Chet Herbert Cams; Still around?

He used to be on Manchester-along side the I-5 in Anaheim, Ca.
Been a few years since I made the family Disneyland trip. We always stay at the Holiday Inn next door to his place. Made the trip this week, and was surprised to see his place razed-just an open field! I was really bummed to see another speed shop landmark gone. Last time I saw him he was getting out of his Cadillac to open the shop one morning. Nicest guy.
Is he still above the sod? Did they move mfg. facility? Sell out? IIRC, his Son was in business with him.

 

Have no idea if Chet is alive or dead, but the business is alive and mostly in the mailorder speed parts business, run by Chet's son ("Doug",IIRC). I see their catalog at a friend's race shop.
Believe they still have a line of cams, unsure of how extensive, and whether they grind in house or just label. Chet was one of the first with roller cams.
The catalog is good sized. Monday I'll stop by and take a look and see about address and post, if my memory doesn't let it slip by.
Dave

 

www.chetherbert.com

 

I bought a Chet Herbert roller cam for my 392 back in January. They were almost moved out of the old shop in Anaheim at that time, and it was pretty empty. They moved the entire operation to a building complex in Chino.

They are still custom grinding cams, as well as running the mail order business. Donnie Johansen (Howard's son) ground my cam for me, and he does most if not all of the custom grinds.

Chet is still around as well, and is still a part of the business as far as I know. I was told that he held out for as long as he could before selling the old shop and the valuable land that it sat on.

Donnie can still grind cams for any early motor that you can think of...just don't get in a hurry to get it.

 

Doug Herbert's business,is not the same business as "Chet Herbert Cams". Doug's mail order parts business is run out of Georgia, Chet's is in California.

 

Yeah Donnie ground a cam for me. But it was not for my motor. Wouldn't fit. Still owes me money. Met his dad a few times. Seemed like a nice enough little guy. Don't think much of Donnie. Some do.

 

doesn't Donnie Johansen run Howards Cams?

 

No. The name Howards Cams was sold and moved east. I am told. Donnies brother makes Howards rods still. All this is what I have been told and may change with better information.

 

Correction- Doug Herbert Performance is in Lincolnton NC, not Georgia.

 

Chet Herbert Cams in Anaheim..... Is gone... torn done a dam shame!!

 

Actually Chet Herbert cams (and Chet, 80) is alive and well, just moved to Santa Ana - Herbert Chet Racing Cams. 2525 N. Grand Unit T. Santa Ana, CA 92705
And the web link above is old and not current

 

I used to run a Ford Cleveland motor in my dirt car. I used Engle cams because my speed shop sponsor was a WD for Engle.

After I had spent all of my sponsorship $$$ at my sponsor, I blew an engine (rather my pit guy blew the engine... long story). I called Chet. He was always tuff to get ahold of... best to call after 5 PM, I found.

Anyway I told him what I had and what cam I was running. He laughed and told me the Engle cam was a SBC grind that wouldn't work worth a **** in my 351-C. He ground a cam for me that he said would kick *** (my words).

He was right... his cam had tons of torque off the corners something the Engle could never match. I bought several more from him for various stuff.

BTW... Howard's Cams is now located in Oshkosh, Wi... bought by a local outfit just for the name. they grind some pretty bland stuff... mostly for SBC's.

http://www.howardscams.com/index-2.html

 

http://www.howardscams.com/index-2.html

 

This is thier new location, was just there around a month ago or so, their still a speed shop, not many of them around anymore, you got to support them, and this place is easier to get to/find

theres a grey beard there named John, he said he grew up at Lyons drag strip, hes got some cool stories, and still races thurdsay nights at irwindale raceway, runs a hopped up pinto.....dougs wally is there in the shop.....first time i've been within 4 feet of one.......cool



Contact Information

Chet Herbert Inland Empire
15298 El Prado Road
Chino, CA 91710
Telephone: 909.393.4597
Fax: 909.393.4267
Business Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:30AM-5:30PM PST
Saturday 9AM-2PM PST

Chet Herbert Orange County
2525 N.Grand Avenue Unit T
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Telephone: 714.289.1441
Fax: 714.289.1551
Business Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:30AM-5:30PM PST

For Specific Questions, and Support Issues:
Please contact us at 909.597.2310
*Chet Herbert does not provide support via email, please use the above number if you have any questions.

Thank You
Chet Herbert Racing Staff

 

I heard that Chet Herbert and his son Doug Herbert were bullding a land speed record car with 2 Viper engines.

 

they are in chino ca. off of central and the 71 frwy. just north of the 7-11

 

Wow... 1st time I heard anybody bad mouth Donnie. He's a 2nd generation cam grinder with people all over the world running his cams, but I guess this guy knows more. You must grind your own cams now then...

 

No I don't grind cams but the cam needs to be for the motor that I have. A cam for a 327 AMC engine is not much use in a 352 Packard engine. And when you try to tell somebody that and his dad was a famous racer so he knows better it can be a pain. And he still owes me $100. Your ball.

 

Chet Herbert p***ed away in April of this year.

 

Oh man, that's too bad. I used to buy my circle track "cheater" cams from Chet fron 1980-1985. I always managed to catch him on the phone and he'd ask me a million questions and prescribe a cam for me. He was good at coming up with a stock-sounding cam that would pull like a MOFO off the corners.

I still have a SBC Duntov 30-30 grind of his sitting on the shelf in the box.

And he'd ship UPS COD too, a real great guy to deal with.

Bob

 

Donnie is still grinding custom cams - neat guy, hard to get in touch with and "over optimistic" as to when he is going to ship it!

I'm helping a HAMB friend with a custom Desoto roller cam - with a grafted 'cast' rear section on it. The back portion of a stock cast cam (gear and last journal) is attached to the 8620 roller billet - so you can run a stock distributor gear. I'm sure it is a pain in the *** to make . . . was supposed to be here a couple weeks ago, hopefully it arrives soon!

 

Why didnt Donnie just build you a billet solid roller cam?

 

Reading comprehension....try it sometime.

 

oops

 

Hey Guys, just came accross this link and wanted to let you know we are still around. We are grinding cams in Chino at the shop there. My shop is in North Carolina but after my Dad p***ed away I wanted to keep the shop out there going.
Ray is out there running the shop. 909-393-4597
Thanks,
Doug Herbert

 

Doug, thanks for coming on here and giving us the info

 

Hey Doug:

Can you give us some insight into what types of grinds you are doing? This is a traditional site and we have lots of guys with early style engines -- many from the 30's, 40's and 50's. Given that Donnie has moved on (and his cam masters with him) . . . what masters do you have and what engines do you have knowledge, grinds and expertise at? The last thing you or the HAMB needs is to have some bad experiences --- which damages all our relationships.

Let us know . . . so we know what you do well, what work you want to do and what engines you're truly an expert at.

Thanks!

Dale

 

The shop is about 2 miles from my house off of Central Ave nearby the 71 Fwy.

 

Though this thread has all been put to rest.... To answer Bore&Stroked's question.... We are doing any and every old grind that Chet use to do. Hell Comp has been copying Chets old grinds for YEARS! Fan of the thumper.... yeppers its a Herbert grind! You really cant get a better cam out there. We can grind just about anything you can think of. Does your 216 need a nasty cam??? We can do it! We are at our new location in Concord hopefully soon we will be grinding cams here to. For now its all in Chets old Shop in Cali.... Thats right ALL USA ground!

 

Dougzilla, dropping in on the HAMB, I've got one of your cams in my Henry J
http://youtu.be/j4hbrdqrJYg

and another in the t-bucket
http://youtu.be/PC47vJ5OZVE