The argument over which is better, turbos or blowers, has been going on since someone bolted the first one of each on a hot rod and will likely continue until the last pair are every bolted onto a flying car a few hundred years from now. And with opinions driving most folks, rather than actual data, there probably will never be a clear winner. But what does the power curve look like on two similar combos, one with a blower and one with a turbo? In this test our dude Richard Holdener takes two 383 stroker LS engines and tests one with a Whipple Supercharger and one with a single turbo. So which one made more horsepower? Which one made more torque? And which one looks better? All of these things can be included in the “discussion” as to which one is better, because better is a pretty arbitrary term.

Personally, I’m a fan of horsepower. Yep, I like it all. NA, sure! Nitrous? Hells to the yes. Blower? Duh! Turbo? Yes please. And if you are any kind of cool car guy you’ll want more than one as long as the rules say you can in whatever class you decide to race in. I think Nitrous belongs on everything, and why wouldn’t it?

But back to the Whipple vs Turbo shootout.