Jay Storer
1947-2017
There is no way to count how many automotive enthusiasts improved our understanding and skills because of writer and photographer Jay Storer, whose work appeared in magazines and books for almost 50 years.
Jay was born in 1947 to Wilbur and Betty Storer. He attended Nobles & Greenough, a prestigious Harvard prep school near Boston where his father was a teacher and wrestling coach. He declined a Harvard scholarship in order to study journalism at Northeastern University. During college, Jay traveled to Los Angeles for internships at Petersen Publishing Company, which published Hot Rod, Rod & Custom, Car Craft, and other magazines. After graduating, Jay accepted a job at PPC, where he met Gloria. They got married in 1983; their daughter Elizabeth was born in 1989.
The Storers moved to Ventura, California, and started Ink-Credible Advertising, catering to automotive clients. They later settled in Volcano, in Northern California. Jay built their house using “off the grid” utilities like solar power and a well. His interest in alternative power sources extended to hot rods. His “6APEEL” 1932 roadster ran an Ak Miller propane-fueled six-cylinder engine. After visiting Bonneville in 1988, he teamed up with Paul Gilbert and Steve Dennish on a four-cylinder Simca Fiat, which they raced on the salt for about 10 years.
Jay continued writing, authoring Haynes and Chilton repair manuals. Subjects included American and import cars and trucks. Jay’s longtime friend, journalist Dave Wallace, remarked that Jay could disassemble a vehicle, photograph hundreds of components, rebuild it, and write thorough tech info for several books a year. Jay did similar work for STREET RODDER project car books, and for Hot Rod DeLuxe, and The Rodder’s Journal.
When Jay was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia five years ago, he and Gloria moved to Davis, California. He died peacefully on June 3, a few weeks after his 70th birthday, leaving many friends and followers, and an indelible contribution to the automotive world.
Vic Edelbrock Jr.
1936-2017
The passing of Vic Edelbrock Jr. on June 9 marked the loss of one of the most prominent leaders in the automotive performance industry. Born on August 23, 1936, he was the only child of Vic and Katie Edelbrock. Hot rodding was born around the same time and Vic Sr., who operated a repair shop in Los Angeles, was an early contributor to the hobby’s growth. The California dry lakes were an unofficial R&D center for speed parts builders like Vic Sr., whose first product was a two-carb “slingshot” manifold for Flatheads (still manufactured today). Aluminum racing heads followed. By the late ’40s, Edelbrock’s repair shop was transitioning into a performance parts manufacturing shop.
Vic Jr. was working with his father before he was a teenager, learning about performance parts and about running a business. He attended USC on a football scholarship. There he developed a lifelong interest in flying, at one time hoping to become a fighter pilot. After graduating in 1958, he joined his father’s company to apply his business education. In 1959, he married Nancy Crook, whom he met at USC.
When Vic Sr. died in 1962, Vic Jr., then 26, took over as president and CEO of the Edelbrock Equipment Company. In the 55 years since, Edelbrock grew from 10 employees to 700, with a huge catalog and more than $100 million in annual sales. In addition to running the company, Vic Jr. was active with the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association, serving as SEMA president from 1971-1974. He retired as president of Edelbrock in 2010, continuing as chairman of the board.
Vic’s automotive interests extended from street rods to race cars. He also raced boats and was a licensed pilot. He was inducted into the SEMA Hall Of Fame and was a recipient of the Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award. Perhaps most significantly, his name is found on the performance parts on many, if not most, of the hot rods in America.
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