National Garage Tools - Zoerman-Clark Manufacturing

While digging around for some tool catalogs I am going to give Twertsy for his website I came across a National Garage Tools catalog put out by National Machine & Tool Co. with a price list from 1948. Address is 626 North Mechanic Street, Jackson Michigan.

Some Google research did not turn up much. Adding the street address changed things though as the building was occupied by Zoerman-Clark Manufacturing in the 1950's apparently. That led to a Worthpoint find, a Zoerman-Clark Thread Chaser model number U-130.

I had seen a picture of a thread chaser in the National catalog so I looked it up and it is the same, Axle Rethreading Die No U-130.

So apparently National either had a name change or was sold to Zoerman-Clark. More hunting ahead!

A few more tidbits.

From Ebay I got a few hits.

Found a National Garage Tools catalog that appears to be 1940 since the Pitman Arm Puller is described as working on 1940 cars. The cover says
"Produced for more than 20 years by the"
"National Machine & Tool Co. Jackson Michigan U.S.A."
If this a 1940 catalog it means National was probably started in the late teens. http://www.ebay.com/itm/282240311232?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Found a Zoerman-Clark catalog, no date but is describes the Wilton Shop King vise as bein gnew so this catalog is probably 1950's, maybe 1959 since it is catalog No. 59. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-ZOE...137195?hash=item1ec29dc06b:g:a1wAAOSw4A5YuZRI

I found this National Part F-889A in a large rusty lot I've been trying to sort and identify. Can anyone help? Also wondering if I might be missing an additional component that would thread into the end of this piece. This came from a garage that had a lot of tools seemingly specific to Ford Model A.

Possibly for bushings.

bluebolt said:

National Garage Tools catalog put out by National Machine & Tool Co. with a price list from 1948. Address is 626 North Mechanic Street, Jackson Michigan. ......building was occupied by Zoerman-Clark Manufacturing in the 1950's apparently.

Click to expand...

Just found a Jackson City Directory p51 from 1937 listing Zoerman Clark at that address. Unfortunately snippet view.

Also says John H Zoerman was pres- treasure, Jacob Z was vp, Mrs Bessie D Z was secretary. John n Bessie were married. Jacob lived in Holland Mich. John died about 1983, Bessie in 1968

Found another reference to National in "Cooperative Tractor Catalog" 1937 Listing them as making Wire brushes, reamers, gear & wheel pullers, piston ring tools etc. Zoerman Clark is in there as well, in many of the same categories.

National made Reamers, but ZC is under both Reamers and Reamer Drivers.

Hardware Age 1949 has only National listed at that address.

In 1953, ZC is listed at 624 N Mechanics, but National is at 4077 Page Street. Commercial Car Journal - Page 248 (possibly OCR error on 624). Wonder if they shared the building prior, and split up around this time?

Ebay has a National Catalog #76 published in 1953, listing 4077 Page street.

Last reference in Google Books to both together is 1967. The Directory of Michigan Manufacturers - Page 534

ZC last shows up in 1974, at 626 N Mechanic.

Per google maps street view, the building is still standing.

A little more infor about the site:

https://jtv.tv/art-634-owners-purchase-zoerman-clark-acme-properties/

https://www.nailhed.com/2014/03/acme-jackson.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/25229906@N00/14747210955

And references to other stuff they built:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/craftsman/page8.html

And a tool still for sale (from their new Holland MI site)
https://www.sears.com/zoerman-clark-autotough-new-genuine-zoerman-clark-autotough/p-A038837798

Couple of catalogs on ebay from the various manufacturers, for those who really care.

Cool, finally found proof of the link between the two. (Never found your catalog Out of bounds...)

"John H. Zoerman, doing business as National Garage Tools Company, Jackson, Mich...."

Claims use since Dec 31, 1920, filed Nov 24, 1941

https://books.google.com/books?id=L...e&q="National garage tools" "jackson"&f=false

RTM said:

A little more infor about the site:

https://jtv.tv/art-634-owners-purchase-zoerman-clark-acme-properties/

https://www.nailhed.com/2014/03/acme-jackson.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/25229906@N00/14747210955

And references to other stuff they built:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/craftsman/page8.html

And a tool still for sale (from their new Holland MI site)
https://www.sears.com/zoerman-clark-autotough-new-genuine-zoerman-clark-autotough/p-A038837798

Couple of catalogs on ebay from the various manufacturers, for those who really care.

Click to expand...

Thanks, RTM for your additional looking around. I saw the catalogs on Ebay too, but they don't have every page show (or even a complete index) and while I curious to know more, I'm not $15 curious to buy it and find out more.

Seems Zoerman-Clark was a selling master distributor, in addition to the production of their own specialties, sold SK tools and other well-known brands, as suggested by the catalogs.

Zoerman / Zoerman Co., Chicago, IL / die, taps, screw plates / patent 1426441 Aug 22 1922 John H. Zoerman / see also Zoerman-Clark see also National Garage Tools Co. / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=357540 / /

Zoerman-Clark / Zoerman-Clark, 626 No. Mechanic St., Jackson, MI / (see also National Garage Tools Co.) / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=357540 /