Ac-delco, Was Doing Some Research On It's History...

Jubei69 · February 24, 2010

According to wikipedia Motorcraft was started in the 1972, Mopar was in the 1920's and AC-Delco was around 1909. I remember the good ole days of the delco radios with the on/off knobs, adjustment knobs, etc.. lol...

So GM is AC Delco

Chrysler is Mopar

Ford is Motorcraft

I guess the Japanese don't have parts divisons, I know Nissan has Nismo and Toyota has TRD but they are racing/r&d divisions... not oem parts like the Big 3 in the US have...

Just food for thought....

C. Charles Hahn · February 25, 2010

Actually, the Japanese do have parts suppliers.

Denso, for example, is a subsidiary of Toyota. Much like Delphi is a subsidiary of GM (or at least was for a long time).

And if I recall correctly, AC Delco wasn't always part of GM, or wasn't GM exclusive. In fact, Delco wasn't always AC Delco.... remember Delco-Remy?

Jubei69 · February 25, 2010

So Toyota has Denso, what does Nissan and Honda have as far as in house OEM parts subsidiary?

truckofwinandawesome · February 25, 2010

Denso also provides electrical parts to Chrysler, like Starters, Radio Parts, and other pieces.

Thurman · February 25, 2010

GM retained the "AC-Delco" copyrighted name after the old "Delphi Automotive Systems' ( formerly "Delco-Remy") was spun-off as a separate entity, approximately spring of 2000. I was hired at a "Delco-Remy div. General Motors", Nov. 1978. We went through the name changes (Delco-Remy, Delphi Automotive, Delphi Automotive Supply, Delphi) and worried with each change which way the business would go. Some, a few, Delphi components divisions did not get spun-off and went under AC-Delco. After the spin-off, the plant I was at was closed. I was then transferred to another plant 75 miles away. This plant was having problems and went through a "RIF" (Reduction in Force/early retirements) six years later, which I was eligible for, and took. Never looked back! Two years later the "product line" (car batteries) was sold to Johnson Control. We not only made batteries for GM vehicles, but contracted customers. Honda, Toyota, Mercedes, Pep Boys, Advance Auto, and Wal-Mart as`well. Same battery, same manufacturing process, on the same line. Within one year the plant would close. As of last fall--the plant, all the plant is gone! Nothings there now but new grasses. Where do they dispose of buildings so contaminated with lead and sulfuric acid residue? GM still uses the "AC-Delco" name to tag many contracted components. Even batteries made by Johnson Control at one/more of their facilities. Some of the equipment from my "home" plant, alternators, is in use today with a private company and are tagged "AC-Delco". It's a new world out there, David

C. Charles Hahn · February 25, 2010

Denso also provides electrical parts to Chrysler, like Starters, Radio Parts, and other pieces.

GM uses Denso parts as well. The Navigation units in GMT900 trucks are Denso, for one.... and I know there are others as well.

Silverado4x4 · February 26, 2010

According to wikipedia Motorcraft was started in the 1972, Mopar was in the 1920's and AC-Delco was around 1909. I remember the good ole days of the delco radios with the on/off knobs, adjustment knobs, etc.. lol...

So GM is AC Delco

Chrysler is Mopar

Ford is Motorcraft

I guess the Japanese don't have parts divisons, I know Nissan has Nismo and Toyota has TRD but they are racing/r&d divisions... not oem parts like the Big 3 in the US have...

Just food for thought....

And the Fisher body on the door sills

truckofwinandawesome · February 26, 2010

According to wikipedia Motorcraft was started in the 1972, Mopar was in the 1920's and AC-Delco was around 1909. I remember the good ole days of the delco radios with the on/off knobs, adjustment knobs, etc.. lol...

So GM is AC Delco

Chrysler is Mopar

Ford is Motorcraft

I guess the Japanese don't have parts divisons, I know Nissan has Nismo and Toyota has TRD but they are racing/r&d divisions... not oem parts like the Big 3 in the US have...

Just food for thought....

And the Fisher body on the door sills

We have an A-Body with a Fisher Body!

wild willy · February 26, 2010

AC Delco goes way back to Dayton Electronics- 1909-

Credited with the first electric starter, used on Cadillac in 1909- from Wikipedia.org:

Delco Electronics Corporation was the automotive electronics design and manufacturing subsidiary of General Motors based in Kokomo, Indiana.

The name Delco came from the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co., founded in Dayton, Ohio by Charles Kettering and Edward A. Deeds in 1909.^[1] The "AC" often seen in front of the name are the initials of Albert Champion, a pioneer in the development of the spark plug. He made the change during his tenure at General Motors, after they took over Delco.

Delco was responsible for several innovations in automobile electric systems, including the first reliable battery ignition system and the first practical automobile self starter.

[edit] History

Initially Kettering and Deeds were co-workers at National Cash Register Company (NCR). Kettering and Deeds had a lifelong professional relationship and friendship.

In 1904, Deeds hired Kettering at NCR to motorize the cash register.

In around 1908, Deeds asked for help with a car he was building from a kit. Working in one of Deeds' barns with spare-time help from William A. Chryst and other NCR friends, Kettering developed a high-energy spark ignition system to replace the weak-spark model supplied with the kit. Leaving NCR in 1909, Kettering focused on final development of this ignition set and demonstrations were favorably received. In 1909, when Henry Leland of Cadillac ordered 5,000 ignition sets, Deeds and Kettering formed the Dayton Engineering Laboratories company. The ignition system was introduced on the 1910 Cadillac.^[2].

In 1911 Kettering invented and filed for U.S. Patent 1,150,523 for the first useful electric starter, adapted from a cash register motor.^[3] The starters were first installed by Cadillac on production models in 1912...