Hot Rods List of Speed Equipment Manufactuers that Began in California?

I always wondered if there is any relation with Al of The Beach Boys.


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No...Jerry Jardine was an early pioneer in building headers for RV’s and specialized in Headers for GMC FWD motorhomes.

 

Now "POT FATHER COLLECTIVE"
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pot+Father+Collective/@33.9441888,-118.273854,3a,90y,103.62h,87.23t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sQxJCTCAL70abBXytRgqVpg!2e0!6s//geo3.ggpht.com/cbk?panoid=QxJCTCAL70abBXytRgqVpg&output=thumbnail&cb_client=search.gws-prod.gps&thumb=2&w=86&h=86&yaw=96.59508&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2c9f41b40268d:0xf5e98293c187ef7!8m2!3d33.9441476!4d-118.2736065

 

The RV stuff really came later on after he sold Jardine Headers and moved to Wyoming.
Jerry started Jardine Headers in So Cal, back in the late 50's, focusing on performance exhaust and competed with the likes of Doug Thorley and Hedman. throughout the 60's.

 

Jerry was a long time client. Dyno Don Nicholson and Fast Eddie Schartman were bitching about the gas mileage of their Ford rollback trucks. and Jerry made some headers that improved performance and mileage considerably. We ran an ad in Camper Coachman and all hell broke loose! Orders poured in and Jardine was buried in orders. Took a while to calm things down and later on proved to be a niche market. Jerry also did some motorcycle stuff after selling the header business and before he moved to Jackson Hole and concentrated on the RV stuff.

 

Henry's Axles

 

Potvin Cams

 

Automotive Research in Sherman Oaks



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Crankshaft wizard Henry Velasco used to work for Joe Reath and is still going strong on his own in Downey.

 

Racer Brown Cams from Inglewood, CA
Hello,

So Cal has been the center of hot rodding since our early days and beyond. But, cam grinders have been flourishing from the early days. That is all good and well for everyone. My brother bought his 1958 Chevy 348/280 hp Impala new, in 1957. All of the races in the A/Stock class were varied as to who got the best start, since they were all the same HP and everything else from the factory. The shifts were accountable for a second or two, but the power from the stock 280 hp motor was even, to make the class competitive. Some days were victorious with a trophy and other days, asleep at the wheel was the reason for the losses.


By a year later, the stock classes were more competitive with the other newer Chevy sedans having more hp and 4 speed stick shift transmissions. So, by the end of the year, a Racer Brown Cam and Lifter Kit was installed to give it some "oomph" in the quarter mile. Obviously, it was not a factory stock item and that would move us to the Gas Coupe and Sedan Class. Against the light weight coupes and sedans did nothing for us using the Impala. So, we moved on to building our own lightweight street legal gas coupe.

Why did my brother get a Racer Brown Cam? He read every publication he could get his hands on, written by Racer Brown. At the time, he was a feature writer for Hot Rod Magazine in those early days. His technical articles were easy to read and understand. They were not those that put anyone to sleep and the information was well written. My brother never told me why he did not choose, Isky, Howard, or Engle for the 348, but a relatively unknown company, other than it was owned and created by a feature writer for Hot Rod Magazine. But, the small Racer Brown sticker was placed in the center of the rear window to show others what just flew past them.

Jnaki

In the later years, the 58 Impala surprised everyone with the C&O Stick Hydro for quick starts. Those times when the races were close, the Racer Brown Camshaft power was explained to us… that about ½ way, it would take over and start pulling away. It did that and more. Every race except against a 301-352? C.I. 56 Chevy when the secondary carburetor vacuum hose fell off and I was a 348 motor with a single two barrel. I was a front bumper behind at the end, eye to eye with the other driver. He did not want a rematch when I fixed the vacuum hose.

"Racer Brown was a licensed mechanical engineer and was once technical editor for Hot Rod Magazine. That in itself would qualify anyone with skills to create his own line of camshafts and accessories. One of those rare 1955 Corvette V8 roadsters had been purchased by Racer Brown, HOT ROD's esteemed technical editor in 1956."

Tech article by Racer Brown (Oct. 1956 HRM)


EXTRA: The current Racer Brown Cam company has ZERO CONNECTION with the original Racer Brown Cam company from So Cal.

 

Casler Cheater Slicks in Ontario, CA.

 

Another neat place to stick your head it when your growing up in Inglewood.

 

Yes, Romeo Palemides! Look closely at my avatar, these are a set of Romeo's 2-piece, 15" X 6" front, 15" X 7" rear.
Romeo's friend and sometimes helper, Bill Turner, had a '55 F100, wanted some cool wheels for it. Bill said 'They had to be a heavy 5 spoke design, with an open hub, like a Kelsey-Hayes. A hub cap would cover the open center.'
The Torq-Thrusts were still on the drawing board, according to Bill.
Romeo made up the bucks for casting, wheels were 2 piece, only 10 +/- were made.
Bill had them on his F100 when I met him in '69, 8 years after the American Company bought the Palemides company.
American didn't want the 2 piece F100 wheels, just the torq-thrust and another that looked like a Halibrand.
Romeo was said to have approached Dick Beith (E.T. Mags) about the 2 piece wheel, but Dick studied it...and declined.
Funny...if you look closely at an ET III! Stark resemblance there...
I have the set on my F100 now, given me by late foster father. Before his death, he also brought over another set! Said I was gonna need 'em for my 'new' F-1 I just got...
F-1 is a '51, with '50 front sheet metal/grille. Nice rust free truck, with the '51 wide rear window.
Kinda cool to have rare wheels on both trucks!

 

According to their website Porter Mufflers was started by the porter Bros. in 1931 in Los Angles.

 

Roto- Faze
Douglas (Mufflers &Headers)

 

Vulcan

A-B-C 4-banger stuff sold outa Antique Ford Parts in Colton.

 

Tom Beatty, Belly tanks, Flatheads, Olds, blower drives in Sun Valley Ca and Valley Accessory in Burbank/Glendale Ca New and Used Speed Equipment

 

HAMPTON BLOWERS
“During the 1950’s, Hampton gained recognition as not only a driver, of such vehicles as his; ’29 Roadster, a Ford flathead, a “rear engine” Buick V-8, a Top Fuel 354-cid Chrysler belonging to Chet Herbert as well as Kenny Lindley’s beautiful Miss Fire dragster, which he drove at the ’59 NHRA Nationals in Detroit, but also as a mechanical engineer, manufacturing blowers “Hampton Blowers” in 1957.

Partnering with Eldon Dye and Kenny Lindley, throughout the 50’s brought Hampton opportunities to drive award winning vehicles, as well as be on the front lines of mechanical innovation for the early years of drag-racing.”
1959
“With his racing career and business well on their way, the 60’s-70’s were pivotal years for Hampton. During the mid-sixty’s he created the first after market magnesium blower, which quickly became a must have among racers. At the same time, Don was the driver for many different cars, including fuel and gas dragsters. He drove Eldon Dye’s Bantam-bodied Competition Coupe.”
1958-59
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/anybody-running-a-potvin-front-mount-blower-set-up.1160001/#post-13211041


Hello,

As far back as 1956, Don Hampton has been involved in hot rods and drag racing. We saw him in several race cars and could not understand how he adapted to each different racer. Laying back, sitting up, FED, Competition Coupe, Altered, etc. all different styles and builds. The Kenny Lindley/Don Hampton FED was one of the early front mounted 671 supercharged race cars in the So Cal area. Their semi-full streamlining body encompassed the front mounted blower. Don Hampton went on to have a successful supercharger shop, that is still active, today.


"SOUND" Kenny Lindley/Don Hampton Mis-Fire FED Lions Dragsgtrip 1959

“Even though Hampton retired from drag racing in 1984, he continues to thrive with his business Hampton Blowers, manufacturing blowers for street machines, dragsters and drag boats. With precision and expertise Don handles and inspects each product to always deliver the best! A true innovator, Hampton continuously develops new and more efficient blowers and is looking forward to celebrating over 60 years in the supercharger industry.”

https://www.hamptonblowers.com

Including 4-71 kits: Regardless of price, The safety and quality, reliable work speaks for itself.



P.S. If Hampton Blowers does not work out for you, there is another So Cal group that has a similar reputation for quality work. (Littlefield Blowers in Anaheim,CA. https://www.littlefieldblowers.com/)
I went to high school with Mert Littlefield, who later became a great drag racer and supercharger developer.

Mert is no longer with us, but his shop still puts out quality parts, applications and has a great history in the field. The shop is still in So Cal and it is a nice drive up/down the coast (or the inland freeways) to reach the current shop in Anaheim.

 

Not quibbling over names, but Carroll Shelby started his auto business in Dallas in 1957.




The $7500 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza advertised above was bought new by Highland Park TX oilman Alan Guiberson and exists today.

 

McLeod clutches

 

There is a show called "Where They Raced" about the history of SoCal racing that is a great show. If you have MAVTV, Pluto or Tubi its free to watch.

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Neat video history of L.A. racing. Thanks for the heads up.

Phil

 

It’s almost like watching a televised version of jnaki with his incredible SoCal knowledge. It seems pretty accurate from the stuff I’ve read over the years. Fun show to watch.


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"WHERE THEY RACED"... nice early film showing how things got developed. It was once mentioned here on the HAMB, a long time ago.

Hey 65,

That is the nicest thing that has been said in a long while. I thank you and your thoughts. I try my best to allow others interested in history of hot rods and drag racing in our So Cal culture to read about our experiences. It is only a small part of the whole history, but it was something that fell into place while in our teenage/20 something years.

Having grown up in So Cal gave us a good understanding of the progress in hot rods and drag racing. Some good and some bad. But, overall, for us, there is no other place to grow up or have children/grandchildren grow up. Yes, there are other great places and we see them a lot. There is plenty that goes on here and whether we like it or not, we still have our own place to call home.

Our years of being in one place and getting along with others has worked out well for our family. It is a good base to be living and then the road trips to other places makes it better. The idea of one place, as large as it is, can be daunting. That is why we take a lot of road trips in and about the So Cal area, or we did, prior to the 2020 locked in place/mask directive.

Jnaki

So, thanks for the comments and my wife will enjoy those, too. It is too bad that not all people here in So Cal get along. There are those that feel it is their right to do what they please at the cost of others in this pandemic. We are all fighting this together in order for it to go away. The numbers here in So Cal have to get lower by following the rules. Then other outside activities can be shown and enjoyed, again in So Cal.

My mom has/had always told me to "ENDURE" ...in so many words of wisdom. For a generation so removed from our 50's-60s upbringing, she had her eye on the prize...

 

I usually visit California/SoCal 2-4 times per year (0-2020) and love the automotive history and beauty of the state and I have driven north south and east west across several areas/routes of the state and seen most of it. My dad and I take an annual Father/Son trip centered around Car shows and cruising usually around the Fall Fling MoPar shows, Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield, Bobs in Burbank, Donut Derelicts, Supercar Sunday etc. plus visits to places like the Nethercutt, Peterson, NHRA museums etc. I would like to see the Lions museum if it’s still around after this. I’ve used your posts along with other California members to map out several trips and get tips for stuff to see and do. Some of the best fun is driving the PCH or canyons, visiting The Rock Store and just seeing the incredible cars and bikes on the road along with the scenery. Did my dream trip a few years ago and flew into LV (don’t gamble, but wanted to see the Hoover Damn and valley of Fire State Park) so I could then drive into Death Valley in Late August, over to Sequoia National Forest and down to LA for some great car shows. Saw some hot rods in DV on a 124 degree day, that was pretty cool to see.


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Cant recall where I either read or heard this..... was Pete Jackson related to Kong?

Few more to add
Kugel
Scat
Winfield (Ed)
Alexander
Dixon
Eddie Meyer
Donovan
Mondello
Tornado Speed Equipment

 

Kong was Pete's older brother. Look up 'Kong Jackson' in HAMB archives, learn where he got his name!

 

Hansen's Supercharger Service, Long Beach. Richard Hansen worked closely with Joe Reath (Reath Automotive) was very active in 6-71 Chrysler power.
My 331" Chrysler hemi came from Joe Reath's dragster, after the 160 MPH record.
It went in my street driven '46 Club Coupe. Hansen blower, 1:1. Carbureted. Fast street car.

 

Schneider Cams..still there, run by Jerry Cantrell

 

Someone make a new updated master list please.