During the 1980s, the Chrysler faithful had little to cheer about regarding two-door, V8-powered vehicles. So, those looking for V8 muscle car performance had to jump ship to Chevrolet’s Camaro or the Ford Mustang. In February 1984, Popular Hot Rodding Magazine published its “Battle of the Super Cars” editorial.
Above: NOS pushed the turbocharged pocket rocket Shelby from the mid-16s in the quarter mile to a stout 14.24 elapsed time. Based upon five categories, the NOS-fed Charger won Popular Hot Rodding Magazine’s “Battle of the Super Cars” by taking three categories.
It appeared that Mopar brought a knife to a gunfight with its ’84 Shelby Dodge Charger four-cylinder vs. the V8-equipped ’84 Camaro and ’84 Mustang. The magazine modified each car with readily available aftermarket performance parts to make matters worse for the Charger. That put the Mopar further behind the competition because the turbo 2.2-liter engine had only been on the market for a year, and the aftermarket had yet to fully embrace the new powerplant.
The Charger benefited from a small list of Direct Connection parts. Still, the real savior was the Nitrous Oxide Systems, Inc. (NOS) Power Shot Direct Port Injection kit—the kit employed four nitrous oxide (N₂O) Fan Spray Nozzles.
Above Left: 1984 was not the pinnacle year for performance, but PHR modified and evaluated the Camaro, Mustang, and Charger. On paper, it seemed as though the Shelby was outmatched, but the outcome was surprising on the track. Above Right: Did the 2.2-liter engine become a legend? Although the turbocharged 2.2 has a small but dedicated following, it did not catch on with mainstream Mopar enthusiasts.
The three cars would be subjected to five competition categories; each weighed equally in the scoring. The five categories were quarter-mile acceleration, skid pad lateral acceleration, braking distance from 60 mph to zero, slalom course time, and vehicle cost.
When the dust settled, surprisingly, the Shelby won three of the five categories and was crowned the Super Car of the Year. The Charger won the braking test, the slalom course, and the vehicle cost categories. The Camaro won the other two categories (quarter-mile acceleration and skid test), and the Ford took the collar for the event.
Above: The Shelby Dodge Charger was the first result of Carroll Shelby and Lee Iacocca’s renewed relationship. Based on the Dodge Charger, the Shelby Charger’s modifications included an enhanced turbocharged 2.2-liter, four-cylinder OHC engine with a revised camshaft and 9.6:1 compression ratio. A new 5-speed transaxle blended with closer gear ratios for an overall top gear ratio of 2.78 to 1. The car also sported a specially designed suspension package with stiffer springs and higher-rate shocks.
To celebrate its part in helping Shelby take the win, NOS ran a full-page advertisement extolling the feat. The ad explained the performance potential of NOS products, and even though the Charger finished in a distant third place in the quarter-mile acceleration, the nitrous oxide-assisted 2.2-liter was more than two seconds quicker than its normally aspirated version.
N₂O is a power adder used in internal combustion engines to increase horsepower by providing additional oxygen for combustion. Once injected into the engine, nitrous oxide breaks down at high temperatures around 570°F, releasing extra oxygen. The added oxygen allows more fuel to be burned, significantly boosting power output.
Above Left: NOS offers several wet nitrous kits. One example is the NOS Plate Wet Nitrous System for the 2011-2020 6.4L Hemi Dodge Charger, Challenger, Chrysler 300 SRT, and 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320. The Blue system kit includes a 10lb bottle, an 80mm plate, and all installation items. Above Right: Another example is the NOS Single Fogger Wet Nitrous System. The kit is designed for the 2005-2020 Dodge and Chrysler 3.5L/3.6L V6 and 5.7/6.1/6.4 Hemi V8. It includes a 10lb black bottle and a Single Fogger Soft Plume Nozzle.
A nitrous system can be wet or dry and delivered via direct port or plate. The wet system, a precision-engineered design, blends nitrous and fuel before entering the intake. This unique feature, requiring an extra fuel source, typically through a nozzle or plate, ensures a more precise and safer operation, allowing for higher power gains.
On the other hand, a dry system injects nitrous only, relying on the engine’s fuel system to compensate for the additional oxygen. It is easier to install. However, the system may be a riskier installation if the fuel system cannot keep up with the nitrous oxide injected into the engine.
Above: The simplicity of a dry nitrous kit tempts many enthusiasts to add a little extra without significant modifications to their car. NOS has kits for EFI vehicles, including its Dry Bigshot Nitrous kit for the 4150-type throttle body.
A direct delivery system utilizes individual nozzles to deliver nitrous and fuel to each intake manifold runner. It is best used for high horsepower builds but requires custom tuning.
Plate delivery systems, which use a plate between the intake manifold and the carburetor base plate or throttle body, are a testament to simplicity and versatility. Each plate has a spray bar that is fed with nitrous oxide and fuel. This design is simple to install and is preferred by many enthusiasts.
Above Left: NOS has several plate-style kits that work well with carbureted engines. The Big Shot Nitrous System Dominator (Holley 4500 Flange) has a horsepower tuning range between 190 and 300 HP. It has all the hardware, instructions, and a 10lb bottle. Above Right: The NOS Powershot series Nitrous System fits a Holley 4150 and Carter AFB (late-style) and offers up to 125 HP.
Depending on the user’s desired performance, dry system kits can generate 50 to 150 horsepower (HP). Wet systems using plate delivery can increase the horsepower potential to 150-300 HP. With proper tuning and upgraded engine internals, a direct delivery system offers performance upgrades of 300+ HP.
Safety is paramount when using nitrous oxide. If the fuel system cannot keep up with the additional oxygen from the nitrous, a lean condition can result, leading to detonation. Each nitrous system should be tuned appropriately. The tuning includes critical ignition timing adjustments and fuel enrichment necessary to prevent damage.
Above: The Pro-Shot Fogger System includes a 10lb capacity nitrous bottle, Super Pro Shot nitrous and Cheater fuel solenoids, stainless steel “Super A” nozzles, jetting from 250 to 500 HP, aircraft quality steel braided hose and all other necessary electrical/ mounting hardware for a complete installation.
Progressive controllers can assist with tuning. They prevent sudden power spikes by gradually increasing nitrous flow, which works more effectively with the vehicle’s suspension, allowing the tires to be struck effectively without overpowering them. Lastly, bottle pressure regulation is essential for optimum performance. For consistent performance, the ideal pressure is around 900-1000 psig.
Above: Anyone using nitrous as a power adder wants to get the most out of their system and put more power to the ground when traction is at its best. The new, updated Mini 2-stage progressive nitrous controller from NOS is packed with features that make that challenge much more manageable.
While the NOS Power Shot system for the 2.2-liter engine is a thing of the past, NOS, now a Holley company, still offers an array of nitrous systems for Chrysler’s six-cylinder engines and the fan-favorite Gen 3 Hemi in late-model cars and trucks. For more information, check out NOS online or call its representatives.
