Engine Builder Socks
Description: In **1964**, Ford unveiled the legendary **427 SOHC V8**, famously known as the "**Cammer**," to maintain dominance in **stock car racing**. Designed as a direct competitor to the massive **426 Hemi "elephant" engine**, the **FE 427 block** shared closer dimensions with the **392 cu in FirePower Hemi**, making it a formidable force on the track.The **Ford FE engine** remains an icon in **classic car restoration** and **muscle car history**, celebrated for its durability, performance, and role in racing heritage.
Description: What is now known as "STP" was invented by German scientists during WWII as a response to Germany's need for lubrication of the German war-machine vehicles. WWII US Army divisions in Africa that overtook German Afrika Korps vehicles alleged that the Germans employed an engine oil that is now known as STP formulation full-strength in their air-cooled 4-cylinder engines, which successfully traveled through the hot African Desert war-front without seizing due to friction and extreme heat. How the Germans' original chemical synthesis formulation found its way to the U.S. after WWII is not known, but most likely it made that journey along with many of the other German innovations through the distribution of technology through the spoils of war.
Description: Founded in 1964 in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwise was a chain of auto parts stores in the United States. In 1974, Nationwise partnered with Columbus-based engine builders, The Rod Shop, sponsoring a series of highly successful drag racecars. In stores, a Rod Shop section was created as kind of a speed shop inside of a parts store. In addition to go fast goodies from all the big names, Nationwise also sold Rod Shop branded performance parts. These parts were typically embossed with NRS (Nationwise Rod Shop), making them easy to identify by collectors, even decades later. The Rod Shop partnership ended in 1987, and less than a decade later, Nationwise became insolvent, and closed all stores on Sunday, October 15, 1995 at 3:00 PM.
Description: Everyone knows that Binford Tools are the best of the best, especially the 6100 series. From cutting edge cordless power tools to traditional hand tools, Binford consistently delivers a level of made in USA quality that other brands can’t match. Of course, their calendar girls aren’t too bad either, and Binford would have it no other way.
Description: Ed Iskenderian was a Southern California hot rodder in the years leading up to WWII, working to make his roadster go faster. Post war, a high demand for parts from returning GIs eager to get back to hot rodding was so great that Iskenderian was faced with a long wait for a cam he wanted for his own car. Figuring he could do just as well himself, he bought a surplus cylindrical grinder, converted it into a cam-grinding machine, and went to work. He wasn’t just making a similar cam to those available at the time – he made them better. His cams made big power, and a business grew on the strength of that reputation that would succeed for decades to come, rightfully earning the title of America's fastest racing cams.
Description: Weber Speed Equipment started out in 1945 as Weber Tool Company, making some of the first aluminum performance fly wheels. As the company continued to expand their speed parts catalog with cams, clutches, and heads, becoming increasingly popular with hot rodders and racers alike, they changed their name to Weber Speed Equipment. Aside from making high quality, extreme high-performance parts, one of their biggest claims to fame was their 'blow up proof' guarantee on their flywheels, something that was a big draw to those pushing higher horsepower and revs in the early days of drag racing.
Description: Founded in **1964** by **Paul Olmstead**, a dirt bike enthusiast tinkering in a **Bend, Oregon cinder-block workshop**, **Powroll Performance** became a cornerstone of motorcycle engineering. Olmstead’s breakthrough—**shortening OEM connecting rods** to create affordable, reliable **stroker cranks** for OHC four-stroke engines—revolutionized power gains without costly modifications. This innovation propelled Powroll into a **50+ year industry titan**, catering to racers and builders with its iconic cranks and expansive catalog of high-performance parts.
Description: Founded in 1964 in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwise was a chain of auto parts stores in the United States with a loveable mascot known as 'Motor Earl.' In 1974, Nationwise partnered with Columbus-based engine builders, The Rod Shop, sponsoring a series of highly successful drag racecars. In stores, a Rod Shop section was created as kind of a speed shop inside of a parts store. In addition to go fast goodies from all the big names, Nationwise also sold Rod Shop branded performance parts. These parts were typically embossed with NRS (Nationwise Rod Shop), making them easy to identify by collectors, even decades later. The partnership ended in 1987, and less than a decade later, Nationwise became insolvent, and closed all stores on October 15, 1995.
Description: Like other performance pioneers, Ed Iskenderian was a Southern California hot rodder in the years leading up to World War II, learning speed secrets in an effort to make his own T roadster go faster. Grinding camshafts came after the war when a sudden demand for parts - fueled by returning GIs eager to get back to hot rodding - was so great that Iskenderian was faced with a long wait for a cam he wanted for his own car. Figuring he could do as just as good himself, he bought a surplus cylindrical grinder, converted it into a cam-grinding machine, and went to work. He wasn't just making a similar cam to those available at the time - he made them better, rightfully earning him the nickname of 'The Camfather.'
Description: Founded in 1925, Mallory initially developed OEM ignition systems for many early cars, but by the '50s, they were known for their aftermarket systems for hot rods and drag racers who needed more oomph to get their high-compression engines to light and for those needing more adjustability for fine-tuning and keeping their monster motors humming along. Mighty Mallory was a fun superhero inspired character introduced in 1962 and was most commonly found on decals handed out at drag racing events.
Description: As post-war America began hot rodding and drag racing, Richard Lockerman founded Lockerman's Porting Service in Long Beach, California. Lockerman started out focusing on flathead V8s, but went on to offer his exquisite port and polish services on any heads that were brought in. In addition to one offs for local hot rodders, Lockerman did all of the port work for TRACO - the largest, and most respected race engine builder for elite competitors of various racing series throughout the '60s and '70s. Even as technology advanced, Lockerman continued doing his thing in his machine shop that remained a time capsule from the '40s, well into the '70s, and that's exactly how he wanted it... old school until the very end.
Description: The Bunnell Motor Company was founded in the '30s in Bunnell, Florida as an engine repair and rebuild shop. W. H. Atkinson II purchased the business in 1943, keeping things business as usual for a while, but his interest in stock car racing saw Bunnell Motor Company begin offering some high performance engines as a way to be a part of the stock car racing scene. By the early '50s, his son W. H. Atkinson III was getting into racing, and of course, it was one of dad's engines that powered his race car. By the late '50s, Bunnell Motor Company was focused almost entirely on stock car and drag racing engines, and after his dad died in 1962, Atkinson III had Bunnell Motor Company exclusively building high performance engines.
Description: C&T Automotive was started in 1951 in Sherman Oaks, California by Don Clark and Clem Tebo, hence the C and the T in the name. While they did a little bit of everything as far as making parts for racing engines, turning out competition grade stroker crankshafts was their bread and butter. Whether you were drag racing, burning up the dirt oval, or swapping paint on the stock car circuit, there was a good stretch there when it was safe to say that the fastest guys were running C&T crankshafts.
Description: The only way to get big stroke in the early decades of hot rodding was taking an existing crank, building up the journals through welding, and then machine finishing it, and that is what Alex Alexander had a knack for. As a welder, machinist, and avid hot rodder, Alex started making his own welded strokers in the '50s. As orders stacked up from word of mouth, he eventually had to admit that he had a business and formalized his operation as the less than creatively named 'Crankshaft Company' in 1965. From mild to wild, Crankshaft Company could build it and build it right, whether it was a street driven small block or a top fuel big block, the originator of the welded stroker could be counted on to go the distance.
Description: The Ford FE engine is a V8 used in vehicles sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. The FE was introduced to replace the short-lived Ford Y-block engine, which American cars and trucks were outgrowing. It was designed with room to be significantly expanded, and manufactured both as a top-oiler and side-oiler, and in displacements between 332 cu in and 428 cu in.The Ford single overhead cam (SOHC) 427 V8 engine, familiarly known as the "Cammer," was released in 1964 in an effort to maintain stock car racing dominance by seeking to counter the enormously large block 426 Hemi "elephant" engines. The FE 427 block was closer dimensionally to the smaller 392 cu. in. first generation FirePower Hemi.
Description: A humorous vintage-style illustration featuring a skeleton mechanic in coveralls leaning on an engine block, coffee in hand, surrounded by signs reading 'Maybe Tomorrow' and 'Estimated Arrival: Who Knows & Good Luck' — the perfect funny auto repair graphic. This retro garage art captures the relatable struggle of every car enthusiast, grease monkey, and shade-tree mechanic waiting endlessly on back-ordered parts. Makes a hilarious gift for automotive technicians, car builders, and gearheads for birthdays, Christmas, or Father's Day.
Description: Waiting on parts! This hilarious stick figure design perfectly captures the ultimate frustration of every DIY auto mechanic, car enthusiast, and gearhead. Whether you are rebuilding an engine, fixing up a classic project car, or just doing weekend garage maintenance, this relatable automotive humor is perfect for anyone stuck staring at the driveway waiting for the delivery truck.
Description: Waiting on parts! This hilarious stick figure design perfectly captures the ultimate frustration of every DIY auto mechanic, car enthusiast, and gearhead. Whether you are rebuilding an engine, fixing up a classic project car, or just doing weekend garage maintenance, this relatable automotive humor is perfect for anyone stuck staring at the driveway waiting for the delivery truck.
Description: The year was 1946 when a small hot rod shop opened up on Gratiot Avenue in Detroit and by 1960, they had expanded to half a dozen stores throughout Michigan and were known as the 'world's largest hot rod shops.' Unlike a lot of speed shops, Gratiot Auto Supply locations weren't just fronts for mail order dealers - they had hardware on the shelves, so no waiting for that new set of headers for your small block to come in from Los Angeles - they were in stock and ready to rock. From cross members and frame rails to cheater slicks and crate motors, they stocked literally everything a guy would need to build a car from the ground up, something no other retail store could come close to pulling off.
