How We Started

ACDelco’s been an integral part of the automotive landscape for over 100 years. It all started with one man’s hobby of making and selling spark plugs to his friends for extra cash. From there, the initial venture evolved into an organization that sets the industry standard for top quality automotive parts. Let us take you through a brief overview of the history, to the ACDelco you know today.

1899 - Albert Champion, a champion bicycle racer, leaves his native France and heads for Boston, Massachusetts. There, Albert turns his hobby of making spark plugs into a business and names it The Champion Ignition Co.

1901 - While Champion establishes his company, The Two Brothers, Frank and Perry form the Remy Electric Co., building dynamos and magnetos.

1905 - Albert Champion splits with his investors, who keep the Champion Ignition Co. name.

1908 - Albert Champion joins forces with Buick Motor Co. and makes spark plugs in the AC Spark Plug Division. The AC of ACDelco is born.

1916 - United Motors Corp. (UMC) absorbs the AC Spark Plug Division and forms United Motor Services Inc. (UMS) to sell and service parts.

1926 - Ten years later Remy Electric merges with Dayton Engineering.

Labs Co. (Delco) and forms the Delco Remy Corp.

1927 - AC Spark Plugs are a part of Charles A. Lindbergh’s impressive trans-Atlantic flight.

1932 - Another impressive flight takes place that AC Spark Plugs are a part of; Amelia Earhart’s trans-Atlantic solo flight.

1969 - ACDelco goes to the moon and back, literally. An AC igniter plugs fire in the second and third-stage rocket engines that propel Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins and Buzz Aldrin to the moon.

1971 - United Motor Services changes its name to United Delco Division.

1974 - The merger of AC Spark Plug Sales Division and United Delco Division creates the AC-Delco Division.

1995 - ACDelco takes on a new look to reflect the company’s continuing commitment to developing new products and innovations.