The 2012 SEMA Show is on it’s second day and the Edelbrock booth has been bombarded with Industry professionals who were eager to see what ’s new for 2013. Since the show in not open to the public, we thought we’d give you an update on the happenings of the Edelbrock Booth.
The Edelbrock booth has had lots of foot traffic from people wanting to see what the hottest Edelbrock products are for 2013. Many industry professionals were also waiting in long lines to get autographs from Vic Edelbrock himself on the new 75th anniversary timeline poster.
Hubble Smith from the Las Vegas Review-Journal Stated,
Vic Edelbrock, owner of Edelbrock Performance Parts, had a constant line of 20 people waiting to get his autograph on a poster commemorating the company’s 75th anniversary.
“Fortunately, people like me and they like our product and I’ve been around a long time,” the 76-year-old hot rodder said. “As long as you put a smile on somebody’s face, that’s what it’s all about. It goes back to my father.”
Vic Edelbrock Sr. introduced the slingshot manifold in 1938 and bought his first shop in Hollywood, Calif., in 1945. The company makes carburetors, cylinder heads, intake manifolds, superchargers and other high-performance parts.
Edelbrock, an original founder of SEMA, said he’s amazed at how much the show has grown since its first year at Dodger Stadium in 1967.
“The size … they’ve taken things and gone beyond,” he said. “There’s all kinds of stuff in here we never wanted in the first place. We wanted performance. The North Hall has everything over there, but that’s all right.”
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Ohio Technical College (OTC) and Edelbrock, LLC announce the opening of The Edelbrock Performance Academy, a program designed to give students a solid foundation in the building and tuning of high performance products.
The Edelbrock Performance Academy at OTC provides students with the skills necessary to efficiently increase a vehicle’s performance through planning, installation and modification of high performance engine components, superchargers, nitrous, fuel injection systems and more.
The 12-week, 300-hour course consists of nine different training modules covering intake manifolds and carburetor design, cams and lifters, cylinder heads, computer tuning, fuel injection, forced induction, nitrous oxide, data acquisition systems as well as the history of Edelbrock and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA).
“It is important for the students to learn and understand the origins of Edelbrock and SEMA. We constructed this curriculum with the help and input from Vic and Christi Edelbrock. So much so, the Edelbrock Performance Academy will share a resemblance to Vic’s own garage – right down to the photos on the walls,” said Bill Abbott, head instructor of the Edelbrock Performance Academy at OTC. “The course is offered to advanced OTC students and features training from the school’s High Performance and Racing program. This is a true, hands-on course that’s based on learning through discovery.
“The students will break down many of the parts on their own and will work on actual vehicles from configuration and installation to dyno-testing and tuning. As with all OTC classes, the Edelbrock Performance Academy will focus on more than just mechanics, teaching students the importance of a strong work ethic, customer service skills and the technical know-how.”
The first-of-its-kind course starts a new class every six weeks and will hold up to 12 students each to offer optimum one-on-one training. To watch the Edelbrock Performance Academy grand opening ceremony, visit http://youtu.be/5vsXAwMRVO4.
The Edelbrock Performance Academy was originated when Christi Edelbrock, Vice President of Business Development at Edelbrock, and Justin Brenner, Director of Corporate Development for OTC, met at SEMA to create a concept of a training course that directly teaches the manufacturer’s catalog product line.
OTC and Edelbrock spent months diligently developing the ideal curriculum and facility to help today’s student technician. OTC learned the Edelbrock philosophy behind its history as well as how its parts are manufactured to create an authentic course, and received direct feedback from Christi and Vic during the planning stages.
“Students gain an advantage in the workforce by completing the Edelbrock Performance Academy by receiving hands-on training using the latest products from Edelbrock,” said Christi Edelbrock. “This course is ideal for those pursuing a career as an engine dynamometer test technician at a performance shop or other tuner positions on a unique builder, race team or at a specialty aftermarket installer.”
Upon completion of the Edelbrock Academy program, the students receive a certificate signifying their specialized, high-performance training.
About Ohio Technical College
Founded in 1969, Ohio Technical College provides students with unique training in a variety of transportation fields. More than 1,000 students are currently enrolled in courses like automotive, diesel, classic car restoration, alternative fuel vehicles and high performance and racing.
Ohio Technical College (OTC) is an accredited private, proprietary technical school dedicated to providing premier technical training in the world of modern mechanics by pursuing industry alliances, providing outstanding training equipment and focusing on the needs of individual students. An Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT) college, OTC and its PowerSport Institute branch campus encompass nearly 800,000 sq. feet of classroom and workshop space. Drawing students from all over the United States, OTC offers technician training programs in Automotive, Diesel, Auto-Diesel, Collision Repair, Classic Car Restoration, High Performance and Racing, Welding and PowerSport Technology as well as specialization in BMW, Alternative Fuel Vehicles, Custom Paint and Graphics, CDL Truck Driver Training, and Power Generator Systems. Motorcycle technician training is provided through the PowerSport Institute, a branch campus of OTC in North Randall, Ohio. For more information, write to Ohio Technical College at 1374 E. 51st St. Cleveland, Ohio, 44103; call 800.322.7000 ext. 163; or visit www.ohiotech.edu and www.psi-now.com.
About Edelbrock
Founded in 1938, Torrance-based Edelbrock, LLC is recognized as one of the nation’s premier designers, manufacturers and distributors of performance replacement parts for the automotive and motorcycle aftermarkets. Edelbrock produces their core products in the United States of America using state-of-the-art equipment in their world class manufacturing facilities. Edelbrock, LLC encompasses six locations in Southern California totaling more than 500,000 square feet. For more information please visit us at www.edelbrock.com.
Didn’t get a chance to visit the 2011 SEMA Show this year? Now you can see some of the exciting new products we have coming in 2012! We have four all-new videos showcasing our new products from our E-Street EFI system to our new E-Force supercharger system for GM 6.2L trucks! Please take a minute to check these videos out and let us know what you think.
An interesting and unique paring of talents have joined together for the future of automotive enthusiasts. Ohio Technical College, a performance and racing technical school, joined forces with one of the leaders in automotive technology, Edelbrock Performance. The result of this unique collaboration is the Edelbrock Academy… Learn more on Street Legal TV
From Toy to Reality – Students of Ohio Technical College Present Vic with a special gift
This past November something fantastic was brewing at the 2010 SEMA show in Las Vegas. Yes, the Edelbrock Supercharger kits for late model Camaro and Corvette LS2 and LS3 applications were fantastic reveals, but that’s not where we are going exactly.
At a special Press Conference, The Edelbrock Academy a newly formed program between Edelbrock and Ohio Technical College (OTC) was announced. The program will give students a solid foundation in the building and tuning of American muscle cars and performance vehicles. As part of the course, OTC students learn about engine modifications; how to install high-performance products such as exhaust, nitrous and supercharging systems; and how to conduct dyno tuning and testing, among other skills.
The press conference outlined the details of the program but there was one more special surprise to come. Secretly and unknown to Vic, the students and faculty at OTC had begun work on a custom build of a special ‘57 Chevy Bel Air to be given to Vic. Vic was surprised and moved to say the least.
Fast forward to today… On Sunday May 1, 2011 the finished vehicle will be unveiled at the 6th Annual Rev’ved Up 4 kids Charity Car Show. This will be Vic’s first time viewing the vehicle, which is loosely based on an existing Hot Wheels toy.
OTC team members Justin and Jordan Brenner are driving the vehicle from the OTC facility in Ohio to the show here in Torrance, California. Past and present OTC students and faculty who contributed to the build are also making the journey to the show to help present the vehicle to Vic.
“The1957 Chevy Bel Air was a remarkable learning tool for our students and a great way to introduce the Edelbrock Academy and showcase the type of practical and applied training students will receive,” said Justin Brenner, director of corporate development at OTC. “Students in our Classic Car Restoration as well as Racing and High Performance Programs have spent the past several months completely restoring the ’57 Chevy. Students dedicated their time transforming the car from a rusty shell of the past into a custom hot rod of the future. The Bel Air is infused with custom features and accessories including the new Edelbrock E-Force Supercharger making it a 600 horsepower ’57 Chevy.”
Many industry partners supported the project build by donating parts and services, including Edelbrock-LLC, Danchuk, Eckler’s, Fat Man Fabrications, Scoggin-Dickey and Summit Racing Equipment. A special thank you also goes out to those students from OTC who made this custom build happen: Quinton Miller from Berlin, Ohio; Alex Jacin from North Randall, Ohio; and Chad O’Leary from Janesville, Wis.
The Chevy Bel Air will be driven on this years Hot Rod Power Tour, and be displayed throughout the coming year as part of OTC’s “80 high school and 20 car show tour” to promote the Edelbrock Academy to prospective students.
Edelbrock is proud to be a sponsor and host the Division 7 leg of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge at this years 6th Annual Rev’ved Up 4 Kids Charity Car Show. Edelbrock has been involved with the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge since its inception.
Hot Rodders of Tomorrow is an exciting Engine Building Challenge where high school automotive program teams compete against each other to see which team can tear down and rebuild a small-block Chevy engine correctly, in the shortest time possible. Teams compete regionally for scholarships to participating Automotive Technical Colleges. Winning teams advance to the exciting National competition at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This years Challenge is more exciting than ever. Word has just reached us that Ohio Technical College (OTC) and School of Automotive Machinists (SAM) have committed $530,000 each, bringing the scholarship pool to an amazing $1,060,000!
Here is the breakdown of the scholarships for each division from each college:
1st Place $5,000 each student
2nd Place $3,000 each student
3rd Place $2,000 each student
$1,000 will be awarded to each non-placing student.
Edelbrock is proud to continue supporting the future of our industry through the education of today’s youth and the wonderful program the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow have put together. Join us May 1, 2011 at the 6th Annual Rev’ved Up 4 Kids Car Show to see the action first hand. For more information on the program visit Hot Rodders of Tomorrow.
As the presenter and sponsor of the Edelbrock Rev’ved Up 4 Kidz charity car show, which benefits the Center for Learning Unlimited, of course we’re going to tell you how good the show actually was – and it’s true, it was a GREAT day. But when car enthusiasts, automotive industry vendors, local high school students of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow engine challenge, a host of food vendors and two great bands – Jupiter Ignition and Mike Pinera of the Classic Rock All Stars – get together to raise money for the children of the Center for Learning Unlimted, it doesn’t take long for the buzz to spread throughout the media and enthusiast forums. So instead of us telling you about the event, we’re going to rely on the third party media and participants to share their thoughts.
Please remember us for next year as the 6th Annual Edelbrock Rev’ved Up 4 Kidz charity car show, benefitting the Center for Learning Unlimted, will take place at Vic’s Garage in Torrance, CA on May 1, 2011!
Jupiter Ignition took center stage with an outstanding performance
Mike Pinera of the Classic Rock All Stars volunteered his time to entertain the crowd
Special Thanks to:
- All car show participants
- The bands: Jupiter Ignition and Mike Pinera
- Boy Scouts of San Gabriel Valley
- All of our Vendors who committed their Sunday to supporting the event
- The city of Torrance, Ca
- Vic and Nancy Edelbrock
- Our volunteers, we couldn’t pull it off with out your time and support
The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow wow'd the crowd as North Orange County ROP won with a blazing fast time of 36:18
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