Paxton Automotive
Encyclopedia
Paxton Automotive is a United States
-based manufacturer of supercharger
s for automotive use. The company is the major proponent of the centrifugal type supercharger
. Early products were offered under the McCulloch name. Some Paxton superchargers have been factory fitted, but most units sold have been aftermarket installed. Paxton products are possibly best known for their frequent use in performance-modified Ford Mustang
s.
Inventor Robert Paxton McCulloch began producing superchargers to his design in 1937 for the Ford Flathead V8
, a popular engine for performance modification at the time. The company estimates that around 5,000 were built before World War II
stopped production.
Postwar, McCulloch developed a more sophisticated supercharger and began selling it in 1953. This was factory fitted to a number of vehicles at the time, including the Kaiser Manhattan
, Packard Panther
, Studebaker Golden Hawk
, 1957 Packard Clipper
and 1958 Packard Hawk
.
In 1956, McCulloch set up a separate Paxton Superchargers division, selling it off in 1958. Supercharged engines were used for one successful year in NASCAR
racing, after which forced induction was banned from the sport. For this purpose, Paxton superchargers were fitted as the rare (211 produced) F-option for the 1957 Ford Thunderbird
.
A short run of Shelby Mustang
s were fitted with Paxton superchargers, and Ford dealers offered Paxton superchargers as a dealer-fitted Ford Mustang
option from 1965 to 1972. Paxton still provides supercharger kits for old Mustangs as well as more recent models.
Still in business, Paxton now supplies complete supercharging kits for popular performance-modified cars, as well as bare superchargers for more customised installations.
One of the more unusual applications for the Paxton brand superchargers was as an air pump in the air purifying "CO2 Scrubber" of U.S. Navy submarines.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based manufacturer of supercharger
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
s for automotive use. The company is the major proponent of the centrifugal type supercharger
Centrifugal type supercharger
The centrifugal-type supercharger is an engine-driven compressor used to increase the power output of an internal-combustion engine by increasing the amount of available oxygen by compressing air that is entering the engine...
. Early products were offered under the McCulloch name. Some Paxton superchargers have been factory fitted, but most units sold have been aftermarket installed. Paxton products are possibly best known for their frequent use in performance-modified Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
s.
Inventor Robert Paxton McCulloch began producing superchargers to his design in 1937 for the Ford Flathead V8
Ford Flathead engine
The Ford flathead V8 was a V8 engine of the flathead type, designed by the Ford Motor Company and built by Ford and various licensees...
, a popular engine for performance modification at the time. The company estimates that around 5,000 were built before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
stopped production.
Postwar, McCulloch developed a more sophisticated supercharger and began selling it in 1953. This was factory fitted to a number of vehicles at the time, including the Kaiser Manhattan
Kaiser-Frazer
The Kaiser-Frazer Corporation was the result of a partnership between automobile executive Joseph W. Frazer and industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. In 1947, the company acquired the automotive assets of Graham-Paige, of which Frazer had been president before the Second World War...
, Packard Panther
Packard Panther
The Packard Panther was a show car, built in 1954 to showcase some of the more radical ideas Packard was considering for its production models in the mid- and late-1950s....
, Studebaker Golden Hawk
Studebaker Golden Hawk
The Studebaker Golden Hawk is a two-door pillarless hardtop coupe type car produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana between 1956 and 1958.-Styling:...
, 1957 Packard Clipper
Packard Clipper
The Packard Clipper was initially a single model of the Packard Motor Car Company introduced in April, 1941, midyear, much as was the 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang and other new departures. It was manufactured between 1942 and 1947, from the six and junior eight, to the Super-8, where it cost more than...
and 1958 Packard Hawk
Packard Hawk
The 1958 Packard Hawk was the sportiest of the four Packard-badged Studebakers produced in the final year of Packard production,. Packard's plant in Detroit, Michigan had been leased to Curtiss-Wright , and Packard models in this dying-gasp year were all rebadged and retrimmed Studebaker products...
.
In 1956, McCulloch set up a separate Paxton Superchargers division, selling it off in 1958. Supercharged engines were used for one successful year in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
racing, after which forced induction was banned from the sport. For this purpose, Paxton superchargers were fitted as the rare (211 produced) F-option for the 1957 Ford Thunderbird
Ford Thunderbird
The Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
.
A short run of Shelby Mustang
Shelby Mustang
The Shelby Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang which was built by Shelby American from 1965 through 1970. Following the introduction of the fifth generation Ford Mustang, the Shelby nameplate was revived in 2007 for new high performance versions of the Mustang.- 1965–1966 :The...
s were fitted with Paxton superchargers, and Ford dealers offered Paxton superchargers as a dealer-fitted Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
option from 1965 to 1972. Paxton still provides supercharger kits for old Mustangs as well as more recent models.
Still in business, Paxton now supplies complete supercharging kits for popular performance-modified cars, as well as bare superchargers for more customised installations.
One of the more unusual applications for the Paxton brand superchargers was as an air pump in the air purifying "CO2 Scrubber" of U.S. Navy submarines.