I dont have a problem with the quality of German products, however it is sad to see an long standing American icon no longer be that.. Just like Mooneyes I dont have a problem with them or thier product I just hate that its getting harder and harder to buy American. Sorry if its already been said I couldnt make it through all 8 pages.
I hope it's only a rumor. I used Edelbrock parts for many years and still do. I remember what happened to Harley Davidson when AMF got hold of it. Baldwin Piano did the same thing to Gretsch guitars. It was ilegal to change or modify your car in Germany not so long ago, Has that changed ?
What happened when AMF bought Harley was that they didn't shutter the windows, and chain & padlock the front doors. Could be the same thing here. Larry T
There's always a few articles in the Ol' Skool rod mags about the high level of activity in Europe and the UK, so the market is there. The new owners would be stupid beyond belief if they did anything that would affect the US operation. But if they're going to be making cams, intakes and such for the likes of Skoda, Vauxhaul and Porsche, it'd make sense to locate that plant in Europe, no?
"Buy American"? Nearly everything sold at WalMart is "Made in China" Not happy about what's happenin with Edelbrock? Blame the U.S. Government, from local to federal, for taking jobs away from the USA. Remember, Nixon opened the "Free Trade Door" with China.
So, my question...................if this is true, is why a Venture Capital Group/Private Equity Group would be buying Edelbrock, a very well established and seemingly profitable company. Usually Venture Capital investment groups take on start up companies or risky but potentially very profitable businesses.....................or maybe this "Group" has holdings in other similar companies???????????????? Or could it be that Edelbrock wants to get into other venues, but doesn't have the capital??????????????????? A lot of unanswered questions!
Sure is lots of guys talking about stuff that they have no facts on..., but still offer up opinions on a topic that has no substance, because there are zero facts, but..that doesn't stop anyone...as I would think that it would. From Walmart, to China, to "investment groups", to Nixon (!) to "that's just another nail in America's coffin"......all knee-jerk reactions to.....nothing. I'll bet Vic would be laughing his ass off if he were to read all this....
Edelbrock - made in China - these Venture Capital Firms are all for money, quality be damned. Buy the USA stuff while you can.
This was last year, but i can't see him changing his business principles of 50 + years...... http://www.aftermarketnews.com/Item..._president_and_ceo_of_the_edelbrock_corp.aspx
I´m a Hot Rodder in Germany and my cars have Edelbrock heads, cams, intakes, carbs... There´s no way the production would be moved to Europe, we are a tiny market compared to the US, so why would they move away from their customers? I also wouldn´t like to see Edelbrock owned by some investment bankers, since it´s still a grown familiy business and there are not so many left ,neither in Europe nor the US I think. BTW most German companys aren´t owned by Germans either. Mercedes shortly struck a deal with arab investors, 60% if I remeber correctly. Porsche is owned by VW, which is owned by investement bankers all over the world .The only German automaker still in mostly private hand is BMW, owned by the Quandt family at about 75%. My guess is they are too small to stay single forever. Anyway, Edelbrock is good stuff and I´ll keep buying it. Thanks to Vic and his family for supplying us with parts for all the years! Chris
My family has been driving round in a 97 concord since 1999 currently has 280,000 miles on it. no oil usage in the engine or trans and except for normal maintenance and a set of 02 sensors has had no mechanical problems. Same is true for a 95 Intrepid with 260,000 miles( trans leaks a little because of a bad seal) I also have a 95 Dakota 135,000 miles nothing wrong with it except for a headlight switch so I dont see how Chrysler killed themselves. Chrysler was destroyed when Mercedes bought,raped them and left them for dead Yes the K car was a sin to automotive history Say good buy to yet another American made company. be prepared to see made in china stamped on the side of your new edelbrock intake. Vick thanks for all you have done for hot rodding but I wont be buying edelbrock parts unless they are made the U.S.A
"Edelbrock Sr., and Jr. have done more for hot rodding than dozens, maybe hundreds, of "experts" who want to examine, critique, evaluate and "guide" the Edelbrock family to the decision as to what these "experts" want them to do with the company that they built and own." Never a truer word spoken. You guys may beef about the fact that he owes YOU guys as loyal Edelbrock customers and that YOU kept him in business over the decades, but YOU were'nt the guys taking the risk, making the biz YOUR whole LIFE, 8 days per week, and of course the responsibility that comes with employing thousands of people nor the level of commitment /financial responsisbility that it takes. I met Vic at his Head office and plant in CA during an all MoPar day there back in 2002tour. My buddies and I were staggered at the welcome we received and the way we were treated by Vic himself and his daughters....the man is a class act and took the time to talk to us Aussies - need less to say I could barely speak and hung on every word he said. He has made the Edelbrock name FAMOUS the world over - we should be admiring his familiy's achievements and commitment, and not admonishing him for making what essentially is ..a BUSINESS decision. Those of you who run a business and know what it takes surely would understand this. Getting all misty eyed about buying American or Australian in a world economy such as ours is pointless even though I realise that the world is rapidly changing and that the "good old days" are over. It is what it is. We should celebrate the Edelbrock achievements and the contribution he has made to countless hot rodders all over the world..... Then again, its it is all rumour then it really doesnt matter hehe. Rat
Well if he does , there is nothing we can do but hope for the best ! The Germans aren't stupid either when it comes to performance ! Might be a good thing . Will have to wait and see . At least they didn't sell to the china ! Also that just might drive the price up on our USA made Edelbrock parts down the road . Well off to the Jalopy Showdown ! See you all there ! Jim
It's funny to see people dissing the K-car when those, and the minivans derived from the same platform, pretty much saved Chrysler from going tits up in the 1980s. You may not have liked them, but they sure sold plenty of the damn things. I still see one once in a while today - similar vintage FWD cars from GM and Ford are much fewer and farther in-between. I can't even comment on Edelbrock being sold, because as has repeatedly been pointed out, there's no facts to back up the rumor. But if it gets sold, it gets sold. Chances are in 4 of 5 years it's going to be cheaper to go to the bank and get 100 $1's to use for toilet paper than to buy a roll, anyways, and none of this stuff will matter.
what about the big companies that moved their shit there? Or the consumer that wants the cheapest they can get? If you shop at Wal Mart you are to blame. You can't just put it on the government.
Over the weekend I talked with a good friend who used to work for Edelbrock about this. He immediately went and talked to a guy who is still there, and fairly far up in the organization. According to him, Vic sold 49% (keeping 51% in the Edelbrock family) to a couple of investors from Chicago (I think) which is still part of the US (it only seems foreign to Californians). The deal is structured so that there are performance clauses that can change those percentages based on how the company is doing. He knew nothing, or didn't want to divulge anything, about a further buy out by Germans, or anyone else. Pretty damn reliable source, more than the original rumor at least.
The Jalopy Journal
