History Hilborn Gone But Not Forgotten

Just got word today that Holley will be shutting down Hilborn. Its a shame that such an iconic company will just fade away. Hopefully someone or another company will pick it up and keep the flame going.

 

I, too, hope someone will pick up the pieces and keep it going like what was done with Walker radiators. It may have a different name, but hopefully the quality would remain the same, or better.

 

Why didn't they ever offer a computer controlled wide band oxygen sencer controlled spill valve.

 

Sadly not a surprise, as Holley didn't exactly do anything with it, other than delete most of the stuff

 

That was a very valuable resource for those wishing to learn about MFI.
I was gonna point my son to it after I handed my drag racer over to him. He's an EFI guy. But as it turns out, he found that the simplicity of MFI is a great asset for racing.
When I searched out Hilborn several months ago, most of the MFI stuff was gone, and all they were featuring injector manifolds converted to EFI.
Fuel Injection Enterprises still has valuable info in their tech library, as well as parts. Just not Hilborn stuff

 

Maybe Nick Smithderg will pick up where Holley left off. He already purchased most of Hilborn's inventory when thay sold out to Holley a few years ago.

 

@402BOSSMAN Yes Nick is rebuilding and making some new parts as well.

 

There is alot in the works over here, have some faith, we'll see how things shake out. Regardless if Hilborn gets scooped up again or not I'll still be doing my part to service, repair, and modernize this stuff to help carry on the legacy where I can!

 

When I was there at the end, I found this under a bunch of boxes on the floor when they were moved.

 

Who owns Holley now ?
Some Vulture Capitalists ?

 

very cool... @1oldtimer

Hello,

We used to see the old Hilborn Orange County headquarters in Laguna Niguel for years. It was an ocean view location high above the streets below. Many years later the lower area on a busy highway is/was the huge Costco parking lot and gas station. We lived in that house from the time our son was born and moved on to college/post college jobs. So, we got to see the development of that famous tall brick structure, huge brick wall, and Hilborn shop area.

The most unusual part was this huge brick wall that was one of the tallest brick walls ever. The Hilborn building was on a flat plateau on top and also had this view straight down the freeway towards Doheny Beach and the ocean. They used to be in Los Angeles, but when Orange County was starting to grow and the rents were less expensive, they created quite a compound high on the bluff. During this time, we stopped several times, just to see the shop and wares. Old photos of the massive brick wall and building is a rarity these days.

Down below on the normal highway heading to the freeway was one of our other favorite shops, Clark Foam. The number one surfboard foam blank-creating shops in the whole world. It was busy day and night for many years, in an old building sitting on lower street level. The two times we were there during the early 60s was to buy a foam blank to shape our own surfboards.

After many years, that whole side of the main road, to get to and from the I-5 freeway, was torn down and redeveloped into the tallest high rise condominiums and apartments in the area. Yes, that hillside came tumbling down and the famous brick wall + building was torn down, replaced by this huge hole that looked like a bomb exploded that whole corner.

Jnaki

Then as things go, for the next phase, Hilborn moved about 5 miles away to a newer industrial compound and had this great looking research center and supplies factory in Aliso Viejo. It was to be their last Orange County, So Cal location prior to moving East. Every time we drove by that street, the Hilborn sigh stood out and people wondered what it was, those that had no idea Hilborn was a name for all of us hot rod/drag race folks.

An early map of So Cal hot rod shops and builders.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...picture-thread.228509/page-2127#post-14819225 Hilborn So Cal history


Not located in the city of Laguna Beach city limits

We think of old maps and early days of So Cal history. How the Los Angeles basin got developed and such. But, Orange County was relatively barren at the time, even into the early 60s. Some communities were already established, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, San Clemente, but the land between Laguna Beach and Dana Point was a barren horse ranch with cattle grazing in the valleys and open areas.

In 1960… on the photograph showing Dana Point and Strands/Salt Creek, it was so barren that we drove down a dirt road past the gate and parked on the hard sand to go surfing at Salt Creek point. Other times, we stayed all day and tried making it back home in Long Beach for dinner. On the coastal drive, it was crowded and street traffic. So, we were always trying new things.

When the 1-5 freeway opened, it allowed us a faster way to get home in a hurry. Going on our southerly surf check, it was the coast. But a freeway is non stop to a destination. I can’t imagine the Dragmaster Team towing the race cars down/up Coast Highway to get to/from Lion’s Dragstrip from Carlsbad, every week, until the freeways opened up.

“The genesis of today’s Laguna Niguel was the establishment of the Laguna Beach Corporation in 1959 by Cabot, Cabot and Forbes, making it one of the first master planned communities in Laguna Beach. The firm of Victor Gruen and Associates was retained to develop a detailed community plan for the approximately 7,100-acre site. Land sales started to occur in 1961 in Monarch Bay and Laguna Terrace subdivisions.”

“Laguna Niguel was conceived as a complete planned community with all the needs of its residents within the master plan: commercial areas, schools, churches, roads, shopping, utilities, fire protection, recreation, parks, and an industrial base. The plan allowed for residential areas for various levels of income. The brochures promised “investment protectors” in a new town for a new life style. The first building was a sales office at the eastern corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Crown Valley (the former Crown House Restaurant). Crown Valley Parkway was completed from the coast to the freeway in 1964.”

So, the only way to get to Hilborn Injection System building was to head down the 1-5 freeway from inland cities or up the freeway interchange at Dana Point from Laguna Beach. But, in 1964, Crown Valley Road was a two lane road connecting the ocean to the freeway. Back then, the zip code for Hilborn was a Laguna Beach zip code, although the city zip code was 7 plus miles away, North, up the coastline.

It was County property, not locked into the city of Laguna Beach. But, it was a South Laguna Beach postal zip code for those that knew or lived there. So, from 1964, a new map was made to include an open road from the coast to the freeway through the Niguel Hills. Hilborn was right next to the old Clark Foam building. Clark foam was the major supplier of surfboard foam for most manufacturers and designers. (Walker Foam being the other supplier)

Finally, we moved there in a small single story house from 1976 to 1998 and saw the changeover of those barren hills to a well developed community, today. Hilborn Injection (or Fuel Injection Engineering Company) was still in the tall brick wall corner with its facilities in matching brick buildings. The ocean view was right down the freeway to the South.

In the early stages of the two lane road, dirt or not, some of the locals used it as a barren dragstrip. In 6 miles, there were very long stretches of straight line driving. Straight country side barren land and hardly any police, if any. Once made into a paved roadway, then our old houses started the preliminary tract building in 1963.

Today, the road is a major connection from the coast to the 1-5 freeway and is crowded all day. And, late at night, one could hear 4 speeds shifting as fast as possible in a full acceleration power run. Music to my ears… YRMV

 

I grabbed a few Hilborn T shirts off the Holley website a few days ago .
Sad to see them go . I never got the history on my Injection unit that the original Hilborn would have had on file before Holley screwed it all up . Wish I had got it would loved to know the history on this early unit that used a air craft style pump

 

They just never made the effort. I get the feeling that a lot of the Holley brands are just passing the time before they die a death.

On the other hand Kinsler can still do the old stuff because they make new stuff. You see Kinsler products from Le Mans to Daytona to your local club race track.

 

Yep.. Sentinel Capital Partners, L.L.C

https://www.sentinelpartners.com/mobile/secondary.asp?pageID=7

 

Did these Parasites, buy Holley before or after they went bankrupt twice ?

Seems like Holley owns a lot of brands now.
Reminds me of the geniuses that bought all the car magazines.

 

Going to be interesting to see if the same this is going to happen at SCAT at some point down the road.

 

From wicki...

In 1968, Colt Industries Inc. acquired Holley from the Holley family.

In 1998, Coltec Industries sold Holley Performance to a management-led team backed by Kohlberg & Co., L.L.C.[22]

As of February 12, 2008, Holley filed for bankruptcy.[30] The 2008 bankruptcy led Holley to transfer its equity to holders of $95 million in second-lien debt. During 2009 Holley closed a plant at Tijuana, Mexico, that made Hooker Headers, and transferred the work to Aberdeen, Mississippi.[31] As of September 28, 2009, Holley filed for bankruptcy Chapter 11 protection.[32]

Effective June 22, 2010, Holley emerged from bankruptcy protection.[33]

In 2012, the private equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners acquired Holley Performance Products.[34]

In 2013, Monomoy Capital Partners sold Holley to Lincolnshire Equity Fund IV, L.P.[35]

In 2015, Holley acquired the MSD Group which includes MSD Performance, Mr. Gasket, Accel, Superchips, Edge, Racepak, Mallory, Hays, QuickTime, and Lakewood.[36]

in 2018, Lincolnshire Equity IV, L.P. sold Holley to Sentinel Capital Partners who merged the company with its Driven Performance Brands

 

Lots of great history here...thanks!!

 

I kinda knew Holley wasn't going to do much with Hilborn as I saw what they tagged to keep, what was sold off to others and what was going to be trashed. As always I got to root through the trash .

 

Thank You.

 

Yeah.... one of the members of the management led team in 1998 worked for a major manufacturing company I worked for. He successfully led three of our plants to closure while being the plant manager. I'm not naming him or corporation as I don't want to be that tacky. Just saying some of these corporate managers make a highly successful career of failure,yet are able to continually find new opportunities.

 

First rule of management. Always stay one step ahead of your disasters

 

This is Holley's response and reasoning:

“Holley spent the next 3 years attempting to resuscitate the Hilborn brand. Key service parts were re-released to support the existing customer base, and the classic Hilborn stack injection products were reintroduced to the market after being updated with modern CNC manufacturing processes, tooling, and quality systems. In November of 2023, an all-new LS3 EFI-R stack injection system was introduced at the Performance Racing Industry tradeshow hoping to inspire a new generation of Hilborn enthusiasts.”

“While nostalgia is defined as “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past”, it doesn’t always equate to sales performance. The performance aftermarket has evolved significantly and while there are still consumers who desire the classic look of a Hilborn, the market is extremely small, leading to the decision to sunset the Hilborn product line.”

“Holley respects the history of Stuart Hilborn’s legacy and has taken steps to ensure that its history will be preserved for future generations.”

 

There in lays the issue, Hilborn became a niche. Only vintage oval trackers, drag racers, and hot rodders were the ones using Hilborns and they were old vintage pieces.
Unfortunately that's not a big market.

Modern Oval trackers, drag racers ect...are running Kinsler,

 

By no longer having the history on original systems available to customers and putting the T shirts on close out LOL

 

@MCjim where did you see this posted?

 

Holley.... Stock.. they are probably in dire straights.

1. Holley Inc - Class A
   As of March 5, 2024 • 2:32 PM EST
   NYSE: HLLY
   4.185USD
   -0.035(0.83%)
   

 

https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/...legendary brand,eight-pack of velocity stacks.

 

Thanks @MCjim, guess I missed that part in the article. Keep seeing my name plugged in these articles.

 

One of my favorite light-up signs hanging in my shop!