Automotive Racing Products, better known as ARP, has made a reputation in the automotive industry for producing high-strength, high-quality studs, bolts, nuts, and just about every other fastener one might need to assemble an engine. ARP has several facilities in and around Ventura, California, where spools of steel wire are cut, heated, hammered, and rolled to make fasteners that far exceed the typical Grade 8 bolt you’ll find at your local hardware store. In high-performance applications where engines and components are taxed far beyond what the factory ever had in mind, having a fastener that applies the proper clamping load becomes even more critical. Because of the company’s expertise, ARP is contracted to build fasteners for the most demanding motorsports in the world as well as aerospace applications. ARP toured a couple of its facilities to see the manufacturing process from raw material to packaging.
Today, ARP’s product line contains thousands of part numbers and has expanded to include virtually every fastener found in an engine and driveline. These range from quality high-performance OEM replacement parts to exotic specialty hardware for Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR and NHRA drag racing and marine applications.
In the ensuing years, the firm has grown from what was literally a backyard garage workshop into a highly diversified manufacturer with five operational entities in Southern California with a combined area in excess of 200,000 square feet. These include forging, machining, finishing and packaging/warehousing facilities in Santa Paula and Ventura, California.
