I'm sure most of you, during the course of
your restoration, have purchased Delco-Remy, AC, AC Delco, United Delco, or
perhaps even the extremely old, and somewhat rare, United Motors Service (UMS)
parts for your GM vehicle. Did you ever wonder where these names came from, and
what they mean? We did, so we decided to do a little research into the matter,
and here's a few interesting, and little known facts we've come up with, along
with some other tidbits of General Motors historical information.
First, to understand the how's and why's of
all the original GM subsidiaries both past and present, one must also take a
small look at the Grandfather of these offspring - General Motors. Since the
inception of the motorcar, more than 1,600 different makes of automobiles have
been produced in this country at one time or another. Far and above the rest,
General Motors over the years has managed to build around itself, an
infrastructure of internal suppliers second to none which have helped it
outlast the long forgotten names of many of those now extinct automobile
manufacturers.
HYATT/NEW DEPARTURE ball and roller bearings
Around 1888, E.D. Rockwell and A.F. Rockwell, who ran a hardware store in
Florida, invented a doorbell run by clockwork called the "New Departure
Bell". It was named so, because it was unlike anything else on the market.
In 1889 they organized the New Departure Bell Company in Bristol, Connecticut,
and later added a bicycle bell that became very popular. In 1898, the two
brothers invented a device that would permit a bicycle to coast while the
pedals remained stationary, and so, a year later, they added what was to be
known as the "New Departure Coaster Brake" to their product line
list. In 1908 the company started development and manufacture of ball bearings,
and at one time, was the world's largest maker of ball bearings.
In 1892 John Wesley Hyatt organized the Hyatt Roller Bearing Company which were
first used on Oldsmobile's, and later supplied most of the automobile
industry's roller bearing requirements. In 1895, Alfred P. Sloan Jr. (once
chairman of General Motors) started his business career working as a draftsman
for Hyatt organization. Later, New Departure and Hyatt merged to become the "Hyatt/New
Departure Company"
AC SPARK PLUGS
In 1878 Albert Champion was born in France. He was an avid race fan, and began
competing in bicycle and motorcycle races. Shortly after the advent of the
automobile, he gained an interest in auto mechanics and automobile racing. At
that time, most spark plugs were imported from France, and were very expensive.
Seeing a need for more spark plug manufacturers, Champion, along with W.C.
Durant (who later became president of General Motors) opened the "Champion
Ignition Company" (later to become Champion Spark Plug Company), a shop
that manufactured spark plugs and magnetos for the fledgling auto industry. In
1905 a falling out between himself and his investors left Champion without a
company, or a name, as the investors were allowed to keep the Champion name. A
new company was formed and incorporated in October of 1908 with the backing of
the Buick Motor Co., and renamed it the "AC Spark Plug Company",
hence his initials are what the "AC" means. (AC = Albert Champion).
On October 27, 1927 Albert Champion died, and General Motors acquired 100%
interest in the AC Spark Plug Company through the purchase of the remaining
stock held by his estate.
SAGINAW STEERING GEAR
The first exclusive parts
manufacturing organization to become affiliated with General Motors was the
Jackson-Church-Wilcox Company, originally organized in April, 1908.The company
manufactured automobile parts for Buick, and was purchased by Buick in 1910.
Now operating as the Saginaw Steering Gear Division, it's principal product
line became steering gear assemblies, universal joints, drive shafts, and
transmission control shafts.
HARRISON RADIATOR
Established in 1910, the Harrison radiator Company in Lockport, New York later
became a part of General Motors as one of the units of United Motors in 1918.
In 1916 Alfred P. Sloan formed United Motors
Corp.(Sloan would eventually go on to lead General Motors as president and
chairman) UMC eventually acquired Buick and AC Spark Plug, and later merged
with Chevrolet to become General Motors. In that same year, UMC formed United
Motors Service Inc.(UMS), to sell service parts made by the company.
BODY by FISHER
On July 22, 1908, Fred J. and Charles T. Fisher, the eldest of six brothers
started their own factory in Detroit manufacturing closed automobile bodies. In
1910 they obtained from Cadillac the first volume order ever placed for closed
bodies. Over the next few years, Fisher Body supplied an increasingly large
number of bodies for General Motors, and by 1919 GM acquired a majority
interest in the Fisher Body Corporation. Seven years later, in 1926, Fisher
Body became a division of General Motors.
DELCO-REMY
Two brothers named Frank and Perry Remy formed a company in 1896, and in 1901
incorporated the" Remy Electric Co." The two brothers built dynamos
and magnetos which were used instead of batteries in early automobiles. Their
largest customer was the Buick Motor Car Co. Their "plant" as it
were, was nothing more than a 14' X 20' shack located at 12th. and Meridian St.
in Anderson , Indiana. In 1908, Henry Leland, who was the General Manager of
the Cadillac Motor Car Co., was introduced to Charles F. Kettering, the
inventor of the first electric cash register. Wanting to improve the automobile
magneto, Leland asked Kettering if he would consider submitting some ideas for
a new ignition system. Kettering accepted, and along with Edward A. Deeds,
formed the "Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company" (DELCO), in the
hayloft of a barn in Dayton, Ohio. The company was later sold to General Motors
in 1916. In 1926, Remy Electric, which in 1911 had been purchased by Fletcher
Savings and Trust of Indiana, was bought out by General Motors, and was merged
with Dayton Engineering Labs Co. (Delco) to form the Delco-Remy Corporation.
Two mergers remained for the company. The first one took place in 1971 when
United Motors Service was renamed "United Delco Division". The second
took place when United Delco and the AC Spark Plug Division combined to form
the company we know today, as AC-Delco.
TERNSTEDT
In April, 1917, Alva K. Ternstedt
organized the Ternstedt Manufacturing Company in
Detroit. It produced a newly patented closed car window regulator which was the
first completely dependable device of it's kind. On May, 1, 1920, Ternstedt became a subsidiary of the Fisher Body Company.
DELCO PRODUCTS & GUIDE LAMP
In 1928, Guide Motor Lamp was purchased from it's original founders Hugh
Monson, William F. Persons and William Bruce, and merged with Delco-Remy. In
January of 1929, GM split the headlamp operations into what was to be known as
the Guide Lamp Division. Guide Lamp was instrumental in developing the modern
day sealed beam headlamp.
The Dayton plant of the original Delco-Remy Corporation then became known as
the Delco Products Division which manufactured coil springs, shock absorbers,
and electric motors among other things.
DELCO APPLIANCE DIVISION
The North East Electric Company which was formed in Rochester, New York in
1908, became a part of General Motors in the latter part of 1929. Within a few
months it was consolidated with the Delco Light Company and it's name changed
first to Delco Appliance Corporation then later to Delco Appliance Division.
Delco Appliance was the main supplier for items such as heater motors and
windshield washer motors and pumps.
PACKARD ELECTRIC
Founded in 1890, the Packard Electric Company of Warren, Ohio produced lamps
and transformers in it's early days. Eight years later they developed the
Packard automobile but they sold that part of their business to Detroit Capital
in 1903. In March, 1932, GM purchased the Packard Electric Company and it
devoted most of it's efforts to producing ignition wiring cable products as
well as spark plug wires.
DELCO RADIO
With the increasing demand by the motoring public for automobile radios, GM
decided to supply a portion of it's radio requirements through the purchase of
plant facilities in Kokomo, Indiana, in 1936.
ROCHESTER PRODUCTS DIVISION
In 1937 it was decided to build a second plant for the Delco Appliance Division
in Rochester, New York, and the new factory was opened in 1938. A few years
later, shortly before World War II, the plant was 100 per cent converted to the
manufacture of war products. At the conclusion of the war, the plant did not
reconvert back to it's original peacetime activities. Instead, it was called
upon to begin the development of fuel devices such as carburetors, and steel
tubing for fuel, oil, and brake lines.
Here are a few interesting facts I've found,
as well as a short General Motors timeline.
1867-Carriage manufacture begun by the McLaughlin Carriage Company in Canada.
This company later became General Motors of Canada, Ltd.
1890-Olds Gasoline Engine Works organized in Lansing, Michigan.
1892-Hyatt Roller Bearing Company formed at Harrison, New Jersey.
1893-Pontiac Buggy Company incorporated at Pontiac, Michigan.
1894-R.E. Olds starts to build his first gasoline car.
1895-Henry M. Leland forms the Leland & Faulconer Manufacturing Company,
predecessor of Cadillac, in Detroit.
1897-The first Oldsmobile produced and the Olds Motor Vehicle Company
organized.
1902-Organization of the Cadillac Automobile Company.
1906-Buick made it's first 4 cylinder engine.
1907-Oakland Motor car Company organized at Pontiac, Michigan.
1908-Fisher Body organized.
1908-September 16, General Motors Company organized. Buick & Oldsmobile
join general Motors.
1908- The Rapid Motor Vehicle Company and the Reliance Motor Company joins GM.
1909-Oakland, Cadillac, and AC Spark Plug
join General Motors.
1910-Buick makes it's first 4 cylinder car. Harrison Radiator Co. organized at
Lockport, New York.
1910- The Brown-Lipe-Chapin Division becomes a part
of General Motors making spur and bevel gears, and later made hub caps, bumper
guards, and ornamental die castings such as name plates and radio grilles.
1911-Chevrolet Motor Company of Michigan and
General Motors Export Company organized.
1911- The Rapid Motor Vehicle Company and the Reliance Motor Company are
consolidated to form the General Motors Truck Company (GMC).
1914- The first high speed V-eight automobile
engine is introduced by Cadillac.
1916-United Motors Corporation organized.
1918-Chevrolet Motor Company joins general Motors. United Motors Corporation
joins General Motors; bringing with it several organizations, including Hyatt
Roller Bearing, Dayton Engineering Laboratories, Remy Electric, New Departure,
and Harrison Radiator.
1919- The Saginaw Malleable Iron Division becomes part of General Motors
producing iron castings, and develops the tough "ArmaSteel"
1923- The General Motors Research
Laboratories develops the first 90 degree V-8 crankshaft, giving an inherently
balanced engine.
1923- The Moraine products division is
established.
1923- The Inland Manufacturing Division is
formed to produce a steering wheel with wood veneer trim, and later produced
rubber parts, floor mats, brake linings, and various rubber and plastic
products.
1925-Yellow Truck & Coach organized with
General Motors Truck as a subsidiary.
1926-Pontiac Motor Car introduced by Oakland
1927- AC spark plugs were used in the plane Charles Lindbergh used in his
trans-Atlantic flight.
1928- Cadillac introduces the synchro mesh
transmission.
1932- Amelia Earhart's
plane was equipped with AC spark plugs when she made her trans-Atlantic solo
flight.
1967- AC electronics division supplied complex guidance systems for the Apollo
spacecraft, the Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile and the Titan III
standard space launch vehicle. They also produced an advanced inertial
navigation system for the Boeing 747 jet liner.
1969- AC igniter spark plugs were used to fire the second and third stage
rocket engines that took Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins to the
moon.
While working for general Motors, Charles F. Kettering, (co-founder of DELCO)
invented the first electric automobile starter, leaded "ETHYL"
gasoline, perfected "Duco" color lacquer for automobile finishes, was
co-inventor of Freon 12, and made many refinements to the Diesel engine.