neat info. Thanks
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Watson" <wwatson@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2003 4:47 PM
Subject: IML: Autolite / Prestolite
>
> A while back there was a discussion on the history and relationship
between
> Autolite and Prestolite. I recently purchased a copy of the October 30,
> 1985, issue of Automotive News, their "Centennial Celebration Issue" of
the
> auto's 100th anniversary. In it was an article on the history of
Autolite.
> And it turns out the Autolite and Prestolite companies were (and are)
closer
> than believed.
>
> 1911 : Clement O. Miniger forms the Electric Auto-Lite Co., Toledo, Ohio,
> which begins manufacture of generators and lights for the automotive
market.
>
> 1912 : The first Electric Auto-Lite starter appears on the Abbott-Detroit.
>
> 1927 : Electric Auto-Lite purchases the Prest-O-Lite Battery Co., with
> plants in Indianapolis and Toronto.
>
> 1934 : Electric Auto-Lite merges with Moto-Meter Gauge Equipment Co,
> LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Miniger remains chairman of the Board of Electric
> Auto-Lite while Moto-Meter's Royce Martin becomes president. Martin had
> important contacts within Chrysler Corporation, including Walter P.
himself.
>
> 1934 : Chrysler begins using Electric Auto-Lite as supplier of starters,
> generators, and distributors, dropping Delo-Remy as supplier.
>
> 1935 : Robert Twellis, a ceramics engineer, approaches Walter P. Chrysler
> with the idea of Chrysler making their own spark plugs. Chrysler replied
he
> was not interested in making his own plugs, but did want to replace AC as
> supplier. AC was owned by General Motors. Chrysler's competitor and
> ex-employer, two reasons why Chrysler wanted to replace AC.
>
> Instead Chrysler sent Twellis along to Electric Auto-Lite, and wrote
Martin
> to tell him he had done so. Twellis is hired by Electric Auto-Lite to
> develop a line of spark plugs.
>
> 1936 : Chrysler engineers approve Electric Auto-Lite's new spark plug.
> Electric Auto-Lite opens a new plant in Fostoria, Ohio, to make spark
plugs
> and Chrysler drops AC as supplier.
>
> 1942 : With European sales eliminated due to World War II, Electric
> Auto-Lite becomes a supplier to the U.S. government,
>
> 1949 : Electric Auto-Lite introduced the resistor spark plug. Electric
> Auto-Lite customers during this time include Chrysler, Hudson,
> Kaiser-Frazer, Nash, Packard, and Studebaker.
>
> 1954 : Royce Martin dies and the company's future becomes clouded.
Hudson,
> Kaiser-Frazer, Nash, and Packard are either gone or on the ropes,
Chrysler
> talks of finding a new spark plug supplier. Company name is now Electric
> Autolite, with no hyphen.
>
> 1960 : Chrysler begins to supply its own electrical components, beginning
> with the alternator.
>
> 1961 : Ford Motor Company purchases the Autolite name, aftermarket
> organization, the spark plug plant in Fostoria, Ohio and the battery plant
> in Owosso, Michigan. The remaining parts of Electric Autolite becomes
the
> Eltra Corp. and their products adopt the Prestolite name. Champion
becomes
> spark plug supplier to Chrysler as Ford drops Champion for their own
> Autolite plugs.
>
> 1962 : Chrysler begins to build their own starters and distributors.
>
> 1967 : Bendix Corp., South Bend, Indiana, purchases Fram Corp. of
> Providence, RI.
>
> 1973 : Ford sells Autolite to Bendix, after U.S. Supreme Court order Ford
to
> divest itself of Autolite. Autolite granted right to supply Ford's needs
> for at least 5 years.
>
> 1979 : Allied Corp, purchase Eltra Corp., manufacturers of Prestolite
> products.
>
> 1979 : Autolite begins production of oxygen sensors for the auto market.
>
> 1983 : Allied Corp, purchase Bendix Corp. and its subsidiaries, Fram and
> Autolite.
>
> 1985 : Autolite adds ignition wires, battery cables and primary wire to
its
> product line.
>
> Bill
> Vancouver, BC
>
>
>
>
>
>
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