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ATI ProCharger Superchargers

Content Type: Article
Updated on November 24, 2019 in ATI ProCharger by 2
ATI ProCharger Logo

ATI ProCharger Logo (™)

Accessible Technologies, Inc. (ATI) ProCharger was founded in 1994 with a mission to produce a powerful, reliable and efficient supercharger system for a variety of vehicles and engines. Power to the masses one might say. With this goal clearly in sight they charged on to the scene with the first intercooled supercharger system available to the public and street scene. ATI ProChargers were three years ahead of the competition when it came to the intercooled supercharger.

ATI’s first supercharger was the P600B centrifugal compressor that outflowed other blowers at the time by up to 65 percent. ProCharger’s first offerings were for the Chevy small block. They followed with big block versions and then they ventured into the marine industry. They were the first company to offer a warranty that guaranteed boost levels above 8 psi. Additionally, ATI was the first to introduce a fully self contained, gear driven, centrifugal supercharger in 1999. ProCharger has always seemed comfortable blazing new trails.

ATI ProCharger has proven their technology and manufacturing prowess time and again in the professional racing scene. They were so sure of their racing product that in 1998 they introduced the ProCharger D-1 which was the first racing blower that offered a warranty. Over the years ProCharger powered vehicles have tallied roughly 50 national championships in the upper echelons of racing. In 2009 alone ProCharger racked up 12 different international racing championships over eight different racing bodies which included placings in NMRA, NMCA and PSCA. Along with the championships came several broken records by ATI ProCharger equipped vehicles. Their race applications, as well as street, continue to dominate in power and efficiency. ProCharger compressors have boasted setups with over 3,000 horsepower on methanol and over 2,500 horsepower on gasoline.

ATI has built and continues to build ProCharger supercharger kits for a large variety of applications including carbureted and EFI engines for cars, truck and SUV’s, motorcycle, boats and marine engines. They also cover powersport and off-road vehicles such as ATV’s, snow mobiles and PWC’s. After years in the business ProCharger continues to strive to offerr some of the most efficient superchargers on the market today as well as industry leading warranties. As a closing example of ATI ProCharger’s industry leading supercharger kits, their technology and designs have made such an impact that you can easily browse the net and find examples of people erroneously using the ‘ProCharger’ name as an actual type of supercharger.

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Weiand Supercharger Kits and Performance Parts

Content Type: Article
Updated on May 8, 2017 in Holley, Weiand Automotive by 2
Weiand Automotive Logo

Weiand (™) Logo

Weiand Automotive Industries, Inc. assured their place in automotive performance history when in 1937 they developed and manufactured the first aluminum intake manifold available to the mass market. Founded by Phil Weiand in the mid 1930’s the company began in California as Weiand Power & Racing Equipment which was a performance parts warehouse. Their first original product was the ‘High Weiand’ the aforementioned aluminum intake manifold. It wasn’t until 1957 that Weiand began to develop complete blower drives for the GMC 6-71 supercharger. There was no turning back from that point. Weiand continued by producing blowers for several of the most popular platforms through the years.

Phil Weiand was an auto enthusiast to the core and his company reflected that. Phil and the company were involved in motor sports the whole way. Weiand products were front and center in many famous dragsters with some big names starting it out like Big Daddy Don Garlits’ Swamprat 1 the Isky-Weiand Special and Lloyd Scott’s Bustle Bomb. In 1963 Weiand Power & Racing Equipment continued to build new roads when they were among the founding members of SEMA (Speed Equipment Manufacturing Association, now Specialty Equipment Manufacturing Association).

Phil Weiand lead the company for generations up until 1978 when he passed away. Phil’s wife, Joan Weiand, took over and continued to move the company and industry forward. Under Joan’s lead Weiand introduced a series of Roots type superchargers for popular street applications as well as expanding into the Marine industry. In 1998 the company left family hands when it was sold to Holley Performance, another legend in the industry. Due to their huge impact in the automotive performance industry both Phil and Joan were inducted into SEMA’s hall of fame.

Weiand Automotive is a pioneer in the automotive performance industry. Without Weiand’s advancements the level of performance automotive technology, the racing and the street scene would not be where it is today. Through the years the company has been a leader in the industry with their high quality and innovative designs and parts. Although Weiand is a household name in performance it is also a tricky name. Debates over how to pronounce Weiand have happened more than a few times with popular alternatives being ‘Wee-And’, ‘Weigh-And’ and not pronouncing it at all. For the record, according to the family they pronounce it as ‘Why-And’.

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TRD Supercharger Kits and Performance Parts

Content Type: Article
Updated on March 24, 2017 in Eaton, TRD by 3
Toyota Racing Development (TRD) Logo

TRD Logo (™)

Toyota Racing Development (TRD) is Toyota’s in-house performance development and tuning division for Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicle lines. At the time of writing there are two main divisions of TRD: Toyota Technocraft Co. Ltd or TRD Japan (established June of 1954) and TRD U.S.A. (established in 1979). TRD Japan was originally known as Toyota Sports Corner (TOSCO). In December of 2006 TRD officially expanded into Thailand with TRD Asia Co. Ltd. which was a new corporation made up with 80% shares owned by Toyota Technocraft Co., Ltd. and 20% by Toyota Tsusho Corporation. In August of 2007 Toyota Australia established TRD Australia which offered the first TRD production vehicles. Unfortunately the production was officially brought to a halt in March of 2009. Beyond superchargers TRD offers several optional and aftermarket performance parts including headers, mufflers, suspension parts, braking hardware and much more.

TRD Supercharger Kit for a 2003 Toyota Matrix

TRD Supercharger Kit for a 2003 Toyota Matrix

TRD has been in the business a long time and has an established reputation. Along with the quality that is expected of Toyota vehicles comes TRD’s outstanding professional racing results for both cars and trucks. They have a long list of participation coupled with impressive achievements. A complete list of achievements is beyond this article but to get an idea of just how deep their racing roots are we’ve included a list of series and racing leagues they have participated in:

– The Japanese division of TRD has raced in a variety of series including: All-Japan F3 Championship, ESSO Formula Toyota, Netz Cup (Vitz) and Super GT (JGTC).
– TRD U.S.A. has been raced in Baja 1000, Championship World Series (CART), Championship Off Road Racing (CORR), Grand-Am Cup Sports Touring, Indy Racing League, International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and Toyota Atlantic Series.
– Toyota Team Europe which is now known as Toyota Forumla One Team has raced in 24 Hours of Le Mans, Forumla One World Championship Racing (F1) and World Rally Championship (WRC).

A couple of noteworthy achievements: TRD was the first to factory fit an Eaton TVS supercharger in a production car with the 2008 TRD Aurion. Also, in 2000 Toyota was able to grab a CART win with a TRD built engine. This was the first American built engine to win an Indy race in 20 years. Using that same design by 2002 they were able to take the Indy Series Championship.

Unfortunately, in 2015 Toyota discontinued support for the TRD Supercharger program. The majority of their offers were Roots type but they also had a centrifugal compressor for the Scion.

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Vortech Superchargers and Performance Parts

Content Type: Article
Updated on March 24, 2017 in Vortech by 3

Vortech Engineering, LLC provides supercharger kits and performance products for a large variety of import and domestic cars and trucks as well as marine engines. Recently they have expanded into aeronautics with FAA Approval for a supercharger system for an aircraft engine. Vortech is an American company that was established in California, 1990.

Vortech Logo with Supercharger

Vortech Logo (™) and Supercharger

Vortech is much younger company than several industry competitors but that hasn’t slowed them down. Vortech is a major player in the supercharger world. They are credited with several innovations for the centrifugal supercharger. Some of the innovations include: The first to offer a supercharger test cell designed and operated to SAE Standard J-1723, the first to develop a centrifugal supercharger with gears, the first to use an air bypass valve in systems and air / oil mist system for cooling. Vortech has six US patents. They are the only company to receive the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Award for Best Engineered New Product on a centrifugal supercharger an accomplishment they have achievemed three times.

Vortech Engineering, LLC is a strong race supporter with Vortech superchargers and systems. At the time of writing, Vortech has racing teams in the NMRA and NMCA drag racing and Vortech parts can be found in racing teams throughout the world including jet ski and marine applications. Several world record holding vehicles have used Vortech parts.

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HKS

Content Type: Article
Updated on March 24, 2017 in HKS by 0
HKS Logo

HKS (™) Logo

HKS provides high performance aftermarket parts for a large variety of makes and models of cars. HKS was founded in the later months of 1973 by Hiroyuki Hasegawa and Goichi Kitagawa. HKS started out in a dairy-farming shed at the foot of Mount Fuji, Japan with funding from Sigma Automotive Co., Ltd.

A year after inception HKS made history by releasing the very first aftermarket turbocharger for passenger cars. The first turbo kit was for the L20B engine from the Datsun 240Z. Along with making history with their first turbocharger HKS was the first in producing an electronic turbo timer and boost controller. HKS was a pioneer in the Japanese aftermarket performance industry and to this day continue to release a large array of performance parts including their centrifugal GT Supercharger.

In 1982 HKS expanded their operations when they opened HKS USA, Inc. Further expansion developed into the UK and Thailand while products continued to be developed for both Japanese and American domestic cars as well as European models.

By the late 1980’s HKS had become involved in the racing scene. They have competed in several forms of racing including drag, All-Japan Formula Three (F3), Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC), Super GT (Formerly All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC), D1 Grand Prix (D1GP), Rally, Superbikes and more. Outside of their own racing teams they remain active in sponsoring other racers who carry the HKS name.

HKS continues to grow as a company and with its high quality performance offerings. HKS is currently a publicly traded joint stock company with subsidiaries now in California, USA (HKS USA), Cambrideshire, England (HKS Europe) and Bangkok, Tailand (HKS Thailand).

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