<VV> Judson Supercharger Install Complete!!!

[Eric S. Eberhard]

It works very well on my 62 Monza Sedan with PG.  I will have pictures on 
my website fairly soon, I am putting on a lucite engine cover before taking 
the pictures, and this too may turn out to be a project.

It took several months (weekends only) and who knows how many hours to get 
it right.  I bought the kit from Chuck (on this list) and it was more or 
less complete.  However, he did not use the choke nor the "stock" air 
filter arrangement so I had to scavenge those parts.  Jeff Angelli (also 
from this list) amazingly had the little air cleaner adapter I needed.  I 
had a shop drill and tap my exhaust manifold and make the choke attachment 
(hot air).  The pulley was incorrect, it was an A/C pulley.  George Folchi 
(a Judson guru) made (from scratch!) a pulley for me.  The oiler was not 
the "correct" Marvel Myster Oiler so I got me one of those.  I got it all 
hooked up.

Ran terrible --> stalled at low rpm and idle.  I fooled with fuel pressure 
regulators and solved that problem, at the expense of having any gas at 
full throttle!  The carb was rebuilt ... but i checked it anyway and it 
looked fine.  So I found some cool adjustable main jets for the Holley 2 
barrel carb (they adjust from the outside!!!) and played with 
jetting.  When all was said and done I removed the pressure regulator and 
it would still flood at idle and also at full throttle!  Half throttle car 
that had to always be moving -- drag.
Chuck mentioned he had the same problem, flooding at high rpm.  I almost 
gave up when I noticed that the float cutoff (which was new in appearance) 
had TWO gaskets under it -> an old crappy one with the nice new one on top 
(I had looked at this 10 times before and not noticed the double 
gaskets).  This cause the opening at the top to be huge --> too much for 
idle, and when the blower kicked in it would drag tons of fuel.  I took the 
old crappy gasket out, car runs great.  I was skeptical so I actually put 
it back in, and it failed!  Problem solved.

I spent most of a day playing with mixture (idle and main) and timing.  It 
runs almost perfectly (more later).

My installation is "stock" in that it looks exactly like the old pictures 
from 1962 including the goofy air filter arrangement and the hose going 
across.  It builds boost evenly and really not noticeably.  Except that 
with light throttle input and no drama I suddenly find myself going very 
fast (too fast :-).  It is more "torque" feel than "snappy acceleration" 
feel like my Spyder.  We live in the mountains here and on some of the 
steep climbs the stock car could barely do 65 with my foot on the 
floor.  Now it does 80 at half throttle.  It also sounds really cool 
(clicks and whines and whrrrs) if you don't mind loud!  When you jump on it 
you can hear it suck the air through the filters.

I have one vice and one curiosity I would like help on from those that had 
the patience to get this far!

The vice:  the transition, up or down, from idle to throttle is "abrupt" to 
say the least.  From a stop if I completely floor the car it dies.  Less 
throttle and it stumbles a second and then goes.  I also feel this when 
coasting to a stop ... it just abruptly transitions to idle (it does not 
die you just feel it).  When trundling along at 35 or so on a flat road it 
will transition down then with a tiny touch of the pedal transition back 
up.  I am pretty sure this is when the mains kick in or out versus the 
idle.  It is tamed to some degree by fiddling with the mixture screws for 
either the mains or the idle ... maybe I am not just dialing in the correct 
"matched set" -> or maybe the carb as a problem -> or maybe that is the way 
it is (having no other Judson with PG car to compare I cannot say)?  I 
should point out that this is not all that serious a problem in that as 
long as I don't floor it from a dead stop it is quite driveable (and I can 
floor it on the freeway to pass and all is well) Any opinions or advice?

The curiosity:  when stock (102 hp) the book says to time the car at 13 
degrees.  I always set it at 18 degrees as it ran better.  I am at 3500 
foot altitude.  With the Judson it runs best at 25 degrees!!!  And it never 
pings (I am using 44ff plugs rather than the 46ff it had).  There is no 
problem ... it just bugs me because that seems like a lot of advance.  In 
fact, at low rpm it even like 30 degrees better!!!  Knocks like crazy 
though under load.  In fact, the 30 degree timing helps that transition 
vice above quite a bit.  I was considering getting a Dale pressure/retard 
(made for the turbo) and setting the initial timing at 30 degrees with the 
hope that it would retard enough to stop the pinging at higher rpm.  But it 
was not designed for my distributor or engine (could I try a Spyder 
distributor as well?)  --> any opinions or advice on this area?

Anyway, I'll keep you posted.  I have been using it as a daily driver again 
(even went grocery shopping today, which thrilled my wife :-).  I'll also 
post when the pictures are on line.  Anyone else contemplating doing this 
job feel free to contact me for more detail or help ... anyone with Judson 
parts for sale also feel free to contact me --> especially a carb or blower!


Eric S. Eberhard
(928) 567-3727          Voice
(928) 567-6122          Fax
(800) 569-1122          Denver Office (I am never there, you can leave a 
message)
(720) 339-4765          Cell

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