Edelbrock Foundry Corp history

When the Edelbrock grocery store burned down in 1927, Vic left school at age 14 to help support the family.

In 1931, Vic migrated to California to live with his brother.

He drove his modified 1932 roadster out to the dry lakes, removed the fenders and windshield, and then put them back on when he was finished racing.

After a year, in 1934, Edelbrock opened his own shop on the corner of Venice and Hoover in Los Angeles and, again, enjoyed a steady stream of customers.

Vic and Katie's only child, Vic Jr., was born in 1936.

1938: Vic Edelbrock, Sr., develops the Slingshot manifold.

His company's first catalog, printed in 1946 and destined to become a marketing staple for the company throughout the century, declared as much, with 'Edelbrock Power and Speed Equipment' emblazoned across the front cover.

With a solid business now developing, Vic bought one of the performance industry's first engine dynos in 1948.

To support his efforts on the track, Edelbrock bought one of the performance industry's first engine dynamometers in 1949, which enabled him to substantiate his racing results with data and point to measurable performance gains.

In the early 1950's, dry lakes racing activities expanded to include Bonneville.

Vic Sr. began dyno tests on the brand new small-block Chevrolet engine in 1955.

Then in 1958, Vic managed an industry first by getting one horsepower-per-cubic-inch from a 283 cid small-block Chevy with the new Cross Ram manifold.

In 1964, a good friend named Bob Joehnck saw an opportunity to develop an intake for a small-block Chevy.

Our knowledge of cast aluminum products gained over our first 52 years in business provided the catalyst to open our first foundry in 1990.

Bobby Meeks, who retired in 1993, started with Vic at this time and became his loyal assistant.

In October 1994, Edelbrock Corp. completed its initial public offering of stock, raising $21 million for the expansion of its operations and the purchase of new equipment.

By the end of the company's fiscal 1995, revenues were up 26 percent to $67 million, an increase attributable, in large part, to the diversification into the motorcycle aftermarket.

A new 45,000-square-foot building was constructed next to the company's exhaust facility in December 1996, followed by the construction of two smaller facilities located next to the foundry in San Jacinto.

1998: Company introduces its first line of shock absorbers.