The PRI Road Tour traveled through Illinois, making a stop at Strange Engineering, where sales manager J.C. Cascio led the crew through the company’s history.

The priority of keeping people on the track and keeping ‘em safe is what Strange Engineering is all about. – J.C. Cascio

J.C. Cascio.

Bob Stange was a car enthusiast in the 1950s, and like many during that time, he started making parts for himself and then for his friends. Working in a machine shop during the day, he would go home and work in his mother’s garage at night making anything and everything – from full chassis to chassis components.

At that time, most racers were using junkyard parts that often failed. Bob’s parts could withstand the abuse and be sought after by local drivers. Things changed when Bob started making axles that could withstand incredible abuse. Soon, these axles were gaining a strong following from racers in the mid-west, then the east coast. The company grew rapidly through word of mouth.

Becoming Strange

Bob’s son Jeff, the President of Strange Engineering, explained how Stange became Strange. “In the ’60s and ’70s, as my father became better known in the industry, he had a lot of articles written about the parts he was making.  Rather than putting Stange in the article, they kept writing ‘Strange’ by accident,” he added. “So everything was Strange Engineering and Strange this and that. So, when he incorporated, he named the business ‘Strange’ simply because it was easier than to fix the writers’ mistakes.”

The company once was focused on driveline components, mostly axles, and rearends. But there were some attempts at branching out. According to J.C., they even manufacturing some spoke wheels at one point. However, these days the company has expanded well beyond the driveline and axle components by adding suspension systems, braking systems, steering boxes, and even spindles.

Making a strong part and something that is affordable to the racer, but not sacrificing any quality at the same time is what is important to us. – J.C. Cascio

“All the innovation, the priorities of keeping racers safe, making a strong part and something that is affordable to the racer, but not sacrificing any quality at the same time is what is important to us,” said Cascio. 

For more information on Strange Engineering’s products, visit them online at www.strangeengineering.net.