Did Something Happen To The Edelbrock Foundry?

[Cameron Koehn]

Flathead intakes, flathead heads. Am I missing something? I finally just purchased a used intake that wasn't perfect. Now I am looking for some #1116 heads. Everyone (well all the major suppliers) are out of stock and backordered. Maybe someone knows something I don't. I could handle used heads as long as the valve pockets are deep enough and all threads are in good condition. Thanks for the awesome help you all are to me.

[Ken/Alabama]

Last I heard they were moving to Mississippi?

[deuce_roadster]

They moved the foundry to some Southern state where wages are less. Cheaper rarely means better.

[tomcarman]

Here's but one of numerous reports. Just do a search.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/edel...o-mississippi/

[tomcarman]

Weird. I copied and pasted the link to the Motortrend article in post #4 and now when I go to open the Ford barn this icon shows. Any ideas why this occurred? Edit. I just reopened Ford barn and now the original icon shows. Weird.

[Tim Ayers]

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Originally Posted by Cameron Koehn

Flathead intakes, flathead heads. Am I missing something? I finally just purchased a used intake that wasn't perfect. Now I am looking for some #1116 heads. Everyone (well all the major suppliers) are out of stock and backordered. Maybe someone knows something I don't. I could handle used heads as long as the valve pockets are deep enough and all threads are in good condition. Thanks for the awesome help you all are to me.

I know it sounds weird, but have you tried Amazon? My friend and I both purchased block letter heads a few months back. Everyone else was backordered, but oddly Amazon had them.

[1948F-1Pickup]

There's like 250 Edelbrock employees that work at the Permanent Mold facility in San Jacinto CA. There's a handful of engineers that never left for Mississippi, some admin staff and the crew that actually operate the foundry itself. That operation not only does the Edelbrock parts but what really keeps the doors open is the contract intake manifolds, cylinder heads, etc that they do there. Foundry's are very expensive to run and more expensive to move, that's why it's still here.
I have not been by the address for awhile but here is a sat shot from mid-2022.....

[Lawson Cox]

Originally Posted by tomcarman

Weird. I copied and pasted the link to the Motortrend article in post #4 and now when I go to open the Ford barn this icon shows. Any ideas why this occurred? Edit. I just reopened Ford barn and now the original icon shows. Weird.

Gremlins.

[Fritz]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

They moved the foundry to some Southern state where wages are less. Cheaper rarely means better.

Not just wages, but the entire cost of operating a business. I’m not surprised. California is making it nearly impossible for any company to make any profit. I’d expect Edelbrock to be a company better poised for better products with their move to MS.

[1oldtimer]

Originally Posted by 1948F-1Pickup

There's like 250 Edelbrock employees that work at the Permanent Mold facility in San Jacinto CA. There's a handful of engineers that never left for Mississippi, some admin staff and the crew that actually operate the foundry itself. That operation not only does the Edelbrock parts but what really keeps the doors open is the contract intake manifolds, cylinder heads, etc that they do there. Foundry's are very expensive to run and more expensive to move, that's why it's still here.
I have not been by the address for awhile but here is a sat shot from mid-2022.....

Not sure if they still do it, but my friend worked for a lighting manufacturer and they had Edelbrock cast a lot of the pieces for their lights. This was maybe early 2000s and he said they were casting for other places also.

[Cameron Koehn]

I looked up the Edelbrock foundry and their website says they welcome new businesses looking for cast parts. Well, hopefully this is short term and those items didn't go out of production for good.

[1948F-1Pickup]

Originally Posted by 1oldtimer

Not sure if they still do it, but my friend worked for a lighting manufacturer and they had Edelbrock cast a lot of the pieces for their lights. This was maybe early 2000s and he said they were casting for other places also.

The Navarro heads are done at AFCO in Huntington Beach but I'm pretty sure there are OHV heads done for some of the main players in the aftermarket in San Jacinto. Edelbrock has a Ford vendor's number for sure because they did aluminum intakes for Ford's Motorsports program and likely still do for Ford Racing these days. (Ford vendors numbers are a PITA to get; we got one at Global West when I was GM there, once upon a time)
Does not surprise me that Edelbrock cast lighting pieces for your friend's company. You can't really shut down a foundry on Friday and fire it back up on Monday..... there's always got to be something in the production line to keep the lights on, so to speak.

[hotrodart]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

They moved the foundry to some Southern state where wages are less. Cheaper rarely means better.

I am sure there are many Southern (read non-California) manufacturers who would take great exception to that statement. The so-called "fly over country" has better taxes and wages, but not less skilled people......please do not equate this part of the country with the Asian labor camps.

[sidevalve8ba]

This may explain what has happened at Edelbrock;

"In February 2020, Edelbrock along with its Russell Performance division joined forces with the Memphis, TN-based COMP Performance Group that includes COMP Cams, TCI Automotive, FAST Fuel Air Spark Technology, Racing Head Service (RHS), ZEX, Inglese Induction Systems, Powerhouse Products, COMP VThunder and COMP GoParts."

It is my understanding that the offices of Edelbrock moved with this acquisition but the foundry will remain in California.

[TJ]

Many of these smaller companies have been bought up by big conglomerates. Chassis Engineering is one that comes to mind. What's noticeable is the price of the products have gone up considerably. Thankfully quality appears to be the same.

[1948F-1Pickup]

This article just released on intake manifold operations at the San Jacinto CA foundry....

https://www.streetmusclemag.com/feat...luminum-parts/

[Flathead Fever]

I used to work a block down the street from the foundry. The original story I read was they were having problems getting machinists in CA. It was either lack of them or maybe they were too expensive here in CA. The foundry would continue to cast the parts, the machine work would be done out of state.

[1948F-1Pickup]

The “fight” was in trying to get machinists when aerospace pays machinists more generously….