I beg to differ, look it up ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Watson" <wwatson@xxxxxxxxx> To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 2:15 AM Subject: IML: IML : Autolite : Was Why G.M Parts are unnecessary. > > 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. > > > > > > > > > > > > >