The Power Automedia [1] team recently got a chance to get an up close look at Vic Edelbrock Jr.’s 1957 Chevy Bel Air and the Edelbrock [2] E-Street EFI (electronic fuel injection) system under the hood. Vic Edelbrock Jr. was kind enough to take time out of his day to pop the hood of his ’57 Bel Air, talk cars, and even let one of our editors take it out for a spin.
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The obvious highlights of today’s video are Vic’s ’57 customized to the teeth and his EFI system. This modern upgrade provides classic car enthusiasts with an alternative to old school 4-barrel carburetors. The marriage between contemporary innovation and classic design often lies somewhere between revolutionizing and compromising a car depending on who you talk to.
[4]Debate aside, Edelbrock has been spearheading the industry in performance carburetors, EFI systems, and other aftermarket powerplant parts since the late 40s. It’s safe to say, they have only the best intentions in mind concerning a prospective client’s automobile.
Edelbrock has been pushing the boundaries on performance while shining a light on ways to make our classic cars both more powerful and more efficient since day one.
In the video above, Rod Authority’s Group Editor Mike Alexander [5] and Corvette Online Editor Paul Huizenga [6] got a chance to speak with Vic Edelbrock Jr. about his gorgeous ’57 along with the specs on the E-Street EFI system.
A Bit About The Heir And His Father
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Vic Edelbrock Jr. was born on August 23, 1936. He is the only child and son of the famous Vic Edelbrock Sr.. Jr.’s father was a leading American-automotive performance parts engineer as well as a racer. In 1938, Sr. established the Edelbrock Corporation in Beverly Hills at the ripe age of 25. Since then, the company has become a household name and has remained at the forefront for innovating performance carburetors, intake manifolds, EFIs, and other powerplant upgrades.
When Vic’s father passed away in 1962 he immediately took over the company at about the same age that his father was when he had established it. Vic currently resides in Rolling Hills, California with his wife, Nancy.
Vic was the president of SEMA [8] from 1971 to 1974 and was on the board of directors from 1967 to 1989.
As any good CEO does, Vic makes regular rounds to different Edelbrock sites maintaining a relationship and connection with his staff. Vic takes advantage of his pilot’s license and once a week flies the company plane from Edelbrock’s HQ in Torrance, California to their foundry located in San Jacinto.
[9]Vic’s Veteran Power Tourer
The cool thing about Vic is that he comes from a family of passionate builders and car lovers. He is not just a CEO for a large automotive operation, Vic spends his time actually getting down and dirty as a true car guy.
Aside from being a regular at the Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Vic has put a lot of time into customizing his beautiful ’57 featured in our video above.
Vic’s Bel Air has embarked on seven Hot Rod power tours over the course of its life – ’01, ’03, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’11, and ’12. These tours have earned this veteran of the open road the famed “long hauler” title.
As Alexander puts it, the face of a car denotes a lot and often accounts for a majority if not the whole first impression. Right off the bat, that hot tamale red paint hits you. The stance on the car is aggressive and looks ready for the dragway. Who’d have thought some five point wheels could give the bel air a whole new facelift and take it from weekend cruiser to a full-fledged bruiser on the street.
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The guys over at Posies Rods & Customs [11] designed and built Vic’s pro-tourer. This thing has got some major, yet subtle body mods but the end result is a potent combo that transforms Vic’s Bel Air into an asphalt grinding custom. Often times, a list of minor details goes farther than one dramatic fab job. It solidifies a cars personal identity and the end result is a true custom that stands apart from other builds.
Vic’s ’57 features a custom two piece bumper with inline turn signals, a custom grille bar, fabricated inlets, recessed side markers, raised custom side trim, rounded rockers, raised lips on the front and rear fenders, shortened stainless steel rear fins, flush rear bumper, and a perfect 1-1/2-inch roof chop. [12]
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The outside showcases some beautiful attention to detail but under the hood, Vic also showcased the E-Street EFI system. It takes classic performance to a whole new level so if you’re not familiar with this system keep reading and check out what it’s all about.
Low Down Of The E-Street EFI
Edelbrock’s EFI had one thing in mind – providing a more customizable driving experience without having to go through the trouble of having to install a complete multi-point engine management system.
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The E-Street EFI features a universal throttle body style fuel injection system. The product package includes a nice list of features with ease and increased driver-car connection in mind. The system is packaged ready to run right out of the box. It has a pre-loaded tune in the ECU (engine control unit) to get you started up and running. From there, the driver can fine tune specs based on his or her specific needs. Whether you’re going to the track or getting ready for a long commute, the E-Street EFI’s ability to log tuning profiles introduces the possibility of day to day adaptability. Features include:
Types Of E-Street EFI Packages Available
[15]Vic Edelbrock Jr. mentions that there are different packages available for the E-Street EFI System – a base system that does not include a fuel supply package in case the builder wants to create one on his or her own, a base system that includes a returnless-style fuel kit, one that includes a return-style fuel kit, and a base system with a universal EFI sump fuel kit.
You can refer to Edelbrock’s product description [16] for further details regarding which kit would work best for you. Generally, the returnless-style fuel kit caters to engines up to 500 hp, the return-style is rated for engines up to 600 hp, and the universal EFI sump kit is meant for vehicles with an existing low pressure fuel system.
The thought of being able to monitor the efficiency and tuning of a hot rod, custom, or lowrider does indeed peek our curiosities. There are some innovations that are definitely worth checking out. For most car people and even purists, the integrity of a car starts with its look. Off-period wheels, bucket racing seats, a haphazard paint job – being oblivious to aesthetic seems to be the root of compromising the spirit of a car. But something under the hood that allows a driver to listen and address his car in ways that people during the first wave only dreamed of – well, it’s a great debate, and possibly a topic that we’ll have to revisit in the future.
With all the work that a builder puts into his or her car its nice to know that a product like Edelbrock’s E-Street EFI system allows the driver to now play doctor. At the end of the day it’s that unique driver-car connectivity that an enthusiast strives for and Edelbrock’s new product certainly helps in closing that gap while providing reliability, drivability, performance, and economy all with one simple solution. We can’t wait to see what innovations and technologies will allow us to continue to enjoy our classics more and more!
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