Since 1975
When T&D Machine owner Larry Tores began collecting trophies with a docile-appearing 1960 Pontiac Catalina, he had no idea that sixty years later he and a team of fifty would be making their living from a company he created.
At that time, he was drafting parts for a major company while spending most of his hours thinking about ways to increase the performance of his car.
Tores eventually transitioned to racing Chevrolets. Like every racer, he wanted more power, more speed, and greater reliability. In a highly rule-restricted race engine, he discovered that by increasing rocker arm ratio he could “cheat” his stock-spec camshaft into giving more valve lift. He then focused on better valve train stability. That led him to machine shaft-mount rocker arms to his own configuration.
When his solution worked, others sought his help. Demand grew quickly, and he left his draftsman job to produce shaft-mount rocker arms full time.
Like many performance start-ups, the original idea was to create a better component for a specific application. What began as a two-man operation in his backyard garage soon moved into a larger rented facility in Culver City, California. He formed T&D Machine Products in 1975 and began manufacturing high-quality specialized components for a variety of racing groups.
In the early 1980s, T&D helped develop valve train components for Buick’s new race program. Tores, a multi-time NHRA regional and national event winner, proved the merit of his shaft-mount rocker systems as Buick’s stock-block V-6 achieved new performance standards at the Indy 500 and in Busch Grand National competition.
The success of this program drove demand from top engine builders involved across motorsports. They wanted T&D systems to enhance the power plants they were developing and racing.
T&D became known for producing the finest shaft-mount rocker arm systems in the industry, eventually outgrowing the Culver City location. In 1992, T&D relocated to a major manufacturing facility in Carson City, Nevada. In 1999, the firm expanded to meet rising demand. As technology advanced, new CNC machining centers were added to improve production efficiency and quality control.
The engineering team includes racers, such as multi-national and regional winner Brad Rounds, who understand what racers need. Through racing heritage, experience, uncompromised material quality, and constant communication with leading race teams and engine builders, T&D has become a company known for building the finest products available. Every Competition Rocker Arm from T&D is proudly produced in the U.S.A.
Today, after five decades of production, T&D produces shaft-mount rocker arm systems for nearly 1,000 cylinder heads and maintains a high standard of reliability and customer service. T&D continues to support the finest professional performance engine builders, professional race teams in every discipline, and dedicated racers around the world.
T&D would like to thank our customers, partners, and dedicated team members for their continued trust as we enter another decade of innovation and growth, and we look ahead to the future with the same commitment to precision and results that began in a backyard garage in 1975.