IML : Autolite : Was Why G.M Parts are unnecessary.

["Bill Watson" <wwatson@xxxxxxxxx>]

Chrysler never owned Autolite, ever.  It was an independent company
headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, prior to its purchase by Ford Motor Company
around 1961, except for the time it was controlled by the Willys Corporation
(also of Toledo) in the late teens.   The decision to have Willys sell
Autolite (or more correctly, Electric Auto-Lite) was made by one Walter P.
Chrysler when he headed the Willys reorganization team.  Willys also owned
New Process Gear, which did become a Chrysler subsidiary in the 1930's.

Autolite supplied auto electric parts to many manufacturers over the years,
such as Kaiser-Frazer, Packard, Studebaker, Hudson, Nash, Willys, Checker,
Peerless, Reo, American Austin, American Bantam. Crosley, DeVaux, Hupmobile,
Durant, Star, Jordan, Moon, and, yes, Ford Motor Company.

The purchase of Autolite by Ford marked Ford's entry into the auto electric
business, and Ford continued to use the Autolite name but was later forced
to sell off the company.   The purchase by Ford also ended the use of
Autolite products in non-Ford products until it was spun off.  Autolite is
still in business, as we all know, while Ford uses the Motorcraft name now
for its electrical products.

By the way, the purchase of Autolite by Ford in the early 1960's had two
reactions.  One was Chrysler moving into the auto electric market, producing
their own alternators, starters and distributors.  The other was the sale of
Autolite's non-Ford business to Prestolite, which continued to market
Autolite products under the Prestolite name to such manufacturers as
Chrysler Canada, American Motors and Studebaker.   Prestolite is also still
in business and has merged with Leese-Neville, an early supplier of auto
alternators.

General Motors used to sell its Delco line of electrics to many
manufacturers, including Chrysler back in the 1920's.  But AC Delco is no
longer owned by General Motors.

Chrysler purchased carburetors (Stromberg, Carter, Holley), radiators
(Fedders, McCord, Moline), brakes (Lougheed, Bendix, Kelsey-Hayes, Budd),
clutches (Borg & Beck), steering (Ross, Monroe, Saginaw), u-joints (Spicer),
transmissions (Borg-Warner), axles (Dana) and other parts from a wide range
of manufacturers.   Spicer and Dana, for example, are not owned by Chrysler
and never have been.   But Chrysler was, and is, one of their many
customers.

Bill
Vancouver, BC


----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Nonnweiler" <dnonnwei@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 7:53 PM
Subject: Re: IML: Why G.M Parts are unnecessary.


> Chrysler owned autolite until the late 50's when they sold it to Ford
which
> later turned part of the company into Motorcraft.  I it wasn't for all the
> parts companies Chrysler owned or owns it might have gone under in the
70's
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "A. Foster" <monkeypuzzle1@xxxxxxx>
> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 8:03 PM
> Subject: IML: Why G.M Parts are unnecessary.
>
>
> > Doug;
> >  Through the process of going through my engine rebuild I have found out
> > that there is almost nothing that you cannot get for a 392 hemi, its
just
> a
> > question of where and how much. The whole idea behind putting a G.M
water
> > pump on an early hemi, according to the hot rod crowd, is to save on
> weight.
> > How this is accomplished, when you need to add an adapter plate to use
it,
> > is unknown and I figure that its a waste of time when there are aluminum
> > after market ones available that will bolt right on.
> >  The true beauty of these older cars is that just about everything on
them
> > can be rebuilt and rebuild parts are available. Before I joined this
list
> I
> > didn't have a clue that you could rebuild the factory brake boosters and
> yet
> > the parts are available along with services to do the job for you.
> >   One of the things that I have found easiest to get are electrical
parts.
> > Why? Because Chrysler, at least on the earlier cars, bought them from an
> > outside supplier called "Autolite". Autolite supplied parts for just
about
> > every auto manufacturer outside of G.M and Ford so there lots of after
> > market replacements out there. The same goes with their carburettors. In
> the
> > case of my car the Carter WCFB carburetor was also used by Oldsmobile,
> > Buick, and Cadillac as far back as 1952 and at least until the AFB came
> out.
> > If you are talking buying a complete NOS working carb you may have a
> problem
> > but as long as you have a core it can be rebuilt.
> >  There are people that have an enthusiesm for restoring early Chrysler
> > products and there are more repro parts available all the time, you
would
> > just need to join a club to find out about them Quite often it happens
out
> > of something as simple as needing a part for his project and having one
> made
> > when he can't find one, this is what Mr. Pittinaro did with the
cornering
> > lenses on his 67'. If there are guys making reproduction parts for
> > Studebakers and Kaisers there will also be ones doing so for Chrysler
> > products, you can bet on it.
> > Best Regards
> > Arran Foster
> > 1954 Imperial Newport
> > Needing A Left Side Taillight Bezel and other trim parts.
> >
> >
> >