Thread: Latham supercharger

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The Graham used a spec, flathead six manufactured by Continental. It used the older centrifugal style supercharger, again I think from McCulloch. Because of their shape they're sometimes called "pie tin" superchargers. Here's a pic on a Graham.

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

The Graham used a spec, flathead six manufactured by Continental. It used the older centrifugal style supercharger, again I think from McCulloch. Because of their shape they're sometimes called "pie tin" superchargers. Here's a pic on a Graham.

Oh, yeah, Bob!

The famous Continental "Red Seal" engine. They have powered just about everything on wheels (stationary too, for that matter) for many years. I knew all the Kaisers and Frazers had them, and not very long ago somebody had an old Checker Cab for sale, powered by ..... Continental. When I was a skinny, big-footed teenager I used to go to West Texas every summer to work harvesting wheat and oats. The man I worked for used McCormick Deering combines, powered by (you guessed it) the mighty Continental Red Seal. They were everywhere, in all kinds of different applications.

I wish I had one. I don't need one at all, but I wish I had one anyway.

Thanks for the picture,


Jim

And I knew it was a shamrock Pat - I mean really, who'd call a shamrock a flower anyway??

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

It used the older centrifugal style supercharger, again I think from McCulloch. Because of their shape they're sometimes called "pie tin" superchargers. Here's a pic on a Graham.

Actually, Bob, the Graham supercharger was designed in house by F.F. Kishline, the company's assistant chief engineer. It was an original design, but was reportedly based on the Duesenberg unit.

Thanks for the clarification. Probably was a lot of idea "borrowing" goin' on. Here's a period Mc Culloch that looks pretty similar though the drive input is very different and the outlet to the intake manifold looks different.

Cool! Nice to see some old Horse Power setups!

Originally Posted by RestoRod

Actually, Bob, the Graham supercharger was designed in house by F.F. Kishline, the company's assistant chief engineer. It was an original design, but was reportedly based on the Duesenberg unit.

Hey, look what I just found..............

Yeah, mine has that label as well.
More info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham-Paige

I have a Latham and the drive(sold the carbs) that I am thinking about putting on the 300 HP Northstar Caddy motor in my Track-T. Have been thinking about this for a while and I have a Fast computor to run it, so I was going to make a couple of sidedraft Weber adaptors to mount them, open up the inlet to the blower, to whats feasable, install fake fuel lines and use the webers only as throttle bodies. My neighbor says the Latham is too valuble for this non-vintage project, I haven't decided, but it sure would be cool. Most peeps don't even know what the Northstar is, topping it with the Latham would be an even bigger conversation piece! Since the Northstar is only 279" and the cam separation angle is about 117degrees, a blower would be a natural. If the Latham is too valuble, I'll just stick a baby whipple on it from somthing factory. I have a complete machineshop, so any manifold will be about the same degree of grief to construct. The Fast computor will run anything. The other alternative is converting some type of stack injection for it, that would be cool too. Any ideas? TIMINATOR (newbie to the board)

Pat keep the pink towell. Who cares what color it is. I think it is neat and
clean. Mine would have greese all over it....Shows your neatness, and you
do build good engines, and they are clean too..

I'm new here and happened across this site by doing a Google for Latham Superchargers. Anyways, site looks very neat and just thought I'd add a note about this subject. I have one of these superchargers. I bought it from Richard Paul a few years ago (he's the guy that bought the original design and started building these units with modern CNC tooling). The one I have is a dual inlet design that uses Weber carbs. It was originally packaged and marketed as an under hood kit for the "New for '82" Camaro. It was used on his show car to promote the application. They are a very neat item that would work MUCH better with EFI. I had it installed on a Monte SS that I have and it worked pretty darned good. Funny thing...people like stock Monte SSs' now. Anyways, the unit I have will be used on a mock up engine for my shop. It's just too darned cool and people love to look at it. I'll send some pics to whoever wants to see the full set-up.

Originally Posted by Big Tracks

I have long been of the opinion that I should own one of the Latham axial-flow superchargers.

I have to admit that I have never seen one, but I've always been fascinated by the concept. To me they just seemed to be more civilized than the big Rootes-type huffers.

Also, they looked to me like a machinist's nightmare.

I'm not looking to buy one, but does anybody know whether any of them are still around?

I think I'll go upstairs and dig through the big pile of crap I call "my Files". Maybe I can find a picture of one.


Jim