Hot Rods List of Speed Equipment Manufactuers that Began in California?

1955 Drag News

Hello,

The name Wilcap is well known in So Cal. As the years came to include fuel for the drag racers, there were plenty of places that sold the supply. The Wilcap building was in South Central Los Angeles and near Lynwood/South Gate to the East. It was a short drive south to Lion’s Dragstrip.

We always wanted to know where the name WILCAP came from back in those early days. Tony Capana and Red Wilson joined forces to create WILCAP… The first three letters of each other’s names. (WILson and CAPana)

“1947 He met Red Wilson (Later, associated with Clay Smith Cams ) and together the two men formed Wilcap.”

“By 1958 he bought some acreage in Torrance and opened Hot Rod City, and this marked the end of his racing career as he began to concentrate on his businesses. In addition to Wilcap, Hot Rod City became the location for such companies as Chet Herbert Cams, 10,000 RPM and George Austin’s boring bar company."

"At Wilcap you could pull in and get nitromethane or alcohol by the gallon or the barrel. By 1964 there was about 15,000 sq. ft of industrial rentals on the property filled with various types of auto shops. The Wilcap Company catalog had 14 pages of flywheels, adapters, engine hardware and Hot Rod City Racing Fuel in the 1967 issue.”

Jnaki

The history is documented in So Cal automotive archives and continues today in the Central Coast of California.


Note: Wilcap had the best prices on Lodge Spark Plugs, until we finagled a deal with our own, down the street, automotive parts supply shop. The Olympic Auto Parts store on the corner of PCH and Caspian Ave.

 

I like these kinds of threads when people are proud of were there from..

 

Hello,

For a complete So Cal history on Wilcap from the old South Central, L.A. location to the Central Coast location, go to the website and click on History.

http://www.wilcap.com/webdoc7.html

There are some very interesting photos and a great story for one of the big names in So Cal drag racing/hot rods from the very early portion of information available.

Jnaki

It is surprising where that history is stored away from all eyes, unless a search is done. YRMV

 

Has TMI Traction Masters been mentioned? I recently bought bushings from them...still in businees