How accurate is Bill's history? >Ford, Chrysler, AMC and Studebaker all used Autolite / Prestolite starters >at one time or another. The 1960's Ford starters were actually a variation >of the Autolite starter. Ford bought Autoilite's spark plug division in >1961 plus the righte to the Autoilote name. What was left of the original >Autolite company adopted the name Prestolite, another division of the former >Electric Autolite Company, which itself became the Prestolite Company.. > >Chrysler started using Autolite electrics in 1935, dropping Delco-Remy, >while Ford, Hudson, Nash, and Willys went back into the 1920's. Some lists >show Ford starters appearing around 1954, but they were still built by >Autolite. Nash, Packard and Studebaker used a mixture of Delco-Remy and >Autolite electrics druing the 1950's. > >The big change came with Ford's purchase of Autolite in 1961, and Ford >started making their own starters along with the spark plugs. Chrysler in >the U.S. started making their own starters by 1962 (Chrysker Canada >continued to use Prestolite starters on the slant six through 1966) while >Rambler and Studebaker went to all Autolite/Prestolite by 1960-61. > >AMC used a mixture of Prestolite, Delco-Remy and Ford electrics from 1967 >to 1970, but swtiched completely to Ford for 1971.. > >Ford was forced to sell off Autolite in the 1970's but kept building their >own electrical equipment under the Motorcraft name. > >So if you wonder why those inertia starters on Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, >Chrysler, Imperial, Valiant, Ford, Meteor, Edsel, Mercury, Monarch, Lincoln, >Hudson, Essex, Terraplance, Nash, LaFayette, Rambler,. AMC, Studebaker, >Rockne, Packard, Willys, and Jeep vehicles all look so similar, it's because >they all trace their roots to Autolite. > >Bill >Vancouver, BC _______________________________________________ AMC-List mailing list AMC-List@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://www.amc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/amc-list or go to http://www.amc-list.com