Auto industry suppliers

[avantey]

We all know there have been a lot of component suppliers to all the automobile manufacturers since the start of the industry. Many cars were 'assembled' cars with most parts purchased rather than made in house. As one who likes orphan cars I have learned that quite a few smaller makers used a high percentage of bought parts as it was more economical than tooling up an existing part for a new company.

As an example I am currently looking at repairing or finding parts for the windshield crank-out mechanism on my 1931 Hupp. It is a mix of diecast and stamped metal and machined parts that I am willing to bet Hupp bought. Through research I now know of four variations on this assembly used in varied 1931 Hupp models (H, L & S). The only clue to the maker is a globe symbol with the lines of latitude and longitude and a part number CB-80 on the sector gear part. Someone suggested it is made by Trico, the windshield wiper supplier to pretty much the entire industry for decades. This could easily be true given their work with diecast and formed metal but I have not been able to verify it.

A few others to start the conversation would Timken for bearings, Schebler among many for carbs, Eaton for springs, Solar among many for gas headlights, and Prestolite for acetylene tanks and generators. I believe there were suppliers for things like axle shafts too but the names are forgotten by me. There was MFG for fiberglass bodies on the Corvette (and originally the Avanti too!), not to mention body suppliers like Murray and coachwork builders that are well documented.

Has there ever been a database or list of these suppliers compiled? My interest is in the earlier suppliers as the auto industry was formed and grew through about 1930 but any information on this major part of automotive history would be fun to learn. Who can add to the lesson?