Opened 1984
Owned by Dale Bliss
Dale was an avid collector and restorer of old Ford® cars. His first
car was a 1930 Model A acquired when he was 15 years of age. In the 1960's
Dale drove a 1934 Ford® Coupe to high school... of course, it had a 1955
Oldsmobile engine in it.
While attending college Dale was searching for parts for his '34 Coupe which
was disassembled and under a "college budget restoration". That
is when he became acquainted with antique auto swap meets. Dale moved from
northwest Oklahoma to Oklahoma City in 1972. He had now become acquainted
with Hemmings Motor News, a great source for buying and selling parts. Dale
was attending swap meets, buying and selling Ford® parts and also had
began advertising his excess parts inventory in Hemmings. The year was 1974.
Sales were strong enough that Dale decided to open a retail store selling
antique Ford® parts. This was the inception of Classic
Auto Parts, Inc (formerly Obsolete FordŽ Parts, Inc.). Dale began manufacturing
old Ford® parts in 1974. The first item made was the 1934 Ford® grill
trim ring and the manufacturing grew from there. It was 1984 when the decision
was made to separate manufacturing from retail thus creating Dale's Manufacturing
Company. As the years passed Dale's Manufacturing Co. became a manufacturer,
importer, exporter, and direct wholesale supplier of antique and classic Ford®
parts. The product line was expanded to include Chevrolet parts in 1994. Dale's
Manufacturing Co. now manufacturers and imports approximately 3,000 different
items.
The conglomerate, now known as Classic Auto Parts Group, is made up of Classic
Chevrolet Parts Inc, Classic
Auto Parts Inc. and Dale's Manufacturing Company. They are located at
8701-8723 S. I-35 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Classic Auto Parts Group now
has (45) employees and utilizes (70,000) square feet of space.