FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Ladies and Gents,

Having finished the grey motor crashbox guide, it's time to start a new project. My intention this time is to write a Guide for Norman Superchargers. What worries me a little is that Norman superchargers are very thin on the ground. Whilst I was able to lay my hands on quite a few carbs, gearboxes and heaters to play with and compare, the chances of doing so with a Norman are pretty slim. It also takes quite a bit of time to write a Guide, and the info must seem to "fall into a black hole" in the interim. To address these concerns, I'd propose to write the Norman Guide by publishing dribs and drabs on a single forum thread (one near-identical thread each on the FB/EK, EJ/EH, FE/FC and FX/FJ forums). This means that you get the info earlier, and offers an opportunity for people to comment/add info as we go along (instead of me reverse-engineering by pulling apart several examples). Once the info is complete, I'll pull it all together and pdf it.

My thoughts so far on content would include:
a) basic sliding vane supercharger theory,
b) modelling the Norman supercharger,
c) description of the different types of Norman superchargers available,
d) an overhaul process, including supply of parts,
e) guidance for fitting Normans to a grey,
f) how supercharged grey motors fit into the NCOP engineering requirements.

I have to hand so far:
a) an original copy of the article "Blow For Go! Norman Style" from Australian Hot Rod Magazine, November 1966,
b) a scan of the article "Wild Wild Bobcat" from The Australian Hot Rodding Review Magazine, June 1968,
c) a scan of the article "Blow For Go!" from the 2009 Street Machine Hot Rod Annual,
d) a scan of the display brochure from when the Bobcat FJ custom coupe was displayed at the Sydney Hot Rod show at Darling Harbour,
e) a good biography of Eldred Norman originally written by Jon Chittleborough in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University,
f) a scanned copy of Supercharge! by Eldred Norman, October 1968,
f) two superchargers. The first is a parallel-fin type, originally fitted to one of Mike Norman's race cars (Peugot or Renault). This one has manifolds (to suit the French engine), injection nozzles, gilmer drive pulley and a pair of HS6 SUs. The second is the older cross-fin type. This one has no manifolds, but does have the drive pulley. Neither supercharger has a water injection pump... am working through various ways to overcome this. Intention is to mount both the superchargers to a Holden grey motor (one at a time  :lol: ) and see how they perform. Looks like the FB will need to be NCOP certified to make this work.
g) contacts for bearing replacements, replacement Bakelite vanes, SU carb parts and a Sydney-based dyno operator who understands carburettors.
h) a copy of "Supercharged! Design, Testing and Installation of Supercharger Systems" by Corky Bell,  a copy of "Supercharging Performance Handbook" by Jeff Hartmann and a copy of a turbocharging book (name escapes me) that has good info on water injection.
i) copies of the photos posted in various threads on the FB/EK, FE/FC and FX/FJ forums.

I'd really appreciate any other info that anyone has available - emailed scans or photos are great, and am more than happy to pay for photocopying and postage. I know there are some running Normans out there - would love to have a telephone chat with anyone running one. Am quite keen to talk to anyone with a Norman supercharger sitting on a bench with a view to measurements. Equally, if anyone has any Norman odds-and-ends they would like to sell, happy to discuss.

Cheers,
Harv (junior apprentice and floorsweeper, Norman supercharger department).

There's gotta be a Harvey Norman joke in there somewhere but will leave it to those more witty to provide it ;D