Our Team

Our team has spent over 75 years innovating industry-leading solutions for mechanics in the aftermarket parts industry. We’re family-owned and operated, with a commitment to build on the legacy that began out of necessity.

In 1933, there was a parts shortage during the Great Depression. At General Motors (GM), Ernest (Ernie) Kirkman was tasked with rebuilding fuel pumps and set up the GM Repair Service on the 3rd floor of the GM Building in downtown Detroit. In 1942, during World War II, Ernie managed the General Motors Parts Division.

GM Parts Division supplied the replacement parts needed to keep the civilian cars and trucks operating during World War II.  A limited number of spare parts were manufactured during the war, which became extremely important as no new cars were being built.

After the war, in 1946, GM shifted production, and Ernie saw that the need for rebuilt carburetors was not going away quickly. So, with his brother, Nolan Kirkman, he opened Kirk’s Carburetor and rebuilt carburetors in the basement of his home off Joy Road.
The company naturally grew by meeting the needs of their customers, serving major automotive companies, dealerships, and in the 1980s, expanding to the fleet and transit industries.

Innovating solutions and meeting the need to keep things moving with reliable parts and equipment is in our DNA. Building trusted relationships and pursuing solutions is the KIRKS legacy. We’re driven to get it right.