PRI 2019: Vortech

PRI 2019: Vortech’s V-15, V-17, Belt And Gear-Drive Kits

Vortech Superchargers brought an array of new and in-development products to this year’s PRI Show, for both the street and drag-race markets.

The V-15Z supercharger has been a couple of years in the making, and according to Vortech’s Jimmy Martz, is geared to Corvette C5/6/7 owners who want to make upwards of 1,500 horsepower. These units feature a small, compact volute, but a 110mm inducer. This allows it to move a considerable amount of air for its size. Martz explains that this supercharger, sporting an all-billet case, fits the bill for those who have maxed out the more entry-level Ysi.

The V-17 (left) and V-15Z superchargers.

The V-15 features a 3.5-inch discharge O.D., 4.75-inch inlet O.D., and 4.399-inch inducer diameter, with a 65,000rpm maximum speed and 35 psi boost maximum, allowing it to move 3,100cfm of air and deliver up to 1,900 horsepower.

The V-17 105A supercharger — featuring the V-15 gear case — is also all-billet with a larger shaft and internals. The difference, however, is the V-17 will house any V-30 volute and impeller combination. As Martz explains, if the gear case can hold it, the V-17 can be taken upwards of 2,500 horsepower.

The V-17, in its standard trim, has a discharge O.D. of 3.5 inches, inlet O.D. of 5 inches, inducer diameter of 4.20 inches, a max speed of 65,000rpm, and a 35psi boost maximum, allowing it to move 2,900cfm and deliver 1,700 horsepower.

“These superchargers are geared toward street customers — guys with Camaros and Mustangs that want to make a ton of power. We can put the stage on the V-17 to make it fit a class like X275, but with any of the racing stuff, we want to stay with the V-30; it’s the more robust and reliable gearcase.”

On the supercharger drive side of things, Vortech has been working with Chris Alston’s Chassisworks and The Supercharger Store to develop gear drive units for the powerful V-30 series of race blowers. “This makes it easier for our customers to ask for the setup and we can sell them the whole package,” Martz notes. Vortech has also seen a resurgence in the use of belt-drives — it created an updated belt-drive unit in recent years for Top Dragster and Top Sportsman racers whose chassis would not accommodate the length of a gear-drive, and there has been an influx of interest from customers in its side-slinger kits.

Side-slinger drive belt kits, which are seeing a resurgence in NHRA sportsman racing.

“The belt drives are coming back — we were working with [Top Dragster racer] Danny Nelson, and he was able to modify his chassis to fit a gear drive. But, he’s got some customers who don’t want to modify the chassis or just can’t, and so this will bolt to the cylinder head, up high, for a forward-facing blower.”

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About the author

Andrew Wolf

Andrew has been involved in motorsports from a very young age. Over the years, he has photographed several major auto racing events, sports, news journalism, portraiture, and everything in between. After working with the Power Automedia staff for some time on a freelance basis, Andrew joined the team in 2010.
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