Hi Guys I asked this question the other day but posted it on the intro page. Can anybody shine any light on a companny called Nicson engineering based in L.A I recently imported a 49 chev pick-up which has some aftermarket NICSON bits on it and iam interested in the history. Any info much appreciated. Cheers Royski U.K.
Nicson actually stood for "Nick and son". He had an italian sounding last name that escapes me now. Though they were most commonly known for Chevy&GMC six speed equipment in their automotive days, I've seen an early Cadillac intake with the Nicson name, as well as Oldsmobile, and they are the only company that I know of that made a 2X2 intake for early small block Chevies. They also cast an aluminum head for 216 sixes that used the stock intake/exhaust manifold pattern.
Just judging from ads, I think they died out in early SBC days. They were always known as Chevy specialists. Didn't they publish a how-to book or two?
I have one of them also and an 8ba flathead. Would like to find an old catalog. How many other intakes did they make?
Years ago, I had a Nicson combination front cover/engine mount for an early Chrysler hemi marine application. I was gonna cut it down to use in an automotive application, but thought better of it. It was a good thing I did, as I ran into a wanted ad about 6 months later and doubled my money.
I recall them being on Baldwin avenue just south of Lower Azusa road in El Monte or maybe that was still Temple City. Wayno
I have a Nicson 2 x 1 intake on the flathead 6 cylinder 226 in my avatar. Found it at the old Pate Swap meet in 1991 (I think). Nice looking part and casting.
Our shop was on Baldwin just south of Lower Azusa. I don't remember Nicson being anywhere around there. In that shop was where we built the Bud Bryan roadster body and I gave it it's first paint job, built all of the body work on the SuperBell coupe and painted it, as well as the California Kid and Jakes coupe.
nicson 001 by wheeltramp brian posted Nov 9, 2010 at 9:12 PM nicson 002 by wheeltramp brian posted Nov 9, 2010 at 9:19 PM nicson 004 by wheeltramp brian posted Nov 9, 2010 at 9:22 PM Years ago I went to a Garage sale that advertised hot rod parts. When I got there, there was a bunch of small block, Chevy stuff and 4 speeds laying around. But I didn't see much for anything hot rods. I asked The guy about Hotrod parts and he led me inside and hanging on the wall was a Nicson 2 / 2 barrel intake for a small chevy. Scored it for a 100 bucks and ran it for a couple years and then eventually sold it to somebody on the east coast for a lot of money.
Elmo, my dad built the building in 62 or 63. My grandfather had a radiator shop in the front half, which he closed in 65. We had our shop in the back half, eventually taking over the entire building. We moved out of that building and up to Red Bluff in 78. I still don't remember them being in that area. They might have been a little farther south as Baldwin had a lot of industrial between Valley Blvd and Lower Azusa. Doing a little research, they filed their articles of incorporation in Sante Fe Springs.
We use these NICSON cast iron manifolds on my son’s 302 GMC and this GMC 3-1 manifold is in my display stash (nfs). A friend has a 3-1 side draft manifold fora GMC the used the corvette carbs.
Man that’s the first time I’ve ever even seen a photo of the rumored nicson 2x2 for Chevy. I never even considered they’d be spread wide. Far out man!
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