TORRANCE, Calif. — Vic Edelbrock Jr., head of the high-performance auto parts company bearing his family's name, died June 9, after complications from a cold. He was 80.
Mr. Edelbrock Jr. took over the Edelbrock Corp. aftermarket performance parts company at age 26 after his father, Vic Edelbrock Sr., died in 1962. With just 10 employees, the younger Mr. Edelbrock grew the company into one of the largest performance parts entities in the world.
His father founded the company as an automotive repair shop in Beverly Hills, Calif., in 1933.
In 1938, the elder Mr. Edelbrock bought a 1932 Ford and used it to test new speed parts, essentially inventing the marketing tool that would later be known as "the project car."
His son began working summers in the shop at age 12. After graduating college with a degree in business in 1959, he went to work full time for his father's business.
Under his leadership, the company created the Edelbrock manifold for the small-block Chevy which became the foundation from which the company springboarded into legend, according to Autoweek, a sister publication of Tire Business.
The company built its reputation in racing, outfitting street, kit and restoration cars. The company also built its own foundry as a way to control the quality of its aluminum castings.
Mr. Edelbrock was president and CEO of Edelbrock Corp. until 2010, but remained chairman of the board.