How They Make It: Del West Titanium Valves
Del West is the Microsoft of lightweight titanium valves and valvetrain components. The company claims its custom titanium parts are currently used by nearly every Formula 1, NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch GN, and Craftsman Truck team, and it will also be supplying the titanium valves used in the upcoming 500hp LS7 factory Corvettes. In other words, if your engine has titanium valvetrain parts in it, chances are they were manufactured by Del West.
Like many of today's cutting-edge racing-parts manufacturers, Del West's roots were in Southern California's formerly dominant aerospace business. The company began life in 1973 as an aerospace structural materials R&D laboratory. The company's research into the use of titanium alloys plus an interest in motorsports led to the production of a line of lightweight valves for racing in 1978. By the mid '80s, Del West decided to wholly dedicate itself to racing technology. HOT ROD recently paid a visit to Del West's modern 60,000-square-foot U.S. manufacturing facility in Valencia, California. The highly automated, state-of-the-art production line is capable of turning out almost 2,000 $70 titanium valves per day.-Marlan Davis