Packard Forum Index » General

As to why superchargers never took off, my guess would be noise/vibration/harshness, durability, cost and complexity.

Fully agree. The luxury makers like Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Lincoln, Cadillac, Marmon, etc. were primarily interested in competitive power, high torque at low speeds, smoothness, and near-silence from their engines as that's what their clientele demanded and which isn't particularly compatible with adding a supercharger.

Packard did experiment with a supercharger on their big Eight in 1929 or 1930, there are photos of that experimental engine on this site. Superchargers were pretty much left for the high performance luxury cars like the blower-Bentley and K (Kompressor) series Mercedes and SJ Duesenbergs, though some lesser cars like Auburn and Graham tried it as they were desperate for a marketing edge - it didn't help them sell their cars.

Hi

Contrary to the required silence of luxury car engines, the superchargers produced an audible high-pitched whine when fully operating; most unseemly in a non-performance luxury cars.

On the other hand, the supercharger's siren whine added to the aura of performance in those Classics so equipped, still a highly desirable benefit to those lucky enough to drive one. For the Auburn, it was an additional sop to give their late cars a cache that might bolster sales. Didn't help much at the time, but makes quite a difference in the desirability and value of their prized models now.

Grahams employed the supercharger to give their small displacement sixes and eights an additional performance 'kick' when needed as well as boost general economy of operation. Plus, it looked good in the advertisements, drive a supercharged Graham.....just like those high-priced Duesenbergs and Cords!

A decade or so later Kaiser fitted their 1954-55 Manhattans with superchargers in a futile effort to compete with the new OHV V8's. But a supercharged fork-lift engine was still just that.....no one was fooled....well, maybe Kaiser diehards.

Steve

Speaking of multi-cylinder engines...

youtube.com/watch?v=ZVuKp5M3de8

(o{}o)