Mark Auto Supply New Jersey

[37 Coupe]

I think they were in business when my dad restored our Model A roadster in the sixties but do not see their name anymore. Did they offer good products or was it like JC Whitney or Ricks? Every now and then one of their items shows up in either used or NOS condition so I just wonder the quality. I did buy some lacquer from a Fordbarner that is dated in the seventies and is good. Does anyone know the manufacturer or the quality of the radiators that they sold for Model A years ago.

[ryanheacox]

Not long ago the small welding company I worked for in CT did a job welding balls onto the throttle shafts for Zenith carbs. I'm almost positive the job was for Mark.

[Joop]

I think that would be A&L as they offer that service in there catalog.

[Roger V]

Mark Auto Supply went well beyond the sixties. IMO, they were tops on quality. I used to buy from them first if they had/made what I wanted. One product that comes to mind were there USA made trans gears. In fact I have a couple of used ones for sale. Seems like they originated the good one piece repro brake rods when others were welded two piece (didn't even have good welds!). They made the best zinc running board trim before the guy in CA made them a couple of years ago. They may still exist but many years ago went to selling wholesale only.

[duke36]

Yes, Mark Auto Company, Layton,NJ .Just tossed out all the old catalogues. Motometers, quails were $19 in 1968. Ditto Rogers comment, good quality. JC Whitney sold A parts, including cowl lamps with good plating for $7.50/ pr back in that time frame. Much of the lacquer for Model A formulas then was Ditzler, later absorbed by PPG.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

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Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

I think they were in business when my dad restored our Model A roadster in the sixties but do not see their name anymore. Did they offer good products or was it like JC Whitney or Ricks? Every now and then one of their items shows up in either used or NOS condition so I just wonder the quality. I did buy some lacquer from a Fordbarner that is dated in the seventies and is good. Does anyone know the manufacturer or the quality of the radiators that they sold for Model A years ago.

Mark closed their doors as of last October (2018) and unfortunately with their doors closing shut-off a supply of several quality items. As I had heard first-hand, several vendors had been in negotiations to purchase the tooling and items necessary to continue manufacturing their items however those talks fell thru and as I understand it, most of the remaining inventory that was not sold along with tooling, etc. was scrapped. Very unfortunate for the hobby.

[37 Coupe]

Still wonder how good were their repro radiators and who built them? They wouldn't have been foreign made back then.

[Benson]

Mark also made some of the Carburetor jets, floats and other parts in recent years.

[barnstuf]

I met Richard Huber in 1957 when he was a young man and before he founded MARK AUTO. We had both arrived at the Model A Restorers Club 2nd Model A National Meet, 1957, Dearborn MI, and neither of us had made accomodation reservations.and ended up sharing a room. We became friends and just a few years later he founded Mark Auto Company. He outsourced manufacture with USA companys and offered Model T and Model A parts. For many years he was retail and wholesale, but became wholesale only about 20 or so years ago. In my opinion his merchandise was quality USA made, particularly his gears, transmission and rear end. His gears were marked MARK USA if there was enough blank space on the gear side to do so. The business has been for sale for at least 10 years but I understand negotiations never went smoothly and he just closed down. It is beside the point but I have an ad running here on Fordbarn for a 3.54 gear ratio ring and pinion, unused, marked MARKUSA that I got from Richard about 10 years ago, and priced below what the big boy dealers are asking for an imported gear set. Folks in the hobby today often do not know background information or just do not care.

[ryanheacox]

barnstuf, where did the name Mark come from since his name was Richard?

[barnstuf]

I believe "Benson" who posted above about Zenith parts posted while I was writing. Yes Mark Auto Company made the reproduction Zenith carburetor and its components. I discussed this with Richard on the phone one day and as I knew they were sold assembled, but not tested, I asked him why not test each one. He replied that out of the box most of them were fine and needed only idle speed adjusting. To test each one would involve labor costs, adding to their price, plus leaving a gasolene odor in each one which would be a troublesome side effect.

[mhsprecher]

Thanks for the back story, but bad news that the business or tooling couldn't be sold. Just the way it goes sometimes, but sorry to hear about it.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by mhsprecher

Thanks for the back story, but bad news that the business or tooling couldn't be sold. Just the way it goes sometimes, but sorry to hear about it.

This is my theory, ...and only a theory but I was a dealer for them once upon a time, -and he and the lady (-wife??) were very odd/eccentric acting. I would place an order which was generally a thousand dollars or so. That needed to be faxed to them as they would not take a phone order. Then they would contact you back in a few days with a total price for what inventory they had and an exact price for the shipping. We then had to FedEx them a check for the exact amount before they would ship. If you sent a check by general delivery and if they needed the same item in your order to fill another order before our check arrived, they would call with an adjusted amount and want another check sent.


Also, when you called, they never answered by the company name, ...it was always "Hello.". They supposedly had several businesses operating out of the same building and all using the same phone number. Hearsay on the 'street' was he had a selling price that he was expecting to get for the business, and if it did not bring his amount, he had already threatened to scrap it for years. Several that I spoke to along the way just felt the ROI was not there for his sales price and what inventory you received.


Now to my theory, ...I always wondered if in the latter years whether his gears were truly US manufactured. I generally purchased 6-8 complete transmission sets annually, so I kinda knew what they were, ...and I honestly believe they probably were not made in the US, -and were probably manufactured off-shore by a quality ISO900* manufacturer, and he likely kept some old tooling and fixtures at his shop just so if he ever was contested about the US manufacturing, he could show some fixtures and an old hobbing machine as if to try to convince someone. Therefore in reality at the end, it was easier to scrap everything (tooling, jigs, fixtures, etc.) than potentially have to answer and possibly pay fines for years of advertising US manufactured items that were actually off-shore manufactured. This is not to imply his gears were not quality made or had issues, however when others have received quotes from US manufacturers for the same gears, the pricing was not anywhere comparable. Again, just a theory on my parts and you can disagree all you like.

[d.]

I remember Mark Auto as top tier USA made parts in the 1970's and 1980's when their were several low end operators selling A parts. Rick's comes to mind.
The Mark Auto cluster gears and other transmission gears were top rated.

[ronn]

Good story Brent. thanks for the info

[37 Coupe]

I would still like to know who manufactured their Model A Ford radiators 40-50 years ago? And were they good ones or not so good? I don't think Brassworks and the other one now made were in business but could have been.Mayby they were good radiators until you tried to put the shell on them.Mayby lots of Model A today are still running them.

[SteveB31]

We have been a dealer for them for 40 years and still are, as they are still making Model A parts, but only to selling to some of their dealers. He is trying to sell the business, but wants too much for all of his tooling. Most are very high quality parts, and they are and always have been a challenge to do business with.

Steve Becker
Bert's Model A Center

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by SteveB31

We have been a dealer for them for 40 years and still are, as they are still making Model A parts, but only to selling to some of their dealers. He is trying to sell the business, but wants too much for all of his tooling. Most are very high quality parts, and they are and always have been a challenge to do business with.

Steve Becker
Bert's Model A Center

Steve, what is the story on his transmission gears? Are they out of production??

[Railcarmover]

what do you expect,Mark is from Jersey..money ? nobody has a chance to get funny with the money boyo..

[SteveB31]

Brent Terry. I just got a $5000 box of gears from them last week