When we first heard about Machine Tech's Super-Gen 6-71 Roots supercharged LS1 crate motor, we knew a very important threshold had been crossed. It's not like Roots-blown crate motors are anything new, but the Super-Gen marks the first pairing of the fixed-displacement 6-71 supercharger - a hot-rodding icon that's steeped in tradition from Bonneville to Bakersfield - and the incredibly potent Gen III GM small-block - a comparative newcomer to the scene.
Thanks to a proprietary, lightweight, fabricated aluminum intake manifold that allows the 6-71 to work its magic on the Gen III's cathedral ports, every Super-Gen crate motor is guaranteed to produce in excess of 600 hp on 91-octane unleaded pump gas. Every part is brand new - no remanufacturing here. And while some Gen III items, such as certain truck-based blocks and heads, are rendered in cast iron, the Super-Gen is all aluminum to keep weight down below the 500-pound mark for enhanced power-to-weight numbers and improved vehicle dynamics.
At 5.7 L, the Super-Gen doesn't rely on big displacement and heaps of expensive aftermarket goodies to get the job done. The only non-GM reciprocating parts are the pistons, rings, bearings, and rod bolts allowing Machine Tech to keep a lid on cost. The base price is a reasonable $15,995.
To learn all about the Super-Gen, we traveled to Machine Tech's shop in Oceanside, California, where Monte Woodard gave us the scoop and even provided a live dyno demonstration that yielded 602 hp and 525 lb-ft of torque. Though Monte is targeting the Super-Gen at the street rod crowd where impressive looks are as important as impressive power, there's no doubt these thoroughly streetable, Roots-blown monsters will also end up gloriously blocking the view from the driver seat of more than a few Camaros, Chevelles, Corvettes, and Novas.
