Classic Small-Block Ford With A Modern Harrop TVS Supercharger

It’s not every day that you hear about a Roots-supercharged small-block Ford engine, let alone a TVS-supercharged one, in Australia of all places. But, that’s exactly what we ran across here. It might come as a bit of a shock to some, but the small-block Ford is not an uncommon engine down under. So it only makes sense that the Australian-based Harrop Engineering has developed a kit for the venerable SBF engine, and this is the first look at one in the wild.

This particular example at MotorEx, sits nestled in a right-hand-drive-converted 1965 Mustang. Built by Dandy Engines of Victoria, Australia the engine is exactly what you’d expect of a 363 in the U.S. — an aftermarket 8.2-inch-deck block with a 4.125-inch bore, a forged 3.400-inch crankshaft, forged 5.400-inch rods and a good set of pistons. The camshaft is an off-the-shelf grind Dandy uses in all their 347 combinations.

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The short-block is topped off by a set of off-the-shelf aluminum cylinder heads, and then the cherry on top, is the Harrop 2650 TVS supercharger kit. Using the same supercharger as their popular Godzilla kit, this particular variant opts for a manual 110mm throttle body. The Harrop kit includes a full front engine accessory drive for all the creature comforts expected from a modern vehicle. As equipped, on pump-gas, the kit produces 14 psi of pressure to the intake manifold, which makes for a stout 813 horsepower at 7,600 rpm, with an almost unbelievable torque curve, making over 620 lb-ft from 4,500 to 6,100 rpm.

Even more impressive, is that in testing, E85 was utilized, and with the cooling properties of E85 and a couple of degrees more timing, the engine made 878 horsepower and 688 lb-ft of torque at the same 14 psi. Then, in further testing, the 10-rib, alternator-only front drive was installed, and the pullies changed up for some additional boost, the kit made 1,007 horsepower and 839 lb-ft of torque with 22.7 psi of boost and E85 fuel.

It’s exciting to see a modern positive-displacement supercharger kit being developed for the small-block Ford platform and we are already planning a deep dive on the development of this kit and the as of yet unreleased 9.5-inch deck variant. If the 8.2 deck kit is capable of making 1,000 horsepower without breaking much of a sweat, we’re eager to see what a big-boy Windsor engine is capable…