thanks a million! I will be keeping the factory exhaust front to rear, so I suspect I will be closer to 400 rwhp with the non-cooled Vortech. I wasn't sure if I wanted to swap the delete plates, but hear they are worthwhile with forced induction. Plus, with the 4.10's and stall converter, it's not like I need the low speed torque (my t/c flashes to 4,300 rpm's), so the delete plates will go in.

Ultimately, I'm looking to run low 12's consistently (high 11's would just be a bonus) while having an affordable and easy install. The non-cooled Vortech seems like just the thing I'm looking for.

 

You should be able to hit low 12's relatively easily, assuming you don't spin all the way into 3rd hahahaa.

 

I spin all the way through 2nd and chirp hard into 3rd on the factory tires, so I run BFG 275/40/17 drag radials at the track and don't spin at all. I have a feeling that the supercharger will change that. Looking forward to finding out! Just gotta get final approval from my wife, then it's time to place that order from Brenspeed!

 

When you do, tell Brent, Dave, and Seth that I said "hello".... they'll know who I am.
Also, funny you mention BFG 275/40/17 DRs- that is what I ran last year, and I couldn't hook for crap. My best time on those tires with the Vortech blower and Paxton 'cooler was like 12.4. Again this was at 469 rwhp. This year, same car/setup except a Saleen blower at 450 rwhp and M&H 325/40/17 tires, and I pulled a 11.85 at 119. Maybe you'll be different since you have an auto trans, but I just could not get the BFG DRs to hook for nothing. Just FYI.

 

tom281 - I'll be sure to tell them all hi at Brenspeed. I mentioned to them that they had been highly recommended in the forums.I've run BFG D/R's with excellent success in my last three Mustangs, but they were all naturally aspirated cars. The stick shift cars were a little dicier ('00 GT and '03 Mach 1), but the automatic in my '07 GT does help launch with less drama than a stick would. I'll let you know how they work with the automatic and blower when it's all said and done.

The only time I've needed more tire was for my 1968 Pontiac GTO. Balanced & blueprinted 406 cubic inch big block Pontiac, Turbo 400 automatic, 3.90 Saf-T-Trac rear end that made over 500 lb ft of torque. Had to run slicks, and even at 10 psi they would spin coming off the line for about 50 feet before barking and biting. I have a VHS tape (from way back when) of a run on street tires in that GTO with the tires smokin' for the entire 1/4 mile (the guy filming wanted to see if I could do it and catch it on film).

I also had a lethal 1972 Chevy Nova with a transplanted 427 V8 from a '66 Vette. Tunnel-rammed, monster cam, etc. making about 550 hp. Never found a way to hook that car up, as the stock wheel wells are so confining that no serious tires fit. Man, I love the rush of a big block. Sure looking forward to my '07 GT feeling like a big block with a supercharger on that little 281....

 

Sounds awesome...... I've owned a '66 Chevy II with a souped up 327 and TH400 that would bark the tires shifting gears at 60mph. I've also owned a '71 Camaro SS396 with the 325HP version that ran pretty strong too.

That being said, I gotta tell you- if you want true big block feel from this 3V 281, you had better go with a twin screw blower. I've always likened a centri-style blower such as Vortech/Paxton to a strung out small block- decent power down low, serious rush on the top end. These engines with a twin screw push you back into the seat very deceptively, as if you don't realize how fast you're going until its time to shift or time to stop.

Don't get me wrong, either system is a blast to drive, but big block torque will only come from a twin screw. As I stated earlier, my Saleen system made more HP up to 6000 rpm, then the Vortech took over. BUT, the Saleen makes 100+ more lb/ft of torque as low as 2500rpm compared to the Vortech- that is something to think about.

 

Here is a dyno chart of my Vortech/Paxton combo from last year compared to my current Saleen setup. The Vortech is the blue lines, the Saleen red.

 

As always, tom281, thanks for the excellent info. While I love rotating the Earth with the low end grunt that only a big block (or twin screw) can provide, I really think a centrifugal is the right blower for my car given that I'm keeping the 4.10's and big stall converter. My converter flashes to 4,300 rpm's, so the car is never in the lower revs unless I'm idling around town. Any tip in at all, and the converter flashes. At the track, the car is always in the 4,300 - 6,500 rpm range at WOT.

And, not to wuss out, but I think I can install a non-intercooled centrifugal by myself whereas I would likely have to pay someone to install a twin screw.

 

Hey Brian, like I said- either one is a blast! Have fun, let me know how it turns out!

 

My wife gave her final blessings to order the blower today. Just juggling monies around into the right account to place the order.

Also, had my drag radials remounted on a lighter set of 17 inch wheels today, and I'll finally have a matching set of 4 wheels at the dragstrip this year (versus the heavy 18 inch stockers up front and aftermarkets with d/r's on the back). I'll likely get one more day at the drag strip naturally aspirated before switching over, and it'll be the only time I've ever been able to run since adding the JLT II CAI a few months ago. With the stock airbox, the car ran a best of 13.28 last summer, with a bunch of 13.30's to back it up. I'm really curious how the JLT CAI performs, so I can tell whomever buys it from me after the blower goes on.

 

Whose tune are you running in the Predator tuner?

 

So which blower did you decide?

 

I believe Vortech/Paxton baby!

 

Same as Bill right? Brenspeeds non-cooled right? Its a clean looking system.