Car Craft – November 2019

NOVEMBER 2019 CARCRAFT.COM 31

➔SOURCES

Holley/Hooker; 270/782-2900; Holley.com

Lucas Oil; LucasOil.com

Vortech; 805/247-0226; VortechSuperchargers.com

The efficient Vortech V3 supercharger is
capable of supporting 725 hp and 17 psi, or
more than enough for our application.

Left: The

discharge tube

also features

a flange to

mount the

supplied blow-

off valve.

For this 5.3L, Vortech supplied a self-
contained V3 SCI head unit. We liked not
having to run an oil-feed line or punch a
hole in the oil pan.

3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000 6500

500

400

300

450

600

550

350

250

200

Junkyard 5.3L Vortech V3 blower kit

Vortech Supercharged 5.3L LS

Power and Torque

The six-rib drivebelt was used to power all
of the accessories (minus the A/C) and the
Vortech supercharger.

The non-intercooled Vortech
kit includes this aluminum
S-shaped discharge tube
and the necessary silicone
connectors (and clamps) to
channel boost to the stock
throttle body.

To maximize flow to the blower
and minimize header heat from
finding its way in, we installed
this radiused air inlet tube.

Run on the dyno with the Vortech kit, our LS9-enhanced 5.3L produced 581 hp at 6,400

rpm and 504 lb-ft of torque at 5,400 rpm. The blower kit improved the power output of

the junkyard motor by roughly 180 hp!